# Island Hopping



## 101660 (Nov 5, 2006)

Planning to go Island hopping in Mid May for one month. Has anyone any tips re wild camping and ferry prices (the best prices!!)


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## 92046 (May 1, 2005)

Hi deerhunter

Island hopping ? UK/Scotland ? Ireland ? Norway? Orkney/Shetland/Faeroe Islands/Iceland ?

If you can be a bit more specific on the area, maybe somone can then help you,

Have a good time.


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## 95531 (Jun 23, 2005)

Hello Deerhunter,I assume you mean the Western Islands in Scotland,the bad news is that Calmac have a monopoly here,not for long I hope,so they can charge what they like,and do! Calmac will sell you an "Island hopper"book of tickets which will allow you to choose where you want to go,remember that the Sky bridge is now toll free so you wont need to take a ferry there.No need to worry about wild camping,you will be spoiled for choice.regards,paddywhack.


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## 101660 (Nov 5, 2006)

Cowly said:


> Hi deerhunter
> 
> Island hopping ? UK/Scotland ? Ireland ? Norway? Orkney/Shetland/Faeroe Islands/Iceland ?
> 
> ...


sorry forgot to say Scottish Islands


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## 96962 (Dec 16, 2005)

yep! I echo Paddywack. Pick your islands to do a little tour and then choose a hopscoth ticket to cover the islands you want to do, this will save some money.

Also for some of the smaller islands like Gigha it's a good idea to take or hire a bike, saves you paying to take the motorhome over and it's a cracking way to see the island, no need to worry about traffic on these islands.

I'd start at Bute (where Stella McCartney got married), Arran, Gigha, Islay & Jura, all within reach of each other and will cut out three hours of driving up to Oban from Glasgow and that horrible section of the A82 at the top of Loch Lomond between Tarbert and Crianlarich. You can then head to Oban and go on to Mull back onto Ardnamurchan from Tobermory over to Mallaig, across to Skye up to Uig and over to the outer Hebrides up to Stornoway back to Ullapool up to Thurso and over to the Orkneys and then onto the Shetlands and back via Aberdeen - Phew! That should fill a long month and empty the wallet a bit. Not all of the more Northern ferries are Calmac.

Mind you I think you'll be rushed to do that in a month.

Tim


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## 96962 (Dec 16, 2005)

So what have you decided as an iternary then?


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## 101308 (Oct 8, 2006)

Very interesting. We were also thinking of visiting the Outer Hebrides this year "island hopping", June or July, seen the blerb on the "hopscotch ticket" but need info on obtaining gas if necessary, campsites, also heard about the midges. It's all those small things we nead to know.


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## 96962 (Dec 16, 2005)

Wot Algarve to the Outer Hebrides! You'll meet plenty going the other way!

Gas shouldn't be a problem if you mean Propane/butane, many homes only use bottled gas on the islands, LPG might be a different matter, someone else may be able to answer that.

Midgies are horrible wee biting things which form dark clouds around anything that breathes. They are irritatting to the extreme and retiring indoors is often the only relief. Their season starts about mid/end of May 'till October and they are worse morning and evening. Warm wet summers will see them at their very worst but a good coastal breeze keeps them down. Check here for a forecast http://www.midgeforecast.co.uk. Various products abound to keep them at bay of which the reported best is Avon Skin So Soft (yes really), followed by DDT and Nuclear incineration.

Camp sites do exist on various islands but it is perfectly possible to wildcamp if they don't, with some island website guides even advising where, all depends where you are going.

Maybe don't go to Colonsay http://www.colonsay.org.uk/camping.html !!

Tim


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## 101308 (Oct 8, 2006)

Yeah we tend to get infested with visitors in July & August, you know those noisy things, all over the beaches, and when they're not there, clogging up the roads.
The gas I was thinking of was for the cooking, whether it is possible to exchange the normal size of motorhome bottle.
Thanks for the tip on midges and the address, is it possible to use Internet over there?, we have a mobile system but the ISP is Vodafone, Perhaps not compatible!!


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