Slides — 1983

The Grand Tour of Scotland

Tuesday, 24 May to Saturday, 4 June 1983

(With a 12-day Travelpass costing �65)

Day 1 - Tuesday, May 24 — Glasgow to Oban and Mull

I started with the 08:04 train to Oban arriving at 11:15, then the 12:00 sailing on mv Caledonia to Craignure for the 12:50 bus to Tobermory (had to pay £1.35 each way) arriving at 13:35. After a stroll out to Rubha nan Gall, it was the 15:30 bus back to Craignure for the 17:00 sailing to Oban where I stayed in the Youth Hostel (£2.30).

Oban

Oban from the Railway Pier	mv Caledonia coming in from Craignure	Oban from the Railway Pier

From the ferry

Leaving Oban	Duart Castle

Tobermory

waterfront	Rubha nan Gall

Craignure

A sad fact of modern life	Puffer at Craignure	mv Caledonia at Craignure	Unloading from mv Caledonia

From the ferry

Craignure	Seagulls are easy to photograph	Duart Castle	Duart Castle

Costs to date — TravelPass £11.35 : Other Fares £2.70 : Accommodation £2.30

Day 2 - Wednesday, May 25 — Oban to Lochboisdale

I can't remember why I didn't make the planned 09:00 sailing to Lismore and back, but I spent the morning in Oban, then caught mv Claymore at 13:30 via Castlebay to Lochboisdale, where the tourist office pointed me to a B&B for £5.50.

Oban

Oban from McCaig's Folly			McCaig's Folly from the Railway Pier

From the ferry

St Columba's Cathedral	Hutcheson Memorial on Kerrera	mv Caledonia heading for Oban

Ben More (3169') beyond Salen	Tobermory	Muck and Rum

Castlebay

Approaching Castlebay, Barra. Heaval rising above.		Castlebay Pier	Kismul Castle

Costs to date — TravelPass £19.75 : Fares £2.70 : Accommodation £7.80

Day 3 - Thursday, May 26 — Lochboisdale to Uig

After a good breakfast, I caught the 09:45 bus from Lochboisdale to Balinvalich (Benbecula airport) (paying £2.84), then the PostBus to Lochmaddy. I had intended to spent the night there but the pub closed at 14:30 so, after ambling about for a while, I boarded a convenient ferry (mv Hebrides?) at 17:30 to Uig and headed for the Youth Hostel.

Lochmaddy, North Uist	Leaving Lochmaddy	Rubh Idrigil, Uig Bay

Costs to date — TravelPass £24.40 : Fares £5.54 : Accommodation £7.80 +1 YH

Day 4 - Friday, May 27 — Uig to Helmsdale

Now a day ahead of schedule, I caught the 09:25 bus from the ferry terminal to Portree and on to Kyleakin for the short crossing to Kyle of Lochalsh and the 11:10 train to Dingwall arriving at 13:20. After a wander around, it was the northbound train at 18:08 to Helmsdale arriving at 20:15 for another night at a Youth Hostel.

Memorial at Dingwall to Major General Sir Hector Archibald MacDonald

Costs to date — TravelPass £40.52 : Fares £5.54 : Accommodation £9.60 +1 YH

Day 5 - Saturday, May 28 — Helmsdale to Stromness

The train to Thurso was 23 minutes late at 09:32. I was in the wrong half of the train at Georgemass Junction (where it splits for Wick) and had to sprint along the platform. Luckily, the guard saw me and waited. Arrived at Thurso at 11:00 where the connecting bus to Scrabster left at 11:15 and reached the ferry at 11:30. The St Ola sailed at 12:00 and arrived at Stromness at 14:00. The Youth Hostel was over-full (I didn't know it was the weekend of the Orkney Folk Festival) but I found a bed at Brown's Hostel (�2.00).

Scrabster

Thurso from Scrabster	Thurso from Scrabster	Leaving Scrabster
(I don't know why I took this shot twice)

Stromness

Approaching Stromness			K9 leaving the pier

Costs to date — TravelPass £53.77 : Fares £5.54 : Accommodation £11.60 +1 YH

Day 6 - Sunday, May 29 — Stromness to Kirkwall

No Sunday buses so I had planned to walk from Stromness to Kirkwall, but on Saturday evening, two girls from Melbourne staying in the hostel (Brown's) suggested the “Go Orkney” tour which picked up at Kirkwall and Stromness. The tour had been fully booked early on Saturday but they had been considering putting on a second minibus, and so it proved when I phoned. It proved an excellent suggestion, even though I had to pay �5. They picked me up in Stromness at 11:00 and dropped me in Kirkwall at 17:50 where I proceded to the Youth Hostel.

