notlivia

I think I'd like to take a trip to Scotland for a long weekend while based in London this October.

I'd love to take an overnight train, but is that too impractical? What is the best way to book sleeper tickets (for a family of three)?

Is it more sensible to fly? EasyJet seems to have very good fares, although a journey like that would lack the adventure of a train trip.

Would it make sense to book now, or hope for last minute deals once we're there?

(And if Loch Ness really ISN'T so great [as I've read here], where should we go instead? Our six-year-old has become very interested in Loch Ness.)

[P.S. first post!]

PalenQ

Last-minute deals usually don't exist i think and you could pay a whole lot more by waiting - and there are some advance fares that can be a hundred quid or more cheaper IME than just showing up

Google Caledonian Sleepers and this will bring up ScotRail's sleeping train info on the Caledonia Sleepers

i' taken them several times - very nice compared to many Continental night trains IME - esp first class where i got breakfast in bed included.

Recently i did London-euston to Inverness and then took the really scenic railway to Kyle of Loch - going thru the Highlands.

If you were doing much rail travel you may investigate the BritRail pass - esp if you do want flexibility to just show up in London and book a sleeping berth - pass pays for train fare but you pay extra for the sleeping accommodation

this is what i did - though you can get some really really cheap advance fares if you act early enough - places are quite limited i think - that would be the cheapest way to go but with a pass if you were also going other places in Britain by rail - even around London on day trips a pass could be a good deal - but only if you want flexibility to hop these trains anytime (i made my most recent booking the same day of the train without problem with a pass). Though it seems you will be better off with online discounts since on a weekend thing you probably know exactly when you want to go - for lots of info on passes and British trains in general take a look at www.britrail.com - official site of ACP Rail for BritRail products they offer and many agents sell thru them; www.budgeteuropetravel.com and esp www.ricksteves.com - the last two sites have tons of objective info and not just the usual pass prices and an add to cart button. But it seems you should go to the ScotRail site (actually operated by FirstRail) and book thru it and book as early as possible - even for October.

alanRow

<<< Google Caledonian Sleepers and this will bring up ScotRail's sleeping train info on the Caledonia Sleepers >>>

Check out the Bargain Berths offers - London to Edinburgh from £19 including bed & breakfast

zeppole

Gee, if the six year old wants Loch Ness, why not Loch Ness? You'll think it's silly but you're not six!

I actually am unsure if Dunkeld falls within the Highlands, but
I've taken a train from Dunkeld to London, but not at night. But my seats were nice, with little lamps on the tables. It was a fairly long ride (about six hours?). Perhaps you could break it up with a lunch in Edinburgh.

Your six-year-old might like that area, which is where Beatrix Potter came from. Plus, the ruined church of Dunkeld is really rather magical. Google up some pictures.

I wonder if basing yourself in Dunkeld you could do a day trip to Loch Ness.

Anyway, the real Scotland experts will be stopping by I'm sure.

flanneruk

This isn't my special subject.

But here's what happens. You get into a train at London, have a few jars and go to bed. About 0630 it gets light. You're in Garlochead. You watch it getting lighter over Rannoch Moor, and get chucked off at Fort William around 1000.

Now if that's not romantic what is? (answer: getting the overnight Venice-Milan slow train that starts in Moscow and stops in Rome. But let's not talk about my youthful indiscretions)

This isn't quite the world's greatest overnight train journey. But it's bloody close. Spend as long as you like working out how to do it cheaply. But just do it.

Loch Ness is alright:it's Inverness that's close to the pits.

PalenQ

I didn't take the Caledonia night train to Ft William but en route to Inverness, like flanner said, at the crack of dawn the Scottish low Highlands magically appeared - lots of heather, etc. and i think it was Perth - a great stone Victorian train station and then along Loch Ness - no no Nessie - to an Inverness that yes seemed a whole lot more pedestrian than i expected - expecting a kind of Windermere. A great night train and at prices Alan pointed out much cheaper than a night in a hotel - breakfast included.

janisj

&quot;<i> i think it was Perth - a great stone Victorian train station and then along Loch Ness - no no Nessie - to an Inverness that yes seemed a whole lot more pedestrian than i expected - expecting a kind of Windermere. </i>&quot; Ummm - PQ - the train from Perth to Inverness goes nowhere near Loch Ness. You could not have seen it from a train.

