Starting in Dublin Aug 30, we’ll be driving through Northern Ireland for a few days with a rental car. After returning the car, we plan to take the McIntyre ferry to Port Ellen on Islay for two nights (possibly renting a car or e‑bikes while we’re there). From Islay, we’d like to continue on to the Isle of Skye, and then decide where to go next. It seems a bit complicated to get from Islay back to the mainland and onward—am I overthinking this? This will be our second trip to Scotland, so we’re unsure how best to spend our time. I’m wondering whether this itinerary makes sense so far or if we should reconsider the route. We love history, castles, national trust properties, food, scotch, golf, pubs. We fly home Sept 19th so we have 20 days to plan. We are open to any ideas. Thanks in advance.
Posted by
Lake District, England
11158 posts
I presume you mean the Kintyre Express ferry from Ballycastle to Port Ellen.
The complication is that if you rent a car on Islay it has to be returned on Islay, no one way rentals. The good news is that they will only rent automatics to North Americans, not manuals.
To me the way onwards is to mange your days on Islay and Jura to leave on the direct ferry from Port Askaig to Oban on a Wednesday or Saturday- https://assets.calmac.co.uk/media/0med0oaf/stt-10-oban-colonsay-port-askaig-kennacraig.pdf
On other days, you take a ferry from Islay to Kennacraig, bus to Lochgilphead, change for connecting bus to Oban (or stay on to Tarbet (Loch Lomond) and change there for either Oban or the Isle of Skye. There are very unconfirmed rumours of getting the old direct Campbeltown to Inverness via Oban and Fort William bus back, but time will tell on that score.
If you take the Oban direct ferry then you could stop off for a day or two on the isle of Colonsay, then ferry or flight on Hebridean Airways to Oban. From Oban the usual itinerary is to go to Mull for Iona. There are pretty reasonable bus services on Mull, or two island car rental companies. As on Islay, car rental on Mull (or from Oban) has no one way option, as it is small local companies.
From Mull you would then return to Oban. Currently there are 4 summer time buses a day from Oban to Fort William for connections to the Isle of Skye via the bridge, or rail/bus connections via Glenfinnan/Mallaig to Armadale (Skye).
There are 2, maybe 3, local car rental companies on Skye- you've guessed it, no one way rentals. One you can collect at Armadale, all of them collect or return at Kyle of Lochalsh.
From Skye you either bus onwards to Inverness, or could sail to the isle of Harris/Lewis from Uig (Skye). With 20 days you have time to do that. Then rent a car at Tarbet Ferry Terminal for use on Harris/Lewis.
The easiest way forward would then be to turn the car in at Stornoway Airport, and fly to Inverness, Glasgow or Edinburgh on Loganair, or Manchester.
Posted by
Bellingham, WA
1609 posts
I'm curious where you are picking up and dropping off your rental car and how you'll then get to Ballycastle to catch the Kintyre Express.
You don't say where you're flying home from. Glasgow?
Posted by
OP
Toronto
29 posts
It looks like I’d need to rent a car in Northern Ireland and return it there, then take the ferry to Islay, rent another car for two days, return that one, and then keep hopping from island to island the same way. I was hoping it would be simpler, but that sounds like a lot for me. lol I haven’t booked anything yet, but I’m planning to fly from Toronto into Dublin and then out of Edinburgh. Unfortunately, there aren’t many direct flight options from Toronto. Any other suggestions to make this more streamlined if we start in Northern Ireland? thanks,
Posted by
London
1092 posts
My suggestion to make this more streamlined is to take the ferry from Belfast to Cairnryan and then hire a car there. You can then take that car all over Scotland (including on the car ferry from Kennacraig to Islay). A nice route, which we did once, was starting in Glasgow, getting the ferry to Arran, spending some time there, then getting the ferry to Mull of Kintyre (Claonaig), spending some time there, then getting the ferry to Islay for a few days and back to Mull of Kintyre. This doesn't include Skye but you could add that on.
Posted by
Chicagoland
1740 posts
Maureen, would you consider flying from Belfast to Scotland? I assume you have more on your Scotland itinerary than the islands?
There are several flights a day from Belfast to Glasgow. You can pick up your car on arrival in Glasgow and return it to Edinburgh.
Posted by
London
1092 posts
I agree- if you are happy to fly that's absolutely the easiest way. The flight is incredibly short and as it's a domestic flight there's no immigration and you're straight off the plane and out of the airport.
Posted by
OP
Toronto
29 posts
Hello,
That’s an interesting idea to fly from Belfast. I wouldn’t have considered that but that might be the ticket. I will review our plans keeping that in mind. Thanks all for the great feedback. :)