A Week's Rail-Trip Around NW Europe or the UK - help with my itinerary?

[Torper]

I've had some great fun thinking about possible itineries.  How about this:

 

You could buy a Highland Rover ticket, currently £95, one-third less if you have a suitable railcard. That basically covers all highland lines including travel from Glasgow, and some buses and ferries. It gives four day unlimited travel within an eight day period, standard class only..

 

I wouldn’t miss Oban. On your first day, travel up there by the morning train from Glasgow. I note you like hiking and if the the weather’s fine I’d take the ferry from Oban over to the island of Kerrera and spend some hours there. Kerrera is lovely.  In the evening have an excellent seafood dinner in Oban.

 

Next day you could either catch a bus from Oban to Fort William (included on the Rover ticket) or take the train from Oban to Crianlarich and change there for the northbound train which will take you to Fort William (a very unremarkable town) and then on to Mallaig if you wish. Alternatively, get off at Fort William and catch the afternoon Jacobite to Mallaig (not included in the Rover ticket). The ferry from Mallaig to Armadale (summer only) is included.

 

You'd probably have to spend the night in Skye and then catch the bus to Kyle in the morning. It’s difficult finding any information about buses on Skye but I believe you’d have to catch a bus from Armadale to Broadford and then change there for a bus to Kyle. Then on by train to Inverness.  Entertain yourself there - the next day will be busy.

 

So it’s now you last day of “free” travel. Catch the early morning (07.00) train from Inverness to Thurso, arrive 11.02. Take a walk along the beach in Thurso and get some food, then catch the 13.06 back to Inverness, arrival 17.06. You will by now be extremely bored, but you will have done the Far North line. Hopefully you’ll just have about enough time then to catch the 17.26 (refurbished InterCity HST!) down the Highland line to Glasgow, arrival 20.44.

 

That was fun! A bit hectic but of course you could take a break or two, perhaps stopping for a day in Oban; if you wanted more walking you could take the ferry to, say, Lismore and walk the length of the island. Or if you fancied a longer trip you could catch the morning (about 7am usually) ferry out from Oban to Coll, spend three hours there, and then catch the ferry back to Oban in the afternoon. Coll is nice and flat and has some stunning beaches and a very decent hotel. Don't try this in bad weather though.

 

By next June, of course, all these times and prices may have changed. One good thing is that in June in the Highlands you’ll have daylight from early morning until late at night.

Edited November 17, 2023 by Torper