Planning a trip to Scotland June 2017

[Sir_Sheep]

Hi,

I’m putting together an itinerary I’ve got a mind to do this summer, but I’m not a seasoned travel planner and would appreciate any thoughts, tips and guidance you might be able to offer.

I’m thinking of taking a few days off in June – I can be a little flexible with dates, but somewhere around the solstice would be great (longest daylight hours possible).

I live in Withington in Manchester, so starting points can be either MAN or MCV.

There are two thoughts I’ve got on starting my journey:

1) Work the Wednesday of that week as normal, then take a train down to London Euston in the evening and book a sleeper berth to Aberdeen

2) Take the Wednesday off work and take a day time train to Aberdeen (possibly first class, that’d be a nice treat)

I’m then thinking of something along the lines of this:

That Wed Aberdeen to Inverness.

Stay the Wed night in Inverness.

Thursday do a combination of bus and train travel from Inverness to John O’Groats, bus to Wick then train back to Inverness.

Stay the Thursday night in Inverness.

Friday take the train to Kyle of Lochalsh, bus over to the Isle of Skye (Armadale), ferry from Armadale to Mallaig then finally the train to Fort William.

Stay the Friday night in Fort William.

Saturday take the Train to Oban.

Stay Sat and Sun night in Oban (I love Oban!)

Monday train to Glasgow then train back to Manchester.

Is this a realistic number of places to visit, or too much?

Although I love the idea of a sleeper, would it be cheaper and faster to take first class to Aberdeen?

Is it worth me getting something like a 4 in 8 “Spirit of Scotland” travel pass?

Thanks for any help you can offer me

 

[Tim R-T-C]

The Highland sleeper does stop at Crewe at about midnight, you could always get the train from there rather than going all the way to Euston.

 

[James Wake]

On the Friday, you could get to Oban if you didn't want to stay overnight in Fort William, the 1605 from Mallaig gets to Crianlarich in time for the last Oban train as it crosses it at the next stop down at Ardlui.

 

[Kite159]

Is it worth me getting something like a 4 in 8 “Spirit of Scotland” travel pass?

I would probably say a Highlands Rover would be cheaper than a Spirit of Scotland ticket (valid Aberdeen to Inverness - Wick & Kyle, as well as Glasgow - West Highlands)

 

[Sir_Sheep]

Thanks for your suggestions. Really appreciated. I'll included them in my planning.

 

[les.]

If you have time, I can thoroughly recommend a visit to Plockton (2 stops before the end of the Kyle line) and a visit to the award winning Plockton Inn for a bite to eat.

The place itself is idyllic, my favourite place in the whole of the UK. I only found the place by accident about 5 or 6 years ago but I'm heading up there again in May for an 8th time.

When you get off at the station the village is about a 15-20 minute walk away and you'll think you are going back out into the countryside but it's mainly downhill towards the loch and The Plockton Inn is on your left hand side on the main road before you get to the lochside.

 

[me123]

Sounds like a nice trip. I'd agree with using the Highland Rover, it's cheaper and covers everything you'll want to do.

I was going to suggest taking advantage of the 10% discount on the Keith & Dufftown Railway whilst you're travelling from Aberdeen to Inverness, but it doesn't operate on any Wednesdays in June (or, indeed, ever). However, if you get through to Inverness early enough you'll have time to pop down to Aviemore for a return on the Strathspey Railway, again at 10% discount (this operates every Wednesday in June). (The 10:13 Aberdeen to Inverness lets you connect onto the 12:53 to Aviemore, getting you there in plenty of time for the 14:45 departure).

 

[StarCrossing]

take the train to Kyle of Lochalsh, bus over to the Isle of Skye (Armadale)

I'm not entirely sure what's happening with the buses on Skye for this summer, but the link below suggests a mass culling of Stagecoach services.

http://www.theskyetimes.co.uk/index.php/1380-proposed-changes-to-skye-bus-timetables

I would imagine there's someone on here better informed than me though.

 

[Sir_Sheep]

Hey again

Been tweaking with my plans and gone through several iterations, but a cohesive idea is starting to coalesce.

Couple of extra questions:

I'm thinking of taking the train to Wick on Sat 24th June (INV 0700 - WCK 1131) bus to Thurso via John o'Groats then get the train back to Inverness (THS 1632 - INV 2010). What's the best/cheapest way of doing this? Return to Thurso and excess to Wick? (I've never excess-ed before, do I ask the guard to do it on the train?)

Then for Mon 26th June can anyone come up with a nice split for OBN 0857 - GLQ 1156?

Thank you all!