Scottish Islands

[lubo_blaha]

I'm from Brae originally. The Gilbertson usually hosts Shetland games and cup finals (the Wembley/Hampden of Shetland!). The pic above was from Shetland vs Saaremaa in the 2005 island games.

[Audaces Fortuna Juvat]

17 hours ago, lubo_blaha said:

A word of advice: don't call it "The Shetlands" as the locals get annoyed! Just "Shetland" is fine.

Great that you enjoyed your trip though, I grew up in Shetland and you take a lot of it for granted even if there's not much going on. What else did you get up to out of interest?

Seafield's a cracking place to play/watch football as well.

Seafield was absolutely magnificent. Can I use that photograph for an article please?

We went to Scalloway on Saturday and did the castle and museum, and then wandered around Fraser Park. We also drank in a cracking little pub there called the Kiln Bar.

Also went to see Hunter & The Bear in the Legion in Lerwick on Friday night - great gig and I had just been reading about them a few days previously, so it was a very pleasant surprise to see they were playing there. We were wondering what faerdie maet meant so we looked in a little phrase book which said that "The Shetlands" and "Shetland" were both acceptable - apologies if this is not the case.

I will be back.

[lubo_blaha]

Seafield was absolutely magnificent. Can I use that photograph for an article please?
We went to Scalloway on Saturday and did the castle and museum, and then wandered around Fraser Park. We also drank in a cracking little pub there called the Kiln Bar.
Also went to see Hunter & The Bear in the Legion in Lerwick on Friday night - great gig and I had just been reading about them a few days previously, so it was a very pleasant surprise to see they were playing there. We were wondering what faerdie maet meant so we looked in a little phrase book which said that "The Shetlands" and "Shetland" were both acceptable - apologies if this is not the case.
I will be back.

It's not mine I'm afraid! Pinched from google images.

Scalloway's a cracking wee place too. "Faerdie maet" is "food to take with you" roughly (maet meaning food). They do great breakfast rolls out of there! Shetland is definitely preferable to the Shetlands, doesn't bother me but some locals with disapprove! Hope you enjoy your trip back whenever it may be.

[Audaces Fortuna Juvat]

I have a good few photographs of my own, but they lack the crowd.

Discovered many new phrases while up there, such as Dunna Chuck Bruck. Quite right too! We popped into Faerdie Maet for some sustenance for the boat trip back to Aberdeen, The wee wifie in there was great.

[The Mantis]

11 hours ago, lubo_blaha said:

I'm from Brae originally. The Gilbertson usually hosts Shetland games and cup finals (the Wembley/Hampden of Shetland!). The pic above was from Shetland vs Saaremaa in the 2005 island games.

Oh right. Was up there last year at the famous chip shop where I had scallops  also helped lug boats up and down the place for regattas. My brother in law is big into bluegrass music and is/was one third of The Wishart Family. Amazing how many international musicians have stayed at that house over the years. My nephews are in Kansa. Had some great nights in Sandwick given that Chris Stout is from there and Gary Petersen lives there.

 

[LongTimeLurker]

13 hours ago, Audaces Fortuna Juvat said:

Discovered many new phrases while up there, such as Dunna Chuck Bruck....

Dunna Lob Bruck would be more like it in terms of real Shetland. Chuck is a wee bit too soothmoother sounding and you are lucky to escape alive for saying "Shetlands" there. Shetland is great when it looks like this:

Not so much fun when there are gale force winds and the rain is coming in off the Atlantic horizontally, but my grandmother always dreamed of going back and leaving her council flat in the heart of the Stenhousemuir East Stirling Falkirk triangle despite that.

Edited June 5, 2017 by LongTimeLurker

[John Lambies Doos]

Following on from the Highlands & Islands info thread: 
One of the perks of my job is that I get to go to the islands.
What Scottish islands have you been to?
Which ones did you like and why? Are there any you never wish to set foot on again? If so, why? 
So far I've been to the following: 
Mull
Tiree
Colonsay
Coll
Islay
Jura
Gigha
Bute
Skye
Shetland
Orkney: 
Mainland Orkney
Eday
Stronsay
Sanday 
Of the above islands I've mentioned, I'd be in no hurry to go back to Islay, Gigha or Rothesay. The small Orkney Islands I've mentioned, I'd happily go back but for no more than a day.
 

