Thursday, November 30, 2006

Orkney - side trip

We have a rule - if you see a ferry sign, you have to take it.

That has taken us afar. We were on Skye - easily visited, the island to which Bonnie Prince Charlie fled, and now connected by a bridge from the mainland. Off to the Hebrides. Then, back at Ullapool on the mainland, we headed to the Highlands because the weather was good. Do not attempt in the fog, because many roads are one lane, with laybys for passing.

At the Highlands at Scrabster (near the topmost point of Scotland, at John o'Groats), there was a sign for the Orkneys - so we took the car ferry to Orkney.

Do not expect to be coddled. We had no advance reservation, so had to be on line with other cars and trucks by 5 or 6 in the morning. See Orkney Road Ways. If the chain comes down in front of you, you lose. We made this one. Enjoyed Orkney, then we returned to Scrabster, same ferry route.

It was the quickest and least expensive, way to get to Orkney. No flights for us once a car is rented. Spontaneous routing. Sleep on the ferry.

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