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Vacation Plans -- United Kingdom

 
 
Walter Hinteler
 
  1  
Reply Mon 7 Jul, 2003 12:55 pm
Piffka

Oohhh aye, I've bin tae Scootlund an aw.

Want to say that I've been a couple of times in Scotland. I fully agree with all mentioned ideas - includied the question about Ft. William - , could certainly add some more ......
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Vivien
 
  1  
Reply Mon 7 Jul, 2003 01:53 pm
[quote="

We have time for a day trip from London to see the SW. (I know it's not enough time!) What would you suggest? Trying to fly to Newquay? Taking one of the train lines & renting a car from Bath or somewhere? I'd most be interested in getting out and walking around some gardens or stone monuments, not Stonehenge. What about St. Michael's Mount? Isn't that down there somewhere?[/quote]

Flying to Newquay and then exploring by car would be good.

St Michaels Mount is ok but the area around is definitely NOT the prettiest part of Cornwall.

Bath and Stonehenge are a long way from Cornwall.

South of St Ives around Cape Cornwall there are lots of small stone circles and things but it is a bleak area there. I suppose that is why they survived.

If you only have a day then you need to decide between quaint Cornish fishing harbours/garden/whatever - the roads in Cornwall once you are off the main A30 and the the other A road i forget the number of (sorry) are quite narrow and travel isn't that fast,

The Eden project would take a lot of time up. I would combine it with pretty fishing villages - I;ll need to get the atlas out and check what is near, I think Mevagissey might be and I am sure you would like it,
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Piffka
 
  1  
Reply Mon 7 Jul, 2003 02:58 pm
Gosh, nobody likes Ft. William! Very Happy

Well, after hours going back & forth I can just about say that the air fares to Kirkwall are outrageously expensive. British Airways offered a good flight, but it cost more to go from Edinburgh to Kirkwall & back than from Seattle to London and back. Sheeesh and waaaaaaaaah. I wanted to go to Orkney!
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margo
 
  1  
Reply Mon 7 Jul, 2003 03:08 pm
I'm against flying somewhere for the day - I did this and spent whole days in airports and trains. There is very little joy in airports and commuter trains.

Yes - the flight may only be an hour or so - but you need to - 1) get to the airport; 2) be there a couple of hours before your flight (esp LHR); 3) fly somewhere; 4) get off that plane and get to somewhere to see something. This may take the better part of the day. And then you have to do it all again - in reverse!

If, like me, you suffer from any sort of disorientation (I guess you already live in the northern hemisphere - so it shouldn't be that bad!) - it'll take you a while to get your bearings. A whole day gone!

Take the advice of an old traveller - don't try to see too much - it'll be there for your next trip!
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McTag
 
  1  
Reply Mon 7 Jul, 2003 03:14 pm
Piffka, such enthusiasm, I can scarcely believe it.

I hope you get the weather, and may good fortune smooth your path.

I'll send my son up to the Meridien, Edinburgh, to buy you a drink and have a chat, if you would like that.
Although you seem to have plenty of Scottish connections already.

One of my other ambitions is to sail from Leith (port of Edinburgh) to Orkney and Shetland. Maybe sometime soon.
You have started a hare or two, you naughty woman.

Scootlund? Walter, really.

McT
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Piffka
 
  1  
Reply Mon 7 Jul, 2003 03:26 pm
Oh, Margo... you're right. That's just what I'm trying to avoid... terminal malaise. (And hahaha, yes -- always disoriented. I'll blame it on northern hemisphere if that works!)

McTag -- We're from the Pacific NW, so we're used to weather, though I've never seen it rain quite so hard as it did when we were in Culross a couple of years ago. We'd love to meet your son if he's willing. So, hmmm, there's a direct ferry to Orkney from Edinburgh's port? Must check this out. Wink
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Walter Hinteler
 
  1  
Reply Mon 7 Jul, 2003 03:41 pm
The link for transportation to Orkney
Orkney by air, ferry, car, ...


Sailing to Orkney and Shetland, McTag? When hiring the crew, give me a call!
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Piffka
 
  1  
Reply Mon 7 Jul, 2003 05:42 pm
McTag, you naughty man! I've been looking for a ferry from Leith for HOURS!!! You meant sailing your own boat. Smile All was not lost, I did see another way to get to Orkney on the night boat from Aberdeen.
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Thinkzinc
 