Great Cumbrae - aka Millport.
Summer every year during my youth. Always wanted to go to little cumbrae; but the authorities always warned you off due to it being rat infested.
Scotland 's Area 51 imo

[Audaces Fortuna Juvat]

https://www.shetlandamenity.org/dunna-chuck-bruck

[The Mantis]

Yeah they have used Dinna Chuck Bruck for years on posters etc. Obviously more alliterative and punchy.

Inspiring shot above from Lurky, here's a couple from me

Edited September 11, 2019 by The Mantis

[welshbairn]

On 2017-6-5 at 12:55, John Lambies Doos said:

 

Great Cumbrae - aka Millport.
Summer every year during my youth. Always wanted to go to little cumbrae; but the authorities always warned you off due to it being rat infested.
Scotland 's Area 51 imo

 

Maybe not. http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/worldnews/asia/india/8735468/Controversial-yoga-guru-under-investigation-for-purchase-of-remote-Scottish-island.html

[S7C]

On 6/5/2017 at 12:55, John Lambies Doos said:

 

Great Cumbrae - aka Millport.
Summer every year during my youth. Always wanted to go to little cumbrae; but the authorities always warned you off due to it being rat infested.
Scotland 's Area 51 imo

 

Half the Scottish islands are rat infested. Barra is pretty bad for them. I've seen more there than I have in Glasgow and Edinburgh. I think Canna spent a fair bit of money getting rid of them a few years ago and now it's infested with rabbits instead 

[Honest_Man#1]

Planning a week long road trip up north in August. Having shamefully never been north of Aviemore the only place I know we want to go is Skye. Any recommended must see islands/places or a route?

Looking for a few places with a day or two in each, nice restaurants (love seafood) and decent places to stay, but have no idea where to start.

[8MileBU]

Planning a week long road trip up north in August. Having shamefully never been north of Aviemore the only place I know we want to go is Skye. Any recommended must see islands/places or a route?
Looking for a few places with a day or two in each, nice restaurants (love seafood) and decent places to stay, but have no idea where to start.

Barra, Mull, Islay & Tiree would be my first recommendations in terms of decent digs and a love of seafood.

[invergowrie arab]

2 hours ago, Honest_Man#1 said:

Planning a week long road trip up north in August. Having shamefully never been north of Aviemore the only place I know we want to go is Skye. Any recommended must see islands/places or a route?

Looking for a few places with a day or two in each, nice restaurants (love seafood) and decent places to stay, but have no idea where to start.

Skye is fantastic but if you are not booked up yet you will find accommodation rare and expensive in August - although Airbnb seems to be a decent option these days.

Don't try too much. You could do a week on Skye itself and the Outer Hebrides are worth a trip in their own right. The inner Hebrides Mull, Islay etc a separate week again.

If accommodation makes it doable and assuming you are coming from west of Scotland I would do something along lines of:

Day 1 Loch Lomond - Glencoe - Fort William - Mallaig - Skye plenty places to stop en route for photos. Recommend Clachaig inn in Glencoe for lunch. Mallaig means a ferry to Skye but TBH they are pretty cheap these days and it means you still get that island feel on a first visit.

Day 2 - West Skye. Fairy pools, talisker distillery, talisker bay, langoustines and lobster from the old Inn at Carbost or visit the Oyster shed just past Carbost.

Day 3 North Skye - the Quirang, kilt rock, old man of Storr,Dunvegan castle, Portree - excellent fish and chips

Day 4 South Skye and Kintail. Ferry to Glenelg should see sea eagles, Glenelg brochs, over to Plockton for tea both Plockton shores and Plockton Hotel have outstanding seafood. Book ahead.

Day 5 leave Skye and head north to Lochcarrron then keep to west coast and drive over Bealach na Bà to Applecross. Nice pub for lunch. Drive through Glen Torridon, amazing mountains, keep heading north and find somewhere to stay around Ullapool again great seafood.

Day 6 Still based in Ullapool drive north through coigach and assynt. Make a loop up Main A835 to Kylesku bridge then head to Lochinver and take coast road back to Ullapool. Brilliant pub Am Fuaran at Altandhu just west of Achiltibuie.

Day 7 head to Inverness and A9 home. Loads to do to break up journey.

All of the above can be mix and matched or you could stay longer in Ullapool rather than Skye.

