Calmac – Godiva Travellers

Isle of Skye: The Island you must visit, the Island you will not forget

21st Oct 20194th Oct 2020Posted in History, running, Scotland, travel, UKTagged Calmac, Eilean Ban, Eilean Donan, Flora Macdonald, Gavin Maxwell, Iolaire, Isle of Skye, Isle of Skye Pipe Band, James Bond, Kilt Rock, Neist Point, Old Man of Storr, Portree, Skye and Lochalsh RC, Skye half marathon, Skye road bridge, The World is Not Enough, Three Chimneys, Uig4 Comments

You will not forget your visit to the Isle of Skye. The superlatives, the adjectives, all the flowing words of praise that have been written about the island, are correct. If anything, they do not do it justice. It really is an island travellers should visit. Skye really is something special.

We took the Calmac ferry from Tarbert on the Isle of Harris to dock in Uig, the small port which resides in a sheltered bay on the north-west coast of Skye. It was a lovely sea crossing which had the added bonus of giving us superb views of the other islands that lie off the Scottish mainland. Of course, we think the best way to see Skye, is to go over the sea to it!

Portree is a small, but busy little town situated halfway along the eastern coastline of the island. Portree’s central location makes it a great centre to tour the island from. We were happy to stay in lovely B&B which had the option of delicious pancakes or a full Scottish breakfast. After 2 weeks of touring the Western Isles and having a full Scottish breakfast every day the pancakes were a real treat as were the fresh home-made scones baked daily. We can highly recommend a stay at Gleann an Ronnaich

Skye is a deceptively large island. It’s over 100 kilometres in length with a land area greater than 1,500 square kilometres. Even from Portree it may take over an hour and a half to drive to some of the popular tourist sites on the far north and south of the island. You have to spend at least a few days on Skye to appreciate all that the island can offer.

We enjoyed Portree itself. There is a scenic circular walk that starts by the harbour in the centre of the town. It provides great coastal views all the way across the sea to the nearby island of Raasay. The walk took us about 90 minutes and at its end we were ready for a cup of coffee and a cake. Portree has lots of bars and cafes to choose from.

Signpost on Portree walk — *Some views on the walk around Portree*

View on Portree walk — *Some views on the walk around Portree*

Skye can get very busy during the peak summer months though we personally had no difficulties in finding a table when we wanted to eat and we were there in July. However, if you want to eat somewhere extra special and would like some fine dining in places like the Three Chimneys in Colbost, then you must book in advance, even outside of the summer months.

Peak congestion is when a stream of coaches disembark their passengers in the town all at the same time. Then, Portree can seem very busy indeed! Again, though some restaurants required pre-booking for an evening meal, we had no problem finding a free table when we ate out. We tend to eat our evening meal between 5-6 pm. Had we eaten later, finding a table may have been more problematic. Eating early has the additional advantage that you may finish your meal just in time to see and hear the Isle of Skye Pipe Band which regularly parades through the town centre. We enjoyed a rousing performance from the band with the Pipe major being particularly impressive marching up and down in full Highland regalia. The Band’s parades in the town are advertised locally and we would strongly recommend you see the Band if you are in Portree.

Isle of Skye Pipe Band performing in Portree

Skye is one of those rare holiday destinations where the reality of being there is better than what brochures advertise. From the Old Man of Storr to the Neist Point Lighthouse, none of the island’s fabled attractions disappoint. We hired a car in Skye and simply travelling across the island was a wonderful experience with breathtaking views around every corner. Our journey times were much longer than planned because we kept stopping to take photos of the wonderful landscapes we kept on meeting. Skye really is a beautiful island. This is our favourite photograph of our stay, the view just stopped us in our tracks!

There is a caveat to touring Scotland’s most famous island. The whole world has now heard of Skye’s natural beauty and and at times it may seem the whole world is queuing up to see it. The traditional tourists from North America and England are now accompanied by tourists from Europe, China and South America. There can be traffic congestion near the most popular spots and you may find yourself amongst a small crowd of people when trying to get that perfect photo. Skye is still worth visiting despite the increased number of visitors. And to put Skye in perspective, it is much less crowded than Devon, Cornwall or the Lake District during the peak holiday season. We would recommend visiting the most popular sites early in the morning or late evening when day-trippers and coach parties are not there. Take advantage of the long daylight hours that are past 11.00 pm in the summer months. Travelling around Skye in the early evening is much quieter than during the day. It is the time when the local sheep population take over the roads and we got some great pictures of sheep on our way back after an evening sunset. The sheep weren’t bothered by the crowds!

