Scottish Islands

[Steven W]

Looked into a couple of days in Eriskay or South Just in late July. Ferry + accomodation just shy of £400. Good grief

[Le Tout P'ti FC]

My pal is in Machrihanish* tonight. Jammy sod.

* Not strictly an island.

[jamamafegan]

Finally ticking off Arran next week. Going to climb Goatfell and hoping the distillery will have opened up to some extent for a nosy around.

Has anyone been to Arran? I’m expecting it to be hoaching with tourists, more so than usual given the circumstances. Being so close to Weegieland I’ve always assumed it’s a popular destination for them, much like Loch Lomond & the Trossachs or Glencoe. I’m more used to visiting the likes of Islay and Mull which are a little further afield. Really looking forward to it.

If anyone’s got suggestions on things to do and places to eat please fire away.

[Lex]

Finally ticking off Arran next week. Going to climb Goatfell and hoping the distillery will have opened up to some extent for a nosy around.

Has anyone been to Arran? I’m expecting it to be hoaching with tourists, more so than usual given the circumstances. Being so close to Weegieland I’ve always assumed it’s a popular destination for them, much like Loch Lomond & the Trossachs or Glencoe. I’m more used to visiting the likes of Islay and Mull which are a little further afield. Really looking forward to it.

If anyone’s got suggestions on things to do and places to eat please fire away.

As with all the islands it’s best to get the earliest ferry possible if you’re doing a day trip.

Arran Brewery is excellent. One of the best value ‘tours’ I’ve ever been on. In the sense you got to try all 9 of their beers as part of the price at the end of the tour and they were rather liberal with the pouring and with seconds. Ended up drinking around 5 pints and the tour was around a tenner if I remember rightly.

You’ll walk by that and the cheese factory if you’re walking from Goatfell - assuming you’re exit via the castle - back to the ferry. Better stopping at them than the castle itself which is fairly unremarkable.

Goatfell isn’t a Munro but it is harder than many Munro’s because you’re starting from sea level. Good sharp steep climb up through the woods before you’ll even see the mountain. Fantastic views at the top though.

Then sit in one of the many beer gardens that face the dock and watch your boat coming in. Then end up running for it because you underestimate how quickly they turn those things around....

[The Mantis]

2 hours ago, jamamafegan said:

Finally ticking off Arran next week. Going to climb Goatfell and hoping the distillery will have opened up to some extent for a nosy around.

Has anyone been to Arran? I’m expecting it to be hoaching with tourists, more so than usual given the circumstances. Being so close to Weegieland I’ve always assumed it’s a popular destination for them, much like Loch Lomond & the Trossachs or Glencoe. I’m more used to visiting the likes of Islay and Mull which are a little further afield. Really looking forward to it.

If anyone’s got suggestions on things to do and places to eat please fire away.

You never said if you were taking a car over or going as a foot passenger, although you did mention the distillery which is away up at Lochranza. The Arran buses are decent though. It’s a great place anyway, whatever. Must have been a dozen times over the years.

I hope you got booked on the ferry. We’re off to Lewis next Friday. Apparently they’re only taking 133 passengers so it’ll be like rattling around on a huge boat in the middle of January.

[Melanius Mullarkey]

Off up to Orkney on Monday for the week. Cant fucking wait to be somehwere different.

[jamamafegan]

As with all the islands it’s best to get the earliest ferry possible if you’re doing a day trip.

Arran Brewery is excellent. One of the best value ‘tours’ I’ve ever been on. In the sense you got to try all 9 of their beers as part of the price at the end of the tour and they were rather liberal with the pouring and with seconds. Ended up drinking around 5 pints and the tour was around a tenner if I remember rightly.

You’ll walk by that and the cheese factory if you’re walking from Goatfell - assuming you’re exit via the castle - back to the ferry. Better stopping at them than the castle itself which is fairly unremarkable.

Goatfell isn’t a Munro but it is harder than many Munro’s because you’re starting from sea level. Good sharp steep climb up through the woods before you’ll even see the mountain. Fantastic views at the top though.

