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Original poster

Driving from Southeast to the Outer Hebrides... anyone done it?

61 replies

starrynight123 · 03/08/2017 22:01

Hello,

My dh and I are thinking of driving from just outside NW London to the Outer Hebrides, and wondered if anyone else has done this trip and has any advice?

We've - obviously! - checked the distances, ferries etc and had the car serviced, so that's all fine. Also, we both enjoy driving and tend to swap every 2 hours or so.

It is just the sheer length of the journey and figuring out how far we will be able to drive so that we only need to do one hotel/b&b before we arrive at the Hebrides.

Any advice would be very welcome!

OP posts:
BossaDad · 03/08/2017 22:08

This reply has been deleted

Message withdrawn at poster's request.

MaisyPops · 03/08/2017 22:09

Second what bossa said.
You'll need to be well into Northumberland on day 1 of the drive if you only want to have 2 driving days.

PoppyPopcorn · 03/08/2017 22:13

And remember that if you're going via Oban it's only A-road (no dual carriageway) after Glasgow. A9 has average speed cameras all the way from Perth to Inverness if you're heading to Ullapool so don't be tempted as you'll be caught.

MaisyPops · 03/08/2017 22:16

When we did it I think we went up the East coast as far as we could and then across to avoid the run up past Loch lomond. Is thay thr a9?
But yes, it's slow going if you get stuck behind a tractor, caravan or coach.

Original poster
starrynight123 · 03/08/2017 22:16

That is helpful, thank you!

I hadn't thought of driving overnight, but you're right, it will be much, much quieter and faster.

We were thinking of being ambitious and aiming for Fort William for the 1st night. Hesitant to book a hotel/b&b beforehand because we've no idea how far we will get before we decided we need to stop and sleep.

Very nervous that we will get somewhere... and no rooms!! We have a small ford so sleeping in that would be frankly horrid!

OP posts:
pigletpie29 · 03/08/2017 22:19

Yes (well to Orkney.) Broke it up in Perth once and Aviemore another time. And stop at Tebay services!

TonicAndTonic · 03/08/2017 22:23

I've done Hampshire to Skye a couple of times, so not exactly the same journey, but I have some idea! Which ferry route are you using? You want to be well over the border before you stop, as beyond Glasgow you run out of motorway, and soon after that, you run out of dual carriageway and then get stuck behind a caravan. So you want to be doing all of the motorway on day 1 as a minimum as day 2 will be slower.

Depending on your route, Callander is a nice place to stop, as is Fort Augustus (but that's a fair bit further and might be the wrong direction, depends which ferry you're going for.

PoppyPopcorn · 03/08/2017 22:25

We've driven NW London to Glasgow in a day and it's about 8 hours. Wouldn't go as far as Fort William to be honest, especially at peak holiday time. Try to pick up a Travel Lodge somewhere like Dumbarton - through Glasgow traffic but not as far as the touristy bit. Early start next morning - up the side of Loch Lomond before the coach tours and you'll be in Fort William 2 hours later.

Where are you sailing from/to as heading up the west coast isn't the way to go if you're heading for the Stornoway ferry. Yes if you're going to Uig for Harris though.

Original poster
starrynight123 · 03/08/2017 22:25

We were thinking of heading to the bridge to the Isle of Skye, and then the ferry from Uig (Skye) to Tarbert (Harris).

The road up the west coast seems to be fastest for us - according to Google maps and our Sat Nav anyway.

I didn't know about the average speed check cameras, so thank you for mentioning them.

OP posts:
leemur · 03/08/2017 22:25

Where are you sailing from? Ullapool? It is doable as a two day drive I reckon although London to Fort William in one day is a long way. If you're going to Ullapool you'd be quickest going straight up the A9. I'd probably aim for North of Glasgow- maybe Stirling.

TonicAndTonic · 03/08/2017 22:26

I'm not sure I'd risk stopping for the night without a booking tbh. In tourist season, everywhere could well be full, and outside tourist season, a lot of smaller accommodation shuts down.

PoppyPopcorn · 03/08/2017 22:28

OK so we've done the Glasgow - Uig journey for a ferry to Harris loads of times. It's about a 5 hours journey, less if you can get an early start before hte traffic.

Would therefore split your journey by coming to Glasgow/Dumbarton on the first day, then 5 hours drive on the second day.

leemur · 03/08/2017 22:29

There's probably not much time difference between the a82 and the a9 (Google says 8 minutes) although there is probably more chance of slow traffic on the a82 (no dual carriageway). The a82 is more scenic though.

Roseformeplease · 03/08/2017 22:32

We have done it. Mallaig - London takes about 12 hours, with 3 short stops. Fort William would be about 11 hours.

TonicAndTonic · 03/08/2017 22:32

I reckon Fort William is doable as a stop with 2 good drivers and if the weather is good. There are plenty of hotels etc there its a bit of a shit hole though. The road round loch Lomond can get really slow with holiday traffic though.

WhatABaklava · 03/08/2017 22:32

We've done this journey many times.