Here are a few samples of the beautiful places we saw in Skye, There were so many places we were not able to see, we will have to visit Skye again.

Flora MacDonald and Skye

Skye has had a long and often turbulent history. Its role in the 1745 Jacobite Rebellion has been immortalised in the song: Over the Sea to Skye. The song commemorates how Flora MacDonald helped the rebel leader Bonnie Prince Charlie escape chasing Hanoverian troops. The Prince had been hiding on the neighbouring Hebridean island of South Uist. Flora MacDonald disguised the Prince as her maid. She and the Prince first travelled to the Isle of Benbecula where they boarded a boat which, as the song says, went over the sea to Skye. From Skye, the Prince was taken on another short boat journey to Raasay, where he boarded a vessel which eventually took him to safety in France.

Flora MacDonald was imprisoned for over a year for her part in the Prince’s daring escape. The irony is that a number of Flora’s family were supporters of the Hanoverian cause! She and her family later emigrated to America where she became involved in that country’s rebellion against the British. Sadly, the family lost its lands in that rebellion and so she had to return to Skye. Her burial place at Kilmuir has a fitting memorial to this remarkable woman. It is well worth a visit.

Flora Macdonald graveyard plaque — *Flora MacDonald graveyard*

Flora Macdonald gravestone — *Flora MacDonald graveyard*

Over the Bridge to Skye

Built in 1995 the Skye road bridge has transformed the economy of Skye with day-trippers now visiting the island from as far away is Edinburgh. Prior to the bridge being built visitors would have to catch the ferry which made the short sea crossing from the mainland port at the Kyle of Lochalsh. Though only a few hundred metres in length, the bridge is a feat of engineering skill and well worth taking the time to explore.

The bridge spans the small island of Eilean Ban which is home to a lighthouse and a nature reserve run by Ring of Bright Water author, Gavin Maxwell. It is worth parking your car and walking across the bridge to see the lighthouse and the spectacular views the bridge provides. Tours are available around Eilean Ban’s nature reserve on request.

Eilean Donan Castle

About 2 miles along the road from the bridge is one of Scotland’s most impressive castles, Eileen Donan castle. The castle has a long history and it played a pivotal role in the 1719 rebellion when a garrison of Spanish troops defended the castle against British soldiers. If you are travelling by car to Skye then take the time to visit it. In recent years it has been used as a film location for lots of films including Highlander (1986), Loch Ness (1996) and James Bond – The World is Not Enough (1999)

The views looking out from the castle are pretty special too.

Isle of Skye Running

One of the best ways to see Skye is to take part in the island’s annual half-marathon race which is held in early June. Details can be found here: Skye half marathon

Though the island does not have a parkrun, it has an established athletics club and members meet in Portree on Wednesday evenings for a club run. Perhaps you could join them when you visit the island? Details of Skye running can be found on the club website: Skye and Lochalsh RC

We left our hire car at the Kyle of Lochalsh railway station as we said goodbye to Skye. There was a plaque here to commemorate the 1919 Iolaire disaster (see our blog on the Isle of lewis for more details). We then took another scenic train journey, this time to Inverness where our trip ended with a flight home. It was a fantastic trip all through the Outer Hebrides and Skye. It left us wanting to see and explore more Scottish islands. Keep a look-out on our blog for where our adventures will take us next.

We would love to hear your thoughts in the comments section below. Please follow and share with anyone you think may be interested. See you again soon!

Eriskay and the missing 10 shilling notes

2nd Sep 2019Posted in Outer Hebrides, Scotland, travel, UKTagged Bonny Prince Charlie, Calmac, Eriskay, Outer Hebrides, SS Politician, Western Isles, Whisky Galore5 Comments

About 4 square miles in total, Eriskay is one of the smaller islands of the Outer Hebrides. Though the island has been connected to its larger neighbour South Uist by a causeway since 2001, the island still maintains its independent character. Our second ferry journey on the Calmac Hopscotch 23 route was a short 40 minute ferry voyage from Barra to Eriskay. It was another opportunity to meet and talk with fellow travellers and another opportunity to scan the seas for passing sharks and seals. Travelling on a Hebrides ferry is a real pleasure.