Then sit in one of the many beer gardens that face the dock and watch your boat coming in. Then end up running for it because you underestimate how quickly they turn those things around....

Thanks for that, my missus is banging on about the cheese factory - which to be fair sounds good. I want to buy some Arran soap as well. Great stuff.

You never said if you were taking a car over or going as a foot passenger, although you did mention the distillery which is away up at Lochranza. The Arran buses are decent though. It’s a great place anyway, whatever. Must have been a dozen times over the years.
I hope you got booked on the ferry. We’re off to Lewis next Friday. Apparently they’re only taking 133 passengers so it’ll be like rattling around on a huge boat in the middle of January.

We are taking the car over. Booked on the early boat Tuesday and last one back on Friday. So hopefully plenty of time to see everything.

[The Mantis]

11 minutes ago, jamamafegan said:

 

Thanks for that, my missus is banging on about the cheese factory - which to be fair sounds good. I want to buy some Arran soap as well. Great stuff.



We are taking the car over. Booked on the early boat Tuesday and last one back on Friday. So hopefully plenty of time to see everything.

 

Great stuff. Look at going over to Holy Island from Lamlash if it’s running. You can visit the Buddhist retreat or give it a miss and go up the hill. Also a walk up into Glen Rosa just for photos. A day on the actual ridge though tends to be a bit like Skye - you come down in the dark
Lochranza can be decent for red deer around where the castle is. The road from Brodick to Lochranza goes over the Bogullie (sp) at over 600 feet. It’s the only time I’ve reached 40 mph on a bike and that was pre-helmet days so I was bricking it . The cheese place is good but I’ve never made it to the brewery.

[welshbairn]

I know everyone's saying how expensive the Highlands and Islands are this summer, but it doesn't have to be. Just booked my first post lock down trip, couple of nights in a hotel in Ullapool, £98 pounds, and a cruise to Stornoway and back, £19.50. The hotel's a bit shitty, the Caledonian, and Calmac might not be everyone's idea of a nice day out, but right now it sounds well glamorous. Wee drive around the Highlands on the way and back from Inverness to blast the tubes in the car after hardly being used since March.

[vikingTON]

Really not sure how paying £49 per night for a hotel that you've already admitted is a cowp goes against that argument tbh.

[welshbairn]

13 hours ago, virginton said:

Really not sure how paying £49 per night for a hotel that you've already admitted is a cowp goes against that argument tbh.

I don't gauge my holiday enjoyment by the tiredness of the decor where I sleep. 

[vikingTON]

The general price of accommodation however is generally graded on such factors, so what you're actually saying here is that some cesspit that would be lucky to drag guests in on a £30 per night 'value' deal just about anywhere else in the UK (never mind real holiday destinations on the continent) is ticking along nicely charging a much higher rate due to the contorted nature of the Highland/Island economy. 

Next time we'll be discussing the 'hidden value' gem of the wee local chippy that serves frozen shite oven chips for a mere £4 a pop!

 

Edited July 27, 2020 by vikingTON

[8MileBU]

On 27/07/2020 at 12:32, welshbairn said:

I don't gauge my holiday enjoyment by the tiredness of the decor where I sleep. 

Go! Go and enjoy!

On 27/07/2020 at 12:41, virginton said:

The general price of accommodation however is generally graded on such factors, so what you're actually saying here is that some cesspit that would be lucky to drag guests in on a £30 per night 'value' deal just about anywhere else in the UK (never mind real holiday destinations on the continent) is ticking along nicely charging a much higher rate due to the contorted nature of the Highland/Island economy. 

Next time we'll be discussing the 'hidden value' gem of the wee local chippy that serves frozen shite oven chips for a mere £4 a pop!

FFS, just shut up man. What a fucking state to get yourself in at someone else’s holiday.

