Inverness this weekend

[37047]

Hi all,

I'm visiting Inverness this weekend and have found myself with an extra day on my hands (was meant to be running the half marathon on Sunday but have injured my ankle). I'm travelling on the sleeper on Friday night and will have Saturday and Sunday there.

My original plan was to go to Kyle of Lochalsh and back on the Saturday but now I'm considering a trip to Wick and back on the Saturday and INV-KYL-INV on the Sunday. Has anyone done INV-WCK-INV as a day trip? I'll be back in the area later in the year and am wondering if it would be better done then, on a day where I can get an earlier start (and haven't spent the night before in the seated coach of the sleeper).

The other issue with trying to do both trips is I'd have no real choice in terms of times as the services are infrequent, particularly on the Sunday - wouldn't want to get stranded anywhere.

So... any thoughts on whether doing both trips is sane? Or if I do the Kyle trip on the Saturday as originally planned, where would be a nice short trip on the Sunday?

 

[Kite159]

A trip to Wick & back on the Saturday is doable, although it will be the same unit back to Inverness (Using the 10:41 Inverness - Wick & 16:00 Wick - Inverness, which gives just over an hour at Wick).

The Sunday you can do a day trip to Kyle, again with around 90 minutes at Kyle.

 

[gcmozart]

I have done the itinerary

INV-WCK-INV after getting off the sleeper (in a berth)
then INV-KYL-INV

Though I did it midweek not weekend.

I did enjoy it, but it is a lot of sitting in train seats, not all of them the most comfortable.

There is a bus service from Kyle to Inverness which might give an alternative if the train is cancelled etc, but other alternatives are not abundant

 

[37047]

A trip to Wick & back on the Saturday is doable, although it will be the same unit back to Inverness (Using the 10:41 Inverness - Wick & 16:00 Wick - Inverness, which gives just over an hour at Wick).

The Sunday you can do a day trip to Kyle, again with around 90 minutes at Kyle.

Yeah, those were the timings I was looking at, just concerned that the Saturday may be a bit much after a night on the sleeper. I've got a ~13h trip back home on the Monday too...

I have done the itinerary

INV-WCK-INV after getting off the sleeper (in a berth)
then INV-KYL-INV

Though I did it midweek not weekend.

I did enjoy it, but it is a lot of sitting in train seats, not all of them the most comfortable.

There is a bus service from Kyle to Inverness which might give an alternative if the train is cancelled etc, but other alternatives are not abundant

Glad to hear it's doable post-sleeper!

 

[Esker-pades]

Yeah, those were the timings I was looking at, just concerned that the Saturday may be a bit much after a night on the sleeper. I've got a ~13h trip back home on the Monday too...



Glad to hear it's doable post-sleeper!

Wick is theoretically doable as a day trip from Edinburgh (I've done it). Theoretical as the day starts at 06:30 and ends at 00:15, but doable.

The sleeper arrives at Inverness at 08:41 (or should do) which gives you 2 hours before the 10:41 Inverness to Wick (arr 14:56). The return is 16:00 arr 20:10 (Saturday) or arr 20:13 (weekday). It is simply not possible to do Wick in a day on a Sunday.

A day trip from Inverness to Kyle of Lochalsh and back is possible any day of the week.
Saturday:
08:55 arr 11:30, 12:08 arr 14:42.
10:56 arr 13:35, 13:46 arr 16:26.
13:35 arr 16:12, 17:13 arr 19:58 (with the bonus of going via Rose Street!)

Sunday:
10:59 arr 13:37, 15:12 arr 17:47.

 

[37047]

Wick is theoretically doable as a day trip from Edinburgh (I've done it). Theoretical as the day starts at 06:30 and ends at 00:15, but doable.

That's... impressive. I'll bear it in mind it for my longer trip later in the year.

 

[Iskra]

I've done Inverness-Wick-Inverness-Sleeper before. It's a comfortably doable itinerary but as said above it's a lot of sitting down. It could be worth taking some provisions onboard just in case there are any issues with the food trolley service as there was when I did the journey last winter.

 

[Mike99]

I managed to do INV 08.55 to KYL for 11:30, KYL at 12:08, back to Dingwall at 14:08 then Dingwall at 14:37 to Thurso 17:49 , (I had done Wick to Thurso previously) then I got the X99 coach/bus from Thurso which I think was at about 19:00 back to Inverness for about 22:15; but I think that's now not possible as the equivalent bus departs at 17:00

 

[37047]

I've done Inverness-Wick-Inverness-Sleeper before. It's a comfortably doable itinerary but as said above it's a lot of sitting down. It could be worth taking some provisions onboard just in case there are any issues with the food trolley service as there was when I did the journey last winter.

I was planning to take snacks and a Thermos just in case!

I managed to do INV 08.55 to KYL for 11:30, KYL at 12:08, back to Dingwall at 14:08 then Dingwall at 14:37 to Thurso 17:49 , (I had done Wick to Thurso previously) then I got the X99 coach/bus from Thurso which I think was at about 19:00 back to Inverness for about 22:15; but I think that's now not possible as the equivalent bus departs at 17:00

Interesting - haven't looked into bus routes.

 

[Bevan Price]

At this time of year, sunset in Northern Scotland is at about 18:00, so at least half of your return journey from Wick would be "in the dark". Personally, I would wait until late Spring or Summer if that option is available.

 

[37047]

At this time of year, sunset in Northern Scotland is at about 18:00, so at least half of your return journey from Wick would be "in the dark". Personally, I would wait until late Spring or Summer if that option is available.

A good point - I will definitely be back in Inverness later in the year, and for more than just 2 days - might save this for then.

 

[37047]

Thanks for all the replies. Decided to go with my original plan to do both:
10:41 INV-WCK, 16:00 WCK-INV on Sat
10:59 INV-KYL, 15:12 KYL-INV on Sun

It'll be ~37h sat on trains from this morning until I get home on Monday... looking forward to it!

 

[route101]

That's... impressive. I'll bear it in mind it for my longer trip later in the year.

Done Glasgow to Thurso in a day , 0710 from Queen St and back after 11

 

[37047]

Not the best start to the trip - sleeper delayed due to a train fault.

 

[GusB]

I hope you've brought some waterproof clothing with you!

 

[37047]

I hope you've brought some waterproof clothing with you!

I certainly did, and I'm very glad of it! Mixed bag of weather so far today - snow, sleet, hail, rain and sunshine. Just leaving Thurso now and it's very grey... hopefully it'll stay dry in Wick for the next hour or so at least.

 

[Esker-pades]

40% chance of precipitation according to the MetOffice.