scotland trip
Jan 31st, 2016, 03:20 PM
#1
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scotland trip
this will be my first trip to scotland and i would very much like to see the fairy pools on the isle of skye and edinburgh. i am hesitant about driving and was wondering is this trip would be doable by relying on bus/train to get me to skye, take guided trip on skye, and then bus/train back to edinburgh. i have seven days to accomplish this. i know this trip will be expensive, but im trying to do it as cheaply as possible.
Jan 31st, 2016, 06:25 PM
#2
>>i am hesitant about driving and was wondering is this trip would be doable by relying on bus/train to get me to skye, <<
It would be difficult but not impossible.
This tour from Edinburgh includes 2 nights on Skye but I'm pretty sure it doesn't go to the Fairy Pools which are fairly remote.
https://www.rabbies.com/tours_scotla...our.asp?lng=en
nor does this one
https://www.rabbies.com/tours_scotla...our.asp?lng=en
This company does get you to the Fairy Pools -- but you'd first have to get to Portree http://www.realscottishjourneys.com/tour_real_skye.php
Getting to Portree would be train to Mallaig, ferry to Armadale, bus to Portree -- a looooooon slog
This company does tours from Kyle of Lochalsh http://www.skyemagicaltours.co.uk/index.html That would be easier.
Driving on Skye is easy and the best way to do this, but if you just can't, you could do three days in Edinburgh take a train to either Mallaig or Kyle and spend a couple of days on Skye - then train back to Edinburgh.
It would be difficult but not impossible.
This tour from Edinburgh includes 2 nights on Skye but I'm pretty sure it doesn't go to the Fairy Pools which are fairly remote.
https://www.rabbies.com/tours_scotla...our.asp?lng=en
nor does this one
https://www.rabbies.com/tours_scotla...our.asp?lng=en
This company does get you to the Fairy Pools -- but you'd first have to get to Portree http://www.realscottishjourneys.com/tour_real_skye.php
Getting to Portree would be train to Mallaig, ferry to Armadale, bus to Portree -- a looooooon slog
This company does tours from Kyle of Lochalsh http://www.skyemagicaltours.co.uk/index.html That would be easier.
Driving on Skye is easy and the best way to do this, but if you just can't, you could do three days in Edinburgh take a train to either Mallaig or Kyle and spend a couple of days on Skye - then train back to Edinburgh.
Jan 31st, 2016, 08:01 PM
#4
Ok I can comment on the Rabbies tour and if it will take you to the Fairy Pools. It's really a 50/50 chance. I took A Rabbies tour saying they could stop at the pools. There were only 6 of us on the tour. Our driver lets just say didn't want to take us there and we did ask to go. I don't know if it was because 2 people wanted to go to on a whisky tour, which we did drop them off at a place or because we had one lady who only got off the bus to eat or sleep. I am not sure but he said it was too far to walk there so took us to an alternate place instead. This place was just past the pools as we rode by the sign where other Rabbies buses were parked. I made the driver stop so that I could at least take a picture of it. So they do go there, we just didn't. You could contact them and ask.
Jan 31st, 2016, 08:35 PM
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The easiest and I think the best option for you would be to take the train from Edinburgh to Glasgow Queen Street. It's about a 55 minute journey. There are several trains than go to Mallaig but the most convenient one departs Glasgow at about 11:25. It is a very scenic journey to Mallaig and from there you can take the ferry across to Armadale on Skye. This, however, is where it gets difficult without a car.
You could book into the Ardvasar Hotel. It's about a mile from the ferry port but I'm sure they could send someone for you if prearranged. It will take all day to get there from Edinburgh. The Ardvasar is a very pleasant hotel with a good pub and restaurant. The rooms facing the sea have some of the most beautiful views on Skye. The place also has the advantage of being away from the crowds that land at Armadale and immediately head toward Portree or other popular spots on Skye.
Look into booking a taxi for a personal tour of Skye. This may be cheaper than some of the other private tours offered. It won't be cheap but you can arrange your own itinerary with the driver. If only interested in the Fairy Pools you could do in a half day but IMO it would be a shame to go that far and not at least spend a full day.
Don's taxis might be a good place to start or at least get an idea as to pricing. Google Don's taxis, Skye....sorry I don't have the website. For the Advasar www.ardvasarhotel.com
BTW, buses on Skye can have sketchy schedules and are not really geared for convenience in getting tourists to many of the more popular sites. I would not recommend them if on a tight schedule.
You could book into the Ardvasar Hotel. It's about a mile from the ferry port but I'm sure they could send someone for you if prearranged. It will take all day to get there from Edinburgh. The Ardvasar is a very pleasant hotel with a good pub and restaurant. The rooms facing the sea have some of the most beautiful views on Skye. The place also has the advantage of being away from the crowds that land at Armadale and immediately head toward Portree or other popular spots on Skye.
