The Transport Game (UK)

[backontrack]

We are certainly not ignorant of the fact that it would be considered thoroughly irresponsible to get ourselves ensconced within the north of Scotland at such a time like this, and that such an action would probably be met with severe disapproval.

However, it's possible to reach it, so we do so, strolling languidly to Glasgow Queen Street station (stopping off on the way to buy a veggie pizza crunch and an IRN-BRU), and slipping onto a table seat in our ScotRail Class 158 Express Sprinter, which glides out of the station on time at 21:42 and pulls into the station at Stonehaven, where we alight, at 00:04 in the considerably wee hours of Saturday morning.

 

[DanTrain]

Spending the night comtemplating a Voyager to Plymouth (and avoiding inebriated Scotspeople ), we instead plunge for the 06:50 ScotRail service to Inverness, where we arrive at 09:36 Saturday Morning, all ready for a trip to the Highlands

 

[backontrack]

We then board the 10:41 ScotRail train service to Lairg, arriving there at 12:20 on Saturday afternoon.

If we're passing through Inverness or Ardgay (not Lairg - the station's away from the village), then this bus looks quite fun...

 

[DanTrain]

If we're passing through Inverness or Ardgay (not Lairg - the station's away from the village), then this bus looks quite fun...

I love the footnote concerning delays, as if this is just a couple of minutes or something. I for one am not willing to wait 40 mints on a blustery Scottish Road!

Waiting a while, we then catch the 14:02 Stagecoach North Scotland service 62 from Lairg opp Station to Tain o/s Coop, arriving at 14:42 Saturday Afternoon.

 

[backontrack]

I love the footnote concerning delays, as if this is just a couple of minutes or something. I for one am not willing to wait 40 mints on a blustery Scottish Road!

Waiting a while, we then catch the 14:02 Stagecoach North Scotland service from Lairg opp Station to Tain o/s Coop, arriving at 14:42 Saturday Afternoon.

(route 62)

Do you fancy the bus to Durness? If so then I'll prep my next move accordingly - if not, then I'll send us some place else

 

[DanTrain]

Very much so, I would have run for the 12:25 from Lairg, but it doesn’t run Saturdays.

 

[backontrack]

Very much so, I would have run for the 12:25 from Lairg, but it doesn’t run Saturdays.

Ah, OK. In that case, you can pick up the 805 from the stop I'm going to take us to at Bonar Bridge. http://www.thedurnessbus.com/durnessnew/wp-content/uploads/2016/07/805Inverness.pdf

We pick up some supplies from the Co-op shop, pay for them and shove them into our backpack before crossing the road and boarding the 15:46 Stagecoach in the Highlands route 62 bus service to Bonar Bridge (o/s Post Office), arriving there at 16:10 on Saturday afternoon.

 

[DanTrain]

Thank you for the timetable, we shall indeed use that, after having posted a letter in the Post Office, to board the 17:15 ‘The Durness Bus’ service 805 to Durness Post Office, arriving 18:50 Saturday Evening

 

[backontrack]

Thank you for the timetable, we shall indeed use that, after having posted a letter in the Post Office, to board the 17:15 ‘The Durness Bus’ service 805 to

You're welcome, but the suspense is killing me...we are going to WHERE?

 

[DanTrain]

You're welcome, but the suspense is killing me...we are going to WHERE?

Sorry, pressed post by accident, hoped no-one would notice

 

[backontrack]

Sorry, pressed post by accident, hoped no-one would notice

No damage done.

Thank you for the timetable, we shall indeed use that, after having posted a letter in the Post Office, to board the 17:15 ‘The Durness Bus’ service 805 to Durness Post Office, arriving 18:50 Saturday Evening

Well, now that we've requested to be set down in Durness - and, after nobody requested to frequent the coastal localities of Scourie or Kinlochbervie, arrived there on time, too - we find our accommodation, and have something to eat. We spend Sunday exploring the area, as the weather is grand - we visit Smoo Cave and spend time on Sango Bay - before waking up on Monday and packing our things away, ready to go.

