Ron

We just started to research a trip of staying 4-5 days each on Skye and Islay. We are quickly learning that getting there, though sometimes half the fun, seems to take large chunks of time. We are going to have a car to explore both islands. What is the least time consuming way to get to Skye from Glasgow. Train to Inverness and rent a car there? And if so, how long a drive to Portree from Inverness? <BR>Any other suggestions?<BR>Thanks

Sheila

Skye to Glasgow? Train to mallaig, ferry to Armadale. Rent a car there. <BR><BR>It's one of the best train journeys in the world (official). Unless you wanted to go to inverness itself, you would not go via Inverness.<BR><BR>Where will you be going to Islay from?

Ron

Sheila, We'll be going to Islay from skye, with a car. Any particular suggestions re. route?<BR>Thanks

Sheila

It's a bit of a sod, actually.<BR><BR>If you can time it so are arriving in Oban on a wednesday, that would be best. Get the Wednesday afternoon ferry from Oban to Port Askaig, after having driven from Mallaig, through Ardnamurchan to the Corran ferry and south to Oban. If you have time drive up Glencoe a bit. My gut reaction if you can't is to suggest you do it in the other order.<BR><BR>Fly to Islay from Glasgow and get your car there. Ferry on a Wednesday to Oban, then reverse the drive above. Abandon car at Mallaig on the way back and get the train back to Glasgow.<BR><BR>Otherwise you'll be criss-crossing all over the west coast.<BR><BR>I've got some Islay stuff I could send you if you want?

janis

Sheila is right about both the Wednesday ferries and the fabulous train trip. BUT my concern is if you rent a car on either Skye or Islay, it will be difficult to get a one-way rental. This would really complicate things. The car hire service on Islay will not want to go to Mallaig to retrieve it and one on Skye will not want to go to Islay or Oban to get it back.<BR><BR>To be practical - you probably will want to rent the car in Glasgow and do a round trip from there. The drive from Glasgow airport to Skye (either via Mallaig or Kyle) is not bad at all. Lots of great scenery along the way. You'll miss the train trip but Glen Coe, and other sites will help make up for it.

Betsy

Four or five days on Skye -- Egad, what are you going to do? I sure don't understand the appeal of Skye -- spent one day there and that was plenty!

janis

I'm not sure where Betsy is coming from - but unless you are the type who can drive through a place without getting out of the car and think you have seen it, you definitely need more than a day on Skye. 4 or 5 days will give you plenty of time to see and experience the Isle. Since you are also going to Islay I suspect you are the types to enjoy REALLY seeing things.<BR><BR>Just a walk around Portree and a drive up around the Totternish with a few stops at Kilt Rock, Lealt Falls, the Quirang, and Duntulm castle would take more than half a day. When you add Dunvegan, Talisker. Glen Brittle, Elgol and a score of other amazing places, plus craft shops etc. You will find plenty to fill your time.

Sheila

On the other hand (back to the car query) I'd check about the one way car hire, before discounting it. And you could take two hires. One on Islay and one on Skye with a mere bagatelle of a bus ride from Oban to Fort William to bridge the gap. I'd avoid te long drive from glasgow to Islay and from Mallaig back if I could

RDF

Some great discussion and analysis!<BR>As I said earlier, the 'getting there' to each of the island stays presents the problem of too much time consumption, and too much 'exhaustion', both of which will take away from our intent of exploring both islands.<BR>The following is what maybe one of the better options:<BR>1. Train from Glasgow to Oban, car rental in Oban (large choice), drive to Islay for our Islay stay. (too much for one day?)<BR>2. After Islay, drop car off in Oban, train (restful)to Mallaig, pick up car in Skye(there is apparently a very good island car rental company that can meet you at the ferry).<BR>3. After Skye stay, drop off car in Skye, take train from Mallaig to Glasgow (restful).<BR>Comments?<BR>Thanks

sheila

Ron<BR><BR>If time, as opposed to money is the issue, then for sure, FLY from glasgow to Islay. MacLennans will hire you a car on the island. Leave it at the ferry terminal when you leave. Can you arrange to leave on a Wednesday?<BR><BR>The trains don't go from Oban to Mallaig- except by a very circuitous route. You need to get the bus to Fort William and then get the train there. I'm sure you could hire a driver if you prefer. <BR><BR>Otherwise it's top

Snoopy

Rent a car in Glasgow and make the drive. It's some of the best scenery in Europe.<BR><BR>If you average 80mph, you can see Skye in a couple of hours. Sorry, Sheila / janis, I couldn't resist.

janis

Your revised plans actually complicate things a little - as Sheila says the train does not go from Oban to Ft Mallaig. Well you could do it but it would involve going to Crianlarich (or other small stops to the south) then waiting for a train to go back towards Ft William and on to Mallaig. It would probably take much of a day to get there. That is a lot of time for what is essentially a 90 mile road trip. <BR><BR>Islay is the problem here - getting to there by ferry is limited by the schedule. If your budget allows, Sheila's idea of flying is a good one.

Jackie

I'd go for flying between major stops. I was the solo driver for a round trip from from Edinburg to Skye about 18 mos ago. We took the scenic route and the driving was dreadful. As an American, I found the roads to be very narrow and it was my first time driving on the opposite side of the road. <BR><BR>We spent too much time in the car. I felt we were always rushing to catch a ferry and stay on schedule. And, I was always wanting to know more about the history of the areas we were driving through, but there didn't seem to be enough time.<BR><BR>Scotland is a beautiful country. Next time, I will not try to fit in so much. I also will seriously consider hiring a local guide to drive and to provide advice and history for all the places on my &quot;must see&quot; list. <BR><BR>I did receive very good advice from Sheila and Janis prior to the trip. They both said not to overdo it. Excellent advise…by the end of the trip, I wished I had followed it.<BR>