Look into booking a taxi for a personal tour of Skye. This may be cheaper than some of the other private tours offered. It won't be cheap but you can arrange your own itinerary with the driver. If only interested in the Fairy Pools you could do in a half day but IMO it would be a shame to go that far and not at least spend a full day.
Don's taxis might be a good place to start or at least get an idea as to pricing. Google Don's taxis, Skye....sorry I don't have the website. For the Advasar www.ardvasarhotel.com
BTW, buses on Skye can have sketchy schedules and are not really geared for convenience in getting tourists to many of the more popular sites. I would not recommend them if on a tight schedule.
Jan 31st, 2016, 10:04 PM
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Me too, but it still seemed worth looking in to.
A bit surprised by the comments regarding the Rabbies tour. I've always found them very good at keeping to their itinerary. Of course, problems can arise such as weather, huge traffic slow- downs ( happened on our Cornwall tour) still we got to see everything just a shortened time at a couple of places. In fact on my latest tour I asked the driver if could make a short stop at Skye Silver so I could run in a purchase a ring I wanted. He did. Another lady asked if we could stop at a pottery shop...we did. So not sure what was up with the Fairy Pools. It is a bit of a hike to waterfall and pools and can get muddy but still....
Checking with Rabbies to make sure they stop and mentioning it to driver at start of tour should do the trick.
A bit surprised by the comments regarding the Rabbies tour. I've always found them very good at keeping to their itinerary. Of course, problems can arise such as weather, huge traffic slow- downs ( happened on our Cornwall tour) still we got to see everything just a shortened time at a couple of places. In fact on my latest tour I asked the driver if could make a short stop at Skye Silver so I could run in a purchase a ring I wanted. He did. Another lady asked if we could stop at a pottery shop...we did. So not sure what was up with the Fairy Pools. It is a bit of a hike to waterfall and pools and can get muddy but still....
Checking with Rabbies to make sure they stop and mentioning it to driver at start of tour should do the trick.
Feb 1st, 2016, 06:14 AM
#8
Historytraveler - Something was definately wrong this past time with Rabbies. It wasn't my first tour with them. I picked the tour as it specifically mentioned Glen Brittle and the fairy pools. The driver asked and I said I wanted to go there. He asked how we knew about the place as I don't think he was even going to mention it (it was in the trip description). He wasn't keen on going at all and said it was too far to walk and it was a little rainy. I complained when we drove by and I saw the other Rabbies buses parked in the lot. The one woman on my tour got very angry at the driver on the last day and told him so. She felt he took us back too early each night.
I do like Rabbies and am taking another tour with them next month but I just wanted to note my experience. I wanted to go there that's why I booked that tour. I didn't want the OP to think great, I'm going but doesn't get there. As I said there were 6 of us. 2 did something else while the 4 of us went to an alternate pool that had hoses where only 3 of us and the driver walked and climb a bit up the pool. Then to a beach. When the 2 found out what we did, they said they would have liked to have gone to the fairy pools. So the OP should ask if booking the tour and then again when boarding the bus if choosing this option.
I do like Rabbies and am taking another tour with them next month but I just wanted to note my experience. I wanted to go there that's why I booked that tour. I didn't want the OP to think great, I'm going but doesn't get there. As I said there were 6 of us. 2 did something else while the 4 of us went to an alternate pool that had hoses where only 3 of us and the driver walked and climb a bit up the pool. Then to a beach. When the 2 found out what we did, they said they would have liked to have gone to the fairy pools. So the OP should ask if booking the tour and then again when boarding the bus if choosing this option.
Feb 1st, 2016, 08:49 AM
#9
Sassy27: I saw your similar post on another thread. Did you tell Rabbies about the driver and missing the pools etc.? They are a very good company (as you know since you've used them before.) I'm sure they'd want to know if one of their driver/guides was pulling that sort of thing.
Feb 1st, 2016, 10:41 AM
#10
No I didn't complain for a few reasons. I also thought since they cater to what the group decides this was a little different. As I said, 2 people out of the 6 of us wanted to go to a whisky distillery which there happened to be one on Skye. The driver tried to talk them out of it as there are much better ones just not on our route. Since they had an hour there, the rest of us went to an alternate pool. I guess we couldn't do both the distillery and the pools. However, the 2 people might have changed their minds if they knew what the fairy pools were as they loved to hike. The gentleman who did see the alternate pool was very happy and pleased. He also said he would have liked to see the actual one as he had no idea what it was. Which is why I want the OP to know this if a Rabbies tour is the only way for them to get there. We also went to Faerie Glen so just keep telling the driver what you would like to do.
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