Glen Shiel, Great Glen, Stromness ferry - your Scotland experiences
Mar 11th, 2012, 07:38 PM
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Glen Shiel, Great Glen, Stromness ferry - your Scotland experiences
On an earlier post you guys helped with some plans for riding the West Highland Railroad and walking on Rannoch Moor in June. Now my husband has gotten interested in the trip and decided his must see in Scotland is the Orkney Islands. Actually, I think it is great--we both love remote places and history. It also means we have to drop some destinations (St Andrews and East Neuk, island trip from Arisaig), but that is OK.
I am wondering if the boat trip on Glen Shiel is worthwhile/lovely? I've found limited experiences. We could possibly take a boat trip on Loch Lomond or Loch Ness instead or drop that too. Which brings me to my other questions:
We are probably going to fly to Kirkwall from Edinburgh, rent a car, and spend 1.5-2 days exploring the sites. Then to get to the Fort William area we can either go by ferry from Stromness and then overland to Inverness and through the Great Glen, fly to Inverness, then overland through the Great Glen, or fly to Edinburgh or Glasgow and do a return on the West Highland. There are limited connections ferry or air to Inverness whereas flights to EDI are most frequent. However, it would be nice to avoid too much backtracking.
My questions are:
Has anyone taken the ferry from Stromness? Is the scenery enroute so great that we should devote the time? Is the overland route on to Inverness different from what we will see further south near Fort William? From Google it looks like rolling farmland.
Otherwise, we will save that time via flight in order to have more time on the ground at destinations.
How about the drive down along the canal from Inverness to Fort William? I understand that much of the way the road is cut into the hill and there are trees blocking the view of the loch, but still scenic?
I am wondering if the boat trip on Glen Shiel is worthwhile/lovely? I've found limited experiences. We could possibly take a boat trip on Loch Lomond or Loch Ness instead or drop that too. Which brings me to my other questions:
We are probably going to fly to Kirkwall from Edinburgh, rent a car, and spend 1.5-2 days exploring the sites. Then to get to the Fort William area we can either go by ferry from Stromness and then overland to Inverness and through the Great Glen, fly to Inverness, then overland through the Great Glen, or fly to Edinburgh or Glasgow and do a return on the West Highland. There are limited connections ferry or air to Inverness whereas flights to EDI are most frequent. However, it would be nice to avoid too much backtracking.
My questions are:
Has anyone taken the ferry from Stromness? Is the scenery enroute so great that we should devote the time? Is the overland route on to Inverness different from what we will see further south near Fort William? From Google it looks like rolling farmland.
Otherwise, we will save that time via flight in order to have more time on the ground at destinations.
How about the drive down along the canal from Inverness to Fort William? I understand that much of the way the road is cut into the hill and there are trees blocking the view of the loch, but still scenic?
Mar 11th, 2012, 09:54 PM
#2
I only have time for a teensy/short comment right now: Not sure how you could explore overland after the ferry from Orkney. You won't be able to get a one-way car rental from the islands on to the mainland.
Mar 12th, 2012, 01:49 AM
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All I can add to this is that if the weather is bad the ferry crossing can be diabolical. Not my experience but my Father's , OK this was many years ago I am also aware that weather conditions may cause the ferries to be cancelled. Personally I would fly both ways, perhaps flying back to Wick and picking up a car from there
Mar 12th, 2012, 07:05 AM
#4
"<i> . . . back to Wick and picking up a car from there</i>"
There wouldn't be a place to book a one way rental in Wick either. You'd need to either take a ferry to the mainland and then a bus or train to Inverness and collect a car there - or fly
"<i>Is the overland route on to Inverness different from what we will see further south near Fort William?</i>"
Entirely different and w/ neolithic sites like Camster cairns, Dunrobin Castle, and other interesting things - but a moot point since to drive through it you'd have to take a car.
"<i>I understand that much of the way the road is cut into the hill and there are trees blocking the view of the loch, but still scenic?</i>"
Loch Ness is not an especially scenic loch. You'll see more than enough of it.
There wouldn't be a place to book a one way rental in Wick either. You'd need to either take a ferry to the mainland and then a bus or train to Inverness and collect a car there - or fly
"<i>Is the overland route on to Inverness different from what we will see further south near Fort William?</i>"
Entirely different and w/ neolithic sites like Camster cairns, Dunrobin Castle, and other interesting things - but a moot point since to drive through it you'd have to take a car.
"<i>I understand that much of the way the road is cut into the hill and there are trees blocking the view of the loch, but still scenic?</i>"
Loch Ness is not an especially scenic loch. You'll see more than enough of it.
Mar 12th, 2012, 02:07 PM
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Thanks, the one-way 3-hour trip via bus does not sound great if the attraction is to make the stops rather than look at the natural surroundings. One company advertises that it will rent cars to take off the island, but they may still mean a roundtrip back to the island. I can look into it further, but I imagine it would be very expensive even compared to flying.
