Hello! I am hoping you wise people can help me please. We are supposed to go by Calmac ferry from Uig, Skye to Tarbert, Harris May 9 and then May 16 from Stornaway, Lewis to Ullapool. I’m just reading about all the Calmac disruptions. Thank you for posting about them!!! It looks like from the current service updates the ferries we are on could be okay but I imagine the significant disruptions could continue. I’m in Canada and it’s hard to understand from this distance the state of things. I wonder if we should radically prepare to change our plans or could things work out?
Our accommodation on Harris is non refundable. We are staying in Portree the week before we are supposed to go to Tarbert for a week.
I am new on this forum and have been reading a lot of old posts which have really helped to plan our trip. I am very grateful for your advice!
Posted by
Lake District, England
11554 posts
As of today the MV Hebrides (the normal route vessel for the Uig triangle) is expected back on service on 18 April, which will remove that problem.
If something goes drastically wrong in the next week and they are still only running to Lochmaddy (Uist) then, subject to ship capacity, you could go from Lochmaddy to Berneray for the ferry to Leverburgh on Harris.
But currently we have to believe the Hebrides will be back, and there is 3 weeks after 18 April to get over any issues.
The only proviso is that serving Tarbert again rests on finding a ship for Lochboisdale, South Uist, but that is meant to allegedly happen after this weekend 's storms when a ship is possibly moved from Arran.
If a ship can't be found for Lochboisdale then Tarbert can't be served effectively due to the freight and islander lifeline needs on Uist.
A game of musical chairs.
The Stornoway ferry, touching a lot of wood, is one of only 4 routes not affected by the general disruption.
Possibly famous last words. But if that ship does fall sick they totally have to find a relief ship. Too much freight uses that route to leave it uncovered.
Things really "should" be OK by then. There are better than even odds it will work out on the day.
Absolute last ditch would be to drive from Portree to Ullapool for Stornoway, then to Tarbert but it should not come to that, on current expectations.
There are two other even more drastic ways to reach Harris involving flying from Benbecula to Stornoway or Inverness to Stornoway, but it really, really should not get that serious.
Posted by
OP
Canada
3 posts
Thank you so very much for your very thoughtful message isn31c! I was just looking into going from Ullapool to Stornaway if the Uig ferry gets cancelled. It’s really wonderful of you and others to post all this sage advice for everyone.