Scotland Isles (Skye, Aran & Orkney)

Old Nov 13th, 2007, 05:23 PM
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Scotland Isles (Skye, Aran & Orkney)

I'm overplanning another trip!
Running out of days for Scotland next July, and am trying to decide between Isle of Skye and Isle of Aran. Have only 2 nites left - 2 on Skye & skip Aran / 2 on Aran & skip Skye / 1 on each? These seem to be our choices. Any suggestions? We are interested in scenery and maybe a little hiking / walking, and whatever we can see & learn about the local history.

Also, am making an effort to get up to Orkeny Isl. for a nite to visit Skara Brae and other sites. It's out of the way, but seems worth the trek. Concur or am I nuts? (Will probably drive from Nairn nite before, do 1 nite near Stromness, then overnite again in Nairn).

Thanks for any insider info you can share. Laura
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Old Nov 13th, 2007, 09:25 PM
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Th erest of your itinerary makes a huge difference re which island(s) fit and which don't. For instance "2 on Skye & skip Aran / 2 on Aran & skip Skye / 1 on each?" is impossible to answer w/o knowning where you will be before and after those 2 nights.

If in the NW - Aran doesn'tmake much sense. If in the Borders or SW - Skye doesn't make much sense.
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Old Nov 13th, 2007, 10:35 PM
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We recently visited Orkney, driving from Inverness to Gill's bay to catch a late afternoon ferry to St Margaret's Hope. We stayed 2 nights at Kirkwall and used the full day on Orkney to visit several sites, including Skara Brae. We then took a midday ferry back to Gill's Bay, driving thropugh to Inveness. If you just wanted to vist Skara Brae you could do it with just the one night on Orkney but I wouldn't recommend it as you would miss a number of other very worthwhile sites. Absolutely worth a visit by the way. Incidentally, try and find time one way to visist Dunrobin Castle & gardens - impressive.
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Old Nov 13th, 2007, 11:28 PM
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I would agree about Orkney. Often overlooked and very interesting place.

I also agree with Janis,that to decide between Skye and Arran depends where you're coming from and going to.

NB spelling. Aran's in a whole nother country.
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Old Nov 14th, 2007, 04:39 AM
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I would also not miss Orkney - Skara Brae, Ring of Brodgar and the Italian Chapel to mention a few of the many places well worth visiting. The craftwork in Orkney is fantastic and some beautiful locally made jewellery.
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Old Nov 14th, 2007, 08:03 AM
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Thanks for confirming that Orkney is worth the drive.

Regarding the North/South orientation, we are oriented north. Starting in Edinburgh, driving thru Fife, then a couple days in the Stirling, Trossachs, Loch Lomond area, then north to Nairn. From there, hoping to do 1 nite on Orkney, back to Nairn. Next day across to Fort William area. Next day, to Skye for 1 or 2 nites, then planning to drive south along east coast to Arran (sorry about bad spelling - don't take time to proof what I type), and possibly drive part of Kintyre penninsula, and ending the next day in Glasgow.

Wrestling with splitting the time (if need be) between Skye & Arran. Are they different enough that we should make sure to at least spend a day on each?

Thanks for your comments & suggestions. Laura
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Old Nov 14th, 2007, 08:19 AM
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My first question - Why back to Nairn after Orkney? I'd personally try to squeeze in 2 nights on Orkney - a lot to see. But whether one or two nights on Orkney - you could take the ferry back to the mainland and easily drive to near Ft William that day. I would not stay IN Ft William if they paid me tho'. But even better - you could take the Ferry and then drive to Skye. It would be a long drive of course - but an easy one and through glorious scenery all the way.

I'd definitely want 2 nights on Skye.

Arran is terrific - but you really have a lot of distance to cover in a short time and I personally would want 2 nights on Orkney and 2 on Skye and sacrifice Arran this trip.
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Old Nov 14th, 2007, 12:09 PM
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It doesn't seem to make sense, but here's the thought process: arrive Orkney early/mid afternoon day one, explore, check into hotel, overnite; next day, explore some more, and catch last ferry @ 4:45 (16:45). A 3 hr drive to Nairn seemed do-able; Mappy indicates 5-6 hrs to Fort William / Isle of Skye respectively (and real drive time is often more). Both seemed too long a drive to face after a full day, and will likely force us to leave Orkney sooner than we'd like. Nairn seemed like to good place to end up that nite & start out next a.m. (and nice hotel there, too)


Also thought the drive to Fort William area (via a slightly southern route, thru Kingussie area, rather than via Loch Ness)was something to do leisurely with time (and daylight) for stops to look, walk. After a full day on Orkney afraid we'd enjoy very little.

Fort William only a general area for 1 nite base - a couple of nice hotels in the area to consider (Ballachulish House & Inverlochy Castle), but am VERY open to suggestions.

Again, thanks so much for taking the time to give me some direction & advice.
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Old Nov 14th, 2007, 02:44 PM
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If it were me, I wouldn't rush through Orkney like that. I'd stay one more night and then leave the island on a mid-morning ferry and have plenty of time to get to Skye.

You'd have the first afternoon, all of the next day, and another morning for Orkney. And get to Skye w/o that detour back to Nairn. Just seems a more efficient use of time. No need to hit Nairn again, nor go through Ft William.
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Old Nov 14th, 2007, 05:18 PM
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Good suggestion - will have to do some more reading and try to revamp that portion of the trip.

If it's a choice between Skye & Arran, would you split the time (1 day each) or spend 2 days on one and save the other for another trip? If so, which one should be not miss?
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Old Nov 14th, 2007, 06:11 PM
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Highland Park - the northern most distillary in Scotland is located on Orkney. My favorite Scotch and reason enough for me to want to visit.
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Old Nov 14th, 2007, 10:05 PM
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You could do Skye in one day - but then some try to do London in one day (!)