Yesnaby with Hoy beyond	possibly tufts of Primula Scottica

Marwick Head

Broch of Gurness

Scara Brae

Ring of Brodgar

We also visited Maes Howe.

Costs to date — TravelPass £53.77 : Fares £10.54 : Accommodation £11.60 +2 YH

Day 7 - Monday, May 30 — Kirkwall to John o'Groats

I spent the morning in Kirkwall then caught the 11:30 bus for the 15 minute trip to St Mary's (at the south end of East Mainland) where I walked across part of the Churchill Barrier to Lamb Holm to view the Italian Chapel. The return trip left St Mary's at 13:50 and I was back in Kirkwall at 14:05. At 18:00, a bus to Burwick (South Ronaldsay) (with a 10 minute stop at the Italian Chapel!) for the 19:00 ferry to John o'Groats (�5.00), arriving at 19:45 whence a three mile walk took me to John o'Groats Youth Hostel at Canisbay (�2.20).

St Magnus Cathedral

Earl's Palace

Bishop's Palace

Italian Chapel, Lamb Holm

Kirkwall Harbour

Across the Pentland Firth

Boarding the ferry	Stroma	John o'Groats

Costs to date — TravelPass £60.47 : Fares £11.24 : Accommodation £13.90 +2 YH

Day 8 - Tuesday, May 31 — John o'Groats to Kyle of Lochalsh

The 10:10 bus got me to Wick a 11:00, time for a quick wander round the harbour before catching the 12:00 train to Inverness, arriving at 16:20 in good time for the 17:55 train to Kyle of Lochalsh, arriving at 20:40. Another night in a Youth Hostel.

Kyle and Kyleakin

Kyleakin			Kyleakin

	Caisteal Maol		Caisteal Maol

Kyle of Lochalsh	Kyleakin	Kyleakin	Kyle of Lochalsh

Costs to date — TravelPass £80.70 : Fares £11.24 : Accommodation £13.90 +3 YH

Day 9 - Wednesday, June 1 — Kyle of Lochalsh to Glen Nevis

After a morning excursion across to Kyleakin and back, I caught the 11:00 Inverness bus, getting off at Urqhart Castle at 12:45 for a look around. Then a short walk into Drumnadrochit to view the Loch Ness Monster Exhibition (never again). The 16:02 bus took me to Fort Augustus arriving at 16:40 and another bus at 18:26 took me to Fort William at 19:25. Walk up the glen to the Youth Hostel.

Urquhart Castle

Costs to date — TravelPass £88.51 : Fares £11.24 : Accommodation £13.90 +4 YH

Day 10 - Thursday, June 2 — Glen Nevis to Armadale

I walked back into Fort William for the 10:03 train to Mallaig, arriving at 11:38 to join mv Lochmor at 12:30 for a very nice cruise up to Kyle of Lochalsh, arriving at 14:30. From there, it was a short ferry crossing to Kyle and the 15:20 bus to Armadale arriving at 16:29 for another night in a Youth Hostel.

Mallaig

			Loch Nevis

Kylerhea

Coaches of The Royal Scotsman at Kyle of Lochalsh

Observation car 9004	1930 GWR Officers' Saloon

Costs to date — TravelPass £94.03 : Fares £11.24 : Accommodation £13.90 +5 YH

Day 11 - Friday, June 3 — Armadale to Ullapool

I had my first encounter with midges this year as I waited for the 08:50 bus back up to Kyleakin at 09:59, ferry across to Kyle for the 11:10 train to Inverness arriving at 13:50. Then it was the 15:10 bus to Ullapool, arriving at 16:50 in nice time to book into the Youth Hostel (�2.50)

Ullapool

Ullapool	Loch Broom	mv Suilven arriving from Stornoway

Costs to date — TravelPass £105.40 : Fares £11.24 : Accommodation £16.40 +5 YH

Day 11 - Saturday, June 4 — Ullapool to Glasgow

A bus at 09:10 to Inverness, arriving at 10:50 for the 12:30 train and I was back in Glasgow at 16:20.

(no photos)

Costs to date — TravelPass £112.90 : Fares £11.24 : Accommodation £16.40 +6 YH