I will be renting a car from Glasgow and driving to the Isle of Skye in August. When we leave Skye we will be driving to Inverness and will be taking the bridge.
Should I take the ferry from Mallaig to Armadale when we are heading from Glasgow to Skye or should I just take the bridge? I was trying to avoid driving the same roads but wanted some advice.
Thanks,
Devin
The ferry will take about an hour longer in moving time to get as far as Broadford and cost about fifty bucks more. Add some more time for whatever lead time you have to check in for the ferry or miss your booking - - it's generally at or less than an hour, but I forget what this one is.
The only road you'd duplicate is the one from Loch Oich to the bridge. It's scenic and looks different depending on the direction.
The road from Fort William to Mallaig is spectacular. A thirty-minute ferry ride isn't that bad.
I'd vary the routes.
Unsolicited comments:
When heading toward Inverness, you'll come to the A87/A887 split. Stick with the slightly longer (by all of twenty minutes) A87 for better scenery and the opportunity to stop at Fort Augustus for the staircase locks.
When popping up the hill after Drumnadrochit you'll hit a 'T' intersection. There's a monster museum to the left and one to the right. The one after the right turn with a dragon in a pond is really pretty good and well worth and hour and whatever they stiff you for admittance.
The ferry can be done easily as turn up and go. The current CalMac price is £23.90 for a car plus £4.65 for each adult passenger. If the ferry route is taken, you'll go out from Ft William via Glenfinnan with its memorial and viaduct. One advantage of the ferry is the enforced break, both in Mallaig and on board.
Thanks! The ferry it is. I don't think I want to miss the viaduct. I'm a huge Harry Potter fan :)
And at the same place that you can stop and see the viaduct there's a monument to Bonnie Prince Charlie's landing in Scotland for the '45 uprising.
An alternate route from Kyle to Inverness is to take the A87 East, but turn north on the A890. This will take you past Loch Carron. You continue east on A832, and then continue East near Garve on the A835 which will connect with the A9 which you take south to Inverness. This is a really nice route, very scenic and not that traveled. It will take you past the Black Isle and into Inverness on to the bridge over the beginning of the Moray Firth. You can easily dip down to see Loch Ness from Inverness. And if you want to can go up to Fort Augustus on your way to Skye. Also, as you come out of Fort William and head north on the A82 stop at the Commando's Monument. It's a quick stop commemorating these men who served in WWII and there are great views of Ben Nevis.
BTW you do drive right Eilean Donan. It's a good castle to visit. The classic photograph is best taken from the west looking east.
Pam
