Getting to Isle of Skye or Arran
 

We will be in Edinbugh and would like to visit the Isle of Skye or Isle of Arran for 3 nights before heading back to London. <BR><BR>My question is, do we need to rent a car to get to either location or can we train/bus it? If so, does anyone know how long a train/bus ride from Edinburgh? Also, do we need to rent a car once we are there to explore or is public transportation/foot work enough? <BR><BR>Thanks in advance!!

I MUCH prefer to drive because it gives you a lot more flexibility and time to see things - but you can do both journeys by train/bus. Skye would be much easier tho' (and more rewarding). You can take the train to Malaig and then the ferry to Armadale on Skye. From there you can take buses to other parts of the Isle. Skye is a major walking/hiking destination so the facilities are well geared to folks w/o cars.<BR><BR>The train through Rannoch Moor, Ft William and on to Mallaig is one of the most beautiful anywhere.

From Edinburgh take the train to Inverness then change for the train to Kyle of Lochalsh which is where the bridge to Skye is, finish with a local bus.<BR>Or go to Glasgow (30 mins) then train to Mallaig (change at Fort William) & take the ferry to Armadale in Skye.Use the local buses - plenty during the day, less in the evening.<BR>Buses from Edinburgh are easy to find.(Citylink?)Train timetables are on the net somewhere.

I'm going to Arran in August, and from what I've read, you don't need a car. The schedules I have seen are for taking the train from Glasgow to Ardrossan, and then taking the ferry to Arran. You can find a lot of info by searching for "Arran ferry".

www.scotrail.co.uk.<BR>www.calmac.co.uk.

It'll take less time to get to Arran; but it's not a Hebridean Island. You really want to go to Skye.