8MileBU Posted July 11, 2017 Author Share Posted July 11, 2017 A work colleague just sent me this five mins ago:I've been before but still slightly jealous. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Glens lad Posted July 12, 2017 Share Posted July 12, 2017 Never been to the Scottish Highlands [emoji53] 0 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Honest_Man#1 Posted July 12, 2017 Share Posted July 12, 2017 I have indeed grossly underestimated the accommodation availability on Skye 0 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Le Tout P'ti FC Posted July 12, 2017 Share Posted July 12, 2017 Just back from Inverie on Knoydart. It's an island of the mind! (Connected to the mainland only by a bloody long walk or by a wee ferry to Mallaig.)Keeping up the theme of posting your beer... 0 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
invergowrie arab Posted July 12, 2017 Share Posted July 12, 2017 (edited) 3 hours ago, Honest_Man#1 said: I have indeed grossly underestimated the accommodation availability on Skye I shit you not if I was planning an August visit I would book a year in advance. I'll enthrall you all one day with a paper I wrote about our rural infrastructure not being fit to cope with the demands expected of tourist income projections. I usually go in May. Before school holidays, before the midges and usually best weather. I'll be going September this year which is also a decent option. Plockton, Kyle of Lochalsh, Dornie etc are only a half hour drive away and sometimes give better options, you would be driving about anyway. Often self catering cottages are just as cheap or cheaper than hotels. Edited July 12, 2017 by invergowrie arab 0 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Honest_Man#1 Posted July 12, 2017 Share Posted July 12, 2017 10 minutes ago, invergowrie arab said: I shit you not if I was planning an August visit I would book a year in advance. I'll enthrall you all one day with a paper I wrote about our rural infrastructure not being fit to cope with the demands expected of tourist income projections. I usually go in May. Before school holidays, before the midges and usually best weather. I'll be going September this year which is also a decent option. Plockton, Kyle of Lochalsh, Dornie etc are only a half hour drive away and sometimes give better options, you would be driving about anyway. Often self catering cottages are just as cheap or cheaper than hotels. Where is best to look for self-catering cottages etc? Airbnb? 0 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
invergowrie arab Posted July 12, 2017 Share Posted July 12, 2017 (edited) Yep Airbnb is cheapest. Careful what you look at though. They don't bother telling you they don't have anything in that area they just give you the nearest thing they have so you can find a great wee place and it turns out it's on Lewis ( I think it's more obvious web based but in mobile it does this) Other ones I use are walkhighlands which has a good search facility https://www.walkhighlands.co.uk/cottages.shtml and self catering Scotland http://www.self-catering-scotland.com If you don't find anything on Skye consider Kintail and Lochalsh as alternative base. Edited July 12, 2017 by invergowrie arab 0 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
stevieKTID Posted July 13, 2017 Share Posted July 13, 2017 (edited) We stayed at the cowshed in Uig last year, great location, can't wait to go back, Skye is one of the best places on the planet imo, Edited July 13, 2017 by stevieKTID 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
drs Posted July 13, 2017 Share Posted July 13, 2017 16 hours ago, Honest_Man#1 said: I have indeed grossly underestimated the accommodation availability on Skye I'm going for 2 days work in early September - cheapest hotel £230 a night and that was from going through four or five comparison sites which were all saying "98% booked for the period you are looking for, please try another date" Aye well when the Scottish Govt wants me to go is when I have to go so I'm AirBnBing a B&B at £65 a night instead. Thinking of all you taxpayers who are funding this. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
