All line rover

[Flying Snail]

I have had a quick check but you cannot see the bus times on Skye for the Summer yet. The time are there until the end of March but not beyond. If you are going after May you have to do this on a Saturday as the Fort William to Mallaig train departs later Monday to Friday and makes the 15:10 sailing. Probably because the steam is running. This is a bit tight on time.

If you do that there is a 13:45 sailing to Armadale (shown as a connection in the Caledonian MacBrayne timetable) and arrives at 14:15. This gives you 3 hours to get to Kyle of Lochalsh.

The fallback is if you miss the ferry go back to Fort William and get the bus to Inverness. You are then back in position for the following day. This is not a bad bus ride as it goes along Loch Ness.

I suspect you will be able to do this but are going to have to wait until the Summer bus timetable comes out in 2011.

I did that in late summer '09 but I did Fort William - Mallaig on the Jacobite, the connections (except for the bus-bus connection on Skye) were comfortable with time enough for Lunch in Mallaig before the Ferry and a good stroll around Kyle.

I messed up and had not checked the times though, there were rail replacement buses from Kyle part way to Inverness so I am missing that part of the line, I guess i will just have to go back and do the trip again.

I chose to do the loop in that direction as it is better for the scenic views on the FW sleeper, you can get up at 7ish and enjoy the views from the lounge car, in the other direction outside of June-July it will be getting dark too early.

 

[junglejames]

This is definately possible I did it last winter. You don't have to be on the first train from Inverness to Kyle you can make it off the second one.

Including John O Groats?
Getting to John O Groats may be possible if you only go to Thurso, and not Wick. This gives you 2hrs in Thurso to get to JoG.

One other possibility
Sleeper to Inverness. Inverness to Wick on the 2nd train of the day. Trip to JoG. Spend the night in Wick.
Then next day get the first train from Wick to Inverness, then change onto the 2nd train of the day to Kyle. Arr Kyle at 1326. Then make your way round to Armadale, then across on the ferry. You can then either spend the night in Mallaig, or if you make it in time, catch the 1815 train to FW, and spend the night in FW. This train even gets you into FW 13mins before the sleeper for Edinburgh and London departs.
Having checked the winter buses, and the summer ferries, you can do this. You have a long connection with the bus, but you get into Armadale about 1630. The ferry leaves at 1715, arriving 1745. 30mins in Mallaig.

The other possibility, is as above, but once you get to Kyle, come back on the same train straight back to Inverness. You get an hour in Kyle. You get back into Inverness at 1706. Then catch the coach to Fort William which takes 1hr 50mins. Arr FW in time for dinner!! You can do a quick return to Mallaig the next day before heading back. Either way is plausible, and you fit in JoG quite easily.

Im doing a similar thing next year, but will get the coach to FW. I wont bother going via Skye. Thats best saved for when you have a car, and can drive around the Island. One of the most amazing Islands on the British Isles. Hope that all helps.

 

[Peter Mugridge]

Including John O Groats?
Getting to John O Groats may be possible if you only go to Thurso, and not Wick. This gives you 2hrs in Thurso to get to JoG.

That's exactly what I did, but don't forget that while doing Thurso - Groats - Thurso gives you an extra 20 minutes you'll miss out the Georgemas - Wick section. That is why on my record trip we did it Thurso - Groats - Wick.

But as I pointed out, this gives you just a few minutes in Wick.

And you absolutely must pre-arrange the taxi at Thurso. Message me if you want the taxi firm's number nearer the time.

 

[Track Basher]

I did that in late summer '09 but I did Fort William - Mallaig on the Jacobite, the connections (except for the bus-bus connection on Skye) were comfortable with time enough for Lunch in Mallaig before the Ferry and a good stroll around Kyle.

I messed up and had not checked the times though, there were rail replacement buses from Kyle part way to Inverness so I am missing that part of the line, I guess i will just have to go back and do the trip again.

I chose to do the loop in that direction as it is better for the scenic views on the FW sleeper, you can get up at 7ish and enjoy the views from the lounge car, in the other direction outside of June-July it will be getting dark too early.

In summer I am sure there is a bus between Armadale and Kyle of Lochalsh direct. In winter in the reverse direction I had to change buses at Broadford post office as there is no direct bus.

The limiting factor in the winter was the ferry as it did not connect with the train in the Fort William - Mallaig - Armadale - Kyle direction.

In summer it comes light at 4 a.m. and is not fully dark until 11 p.m. becuase you are a lot further north.