Which would you do...?

[noodle]

I'm going to Arran for a few days (geology field trip) at the beginning of June for a long weekend (getting there Thursday and leaving the following Monday)

I'm trying to work out if I am better off using public transport or driving. I think the journey times are pretty comparable (although I think that may be excluding rest stops with the car...), and with the public transport option I can at least sleep for bits of it/read etc. On the other hand having the car I can (obviously) have a little more freedom and not have to worry about missed connections!

Has anyone ever travelled to Arran using public transport? If anyone has ever driven how long did it take you..?

Thanks for any info/advice

[emb123]

If time outside of the set days allows for it (and money provides of course), I prefer to make journeys that could be a bit boring if done at breakneck speed into part of the pleasure of the travelling somewhere. Maybe setting out a day or two early and taking a more scenic route with a couple of picnics and a planned stop in a B&B or even a tent if you can beg, steal or borrow one, or folding the car seats down and sleeping in that.

Depends if your work holidays run to it and how keen you are to get there. I enjoy driving on a long steady journey where I don't need to watch the clock, but can take in the scenery as well. It has been years since I've been in the Glasgow neck of the woods so can't comment on that bit of the journey.

How you feel about a long drive, relative costs and time available for travelling have all got to figure I suppose.

If it were me, I'd drive and enjoy the journey and take my time over it, but I don't like public transport much so I'm biased :)

Hope you have a very nice trip however you get there :)

[noodle]

Heh, I'm actually going so I have the extra day on Friday to have a mooch (the field trip is on Sat/Sun because of the people who work full time - I'm lucky in that I don't work Wed/Thur/Fri anyway - just Sat/Sun/Mon/Tues)

I'm booked at my hotel on the Thursday so I want to be there by that night.

Cost is probably going to the deciding factor - that and the fact I am travelling on my own! I wonder how easy it would be to take my bike on the train... :lol:

[dunderheed]

if travelling by public transport , i would reccomend the train as the platform is practically on the harbour , whereas if you go by bus you've got a we bit of a walk from glasgow street to the ferry terminal.
going by car is appox a journey of around 6-7 hours (i do it regularly to kilmarnock from thurso) although if you drive straight down you could do it in 5-6 hours.
the train from glasgow to ardrossan used to have a luggage carraige which bikes were placed in , i dint know now though but suspect that it will just be a wee space in each carraige next to the disabled space.
remeber aswell that the island is quite hilly so cycleing will certainly take it out of you .

[rockchick]

I did the Arran trip a couple of years ago - it's brilliant, you'll enjoy it - and I took my own car. I picked up one of the other students in Perth, and we drove the rest of the way together. It's about a six hour drive.

Public transport may be possible, but if I recall correctly the timing didn't seem to work for me. Also, what we did was bring tents with us - our tutor did as well - and just set up the tents at an appropriate spot on the side of the road, saving on the B&B charges. There's a public toilet that was convenient for us, and we had dinner in the pub and camped out for breakfast. It was great fun, and some of the group decided to stay over for another day.

Look out for the pillow lavas!

[noodle]

I did the Arran trip a couple of years ago - it's brilliant, you'll enjoy it - and I took my own car. I picked up one of the other students in Perth, and we drove the rest of the way together. It's about a six hour drive.


Really??? I thought it was more than that. It took me around 7 hours to get to HW irc. Then again I guess it depends on how you drive it. And how often you stop.



Public transport may be possible, but if I recall correctly the timing didn't seem to work for me.


Maybe they've revised the timetables since then?



Also, what we did was bring tents with us - our tutor did as well - and just set up the tents at an appropriate spot on the side of the road, saving on the B&B charges. There's a public toilet that was convenient for us, and we had dinner in the pub and camped out for breakfast.


:lol: Tutor has warned against camping this year coz of midges! She's gone for B&B. I'm staying in a hotel - I'm there extra nights because of the length of journey/sightseeing and I don't want the hassle of having to set up tent etc.



It was great fun, and some of the group decided to stay over for another day.


Everyone is sounding pretty much like they won't have much leeway for times this year...



Look out for the pillow lavas!

I'm wanting to see the fossilised trees! (according to the geo map there's some on the eastern shore)

[nanoo]

Hi Dunderheed, just noticed you say you regularly travel to Kilmarnock from Thurso, does this maybe mean you hale from good old Killie originally yourself? I am Wick based but come from there myself.