Expert: Willie Wallace - 8/10/2005

Question
Hi!

Two of us, from the States, are arriving in Glasgow August 19th - we're taking the train to Edinburgh for a few days - then back to Glasgow to take the train to Oban and staying on Iona August 25th and 26th.

Then we're heading north to the Applecross, (maybe) Glencoe, and Gairloch areas.  And we'd like to stay on the Isle of Lewis and also visit the Orkneys.  We have two weeks!

I have little idea of how long it takes to get from one place to another, or how long we'll want to stay in one area.  I know you can't tell me that either, but you may have an idea where we might want to look for a place to stay after leaving Iona (and Mull).

I'm thinking it would be good to rent a car in Oban and then drive north, camping at some places.
But if a bus or train would be more spectacular and easier, we'd do that.  We want to see natural beauty - mountains, especially! That's why we're heading for Glen Coe and Gairloch. So if you have suggestions for other places, I'd love to hear them.

I was thinking it would be very satisfying to walk part of The Way, and camp along there, too.  If we have a car at that point, would we just go a ways and double back to the car?  Sometimes in the states there are buses at the end of a particular hike to take you back to your car. (On Mt Tamalpais, for example - north of San Francisco!)

We are planning on camping light - cause we'll ahve to carry our things with us,m as far as I can figure our camping things are not available for rent there?  We're planning on bringing a light, rainproof tent, sleeping bags (sacks?,)sleeping pads, and a few little (palm-sized stoves with a few fuel bottles (GAZ), and 2 pans.

So - good places to stay - I'd love to hear suggestions for B&B's, or any other reasonably priced places where we are going!

Thank you so much for any info you can give me!

Jackie Howell  

Answer
Hi Jackie,

You will find it hard to hire a car in Oban and if you do, you would have to return it there.  I recommend you rent one in Edinburgh from me (best value in Scotland) at

http://www.celticlegend.co.uk/car

Take the car to Mull, although you won't be able to take it to Iona.  Still useful on Mull.  Go back to Oban and take the ferry to Barra and then Island hop from Barra all the way up to Lewis, finally catching the ferry back to Ullapool.  From there do the loop South through Shieldaig and Applecross to Kyle of Lochalsh and from there, head straght north via Inverness to Scrabster and catch the ferry to Orkney.  When you come back from Orkney, you can drop the car back to Glasgow, either at a city branch or the airport branch.

I promise you will not regret a moment of that route!  Here are the web sites you will need to make this work.

http://www.calmac.co.uk

They do island hopping tickets and hopscotch tickets.

http://www.aboutscotlandcom

These are specially selcted B&B's.

http://www.indiscoveredscotland.com

These are a "million" links to hotels and B&B's all over Scotland.  Also a vast amount of information about all of Scotland.

http://www.northlinkferries.co.uk/

Ferries to orkney and Shetland.

I hope that all helps.  I am on tour until Monday night, so if you come back, please be patient.

Cheers,

Willie Wallace
http://www.celticlegend.co.uk/car