  1. do the Ullapool Stornoway Ferry - as wonderful, beautiful and amazing Skye is, it's longer slower roads to get to Uig.
  2. Try to get to Aviemore on day 1. We stop here (with two young kids - they can cope with the journey: ipads, little surprise presents and food)
  3. we normally leave 6am - arrive aviemore mid pm (depending how many stops)
  4. Book you overnight stop - don't just arrive
  5. get first ferry in morning - currently 10:30am from Ullapool - it's ;ess than a two hour drive from Aviemore and the road between inverness and ullapool is great!
  6. harris is amazing. If you go, pm me and I can give you further info (but go on holiday tomorrow myself so you may not get quick response)
timshortfforthalia · 03/08/2017 22:32

We did back from applecross to Croydon in one horrific hit. Its doable, but not much fun.

Except stopping at tebay, thats obvs much more fun than a service station should be.

Original poster
starrynight123 · 03/08/2017 22:34

Getting to Glasgow/Dumbarton sounds like a great idea - and hopefully more accommodation there as well. I had a quick look at some hotels in Fort William and pretty much everything is booked up already. Plus, as you say, Glasgow area is more realistic for the 1st night after a long drive. So, I'll go through all the routes again, and book something in advance.

This is all such helpful advice - I really appreciate it!!

OP posts:
Naegoodatinterviews · 03/08/2017 22:36

Have you thought about leaving SE one evening and getting a couple of hours under your belt, then an overnight in Scotland around Perth? When I drive to France, Ieaving about 6/7pm, drive to around Manchester from Glasgow, jump into bed in cheap Travelodge and do the rest the next day.

Original poster
starrynight123 · 03/08/2017 22:39

I am nervous of the ferry which is why I thought of the Uig - Tarbert ferry - because it is shorter than Ullapool - Stornoway. Do you find the crossing quite good, i.e., not too choppy? I'm an awful sailor... :-/

Stornoway is our destination and that's where we will be staying, so it would make much more sense to go straight there!! But, I'm very nervous about the long ferry crossing...

OP posts:
Snuper · 03/08/2017 22:39

When are you thinking of going? If you're looking for self-catering accommodation in Harris, you'll struggle this summer as they're pretty booked up.

My family's from Harris and I've done the journey from all over the UK. Realistically you need to take 2 days each way if you don't want to kill your back in the car. We once did it straight from Harris to Reading in one go, and it was so painful the next day - that was 11 hours driving plus just under 2 hours ferry. Usually we split it by stopping over in the Glasgow area, with family.

From London I'd do M1 to A1(M) to Scotch Corner, over A66, up M74 through Glasgow following signs to A82 Dumbarton then stay on A82 to Balloch/Crianlarich/Fort William/Kyle of Lochalsh to Skye bridge. Takes about 6 hours to drive from Glasgow to Uig, allow longer for stopping, etc. Hard to time it right if you travel further in one go!

We've also had a tent with us and stopped and camped in Skye and at Glenelg (near Kyle) en route - that's a good option if you want to just drive and stop. 20 mins from stopping to pitching and us and kids asleep was not bad!

Also, book the ferry - very little chance of a weekend sailing in August, they've been booking earlier every year. I used to book in June for August, but had to shift to March to manage. Not so bad for midweek.

If you do decide to go, pm me, as we'll be up there soon, and I can try to help with any queries you have.

Snuper · 03/08/2017 22:45

Just read your last message. The Ullapool ferry is a lot bigger and more stable, and only an hour longer. You probably want to go up the A9 for Ullapool. The Uig ferry is fine though. Not what it used to be though! I loved the old Heb, c.1970s, with its lift and turntable for the cars.

Not sure why you'd want to stay in Stornoway though - fine for a visit, but not much of a place in itself really. Fine for a base too, I suppose. But probably easier to find accommodation though. My cousin has a house on AirBnB in Arnol, and it's gorgeous there, but not Harris...

Piffpaffpoff · 03/08/2017 22:45

Depends what you are looking for - do you want to see the scenery en-route or do you just want to get there asap.e

If it's the former, I'd hammer up the road to Glasgow, stay overnight, then spend the day driving up to Uig. It's a looooong drive on increasingly narrow/busy roads. (A slightly quicker but more expensive option is to go to Mallaig, ferry to Skye, then up to Uig.) Stay in the Uig hotel and get the first ferry over in the morning.

If you're more about getting there and less about the scenery en-route I'd go A9 to Inverness then onto Ullapool for your ferry, the roads are better. The scenery is pretty good too, but not as good as the west. Stop at Perth or Aviemore for the night.

PoppyPopcorn · 03/08/2017 22:48

Agree that there are some FAR nicer places in Lewis than Stornoway which is not the most attractive place. The Stornoway ferry can be rough in bad weather but so can the Uig one. If your final destination is Stornoway then you'd be mad to go via Uig - M6/M74 to Glasgow, then Stirling, Perth, Inverness and Ullapool.

capercaillie · 03/08/2017 22:49

Yes! Haven't read all thread...

We've done london to Oban in one go and got the ferry to Barra from there. We've also done to mallaig in a day and then to Skye on ferry.

We've also done Hertfordshire to lochiver a couple of times in 1 day (with children(. Early start. No big stops until north of Edinburgh. Been in Ullapool before 5pm on both occasions.

Top tips - start really early. 5am.