London to Skye - Reclining seats on sleeper or travel all day?

[lotsofchocs]

Hello, I'm travelling from London to Skye with dh and 2 kids (3 and 5). Too late to get sleeper cabins, so trying to decide between sleeper reclining seats or travelling all day. Any recommendations?

I'm leaning towards sleeper hoping they'll sleep, but my dh says he'd be more embarrassed by screaming kids at midnight than during the day, and he does have a point.

And any tips for keeping them happy?

Many thanks

Hi, I took mine (age 6 )to Disney Paris on coach - 13hours going, 15 hours coming back. I was really worried about the journey, but needn't have been. I took Portable DVD player - the coach may also put DVD on, lots of sticker books/colouring books/travel games/food. There'll no doubt be rest breaks too.

That is a long way! Can you not fly to Inverness and then get a train or hire a car?

Or get a flight to Glasgow and then the train to Malliag and then ferry?

Will you not need a car when you get to Skye? It is pretty remote and there are not too many buses.

I wouldn't consider getting around Skye on public transport with two wee kids.

Though I am a woose!

Or Virgin train to Glasgow and then hire a car?

I've been to Skye lots pre kids and it is a long drive even from Glasgow....

Many thanks ladies!

SingleMum01 - that is really reassuring - if we do go for the all day option it might not be awful. And a portable DVD player sounds like it might be worth the investment. I was thinking of borrowing my mum's DS as well.

ScotGirl - I decided on the train as my ds is always sick on long car journeys and it is 5 hours drive from Inverness airport to my sister's house. Also flights are more expensive than the train. We were planning on picking up a hire car at Kyle (station next to the bridge).

Any votes on all day travel vs all night?

I would go all day. It will be tiring for you all, but then they'll sleep when you get there and feel fine the following day.

If you travel at night, you tend to not sleep well (IMO/IME) especially when the train keeps stopping, then feel shattered when you arrive. But if you sleep that day when you arrive, you get out of synch.

When are you going? We're going to Skye on 25 July. I'm keeping an eye on the midge forecast

Thanks everyone, we're going beginning of Sept, so hopefully not quite as midgy as earlier!