We decided to hire a car for this part of our travels through the Outer Hebrides. We picked up the hire car at the ferry port and arranged to leave it at the ferry port in Berneray a few days later. Our plan on arriving was to set off on a 1.5 mile circular walk which started at the ferry terminal. The walk would have taken us along Prince’s Beach where Bonny Prince Charlie landed in 1745 at the start of his forlorn adventure to regain the British throne for the Stuart family. The walk would have taken us past Eriskay’s remarkable Catholic church, built by local people using local materials towards the end of the 19th century. The church contains remains from both the first world and second world war within its structure. The altar sits on top of a lifeboat from the WW11 aircraft carrier, the HMS Hermes and the bell comes from the German battle cruiser, the Derfflinger which was scuttled in 1918.

Here is a link to further information about the church: St Michael’s Church

The route of our planned walk can be found in Paul and Helen Webster’s book: The Outer Hebrides: 40 Coast and Country Walks

Unfortunately, the weather turned shortly after we disembarked and it began to rain quite heavily. We sadly decided not to venture on our walk and instead headed for the comfort of the modern Politician pub. The pub is named in honour of a ship that was wrecked on local rocks. This shipwreck gave birth to the story for which the island is now most famous The following is a short account of that story.

The SS Politician floundered on rocks in the Sound of Eriskay whilst sailing to America from Liverpool during the wartime Britain of 1941. It was loaded with 264,000 bottles of Scotch whisky. Of course, the good folk of Eriskay were very happy to have crates of their favourite drink wash up on their shores. Unfortunately, the tax man was not so happy so the next few months saw a game of cat and mouse between Government officials and islanders who were intent on protecting their illegal liquid treasure. The 1949 film ‘Whisky Galore!” was based on this incident. However, the filming took place on the nearby island of Barra, not on Eriskay itself. Here is a link to our blog on the island of Barra: Barra-Southern-Gem

Perhaps of equal interest, but less well known, is that the SS Politician was also carrying 290,000 ten-shilling bank notes destined for the banks of Jamaica. These bank notes would be worth several million pounds in today’s valuation. Within a few months of the shipwreck, these notes began appearing in mainland British banks. Evidently, they did not all sink with the ship! The question is: what happened to all those ten-shilling notes?

We may never know: perhaps they should make a film about this too?

In preparation for our trip we thought we should watch the film. If you are in the UK you may still be able to watch the black and white 1949 film Whisky Galore! on BBC iplayer. It made us chuckle and we would recommend you watch it.

There was a remake of the film in 2017 starring Eddie Izzard. We watched this too, but must admit to liking the black and white 1949 version best.

We had lunch in the Politician pub. The barman allowed us to hold some of the artifacts from the grounded ship. The locals had fun with us suggesting we hold the sword and gun to each other’s heads whilst holding the whisky!

We also made a visit to the local cemetery. Like so many Hebridean cemeteries, Eriskay’s cemetery contains the graves of sailors lost at sea during the world wars. Such graves are poignant reminders of how much we owe to the brave people of the past for the freedom we enjoy today. The graves are immaculately kept and such cemeteries are worth visiting for their manicured beauty alone. They also offer moments of tranquil meditation and reflection.

After our short tour of the island, we drove across the causeway to South Uist and the next stage in our journey. You can read about this in our next blog.

We would love to hear your thoughts in the comments section below. Please share with anyone you think may be interested. See you again soon!

Barra, the Southern Gem of the Western Isles

12th Aug 201929th Sep 2019Posted in History, Outer Hebrides, Scotland, travel, UKTagged Barra, Barrathon, Calmac, Castlebay, Ceilidh, Ealing Comedy, Hebridean Way, Kisimul Castle, Potato famine, Tangasdale, Vatersay Boys, Whisky Galore2 Comments

Barra is one of the small islands at the southern end of the Outer Hebrides archipelago. There are two ways to travel to Barra: flying or by ferry. Those who choose to fly will experience the thrill of landing at Barra’s famous airport with its spectacular beach landing strip. Not being so adventurous, we decided to relax on the 6 hour ferry crossing from Oban on the mainland of Scotland. The journey was a bit slower than normal as the regular ferry had been towed into dry dock for repairs, so our ferry was the slower replacement. It was a lovely journey and we met many interesting fellow travellers who we shared stories with. Quite a lot of these travellers were European cyclists who planned to cycle the 185 mile Hebridean Way. This cycle route starts in the nearby island of Vatersay and runs all the way up to the Butt of Lewis. Our own travel route followed much of the Hebridean Way, but we, of course, weren’t pedalling all the way!