drs Posted July 13, 2017 Share Posted July 13, 2017 11 hours ago, invergowrie arab said: Yep Airbnb is cheapest. Careful what you look at though. They don't bother telling you they don't have anything in that area they just give you the nearest thing they have so you can find a great wee place and it turns out it's on Lewis ( I think it's more obvious web based but in mobile it does this) I used the website and it gave a map with little signs at each different location telling you how much it costs, was very easy to find somewhere within a couple of miles of Portree. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Karpaty Posted December 28, 2017 Share Posted December 28, 2017 I'm looking into the possibility of visiting a couple of the islands in 2018. I was looking at Shetland but I'm thinking it's maybe best trying out Orkney first instead? I'd be going by ferry so maybe that's best place to start. I'll be honest - I'm a bit of a city guy but the idea of being out in the open air, walks and the beautiful views are making want to do these trips more and more. It also saddens me I've never before looked into exploring more of Scotland than the main cities and towns. But aye, Orkney: good place to start? 0 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Highland Capital Posted December 28, 2017 Share Posted December 28, 2017 14 hours ago, Karpaty said: I'm looking into the possibility of visiting a couple of the islands in 2018. I was looking at Shetland but I'm thinking it's maybe best trying out Orkney first instead? I'd be going by ferry so maybe that's best place to start. I'll be honest - I'm a bit of a city guy but the idea of being out in the open air, walks and the beautiful views are making want to do these trips more and more. It also saddens me I've never before looked into exploring more of Scotland than the main cities and towns. But aye, Orkney: good place to start? I've never been but I've heard Orkney people are much friendlier than Shetlanders. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
welshbairn Posted December 28, 2017 Share Posted December 28, 2017 14 hours ago, Karpaty said: I'm looking into the possibility of visiting a couple of the islands in 2018. I was looking at Shetland but I'm thinking it's maybe best trying out Orkney first instead? I'd be going by ferry so maybe that's best place to start. I'll be honest - I'm a bit of a city guy but the idea of being out in the open air, walks and the beautiful views are making want to do these trips more and more. It also saddens me I've never before looked into exploring more of Scotland than the main cities and towns. But aye, Orkney: good place to start? I'd try to time the trip with good weather, it pissed down the whole time I was there. It's a bit like the Shire in Lord of the Rings and The Hobbit, especially Skara Brae. If you want spectacular scenery I'd go to Skye, or Assynt on the mainland. Only been to the airport in Shetland. 0 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
8MileBU Posted December 28, 2017 Author Share Posted December 28, 2017 I'm looking into the possibility of visiting a couple of the islands in 2018. I was looking at Shetland but I'm thinking it's maybe best trying out Orkney first instead? I'd be going by ferry so maybe that's best place to start. I'll be honest - I'm a bit of a city guy but the idea of being out in the open air, walks and the beautiful views are making want to do these trips more and more. It also saddens me I've never before looked into exploring more of Scotland than the main cities and towns. But aye, Orkney: good place to start? Orkney is my favourite of all the islands I’ve been to so far. I've never been but I've heard Orkney people are much friendlier than Shetlanders. Orcadians are my favourite people of all the islands I’ve been to so far. I'd try to time the trip with good weather, it pissed down the whole time I was there. It's a bit like the Shire in Lord of the Rings and The Hobbit, especially Skara Brae. If you want spectacular scenery I'd go to Skye, or Assynt on the mainland. Only been to the airport in Shetland. Good weather is always a plus, but I think that’s why I liked Orkney. If it’s pissing the rain there’s still plenty to do. Was back up at the end of September. The day me and my workmate went to Skara Brae we got the only sunny day that week and it was about 19c. And just to sum up the nature of the Orcadians, the wee old woman at the reception in Skara Brae put my workmate through as my son (making me an 8 year old Dad!) so he got in for free on my Historic Scotland membership card.[emoji846] Wee dwellings at Skara Brae. Beach at Skara Brae. Also added Westray and Hoy to my list of smaller islands I’ve visited. Unfortunately had no time at all to explore Westray which was a bit disappointing, but Hoy was really good. Seen ‘The Old Man’ and just wish I could’ve spent an hour longer at the Scapa Flow museum. Unfortunately I had to go catch the boat back to Houton, but was back in time to go see Skara Brae. The Old Man of Hoy. A big gun at Scapa Flow. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
