Well, it's me again. I'm wondering if the experts can tell me why my group of 8 ladies wouldn't want to take the Rover Bus to tour Skye, rather than renting what now seems will have to be 2 cars as I'm having trouble finding a van. Remember, we are taking the train from Edinburgh, staying one night in Portree. So, we need to get from Armadale to Portree (seems the bus gets us there) and then we wanted to tour all the next day (seems like the Rover bus lets you hop on and off all day for pretty cheap). Please let me know your thoughts.
Thanks!
Tannya

Hi T,

Not to be sarcastic, but why don't you simply ask them why they don't want to take the Rover Bus to tour Skye.

Well, I did email all of them but I guess it sounds too good to be true and was hoping for some input of others that had taken the bus. I'm waiting to hear from my friends. I guess I could have worded it a bit different like: Can anyone out there tell me if taking the Rover Bus to tour Skye is just as enjoyable as renting a car to tour?

I personally think the logisitics of your one-night, lightnening trip to Skye for eight w/o transport are difficult no matter what you decide.

Unless you forego the train (which would be a shame but might be necessary) the Skye Rover is probably your best option. But it isn't a tour bus. The Rover is a ticket that lets you take any bus all day long. Saves you money but is not that efficient for quick sightseeing. (unless you are talking about something other than the Rover ticket)

Here is another option you might want to think about -- is there one (or two) of you who is less interested in the train? If so, That person(s) could drive your van from Ft William, take the ferry and meet your group in Armadale. The route is pretty much the same as the train so you won't miss the scenery.

Having transport on Skye is fairly important(especially for a group that large and w/ such limited time)

If it were me and the train trip was a "must" for the group - that is what I'd do.

On the bus website, the Rover ticket is billed as a ticket that lets you hop on and off when and where you want and see what you would like to see. It says it is a great way to see Skye.
I guess I just can't get a handle on how much we could see in a day. I know it is a quick trip but we really didn't want to miss the train and we only have the 2 days to devote to our adventure. It really does sound like they are billing the bus ticket as a sightseeing alternative. I have emailed the bus company to ask how much we would actually be able to see in a day. I think I need a good map of the Skye area so that I can see distances between places.
The idea of getting a van in Fort William could work too, letting the rest of the group continue on train. Thanks Janisj.

Yes - the buses are a way to tour. But is just via the normal local buses. Not special sightseeing ones. All of Skye is scenic - but the buses serve local transport needs and are not very efficient for sightseeing. Especially for a group that large. Buses are not frequent so you can't just say "Ok now we'll go to Duntulum Castle, and after that let's go to Dunvegan"

From experience I can vouch for the fact that Skye buses are not always efficient and service can be sketchy. For a large group on a fairly strict time schedule,I'd say no way.

The only way it might be done is with a hired taxi. You'll need two, and it will be costly ( about 100 GBP for a full day). However sharing the cost makes it more reasonable.

Thank you historytraveler. Do you have a taxi company that I can contact?

Tannya

Here are a couple to try.

1) Kyleakin Private Hire
tel/fax 01599 534452
email
[email protected]

2) Kyle Taxi Company
Tel:01599 534323
Fax: 01599 534581
email: [email protected]

3) D Nicolson Taxis *(Sleat)
Tel/fax:01471 844338
www.nicolsonhire.co.uk
D Nicolson is a women, very nice. She picked us up at our hotel(Eilean Iarmain) and drove us to Armadale to catch the ferry.

I just found the website for the taxi hire we used for our day tour. Alasdair Ross was an excelllent guide. I highly recommend him. He'll not only tell ou about the various sights etc. but will also inform you about the local gossip.

The website is:
www.scotland-info.co.uk/skye-tours.htm

We also used D.Nicolson when Alasdair was already pre-booked. She too was very nice to deal with.

Wow, thank you so much. I've emailed D. Nicolson to see if they can take us on!
Tannya

Historytraveler:
I was able to book with D Nicolson and I can't thank you enough for that information. We are all set. They will meet us at the ferry on Thursday, deliver us to our hotel with some sights along the way, pick us up the following morning, tour us around for several hours and deliver us back to the ferry so we can catch the train back to Edinburgh. All for a very resonable rate. Again, thank you for your help and thanks to all who help inexperienced travelers on this website.
Tannya

Glad it worked out for you. Have a great tour of Skye.

That's the best possible solution. Now you can all take the train and also be able to drive around the Isle. have a great trip.

Yes. I find it more enjoyable, especially if you are intimidated by narrow roads, cliffs, sheep in the roads, Continental tourists pulling large caravans around the middle of blind curves, etc. You don't have the flexibility of hopping out to take a photo, but that is just about the only disadvantage in my book.

&quot;<i>You don't have the flexibility of hopping out to take a photo</i>&quot;

That is what's so good about using Nicholson's Taxi as a driver/guide -- they <u>will</u> be able to hop out and take photos pretty much whenever they want.