Cyclists or general traveller, everyone aboard the ferry seemed armed with a camera and in the hunt to take a photograph of a passing seal, or dolphin. Top prize was to snap one of large basking sharks that lounged around the local waters. We never saw any wildlife but a German visitor managed to take a picture of a solitary shark who quietly glided past the ferry. The seas around the Hebrides are rich in marine life and it is one of the pleasures of travelling by ferry that one has the chance to see some nature’s most wonderful creatures.

We arrived at about 8.30 pm, in the small port town of Castlebay. Being so small, it didn’t take long to walk around the town. The Community Hall/shop is the nerve centre of the town, if not the island. Managed by local volunteers and situated at the top of the harbour, friendly staff provide tea, simple snacks and give information to newly arrived visitors. It was here that we learnt that it is not only the buses that do operate on Sundays, but most other services stop as well. For people used to a 24/7 lifestyle this is quite a shock. Here though, we learnt the great secret of the Hebrides: the Co-op does not shut on Sunday! Needless to say, the Co-op is extremely busy on the Sabbath.

Castlebay is dominated by the towering presence of its Catholic church, Our Lady Star of the Sea. Barra, like its island neighbour Vatersay, is proud of its Catholic tradition and islanders are equally proud of their church only built in the 1890’s. The church is worth a visit as is the statue of the Madonna and Child which has stood on the hillside since 1954. Though we visited the church we were not able to visit the statue: we couldn’t even see the statue as it was shrouded in mist for our visit. A must for next time.

There are two bars in Castlebay and so two bars from which to choose your evening’s entertainment. We were delighted to find a great Ceilidh band playing in the Castlebay Hotel’s public bar. There were a number of tourists in the bar, but locals were there too, all enjoying the music and singing along.

We stayed in a delightful B&B in Castlebay, only a few minutes walk from the ferry terminal. During this part of our holiday we were using public transport. Our first full day was a Sunday so there were no buses running, Being only 14 miles in circumference, you can walk to most places in Barra so transport isn’t a necessity. In wet weather though, it nice to escape the elements. In the morning we walked along the quiet coastal road to the beautiful beach of Tangasdale. Tangasdale beach has brilliant white sand which is washed by a beautiful blue sea. It is one of those beaches which is actually better than the brochure photo. Close by the beach is the Barra Hotel which is open to the general public. We were greeted by friendly staff and enjoyed the hotel’s great views with our post walk refreshments.

We only had one full day to spend on the island, so we had to make the most of it. As we could see Kisimul Castle from our accommodation and had passed very close to it on the ferry, we decided not to visit it. Had we had more time we would have made the short boat trip to the castle. Instead, in the afternoon we did another walk around Castlebay. We don’t play golf, but if you do, you may like to play a round of golf on the most westerly golf course in the United Kingdom in stunning scenery. Some other popular activities on the island include kayaking, sailing and fishing. Certainly enough activities to keep you occupied whilst on holiday.

On Sunday evening we found out that there was a family Ceildhi in the community centre. It was packed full of people from all over the island along with outside visitors. In the pub there was some impromptu entertainment from a member of the Vatersay Boys band. He’s a local musician (Vatersay is joined to Barra by a causeway) and is sometimes to be found in the pub entertaining all and sundry with his accordian. The locals in Barra know how to entertain themselves!

On Monday, we left on our bus trip to the other side of the island to catch our next ferry to the island of Eriskay. It was raining and very windy, but luckily the ferry was still running.