invergowrie arab Posted December 28, 2017 Share Posted December 28, 2017 17 hours ago, Karpaty said: I'm looking into the possibility of visiting a couple of the islands in 2018. I was looking at Shetland but I'm thinking it's maybe best trying out Orkney first instead? I'd be going by ferry so maybe that's best place to start. I'll be honest - I'm a bit of a city guy but the idea of being out in the open air, walks and the beautiful views are making want to do these trips more and more. It also saddens me I've never before looked into exploring more of Scotland than the main cities and towns. But aye, Orkney: good place to start? I would say Orkney has the most to do but of you are looking for spectacular scenery you might struggle. Skye, as well as the journey to Skye, would be the most spectacular but if you want d to go July/August I would book now. Arran has loads going on and is really accessible, both getting there and getting "into the wild" once you are there. But as long as you are not looking for mountains and big sea lochs Orkney wouldn't disappoint. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Karpaty Posted December 29, 2017 Share Posted December 29, 2017 Cheers for the replies. I’ve had another look at Shetland and the plane from Aberdeen seems reasonable but looks like I’ve missed a lot of the accommodation efforts. I’m looking to go between April and May (I realise the folk festival is at the start of May, a shame as that would have been brilliant) but a couple of weeks or so after that might be doable. I’d only be going for three or four days - no idea if that is long enough, I don’t drive so probably not, but it’s something I really want to do. 0 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
AYRSHIRE_ANGUS Posted December 31, 2017 Share Posted December 31, 2017 Reading this thread makes me even more distraught at the fact I'm not doing the Bealach Mor cyclesportive this September and my usual stay at the Myrtle Bank Hotel in Gairloch, my favourite place in Scotland. Brilliant hotels, glorious food and the locals are really nice. In fact there is only one fanny that lives there I've come across and I just snarl at him every time he walks into the pub First time I met him he had been banned from the Old Inn for abusing the English barmaid at the time of the referendum. My friend, a photographer who lives in Orkney funnily enough (Harray) no longer fancies it as pretty much every time we get soaked. Last September it was amazing weather and we both conceded that we probably would never get a more glorious 90 mile cycle like that again. Depressing! If you want to see some stunning photos of Orkney and the North Coast btw check his website: http://www.markfergusonphotography.co.uk/ I love my trips to Ullapool, it can be a bit twee but I like my ale and good food which it has in abundance. Cycling north in the Assynt area is absolutely amazing, makes you feel great to be alive. Sadly more and more people are using their car windows as a rubbish bin which is criminal behaviour. Favourite island is Harris and "The Golden Road", spectacular to cycle and Tarbert is a cute wee village, although not as good as my adopted hometown of the same name in Argyll. 0 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
8MileBU Posted January 27, 2018 Author Share Posted January 27, 2018 Never been to Arran yet. Heard it's nice though. Soon to have Arran ticked off and added to my list of islands visited. Heading over for 3 days in a couple of weeks. Fingers crossed for good weather. 0 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
paul wright scores Posted February 6, 2018 Share Posted February 6, 2018 On 7/11/2017 at 18:38, 8MileBU said: A work colleague just sent me this five mins ago: I was there 2 days afterwards but the weather wasn't quite to nice. I visited Barra as part of a holiday taking in Coll, Tiree, Barra, then onto Eriskay, South Uist, Benbecula, North Uist, Harris, Lewis and Skye. Highlights - the beaches on Coll, loved cycling in Tiree, watching the plane land on the beach at Barra, cycling in South Uist, the beaches in Harris (especially Luskentyre), the Blackhouses in Lewis, Stornaway and everything on Skye. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
8MileBU Posted February 6, 2018 Author Share Posted February 6, 2018 I was there 2 days afterwards but the weather wasn't quite to nice. I visited Barra as part of a holiday taking in Coll, Tiree, Barra, then onto Eriskay, South Uist, Benbecula, North Uist, Harris, Lewis and Skye. Highlights - the beaches on Coll, loved cycling in Tiree, watching the plane land on the beach at Barra, cycling in South Uist, the beaches in Harris (especially Luskentyre), the Blackhouses in Lewis, Stornaway and everything on Skye. Barra is lovely. Coll and Tiree do indeed have beautiful beaches. North Uist, South Uist and Benbecula weren’t quite as exciting although I was working & the weather was pish. Skye I have yet to properly visit/explore as I’ve only ever made a brief visit for a days work. I’ve heard it’s beyond a joke up there now trying to get accommodation, and when you do it costs an arm and a leg apparently because it’s just so busy.Still not been to Lewis & Harris yet. 0 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Recommended Posts
Join the conversation
You can post now and register later. If you have an account, sign in now to post with your account.