Mar 12th, 2012, 03:22 PM
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A couple of comments:
There are car hire places at both Stromness and Kirkwall but fairly certain they're only for touring Orkney and surrounds.
The train from Inverness to Thurso pretty nice IMO. The ferry to Stromness departs from Scrabster which is only a mile or so from Thurso. It's a fairly large ferry and while rough seas are possible, it really shouldn't be a problem. The Scrabster to Stromness ferry does pass by The Old Man of Hoy. I believe there is also ferry service to Kirkwall perhaps from John O'Groats. There is also ferry service to/from Orkney and Aberdeen.
I agree with janisj, Loch Ness is probably one of the least scenic lochs in Scotland.
Here are a few websites which might help.
For car hire...www.orkneycarhire.co.uk (Kirkwall)
www.stromnesscarhire.co.uk
Ferries...www.pentlandferries.com
www.jogferry.co.uk
www.northlinkferries.co.uk
www.visitorkney.com
Tours...www.orknet.co.uk/wildabout
Flights to Kirkwall: www.britishairways.com
There are car hire places at both Stromness and Kirkwall but fairly certain they're only for touring Orkney and surrounds.
The train from Inverness to Thurso pretty nice IMO. The ferry to Stromness departs from Scrabster which is only a mile or so from Thurso. It's a fairly large ferry and while rough seas are possible, it really shouldn't be a problem. The Scrabster to Stromness ferry does pass by The Old Man of Hoy. I believe there is also ferry service to Kirkwall perhaps from John O'Groats. There is also ferry service to/from Orkney and Aberdeen.
I agree with janisj, Loch Ness is probably one of the least scenic lochs in Scotland.
Here are a few websites which might help.
For car hire...www.orkneycarhire.co.uk (Kirkwall)
www.stromnesscarhire.co.uk
Ferries...www.pentlandferries.com
www.jogferry.co.uk
www.northlinkferries.co.uk
www.visitorkney.com
Tours...www.orknet.co.uk/wildabout
Flights to Kirkwall: www.britishairways.com
Mar 18th, 2012, 02:27 PM
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I did pile of research last year or the year before for someone, and you can't take a car one way off Orkney. You could fly return from Inverness. Flight's at 9.20am outbound and 4.55pm inbound. You'll get a one way rental at Inverness airport. That's probably most efficient. Otherwise take the Stromness crossing (and some of it is stunning; you sail right past this:- http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedi...man_of_hoy.jpg) and the bus/train to Inverness. There are city centre car rental places too.
I have done that crossing and, give or take hoying up in Stomness harbour it was fine (pardon the pun). It is notoriously one of the roughest straits in the world. It was fine the day I did it; I just don't sail well.
The scenery on the north half of the rail route is very different to anywhere else you're going; and so is the rail route; they are very different the one from the other. By car, the road does have rolling farmland on the right; but great coastal scenery on the left. By train you have bog and moor.
I have not done the Glen Shiel boat trip, but IMHO it would not be "worth it" for the time used up. It's a long narrow glen. Not much happens. Either Loch Ness or Loch Lomond would be better, but, again, why a boat trip. Sailing the Great Glen as part of a holiday, I can see...
I like the road trip from Inverness to Fort William. It's a fine introduction to the Highlands. More commonly, I go down the A9 to Newtonmore, then down Loch Laggan.
Scenic lochs? On that route? Laggan is the only real alternative
I have done that crossing and, give or take hoying up in Stomness harbour it was fine (pardon the pun). It is notoriously one of the roughest straits in the world. It was fine the day I did it; I just don't sail well.
The scenery on the north half of the rail route is very different to anywhere else you're going; and so is the rail route; they are very different the one from the other. By car, the road does have rolling farmland on the right; but great coastal scenery on the left. By train you have bog and moor.
I have not done the Glen Shiel boat trip, but IMHO it would not be "worth it" for the time used up. It's a long narrow glen. Not much happens. Either Loch Ness or Loch Lomond would be better, but, again, why a boat trip. Sailing the Great Glen as part of a holiday, I can see...
I like the road trip from Inverness to Fort William. It's a fine introduction to the Highlands. More commonly, I go down the A9 to Newtonmore, then down Loch Laggan.
Scenic lochs? On that route? Laggan is the only real alternative
Mar 18th, 2012, 03:19 PM
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Yes, we have done the Scrabster to Stromness return route, with a car going both ways from Inverness and driving out to John O"Groats as well. I do not as a rule have trouble on boats of any size, but the crossing to Stromness was unbelievable rough and it took all my concentration to manage it. The return was smooth as glass. Loved the Orkneys, must have a car, we are returning next year and I am looking at the pentland ferries which are quicker and really cheaper.
