Driven in Scotland Lately?
 

Thinking of going to Scotland - about to make plane reservations. However, just found out that gas (petrol) is 5 GBP a gallon. That's about $9/gallon U.S.

We're driving for 8 days and figure about 500 miles.

Has anyone decided not to drive or go to Scotland because of these prices? Anyone just come back and found that the price I've quoted is correct or not?

Also, - Booked a car rental through AutoEurope and got a "Rover". Seems this car maker went out of business in '05 so we're wondering if this car will be any good. Anyone ever drive/rent one?

We were in Scotland last week, and the price of fuel varies considerably between the urban and rural areas. The urban areas are expensive, and the rural areas are very expensive. We did not go to the far north or the islands, but I understand they are even more expensive. I suggest you rent a diesel, and fill up before you leave the urban area, preferably at a supermarket, where fuel is usually cheapest. Driving 500 miles in a small diesel will probably cost about £70 for fuel.

Incidentally, there was no shortage of cars on the roads, but it may be that overseas visitors are more susceptible to high prices.

Hire cars are usually less than year old, and you are unlikely to get a Rover. I don't know why AutoEurope still lists the Rover on its USA site, it is not on the U.K. site, which seems to have a quite different range of cars.

Hi Chartley -

Thought Diesel was more expensive, not less (shows you how much I know.) The car comes with a full tank of gas and we're picking it up in the AM in Glasgow and immediately heading out to the Isle of Mull.

Maybe we should contact AutoEurope and find out what's going on with their listing of the Rover.

It probably didn't say you would get a Rover - but something like "Rover 25 or similar"

They need to update the models on the website.

BTW - Scotland is no different that any other European country. You will pay a lot more for petrol than you do at home. But the cars are smaller/more fuel efficient and the distances are much less that you may be used to driving.

And no - cost of fuel would not make a bit of difference to me.

The cost of fuel would not make a difference to me at all. My love for Scotland exceeds gas prices and other costs. The only thing that would prevent me from going would be illness/injury/death.

We are paying over $6 per gallon in Canada right now...

We're going to Portsoy & Balmerino for two week mid July. Will take train from London to Aberdeen, rent car in Aberdeen, return it to EDI and train back to London. Don't relish paying the high fuel costs, but it isn't a deal breaker for our trip. Got to find a way to hide the checks in London from by frugal wife! But then again, you never saw a Brinks truck following a hearse! Spencer in Tallahassee

We actually don't drive much here in the U.S. - We live in NYC and don't have a car.

We rented a midsize just to make sure we have enough room in the trunk for our luggage (once rented a car in Canada with a hatchback that wouldn't close - and our luggage is not very big.)

Also rented an automatic although my husband can drive a manual. But we figure with the driving on the other side of the road thingy, he has enough to think about without having to use the "wrong" hand to shift gears. Both the size of the car and it being an automatic does add onto the fee.

Still have to check on the "Rover" stuff.

Have you driven in the UK before? We have found the trickiest thing not to be actually driving the vehicle, nor driving on the left side, but the tiny and twisty roads we are not used to in North America. Is can really be unnerving as it usually seems as though vehicles are coming straight for you. Driving in wee villages (as much as we love it) can be tricky, too, as vehicles are parked literally two inches from where you are driving.

However, driving in Scotland is a delight as the scenery is so stunning. Everywhere you look is a postcard! :)

I'd <u>really</u> reconsider the mid-sized car. Is it just for the two of you? If so you should not need that large a car. Smaller = less expensive to rent, = less petrol expenses, = and much easier to navigate the narrow roads etc.

You don't need to get one of the smallest classes - but a compact of some sort will be better/easier just all around . . . . .

&lt;&lt;&lt; I suggest you rent a diesel &gt;&gt;&gt;

Diesel is about 15p per litre more than petrol now so the cost for 500 miles is going to be similar - plus a petrol car is cheaper to rent

Of course if you are out in the sticks the extra range a tankful of diesel will give you might be advantageous

If there is 2 of you then a car in the Vauxhall Corsa / Nissan Micra class will be cheaper and still hold all your luggage

Diesel and petrol models of the same car have the same size fuel tank, so a diesel will go further on a full tank. Since fuel is much more expensive in rural areas in Scotland, you can save money by only buying in urban areas at supermarkets. You will also be less worried a bout running out of fuel.