Notlivia: There are a few of ways you could manage this as a long weekend. You could take the sleeper train all the way to Inverness, pick up a car there and drive down Loch Ness - not the prettiest but OK. Be sure to visit Urquhart Castle. Then through Glencoe and wind your way down to Edinburgh. One night near Inverness, one night maybe near Glencoe or farther south near Callander, and finally one night in Edinburgh. (Drop the car before going into Edinburgh) then fly or take the fast train back to London

Or you could do the same thing - but fly up to Inverness instead of the sleeper train.

Or - train or fly to Edinburgh, stay one night, then collect a car and spend two days driving up to Inverness - finish up by flying back to London from Inverness.

Underhill

We took the train and loved the trip. You get to enjoy the morning scenery and experience the fun of train travel. Having tea and biscuits brought to your compartment when the train arrives is a treat.

flanneruk

Two points about the romance:

First, for most people the romance of the train works only northbound. It's pretty exotic for the Scots to wake up at 6 am in Northampton and see a country where people work for a living and don't spend their time muttering into their Youngers Tartan Special cans about imagined wrongs. But for the well-adjusted, it's pretty dull. So if you want to train one way and fly t'other, definitely train it TO Scotland.

Second, the northbound romance works when you're on the train or when you get off if you get off at a civilised hour. Fine if your train's due to arrive wherever you're getting off after 7 or whatever you define as civilised, or if you're getting off at the last station (they usually let you stay on the train in Edinburgh for a while, for example)

But last time I got this train to Perth, I was chucked off about 4.45 am into the edge of town where NOTHING was open. On a fine sunny day, Perth's quite handsome: in the gloom of a 5 am downpour, waiting in a Perth bus shelter till the station hotel opens to serve platefuls of instant heart attack is about as gloomy as a Scotsman contemplating a Conservative government.

Achiltibuiecottages

I would recommend the sleeper. They could make it a lot better but it is still a great way to travel.

I went for a long weekend last weekend and wrote up the experience here

http://achiltibuiecottages.wordpress...-to-inverness/

Rory

notlivia

Thank you all so very much. Your thoughtful replies have helped so much.

Now I'm dying to take that train; I'll report back when plans are made.

Many thanks.

notlivia

Gulp.

Tickets on the Caledonian Sleeper appear to be more than 200 pounds each. EasyJet costs ... less than that.

Practicality over romance? Story of my life.

sheila

I think some of that needs unravelling.
1. Whether you go by train or plane, you'll pretty much need a car when you get there.

2. There are two very special routes overnight nto Scotland. One goes to Inverness and then on via Dingwall to Kyle of Lochalsh. The other goes to Fort William and then on to Mallaig.

3. October's a bit late for dependable weather (so when would be good time for dependable weather?) IF you got good weather out of Inverness you can take one of the boat trips through the canal and down to Urquhart Castle. Or you could get to Fort William and take the Jacobite steam train over the Harry Potter viaduct at Glenfinnan to Mallaig (provided you travel before 19th October on a weekday).

There are probably more things for 6 year olds to do within striking distance of Inverness than of Fort William

4. I know &pound;200 is dear, but I'd be surprised if you can't get it for less. And do fly back.

5. If you do the Invernss thing, you can go to the Loch Ness Experience at Drumnadrochit. Defffo a hit with kids.

6. Dunkeld does count as the Highlands and it's on the same train line (although the station is called Birnam). Mind you I don't know if the sleeper stops there. You could easily do a day trip to loch Ness from Dunkeld.

7. EVERYONE talks about the West Highland line being fantastic. Flanner captures it a bit. It's super. He is, in all other respects a perfect exemplar of why the Scots &lt;ahem&gt; have ISSUES with the English

8. PalQ was probably looking at the Moray Firth

9. Whichever you choose to do, there's masses right there. You absolutely do not need to turn a pleasant weekend break into the standard mad American route march.

GreenDragon

You and your family might also enjoy the Hermitage Woods near Dunkeld - it's like a woodland right out of Lord of the Rings. It's a beautiful place! Great triple waterfall down the path, as well.

GeoffHamer

&pound;200? Even a first-class sleeper booked at short notice doesn't seem to cost that much.
www.firstgroup.com/scotrail/index.php