On Monday morning, we walk to the VisitScotland iCentre and board the 10:50 The Far North Bus route 804 bus service to Ullapool (West Shore Street), arriving there at 13:39 on Monday afternoon.

 

[DanTrain]

Spending the afternoon enjoying Ullapool, and going for a short hike too, we then board the 17:30 Caledonian Macbrayne Ferry to Stornoway Ferry Terminal (boarding 40 mins before departure as required) and arriving at 20:00 Monday Evening.

 

[backontrack]

We have a meal out, and then walk to Stornoway Bus Station (Stance 1) before boarding the 21:40 Galson Motors route W1 bus service to Port of Ness (Bus Shelter), arriving there at 22:39 on Monday evening.

 

[ValleyLines142]

We settle down for the night and then board the 0654 Galson Motors service W1 to Stornoway (Bus Station), arriving there at 0745 on Tuesday morning.

 

[backontrack]

We have some breakfast in town before boarding the 09:35 Hebridean Transport route W10 bus service to Leverburgh Ferry Terminal, Harris, arriving there at 11:25 on Tuesday morning.

 

[DanTrain]

We are just about in time to catch the 11:40 Caledonian Macbrayne ferry to Berneray Ferry Terminal, where we arrive at 12:40 Tuesday Afternoon.

 

[backontrack]

Next, we board the 13:20 Grenitote Travel route W16 bus service to Carinish, North Uist (at Carabhat), arriving there at 14:03 on Tuesday afternoon.

 

[DanTrain]

We then wait a couple of hours, before continuing on our journey on the 16:53 Grenitote Travel W16 bus to McGillyvrays Shop Balivanich, arriving 17:06 Tuesday Evening

 

[backontrack]

We spend a few hours on Benbecula before walking to the bus stop on Airport Road (West-Bound) in Balivanich and boarding the 21:01 WMV Motor Hirer route W17 bus service to Daliburgh, South Uist (Junction, South-Bound on A865), arriving there at 21:58 on Tuesday evening.

 

[DanTrain]

Spending a charming night in Borrodale B&B, we then board the 07:20 DA Travel service W17 to Eriskay Slipway, arriving at 08:00 Wednesday Morning.

 

[ValleyLines142]

We then board the 0810 Caledonian MacBrayne service CM21 to Aird Mhor Barra Ferry Terminal, arriving there at 0850 on Wednesday morning.

 

[DanTrain]

Now we take the 08:50 Hector Macneil bus W32 to Bayherivagh, at Church, arriving there at 09:09 Wednesday Morning

 

[backontrack]

We then board the 11:40 Hector MacNeil route W32 bus service to Barra (Vatersay Road End), arriving there at 11:55 on Wednesday morning.

 

[DanTrain]

From here, we take the 12:29 Macneil Coaches W33 bus to Castlebay Pier/PO, arriving there at 12:40 Wednesday Afternoon.

 

[backontrack]

We enjoy a hearty lunch in Castlebay before we leave the Long Island - by boarding the 14:30 Caledonian MacBrayne ferry service from Barra and disembarking at Tiree Ferry Terminal, where we arrive at 17:15 on Wednesday evening.

 

[ValleyLines142]

According to the timetable there is nothing now until the 1005 Caledonian MacBrayne ferry service CM16 to Oban (Ferry Terminal), arriving there at 1410 on Thursday afternoon.

 

[backontrack]

We then board the 15:55 Caledonian MacBrayne ferry service to Mull, Craignure Ferry Terminal, arriving there at 16:45 on Thursday afternoon.

 

[ValleyLines142]

We then board the 1650 West Coast Motors service 495 to Fishnish (Ferry Terminal), arriving there at 1708 on Thursday afternoon.

 

[DanTrain]

We now take the 18:15 Caledonian MacBrayne ferry to Lochaline Ferry Terminal, arriving at 18:33 Thursday Evening.

 

[ValleyLines142]

What is it with all these bloody Scottish towns finishing their daily services at like 6pm?!

We then have to call it a day, and the following morning we board the 0845 Shiel Buses service 507 to Ardnamurchan (High School), arriving there at 0845 on Friday morning.