Beware: sometimes ferries have to be cancelled due to strong winds. Travellers should keep a check on weather reports and the Calmac Ferries website to ensure sailings are on schedule. A sudden storm can disrupt the best planned travel arrangements. We would strongly recommend any traveller going by campervan, car or even with a bicycle, to reserve their crossing booking well in advance of their planned trip. In the summer months the ferries can be full and so some visitors are disappointed by not being able to travel due to lack of available space.

Whisky Galore

The 1949 Ealing comedy about the SS. Politician which ran aground on rocks near the island of Eriskay, was actually filmed in Barra, not Eriskay. Keen observers will spot Kisimul Castle in many of the shots! The ship was laden with whisky and locals managed to help themselves to crates of their favourite drink before the ship sank. We watched the 1949 black and white classic before we started our journey and it is still a great movie despite its age, better, in our opinion, than the 2017 remake. We bumped into a local man on our walk who told us that his mother was in the original film. Look out for our next blog on Eriskay for more information!

History of Barra

Barra has a long a complex history which saw Nordic, Irish and Scottish influences at various times dominating the culture and politics of the island.

Up to the year 1266 the island was still a part of the Kingdom of Norway and in 1427 it was incorporated into the lands of the Lords of the Isles. Barra kept its Catholic tradition during the Reformation in contrast to the more northerly Hebridean islands which adopted the Presbyterian version of Protestantism.

The island’s population suffered greatly in the 19th century with first the potato famine of 1845-46 and then the “Clearances” which saw crofters forced off their ancient lands to make way for sheep farming. The decline in the Herring fishing industry after the Great War ruined the local economy. Many islanders emigrated so de-population became a tragic feature of the island up to the 1960s. In recent years the island’s economy has improved and the island’s population has started to grow again. Barra now accepts immigrants from around the world, even from far off England! The new arrivals have helped form a rich blend of diverse traditions and so helped to create the unique identity which is Barra today.

The naming of the island of Barra is a matter of historical debate. The Scottish tradition is that the island was named after a Scottish monk called St. Barr, who brought Christianity to the island in 620 AD. The Irish tradition is that St. Barr was actually an Irish monk and it is more correct to call him St. Finbarr. The Irish narrative is that St. Finbarr settled in the Cork area of southern Ireland and the Irish now regard him as the patron saint of Cork. St. Barr or St. Finbarr, you, as the reader, must make your own choice.

If you would like to read further about Barra’s fascinating history then an excellent short account can be read at the link below.

Reference: http://www.isleofbarra.com/cillebharra.htm

Running in Barra

If you are used to running over hills, then Barra is the place for you. The roads are quiet, but there are not many pavements across the island to run on as you can see in the photos below.

There is a scenic half marathon each June called the Barrathon. It’s extremely popular and sells out within minutes of going on sale, so you must be quick if you want to enter. Click here for more details https://www.barrathon.org.uk/ The site includes a time lapse video so you can view the whole course.

Look out for our next blog when we explore Eriskay and some of the other islands.

We would love to hear your thoughts in the comments section below. Please share with anyone you think may be interested. See you again soon!

Oban: Gateway to the Western Isles

5th Aug 201929th Aug 2020Posted in History, Outer Hebrides, Parkrun, running, Scotland, travel, UKTagged Bagpipes, Calmac, Catholic churches, ferry journey, Oban, Oban Distillery, Outer Hebrides, Parkrun, Piper, running, Scenic train journey, Scotland, Seafood, St Columba, Visit Scotland, War Memorial, Western Isles5 Comments

Our journey to Oban on the west coast of Scotland began with a 3 hour scenic train journey from Glasgow. The journey is ranked amongst the top train journeys in the world and it didn’t disappoint. After leaving urban Glasgow the journey follows the wonderful river Clyde as it meanders through the glens on its slow voyage down to the coast. We felt like we were on holiday right from the start. We’d bought advance tickets for only £10.50 each, so this was definitely a bargain buy. Another bonus was the amazing things you can learn on journeys like this by talking to your fellow passengers. We learned about the art of sailing from two delightful people who happened to be sitting next to us. Oban is now a centre for yachting holidays and our two companions were going on sailing trips from Oban. Here are a few photos from our train journey.

We stayed in a small B&B a short walk from the town centre and train station. A great location and full Scottish breakfast.

