Scotland on the cheap

[frank_a]

I would love to see an X Marks forum simply dedicated to travel to, in and around Scotland. Questions, reports, pictures, guides, links, etc.

The wee lass and I would love to go, but sweat over the costs. We figure we could come up with air travel, but what sort of daily costs for average type folks would we expect? We can't imagine going for less than 3 weeks, and probably in August. We figure we would take advantage of Scot Rail packages, where you pay a set amount for like 8 days of mass transit over 15 days. While we're not too interested in cities, I figure we would at least visit Glasgow, Aberdeen, Inverness, Orkneys, Hebrides, and end up in Argyll.

Because we're members of the National Trust, we have free or very inexpensive entrance to over 100 sites in country. We have that benefit through my membership with the St. Andrews Society of the City of Albany NY.

So then it becomes a matter of room and board. I've done some research that suggests for middle income blokes we might plan on 160 USD for the two of us per day? Does that sound about right? Or is 200 more realistic?

The farthest we've been is to the Caribbean. We have passports.

Are there good books or guides that the rabble might recommend?

We're at least two years away from this goal. If I can sell our boat next spring (3500-4000 USD), that money would start the kitty.

I'd be interested in yer thoughts.

Frank

[Orionson]

Just a few thoughts... one of the best ways to save money and enable your cash to go further is to avoid booking your holiday in the Peak of the High Season for millions of other tourists and when the room/rack rates are at their most expensive. It you can only travel in July and August because that's when your employer is most likely prefer that you take your annual leave, then the summer it must be. However, if the Summer isn't a "carved in stone" necessity - then why not consider coming in the cusps of the Summer? May and/or September an be cracking months in terms of the weather and rates will be slightly lower and venues will be less crowded. I have traveled all over Scotland in all months and all weathers and each month offers excellent opportunities at much lower rates. Furthermore, there are less tourists about and I find that this actually increases the opportunities "meet the locals" and get a real feel for what life in modern Scotland is really like.

It's also worth considering staying in one place for say, a week or more in a self-catering property for a weekly fee. I think you will find this far more cost effective than hotels, guest houses, and even some b&b's. By basing in one or two places for a longer period also offers the opportunity to really get to know the place and the people in ways which are impossible if you take the breezing through "if it's Tuesday this must be Ecclefechan" approach.

Having two years to plan will work for you, plenty of time to research properly. It will be fun, too.

Cheers,

[Grizzly]

I would echo Johns post above, plus if you go for May or september you would miss the worst of the midges. A few years ago on one if my previous trips to Scotland in May i travelled around without pre booking accomodation. Call into a tourist information centre around 5.00pm and they will have a list of available accomodation for that night. Never had a single problem finding anywhere. July or August you would need to book in advance. You should find a B&b for around £60-£80 per night including a good scottish breakfast, evening meal around £30 per couple as long as you don't want truffles, foie gras or lobster. Pubs will be your best bet for food. So that fits in within your $150-200 budget, plus a snack for lunch.
If you want to go self catering for a week, then you can find lodges or cottages from about £400 upwards for a week for two in peak season. Like everything it depends on the standard of accomodation and the facilities.
Having holidayed in the USA and Canada work out what it would cost over there, convert it to GBP and you wouldn't be far out.

[frank_a]

Well, we do have a few problems related to work. Generally it is frowned upon for me to be out any length of time from mid-April to mid-June. Otherwise, I'm good, except I can't be gone the 1st Wednesday of any month. The wee lass works for SUNY System Administration, and they get real busy the end of August, beginning of September. She might get out by mid month, but we would need to schedule it a long time ahead. I would love to be in Inveraray the 2nd Saturday of September for the Best of the West Festival at the castle. We're both members of Clan Campbell, and I was just appointed a Deputy Commisioner in region 2 of the CCSNA. Alternatively, maybe we need to wait till we retire. It's a conundrum! Hmmm...

Thanks for the tips & suggestions guys. It is much appreciated.

Frank

[California Highlander]

I'm going solo myself end of July-mid-August 2015. My wife would prefer a more off-season to help with cost, but the activities I'd like to attend are during this time, so I'm going! Airfare is booked!

Caithness, Orkney, Inverness, Cairngorms, Edinburgh are the main hubs.

I would love to share any frugal tips. B&Bs and self-catering cottages definitely will save over the hotels. I'm planning on taking the pub meal advice. That's my style anyway. I'm also just totally fine with bread, cheese, and ale, or possibly a wee dram.

I've been bookmarking some threads here on XMarks, especially the Inverness pubs thread and those by the other Scots and visitors to the areas I'll be visiting.

[Calgacus]

Good advice so far.

With regards to the weather and your restrictions on the dates that you can visit, the second half of June is typically good weather (though it's never guaranteed! ) and the days are long. The second half of September however is generally just when the weather breaks down (though we had a good spell this year), and the days are getting much shorter.

Midge season is roughly June, July, August. Sorry!