 

[jamamafegan]

A successful 4 days spent on the Isle of Arran visiting distilleries, eating good food and conquering Goatfell. 3 nights accomodation and the return ferry ticket with the gf and car cost about £120 each. Bargain.

[MONKMAN]

Random question here. Having seen most of mainland Scotland I’ve never really been over to islands, so looking at heading somewhere in September (my mates wedding in Spain is getting cancelled). Looking at prices for the ferries, £240 for a car return to Barra. Is that normal price?

[Le Tout P'ti FC]

Random question here. Having seen most of mainland Scotland I’ve never really been over to islands, so looking at heading somewhere in September (my mates wedding in Spain is getting cancelled). Looking at prices for the ferries, £240 for a car return to Barra. Is that normal price?

Calmac charge a flat fare for every journey, the fares are published on their timetable. Barra is £139 return plus £30/£15 per passenger.

https://www.calmac.co.uk/oban-castlebay-barra-ferry-temporary-timetable

[vikingTON]

Took advantage of a (relative) break in the weather to head up to Mull, stayed at the main campsite in Craignure and used it as a base to mainly explore the southern half. A wander up the nearby hill Wednesday afternoon, then a day trip up to Tobermory on the Thursday due to the rain and a hike from the main road junction down to Lochbuie and back on Friday. The campsite on the edge of the village there looks good for an off the beaten track option. I'd like to return to see more of the north end as well as for the ferry over to Ardnamuchan but Mull isn't right up there IMO. Mebbe it was due to its ability to attract every rain cloud in 100 miles or the general Covid experience being out and about but it was merely a pleasant experience rather than a full 'Rum' for me. 

The day trip to Iona on Saturday on the other hand was superb. I didn't expect there to be as much there as there was and the island is stunning. It's well worth finding a boggy track up the hill (barely 100m) north of the abbey for the views, as well as heading to the north end for the beach. All the weather was just passing over to rain on Mull as usual which helped and is helping to move similar low and wee islands like Tiree up the to do list as well.

 

[jamamafegan]

Random question here. Having seen most of mainland Scotland I’ve never really been over to islands, so looking at heading somewhere in September (my mates wedding in Spain is getting cancelled). Looking at prices for the ferries, £240 for a car return to Barra. Is that normal price?

Are you planning on just staying in Barra? If so I would consider leaving the car in Oban. It’s such a small island you don’t really need a car, the bus that takes you to the other side of the island I.e the airport costs a couple of quid and taxis are about 20 quid. You could also probably hire bikes somewhere (or take them over) and cycle about the place.

[MONKMAN]

Are you planning on just staying in Barra? If so I would consider leaving the car in Oban. It’s such a small island you don’t really need a car, the bus that takes you to the other side of the island I.e the airport costs a couple of quid and taxis are about 20 quid. You could also probably hire bikes somewhere (or take them over) and cycle about the place.

Was just having a look, probably go for Mull instead as I’ll be able to tick off Ben More while I’m there. I could also jump on the ferry to Iona for a day/night. Take it wild camping is alright on Iona?

[8MileBU]

15 hours ago, MONKMAN said:

Random question here. Having seen most of mainland Scotland I’ve never really been over to islands, so looking at heading somewhere in September (my mates wedding in Spain is getting cancelled). Looking at prices for the ferries, £240 for a car return to Barra. Is that normal price?

Options that some people take are to head up to Skye and get the ferry from Uig over to Lochmaddy in North Uist then drive down through North Uist, Benbecula, South Uist then get the ferry from Eriskay over to Barra. There’s also the ferry from Mallaig to Lochboisdale on South Uist then drive down to Eriskay for the Barra ferry. Your overall costs will probably be slightly higher factoring in the extra mileage/fuel costs of your car, but the cost of the main ferry journey is lower, the sailings are only around 2 hrs as opposed to the 5 hrs and what can feel a bit of a day wasted going from Oban > Castlebay. The alternatives let you see a bit more of the islands and basically, it’s just a couple other ways you could do it and see a bit more for your money.

Edited August 4, 2020 by 8MileBU