Thanks for info on Hebrides

The Reids wrote: {snip}

Quoted message said:

Anyway, thanks. Orkney or Shetland next year, I think I
have the island bug!

Me too, but then I come from an island off the west coast
which probably accounts for it.....

I've just come back from 2 weeks on Orkney & Shetland. My
first time and it was magical. Not as many beaches as Uist
etc., but more wildlife and you're tripping over Neolithic
remains with every step :o) - 16 rolls of slide film (I was
limiting myself :o)) is going to take an awful lot of
scanning, at least the digi shots will go straight(ish)
onto a CD!

Here's a few pointers in the hope that someone finds them
useful......

If you're only going to Orkney, try the Gill's Bay
ferry. It's run by a local guy using ex-Cal Mac boats,
Northlink will probably have gone bust by the time you
want to go.......

Orkney is generally low, green and rolling with lots of
farming (cattle and sheep). Island-hopping is relatively
easy, though most ferries only run twice/a few times a day
and fill up quickly (ditto the planes) so it's best to do a
bit of forward planning and book early. E.g. I tried on
Friday morning to book a day-trip to Hoy for the following
Monday and they could get me over there, but couldn't get me
back (which wasn't much use as I was going on to Shetland
Monday night). Planes are £60 return to Westray, £30 ret. to
North Ronaldsay and there are cheap deals if you stay
overnight. Food is generally excellent, but if, like me, you
are dissapointed by the serried ranks of nitrokeg pumps on
the average Scottish bar, take a look at the shelves behind,
most places do the local Orkney brews in bottles. I can
reccomend the 'Dark Island' :o)

Shetland is more like the Highlands, plenty of moor/peat. I
was frequently reminded of bits of Skye/Gairloch crofting
areas, rather than the Harris 'moonscape'. Island hopping is
easier (and cheaper!) the ferries are frequent, shuttling
back and forth until well into the night. Not that it gets
dark this time of year...... The roads are excellent, diesel
was 96.5p on Unst, but it is as far north as you can get in
Britain. The walk around Hermaness is good at the moment for
seabirds and a good place to take your walking poles (You
wave one above your head to fend off the Bonxies!).

Go. You know you want to :o)

Alan

The Reids wrote

Quoted message said:

Well, you were all quite right

:-)

Glad you had fun, Mike. We'll be island hopping in a camper
van later in the summer. Oban -> Barra, S Uist, Benbecula, N
Uist, Harris, Lewis -> Ullapool. Can't wait to get back.

Chris