  1  
Reply Mon 7 Jul, 2003 05:50 pm
Hi again Piffka,
Just thought I'd post to reassure you that St Andrews is not at all commercial, this is the charm of the town. It has a bit of class, and is not at all tacky. The only time I would avoid the town is when they host the Open; it gets very busy, and accomodation prices go sky high! But that is not a worry in September.
I think flying to Kirkwall definitely sounds the best plan if you go to Orkney.
And talking of going by train from London to Cornwall, this is something I was hoping to do last year, and I was dismayed to discover it would include three changes of train, and take seven hours!! It may have been because I was planning to travel mid-week, hopefully there are direct trains put on on weekends.
Otherwise, coach may be the answer.
PS Glad you enjoyed your virtual tour of Edinburgh. Och aye, Irn Bru is a braw drink! Very Happy
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McTag
 
  1  
Reply Tue 8 Jul, 2003 03:16 pm
Piffka wrote:
McTag, you naughty man! I've been looking for a ferry from Leith for HOURS!!! You meant sailing your own boat. Smile All was not lost, I did see another way to get to Orkney on the night boat from Aberdeen.


Oh no, something got lost in the translation there. (You've got to watch it with Walter, he's one of these tricky foreigners Wink ).
I did think boats left Leith for Orkney & Shetland, I'm sure they did once.
Sorry to be so out-of-date.
No, I've no boat of my own unfortunately, more's the pity, but I used to hire rowing boats at Girvan.

Which reminds me, here is a phrase which will guarantee a free drink for an American holidaymaker in a Scottish pub:

Doonra watter furra Ferr!

If you learn that, and utter it at appropriate moments, you will entrance the locals, especially in the west.

McT
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Piffka
 
  1  
Reply Tue 8 Jul, 2003 11:37 pm
Doonra watter furra Ferr!

Why is it that I'm not sure I trust you on this????

Last time someone told me to be sure and say a clever turn of phrase, it was "mon oncle malade mais les route e verd." or something like that... meaning my uncle is sick but the road is green.

I'm so disappointed that you don't have a sailboat AND there's not ferry to Orkney from Edinburgh.

Have been delving deep into the intricacies of rail travel. I read that the trip from Inverness to Kyle of Lochalsh is the most scenic in all of the UK, matched only by the rail travel from Mallaig to Roy Bridge, which includes the route traveled by the Harry Potter train segments.

Have also found car hire is difficult to find for one-way drop offs in out-of-the-way spots.
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Walter Hinteler
 
  1  
Reply Tue 8 Jul, 2003 11:50 pm
Well, certainly 'out-of-the-way' stops will jus have a couple of pubs, but no garage or car rent service. :wink:

You have looked all companies here ?

UK Car Rental Directory
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Piffka
 
  1  
Reply Wed 9 Jul, 2003 08:45 am
Thanks, Walter. I've looked at almost every one of those websites (except for the luxury limo --- hmmm?) and sent emails to every one of those that mentions the possibility of delivery. For the others, here's a typical automated response:

Quote:
Sorry this location has not been recognised, or we are unable to supply a vehicle here.
Please check the spellings and try again, if you are still having problems then click on help.


I think that one of the companies in Ft. William is bound to provide delivery (for a hefty charge) of a car to Kyle of Lochalsh if we can return it to Ft.W. That's my hope. Have found a car rental agency in Wick and Thurso, however. Orkney may still be in the running.

It's odd how September is still "high season" yet a lot of things are closed down.
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McTag
 
  1  
Reply Wed 9 Jul, 2003 12:22 pm
Piffka wrote:

It's odd how September is still "high season" yet a lot of things are closed down.


Ah, it's different up there, or used to be. Quieter. Slower. Less frenetic.

Southern holidaymaker goes into small west highland shop:

"A newspaper, please, my good man. The London Times, have you heard of that?"

- "Ah yes. Would you be wanting today's paper, sir, or yesterday's?"

"Today's of course!"

-"Well then, you'll have to come back tomorrow."

McT
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Piffka
 
  1  
Reply Wed 9 Jul, 2003 03:30 pm
LOL -- Yep, that's what I'm looking for! Newspaper whose highest & best use is as fire starter.

Had a long talk with son Ross, who is the reason for this trip. He says he wants to climb a couple of Scottish mountains and see as many war museums & monuments as possible. <sigh> He also mentioned that he doesn't know why we want to spend "so much time" in Edinburgh. Smile

I haven't had time to figure out if we can really make it to St. Ives & Cornwall at the end of the week, though if it takes seven hours... no -- we'll see that on another, longer trip. Where are all the high-speed trains when you want 'em?
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Walter Hinteler
 
  1  
Reply Wed 9 Jul, 2003 03:40 pm
I'm sure, Piffka, McTag is both THE specialist for Edinburgh and mountain climbing in Scotland! (I myself have just been as a bloody tourist in Edinburgh and photographed some 'Bens' :wink: )

Mountaineering in Scotland
Things to do in Edinburgh
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Piffka
 
  1  
Reply Wed 9 Jul, 2003 05:15 pm
Thanks for the websites, Walter, especially the one on Edinburgh. I'm trying to do my homework now so I'll know the good places to visit and not stand on the street looking around. (Well, I'll probably do that, too.) I'd like to walk to the top of Arthur's Seat (maybe we can get a taxi to take us part of the way?)