If you still feel the need to eat later in the day after your breakfast then there are lots of places where you can eat. One of the most popular spots was the Oban Fish and Chip Shop – claimed as one of the best chip shops in Scotland according to The Scotsman newspaper. We thought it a little pricey and crowded so we ended ended up eating our fish and chips in the excellent Wetherspoons situated by the harbour. Great value, quick service and lovely views.

Another popular place to visit is Oban distillery in the heart of Oban. A great place to visit if you have a rainy day, or if you would like to try a wee dram or two!

McCaig’s Tower was one of the sites we wanted to see. This is a circular monument built in the 19th century by a local dignitary. It’s a steep walk up the hill from the town centre to see the structure which from a distance resembles the Colosseum of Rome. It gives you a great view of the harbour and bay. Unfortunately for us it was raining when we went up there but it was still worth it for the panoramic views it gave. It is accessible by car for those who don’t wish to walk and there is car parking nearby. For the more energetic, it’s well worth the effort walking up the hill, even if it’s raining!

Oban harbourside

The harbour is an ideal place to watch the ferries coming and going and to eat some of the freshly caught seafood. The harbour’s fame for good seafood now attracts many Chinese visitors so do not be surprised if you hear more Mandarin being spoken than English as you eat your meal!

As we left Oban for our onward journey to the Outer Hebrides we saw a young piper on the harbourside. Visitors and locals alike enjoyed listening to the young man who proudly played his pipes and who we thought, was very good. It was certainly unexpected entertainment for the many travellers waiting at the ferry terminal. The terminal is the onward transit point to many of Scottish islands. It is here that we later boarded the ferry to the first stop on our Hebridian adventure, the small, but lovely Island of Barra.

History of Oban

Oban began life as a small fishing port on the West coast of Scotland. It only started to grow with the establishment of a distillery in 1794. The railway which connected Oban with the hinterland arrived a century later in 1880 so the town experienced little of the rapid Victorian urban growth that some Scottish towns experienced.

Oban was an important military base in the Second World War when it was used as a centre for anti-submarine warfare. Since the 1950s, tourism has been the dominant industry in the town and Oban now acts as the ferry port for both the Inner and Outer Hebridean islands.

Despite being only a small town, Oban has a number of impressive churches with the Roman Catholic Cathedral of St. Columba being particularly impressive. If St. Columba isn’t to your liking then you can visit one of the many other denomination churches. In Oban you are spoilt for choice!

Scotland has many war memorials and Oban’s memorial is particularly emotive and worth viewing. Situated at the side of the road going out towards Ganavan, the memorial is a statue depicting two soldiers carrying their wounded comrade. The statue has a silent dignity that expresses so much about human nature. Personally, I rank the Oban memorial as one of the most memorable war memorials I have visited. I recommend it for a few minutes of contemplative respect.

Running in Oban

The free local Saturday parkrun attracts park run tourists from all over the UK and beyond. In the Summer months there could be more tourists running the race than locals! The race starts by a local caravan site near Ganavan Sands, hence the parkrun is called the Ganavan Sands Park Run. With 275ft of climbs the run is ranked as one of the toughest 40 park runs in the UK so do not expect a PB. The start is in a wonderful setting, by the sea which some runners go into for a post run cool down and swim! All visitors are treated with wonderful Scottish hospitality which helps to make Oban’s parkrun one of the top rated amongst park run enthusiasts.

When you go to Oban you should make a special effort to do the parkrun. You’ll enjoy it.

We only had a short stay in picturesque Oban before we continued our journey to the Western Isles. We wished we had longer and it’s on our list of places to visit again.

Planes, trains and automobiles (and ferries!)

17th Jul 201929th Sep 2019Posted in Scotland, travel, UKTagged Barra, Benbecula, Berneray, Calmac, Eriskay, Isle of Harris, Isle of Lewis, Isle of Skye, midges, North Uist, Oban, Outer Hebrides, Outlander, Parkrun, Scotland, south Uist2 Comments

Planning for our Outer Hebrides & Isle of Skye trip

Readers of the Rough Guide recently voted Scotland: ‘the most beautiful country in the world’, beating Canada to the number one slot. Well that is some accolade! We have visited Scotland a few times and have always enjoyed our visits. This year we thought we’d plan a special trip to the beautiful and remote islands of the Outer Hebrides. These islands are located on the north west of the Scottish mainland. We’ve been on many trips and holidays over the years, but none that have needed as much planning as this one!