[RGRatSea]

Congratulations on beginning the process of a memorable trip to Scotland. My wife and I have made two trips across the Atlantic, 2010 and 2014. Each trip required a lot of planning which my wife did and enjoyed the doing. Our first thought was "No air travel." Each trip involved crossing the Atlantic, each way, by ship. The first time (2010) we crossed from Florida on the Celebrity Constellation on a repositioning cruise. Your timing of August would cancel that option as my wife just mentioned, due to weather constraints. Perhaps from New York for that time frame you would do well to look at sailings aboard the Queen Mary. Formal nights aboard are an opportunity to break out the proper kilt and Prince Charlie. Must better than a business suit or tuxedo and you will be one of the elegant few. That is my choice for all ships on the dress-up nights. Makes you feel quite the gent.

If you re-examine the timing you may find earlier dates interesting. Of course the good thing about August is fewer folks on vacation. If you go to Inverness you would be happy to see Loch Ness. We stayed at a Highland cattle farm, Drambuie Farms and think that worth a few days. From there you can walk to Drumnadrochit (a village with a nice pub with good food. Good haggis as well) and from there around the hill to Urquhart Castle, once a set for a Sherlock Holmes movie (with Basil Rathbone). The family operating the Drambuie Farms B&B are clan Urquhart. Walking in the UK is unfettered with standard courtesies observed: don't leave trash and leave the gates as you found them. Also, don't annoy the livestock, especially the bulls.

Travel - we purchased a "2 for one" pass for the trains which saves you 30% when you both travel together, which we always did, naturally. In cities and towns, check for bus passes. When in York we bought a pass good for the week and it cost a lot less than paying by the ride. Most if not all bus lines have pass deals. The rail pass required you to provide a passport size photo each and the passes were checked regularly. Not only will you save with the pass, but, as we were told by Simon, a train ticket agent in Pitlochry, they are mandated to find the cheapest ticket prices for you. We found the ticket agents to be friendly and helpful. If you do go to Pitlochry, which we recommend, you can get a bus to Aberfeldy, a lovely area and home to the Dewars Distillery. We stayed at Moness Country Club in a cottage side-by with others in front around a courtyard with the living room looking out on the landscaped grounds. The full kitchen and a short walk to town allowed us to purchase groceries from the local Co-op store, saving on food. For a treat we went to the theatre in Alberfeldy where you can get dinner, drinks (a pint or . . ) and a movie. Close to the CC was the scenic gorge the Birks of Aberfeldy which inspired a work by Rabbie Burns.

One last thought, we stayed in Stirling for three weeks as it was a great central location for day trips. We stayed with Mandie Turnbull at Aychule House B&B, just down the hill from Stirling Castle and a short walk to the Wallace Monument. If you go to the Wallace Monument say hello to Alex. He's the gent that delivers the historical presentation about the Battle of Stirling Bridge.

In case you are wondering, I wore my kilt a lot and was either accepted without comment or chatted up in a positive way. In Scotland, I was told, they are generally reserved for weddings of funerals, my reply, wear it more often, it is comfortable and stylish. This comment was met with a thoughtful nod of the head or agreement. But please, no utilikilts. I had a day sporran and two kilts, a 16oz Fraser for formal and a lightweight 8 meter one in Stewart Hunting (green), either would serve for casual.

I know I run on, but the truth is, you are embarking on a great voyage which will doubtless give you many great memories. It is hard not to go one a bit, as the telling sparks the memories.

Best regards, Ryc & Penny

[frank_a]

Thank you Ryc & Penny for the insight.

We're still working stiffs, so 3 weeks is the most either of us can take, probably the 2nd, 3rd & 4th weeks of whatever month we travel. While we enjoy ships, our time off just will not allow that.

At this point we hope to visit 3 places, each for about a week, give or take: London, Inveraray & Mainland on the Orkneys. It looks like it will be 2016, so we have time to plan. We do plan on taking advantage of Brit & Scot Rail passes and mass transit wherever possible.

Frank

[mbuff]

My wife and I were over from mid-October until early November. We took a ferry from Aberdeen to the Orkneys (6 hours) and spent three days. The weather cooperated for the most part, but can be very windy and rainy at that time of the year. You definitely will want to spend a minimum of three days in the Orkneys to see the highlights. Bed and Breakfasts are our preference since you get more personalized attention and get to interact with the locals. They are perfect for staying two, three, or four nights in one spot (taking day trips around the surrounding area). If we stay longer in one location we usually look for self-catering. I would agree with avoiding the peak tourist season months of July, August if possible. April/May or September/early October may get you better overall prices on lodging and airfare. Have fun planning what I know will be a fabulous holiday for you and your wife. Cheers!

[Cerebite]

My wife and I went for 15 days this past Sept. for our honeymoon, here are some thoughts:
We found that the Scotrail pass was not worth it. It only applies to national level travel so you would need to spend additional money for inner city travel and local busses.
I will agree with the other assessments to go sometime other than peak season [Aug.] as the prices will be cheaper for lodging with the caveat that a lot of sites start to shift to winter hours or closed in mid -September and many ferry schedules go to winter hours then as well [IIRC we caught the last day of the season for the Islay ferry on 12 Sept]. We were able to find B & B's and cheap hotels for under $100 for both of us in most locations [I think Oban was the worst at $160 a night].
For airfare take a long look at Iceland Air, they were significantly cheaper than the other options and they offer a deal where you can extend your layover in Iceland without penalty so you can explore that country as well.