As an example, our current diesel car (Citroen Picasso) will get at least 500 miles out of a full tank in rural areas, while the equivalent petrol model will only get 300 miles.

I'm with Spencer - might as well spend the money as you can't take it with you!

My sister, brother-in-law and I will be leaving next month for two weeks in Scotland and we'll probably be standing there hyperventilating at the petrol station, but it will be SO worth it!

Just looked at our reservation form from AutoEurope and I see that under &quot;Car Type&quot; is says &quot;IDANFP&quot;. Anyone know what that means?

We spoke to AutoEurope person when we made the reservation - they're located in Portland!

Just looked at the AutoEurope UK site and when I put all my information in (pickup-drop off dates and places) it came up with much more expensive cars for the same type. I see that the IDN-type of car is a Skoda Octavia on this UK site.

Our quote in U.S. was $307. On the UK site it was 248 Pounds ( =$390 U.S.)!

I drove in Scotland last summer, and even then, the price of gas was about $8 per US gallon. So, if you want to look at it in a strange sort of way, driving in the UK is actually cheaper, relative to driving costs in the US, than it was a year ago (about 2.25 times the cost as opposed to about 4 times the cost). This is because so much of the price in the UK is tax and a good chunk of the price increase in the US is attributable to the falling dollar.

We had a party of 3 and got a larger car (a Saab 9-5) and still got 30 mpg. We needed a larger car so that we could get all our luggage out of sight in the trunk (don't want to leave stuff in view of theives when you are parked while check out the sights), but I agree that smaller is better, when possible.

Best way to get from Isle of Mull to Isle of Skye? By ferries, or back to mainland (also by a ferry) and then over the bridge?

I am leaving for my Scotland trip tomorrow. I knew the gas prices going in - I also know the gas mileage on Scottish cars are usually much better than what we have in the US, so it pretty much evens out, IMHO.

We're probably driving about 1000 miles, but we have 3 weeks to do it :P

GreenDragon, have a great time!

kenav, we rented a car in Germany in March and I just gasped every time I filled the tank... I find the hardest thing about driving in Scotland is the parking lots - when I pull in and see other cars, my instincts kick in and I head right. It's easier on the roads, actually, to remember the left, imo.

We are just back from two weeks mostly on the Isle of Skye. The prices were similar to what you're expecting. Given the difference in mileage between what we were driving (a Passat) and what I drive at home (a minivan) it was, overall, not too much of a shock. (It was worse to come home and see prices of $4/gallon here in Tallahassee! Hello Spencer in Tallahassee, by the way...)

As for getting to Skye, we did it both ways -- on the way there we drove up and over the bridge, and on the way back we took the ferry from Armadale to Mallaig. I do not think there is any direct way to get from Mull to Skye by ferry. I'm sure you've checked this out, but here's a map:

http://www.calmac.co.uk/calmac-route-map.html

If you really WANTED to do it by ferry, you could go from Mull out to Uist, and then from there (or Harris) to Skye). That would be a nice little tour if you want to see the outer islands anyway. We did not make it out that far.

Otherwise, I would go back to Oban from Mull, then drive up to Mallaig and take the ferry over to Armadale. Or, here's an alternative route proposed by the ferry company:
http://www.calmac.co.uk/hopscotch_route7

Have a great trip! Where will you be staying on Skye?

I will just add -- not as a complaint, but an observation -- that gasping at gas prices was really the least of our worries. Everything is going to seem expensive -- the cost of petrol will just blend in. I won't even tell you what we spent for dinner at the Ardvasar Hotel (near the Armadale ferry) one night. We did not eat out very often at all (two adults, two children) but still had no trouble spending our entire food budget and then some.

Barbara in FL: I saw some other map that showed ferries from Mull to Skye - probably via some other isle. Perhaps not run by CalMac. I will ask the lodging we're staying in in Mull the best way to get to Skye. We haven't decided where to stay in Mull yet.

Also don't know where we'll be staying in Skye. Any suggestions?