Scotland has had a massive increase in tourists in recent years. One of the reasons for the increase in numbers is the phenomenal success of the romantic time-travel TV series, “Outlander”. The show is based on the adventures of an English nurse who travels back in time to the Highlands of the 1740’s and the Jacobite rebellion. The show has a huge following all over the world. Needless to say, many of the show’s devoted fans want to visit “Outlander” Scotland. Hence, the rise in tourism. Strangely though the show has a large global audience, it is less well known in the UK. Outlander is filmed in Scotland (even when they say they are in France or North Carolina!). We will not be visiting the film locations on this occasion – we’ll leave that for another trip!

Planes, trains and automobiles (and ferries!)

Although we live in the UK and could, in theory, drive all the way to Scotland, we prefer to fly there. It is more expensive but it does mean we do not have to endure a 8-10 hour car journey. Birmingham airport is close to us and flight costs are reasonable.

At first, we wanted to see if we could do the trip without any driving at all, so we started planning for that. Our initial idea was that we would fly to Glasgow and from there, take a flight to one of the islands of the Outer Hebrides. There are airports in Stornoway and Benbecula and the Isle of Barra. Barra has the most unique airport. Fancy landing here!

We then realised that if we did this we couldn’t visit Oban which is on the Scottish mainland. Martin had wanted to visit Oban so he could take part in its Saturday parkrun as it is quite famous in the running community. So, first change of plan. We now decided to go Oban before visiting the islands themselves. So what to do now? Fly to Glasgow and then we could either hire a car, or get a bus, or take the train to Oban. After some research and discovering that the train journey was really beautiful, we decided on that option. The train journey is advertised as one of the world’s best train journeys for stunning views.

Tip – if you plan on getting the train look for the much cheaper advance fares that are available 12 weeks before the journey begins. I set a reminder in my calendar to do this. Our train journeys have now been booked!

We’ve discovered that the buses are pretty good and link with the ferry timetimetables. Sadly, the buses don’t go to all the places we want to visit and they also don’t operate on Sundays. This means we will have to hire a car some of the time as there are no other options for travel. We could walk or hire bicycles but it would be very difficult carrying our suitcases!

Calmac ferries is the local ferry operator and it has lots of travel options. After much deliberation we have decided to go on the Hopscotch 23 route. This entails leaving from Oban on the ferry which takes 5 hours to the island of Barra. What a start! We then travel up through the Outer Hebrides. We will visit the following islands on our journey: Barra, Eriskay, South Uist, Benbecula, North Uist, Harris, Lewis. It’s then on to the Isle of Skye before going on another scenic train journey to Inverness. We will fly home from there. Phew – we’re going to be travelling a lot!

Resources used for planning:

Calmac ferries website – https://www.calmac.co.uk/
City Link bus timetables – https://www.citylink.co.uk/timetables.php
Historic Environment Scotland – https://www.historicenvironment.scot/
Scotrail – https://www.scotrail.co.uk/
Skyscanner – https://www.skyscanner.net/
Visit Outer Hebrides website – https://www.visitouterhebrides.co.uk/

A spreadsheet with dates, times, costs, timetables, hotels booked and deposits paid has been very useful. Some places we will be staying in wanted a deposit, some wanted full payment and some wanted nothing in advance. We will also need our cheque book as not everywhere accepts card payments. I’ve typed up our itinerary and saved it as a pdf document so that it’s easily at hand on my phone.

Weather

The weather can be unpredictable in Scotland, even in the summer. We will have to bring a mixture of summer clothing and clothes suitable for wet weather. I’ve bought a strong, wind-proof umbrella to take as well. Let’s hope it can do its job, if needed. You may also have heard about the midges in Scotland? They are tiny flies that bite, a bit like mosquitoes. In order to help with these we have got a supply of the Avon spray: Skin So Soft. Everybody swears by it its success against the little flying nasties. We’ll let you know after our trip if its worked. Just in case, we’ve also bought two midge nets. We really don’t want to have to use them, but it can’t hurt taking them along.

Our planes, trains and automobiles are now booked and we can’t wait to explore the beautiful islands. Look out for our future blogs to learn all about the places we visited.