The mountaineering website is a little ambitious - guess I should have said hill-walking. Here's one of the places we'd like to see, Parallel Roads, written about by Louis Agassiz. I think it is not too long a hike:

Quote:
Just South of the Great Glen next to Loch Lochy is a valley situated that is world famous among the geography, geomorphology and geology communities in the world.


Quote:
Near the head of Glen Roy (is) an exraordinary natural phenomenon known as the Parallel Roads. Running along the mountainside, these three 'roads' were once believed to have been created by the legendary Fingal of Fingal's Cave fame. In fact, they are formed from glacial deposits dating back to the last Ice Age.


http://www.smiddyhouse.com/postcard/pictures/postcard3.jpg

Walter, I found this information of a hike there in November. It was auf Deutsch and thought you'd appreciate it.

Quote:
Glen Roy liegt ein klein wenig nordöstlich von Fort William. In Spean Bidge nach Osten und dann das erste Tal auf der linke Seite. Der erste Teil des Tals ist locker bewaldet. Hier trifft man auch viele Kanuten. Die Straße führt stetig bergauf, bis man einen Aussichtsplateau erreicht. Dort erläutert eine Schautafel die Entstehung der parallel roads. In meinem Foto kann man sie auf der linken Seite erkennen. Es gab einige wilde Theorien, wie man sich diese absolut waagerechten Terrassen, die wie Straßen an den Hängen entlangführen, erklären könnte. Die Wahrheit (laut heutigem Stand der Wissenschaft) sind sie ein Produkt der Eiszeit. Diesmal jedoch nicht vom Eis sondern vom Wasser eines Sees, der von einem Gletscher sozusagen in die Enge gedrengt wurde. Was wir heute sehen, sind die je nach Höhe des Wassers gebildeten Uferzonen.

Wer wandern möchte, muss zunächst einen Platz für sein Auto finden, was am Aussichtspunkt noch recht einfach ist. Dahinter wird es jedoch schon schwieriger. Die Straße wird enger und unübersichtlicher. Schließlich liegt inmitten des offenen Tales ein kleines Nadelwäldchen. Dort liegt Brae Lodge Estate. Vor dem Viehgitter gibt es Platz für 3 bis 4 PKW. Dies ist die letzte Parkmöglichkeit, denn die Weiterfahrt nicht nicht erlaubt. Zu Fuß darf man jedoch weiter in den Glen vordringen. Jedoch muss man sich an die Spielregeln der Landbesitzer halten. Die angeschlagenen Hinweise entsprechen aber ohnehin dem Knigge der Schottland-Wanderer. Zu dieser Jahreszeit bedeutet dies, dass wir nur in den gekennzeichneten Bereichen wandern dürfen, d.h. auf dem normalen Wirtschaftsweg, nicht hinauf in die Hänge rechts und links. Der Grund ist einfach. Zum einen werden jetzt die Schafe zusammengetrieben und zum anderen ist Jagdsaison.

Das Wetter war an diesem Tag wechselhaft. Kaum waren wir auf Schusters Rappen gab es 10 minütige Regenschauer in unregelmäßigen Abständen, sozusagen wolkenweise. Dazwischen richtig helle Momente. Am Creagan na Gaoithe ("windy crags") haben wir dann im T-Shirt in der Sonne gesessen. Der Regen kam dann erst auf dem Rückweg wieder, diesmal in ergiebiger Weise.
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Walter Hinteler
 
  1  
Reply Thu 10 Jul, 2003 12:09 am
Piffka

Thanks for that!

I worked out a similar (Scotland) tour than yours some weeks ago, for one of our god-childs ( 4years) and his parents. (They went by own car, however, and had different interests, especially as your son :wink: .)
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the prince
 
  1  
Reply Thu 10 Jul, 2003 03:56 am
All this planning and no mention of meeting Gautam

WAAAAAAAAAAHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHH
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hebba
 
  1  
Reply Thu 10 Jul, 2003 04:52 am
Piffka,would enjoy a Campari in London with you.I´m there late August,not September.Sorry.
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