Alternatively if Skye is too dear or you can put it off for next time or you just want to do a day there you could just do NC500 instead http://www.northcoast500.com

 

Edited July 9, 2017 by invergowrie arab

[welshbairn]

Skye is fantastic but if you are not booked up yet you will find accommodation rare and expensive in August - although Airbnb seems to be a decent option these days.

 

It's worth finding pubs on Google maps and phoning them up to see if they have rooms. They often don't appear on the likes of booking. Com and are usually much cheaper and just as good as hotels.

[Big Rider]

17 hours ago, invergowrie arab said:

Skye is fantastic but if you are not booked up yet you will find accommodation rare and expensive in August - although Airbnb seems to be a decent option these days.

Don't try too much. You could do a week on Skye itself and the Outer Hebrides are worth a trip in their own right. The inner Hebrides Mull, Islay etc a separate week again.

If accommodation makes it doable and assuming you are coming from west of Scotland I would do something along lines of:

Day 1 Loch Lomond - Glencoe - Fort William - Mallaig - Skye plenty places to stop en route for photos. Recommend Clachaig inn in Glencoe for lunch. Mallaig means a ferry to Skye but TBH they are pretty cheap these days and it means you still get that island feel on a first visit.

Day 2 - West Skye. Fairy pools, talisker distillery, talisker bay, langoustines and lobster from the old Inn at Carbost or visit the Oyster shed just past Carbost.

Day 3 North Skye - the Quirang, kilt rock, old man of Storr,Dunvegan castle, Portree - excellent fish and chips

Day 4 South Skye and Kintail. Ferry to Glenelg should see sea eagles, Glenelg brochs, over to Plockton for tea both Plockton shores and Plockton Hotel have outstanding seafood. Book ahead.

Day 5 leave Skye and head north to Lochcarrron then keep to west coast and drive over Bealach na Bà to Applecross. Nice pub for lunch. Drive through Glen Torridon, amazing mountains, keep heading north and find somewhere to stay around Ullapool again great seafood.

Day 6 Still based in Ullapool drive north through coigach and assynt. Make a loop up Main A835 to Kylesku bridge then head to Lochinver and take coast road back to Ullapool. Brilliant pub Am Fuaran at Altandhu just west of Achiltibuie.

Day 7 head to Inverness and A9 home. Loads to do to break up journey.

All of the above can be mix and matched or you could stay longer in Ullapool rather than Skye.

Alternatively if Skye is too dear or you can put it off for next time or you just want to do a day there you could just do NC500 instead http://www.northcoast500.com

 

That's a brilliant suggestion Invergowrie Arab. I love the views from the coast back to the mountains when your at Achiltibuie. Torridon is just stunning. I nearly drove off the road craning my neck to look at the views last time I was up there.

[The Mantis]

Can only echo what Invergowrie Arab says - don't try too much. That abysmal BBC weather map can make you feel Scotland is very small. A lot of these media types think it's a county, not a country. I've spent a lifetime exploring Scotland and it's still not enough. 

Just to repeat something I said before, a mate of mine who has lived most of his adult life in Bucks, decided to take the missus round the Islands and got a 2 week travelpass. Despite me telling him to stick to 2 or 3 islands, he just went all over and at the end he had a load of photos where he couldn't remember which island he was on. Slow down to Hebridean time, like me, some days I don't bother putting my watch on 

[8MileBU]

Can only echo what Invergowrie Arab says - don't try too much. That abysmal BBC weather map can make you feel Scotland is very small. A lot of these media types think it's a county, not a country. I've spent a lifetime exploring Scotland and it's still not enough. 

Exactly this ^^^

On a map Scotland looks small, but people forget that away from the major cities and towns there's no motorways and sometimes it can take two hours to travel forty miles out in the sticks.

I'm lucky in that my job takes me all over Scotland and off the beaten track, but despite being fairly well travelled, I've barely even scratched the surface.

[afca32]

Been to-

Mull (3 times)

Skye

Lewis

Orkney

Eigg

Muck

Iona

Eilean Shona

Feel like I'm forgetting some. I need to visit some of the more southerly islands.

Eilean Shona is a magical wee place. We pretty much had the whole island to ourselves for a week. The only problem was the tics were absolutely horrendous and although it didn't bother me much it definitely put others off.

[throbber]

Does Invergowrie Arab work for the Skye tourist board?