W/ just a one night stay, by the time you get on to Skye you will have less than 1 full day before you'd have to catch a ferry back to the mainland. Skye is a big place - stay 2 nights. Rushing off the Isle just to squeeze in a day on Arran is just too hectic . . . .
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Old Nov 15th, 2007, 08:00 AM
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Highland Park? Guess I'd better plan a few extra hours on Orkney

Ok, islands pretty settled - 2 nights on Skye. (May still try to squeez1 nite on Arran by shortening Glasgow to 1 nite, pre-flight)

What's your take on the drive from Inverness to Ft William / Glencoe area? Choices seem to be A82 on NW side of Loch Lomond, vs B852 & B862 on SW side, vs A9/B86 (thru Kingussie)? The Loch Ness route seems more direct - any one of the above a standout for scenery, opportunities for short walks along the way? Thanks... again - Laura
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Old Nov 15th, 2007, 08:33 AM
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I gather you're driving. How are you planning to get to and from Skye? By ferry to/from Mallaig and the Road to the Isles or over the bridge at Kyle of Lochalsh? This would affect the answer to your routing question.

The online mapping sites are not very accurate for northern Scotland plus their time estimates vary widely. Allow lots of time.
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Old Nov 15th, 2007, 08:38 AM
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Why do you want to go to Ft William? If it were me, I'd go to Skye via the bridge and leave Skye by ferry. Now - on your return from Skye you would drive through Ft William before heading south. But no need to "go" there, just drive through.
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Old Nov 15th, 2007, 09:02 AM
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Miramar: We are driving, probably over via bridge return via ferry, but haven't checked ferry schedules, which might affect that decision. I'm trying to look at the "Mappy" drive times and add 10-20%.

janisj: I'm using Ft.William as a broad (very broad) generalization. I promise not to go - have read and heard nothing but negatives!! We're starting in the morning from Inverness area & taking in a lot there in the a.m. (Fort George, Cawdor Castle, Culloden Moor) Actually plan to end the day in the Glencoe area (scenery & history) for one nite, then drive to Skye thru Glenfinnan in the morning. Finally decided... 2 nites on Skye!

What about the drive from Inverness area? Just found another thread (d1carter - thanks for the link janisj) that mentions Glen Affric. Any reason to venture out of the way and travel from Inverness via Kingussie on the A9/B8? If not, sounds like the A82 on NW side of Loch Lomond is the way to go. Am I on the right track?
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Old Nov 15th, 2007, 09:43 AM
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Sorry - but your itinerary doesn't make sense to me. I would not got to Glencoe untill after you've been to Skye. You will drive right through there if you take the ferry to Mallaig, drive to Ft William and then down to Glencoe.

Inverness down to Glencoe than back north and west to the Bridge is a lot of backtracking. I'ness to Kyle/the bridge/Skye makes much better use of your time - even w/ a detour to Glen Affric.

A loop Inverness > Kyle of Lochalsh > Skye > Mallaig > Glencoe is much better and a lot less driving.

Now for another problem - "taking in a lot there in the a.m. (Fort George, Cawdor Castle, Culloden Moor) " Sorry - but that is not a morning - that is just about a full day. Ft George is HUGE. All of Edinburgh Castle would fit on it's Parade ground - which is just a small part of the fort. W/o even exploring or going inside the best bits or walking on the outer walls or having a meal there - you need to allocate a minimum of 2 hours. It really takes 3 or 4 hours or more. Just the logistics of walking from the car park to the entrance to one museum and back would take about an hour. Did I say HUGE??

Culloden - if you only go inside the visitors center it will still take about an 45 mins or an hour. If you walk the out into the battleground/enemy lines you need to plan more time.

And Cawdor Castle will take about 45 mins to an hour to tour the castle and another hour for the gardens. And the gardens should not be missed.

Even though they are not that far from each other, when you factor in the drive time - you are definitely looking at a very full day.
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Old Nov 15th, 2007, 02:31 PM
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I really do appreciate your suggestions. I haven't yet ordered a good road map, so I'm working with the Fodors guide maps, which are only a staring point. Looked like a straight shot down the Great Glen... but I guess not! I'm ready to change our dates, which is easy at this point. What's the preferred route from Inverness area to Skye?

We are a family accustomed to some very long days if need be when traveling. So I have no problem with spending the better part of the day trying to see what we can see of Ft. George, Cawdor & Culloden. We may have to cut a bit here and there, but I'd like to try to spend some time at each. So, from 9 to 3 or 4 in the afternoon touring, then drive to Skye in time for dinner. Is that do-able? Again, best route to go from Inverness to Skye? (I'm prepared to bypass Glen Affric, as it looks like one stop too many, beautiful though it may be.)

Thanks for your advice to the many partially-informed travelers like me. There's so much to learn and revise. You've no doubt saved countless vacations, and as a result, a couple marriages!
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Old Nov 16th, 2007, 08:28 AM
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I'm not sure adding 10-20% to www.mappy.com's drive times will be accurate. Here's a note from our Scottish itinerary:

Aultbea via Inverewe Gardens to Plockton: 70mi/1h40m (Multimap) or 3h(AA) or 2h23m(RAC) or 2h(Map24)

To tell the truth, I can'remember how long this actually took because we stopped several times along the way. But I'd think the British Automobile Association or the Royal Automobile(?) Club would be more accurate for Scotland than mappy. I like Multimap for England but not for Scotland.

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Old Nov 17th, 2007, 06:43 AM
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I'm getting a bit confused. Can you clarify what you think your itinerary might be, now, please?
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