As far as pricey eating goes - I hope that the big Scottish breakfast will carry me and hubby to a late light lunch or afternoon snack, and therefore not worry too much about the price of dinner.

GreenDragon - Have a great time and let us all know how it went when you get home.

kenav: &quot;<i> I saw some other map that showed ferries from Mull to Skye - probably via some other isle. </i>&quot;

There are no ferries between Mull and Skye, via another island or not. You need a better map. I'd look for a good road atlas - Barnes &amp; Noble and Borders carry good UK road atlases.

You can take three different ferries from Mull - but all go to different parts of the mainland.

Then you either drive to Mallaig and take a ferry to Skye, or drive to Kyle of Lochalsh and take the bridge, or another small seasonal ferry at Kyle Rhea.

I don't think anything else but CalMac serves Armadale but there might be different connections at Uig. It's a good idea to check with your lodging in Mull (or on Skye). The only non-CalMac ferry I saw while we were there was the private little ferry that goes over to the Glenelg peninsula -- which I recommend for its scenic value, but it won't help you get out to the islands.

Because we were on Skye for two weeks, we went the self-catering route. Here is our lovely little cottage:

www.beautifulskye.com

I wish I could recommend a B&amp;B, but I know there are good suggestions in other threads.

I've enjoyed reading the various Scotland posts as I'm doing a last-minute plan for our visit to Scotland, leaving in about a week...

We have friends near Edinburgh that we'll be staying with beginning around day 3 or 4 of a 9-day trip. We already have our flights in/out of Heathrow (long story, it was a necessity).

We had originally planned on catching the tube into King's Cross from Heathrow and a train to Edinburgh, then rent a car there... reverse process on the way home. (We arrive into Heathrow in the a.m. and leave in the evening). Now that we're thinking we're going to head to the Northwest first for a few days, I question whether to just rent the car at Heathrow and drive vs. take the train which might allow us to head more directly Northwest?

Would appreciate opinions on whether to take the train to/from Edinburgh, as well as any and all advice on &quot;must see's&quot; for a middle-aged couple with a 10 year old.

Maybe it's just an American thing, but I just like the independence of having a car...

...and bicycle touring in Australia, I found the worst part of the left-handed driving was always the roundabouts... :)

Thanks!!

Welcome to Fodors psyclist. You might do better to start your own thread instead of piggybacking on this one. You are asking some unrelated questions and when we answer you it will sort of hijack kenav's thread.

But just a couple of quick comments. It is usually a very bad idea to drive after an overnight flight. Jet lag, unfamiliar territory, the hassles etc.

If it was me - I'd fly directly from LHR up to Edinburgh. Spend a couple of days touring the city car-less, then pick up a rental car and do the rest of the trip by car (some of Scotland, northwest England, down through England, and ending up in London. Drop the car and visit London, again car-less.

Thanks, janisj, I will start another thread. I hear you re: flying to Edinburgh, but we're kind of &quot;obligated&quot; to say with friends there for the latter part of our stay, so was hoping to get up to the NW early on... will look for any further comments on a new/different thread... thanks again!

Will look at a different map!

We are flying into Edinburgh from JFK, spending 3 days and then to Glasgow for 2 where we will then rent a car and use it for the rest of our trip, ending at Edinburgh Airport. I agree - can't imagine driving after landing. We're always in a jet lagged daze.

BTW - Bought our tickets 5 days ago from Delta - and I just looked again (I never do this, don't know why I did it this time) and the fare went from the $1427 we got for the two of us, to $1755! Lesson: Buy when you think it's a decent deal.

Yes - Tobermory to Kilchoan ferry, then drive to Mallaig and take that ferry - that's what I was thinking and what I saw on my map (just looked again). Figure 4 hours for that route?

Just to clarify - Kilchoan isn't on an island, it is on the mainland.

Anther ferry option would be Fishnish to Lochaline - which is also on the mainland.

According to www.theaa.com, the drive in between the two ferries is just under 2 hours; the rest would depend on your connections. The crossing from Mallaig to Armadale is very quick (about 1/2 an hour) but you do have to be there ahead of time. If you're not staying near Armadale, the closest town is probably Broadford, another 1/2 an hour up the road.