Need advice for Scotland trip

[DrD]

Dot and I are planning to visit Scotland this summer.  We could use some advice.

Dot's mother was born in Dundee and only left there when she was in her early 20's.  Dot has visited several times, the last in 2002 to spread her mother's ashes near her mother's hometown.

We want to fly to Glasgow and rent bikes; two bikes since Dot rides her own.  Ride about Scotland for a few days, take a ferry to the Isle of Man, then drop the bikes back in Glasgow and rent a car to go to Dundee and meet up with her extended family.

Where should we look to rent bikes in Glasgow?  What roads should we ride in that part of Scotland?  How about recommendations for getting to Man?

Oh, btw, we might get married while we are there.  I hear that is the place to do it.

[Stormcrow]

Dot and I are planning to visit Scotland this summer.  We could use some advice.
Oh, btw, we might get married while we are there.  I hear that is the place to do it.

Dooooo it. The lovely Mrs. Stormcrow and I after our marriage in Edinburgh.

I can't help too much with the riding questions (that's on my list for my return), but I will say there were some roads in Wales heading toward Caernarfon through Snowdonia that I would give my left one to ride. Also, as I recall, the A7 from the Scottish border to Edinburgh had some beautiful scenery and amazing sweepers.
As far as getting married is concerned - start the paperwork now.
Best of luck!
James

[notarian]

Rentals

Glasgow
http://www.rentamotorcycle.co.uk/Rent_from_Us_/rent_from_us_.html

Perth (lots of trains from Glasgow and an hour journey)
http://www.perthmcs.com/bike_hire.php

You said a few days so I'll take that as 3 days riding some of Scotland.

Here's a fine day ride to Skye from Glasgow that touches on some Scotland majestic.

Getting out of Glasgow is always a bitch and negotiating to the A81 is no exception. But it is the best way north out of the city and bypasses the slow, twisty, very heavily tourist traffic northern stretch of the 82 along Loch Lommond.

No visit to Scotland is complete without a whisky distillery tour and Glengoyne is one of the best. Located on route just north of Glasgow on the A81.
http://www.glengoyne.com/scotch_whisky_distillery/

At Aberfoyle DO take Duke's Pass to Callander.

Skye is magnificent and the Stein hotel at Lusta in the north is the place to stay. Good food, good prices, excellent pub.
http://www.steininn.co.uk/

The route takes one over Duke's Pass, through Glen Coe, detours on what I think is the finest motorcycle road in Scotland - the Kinlochleven loop of 12 miles, the Caledonian lochs at Ft. Augustus, Loch Ness and castle Urquart, the fantastic, sweeper and scenic run to Kyle Lochalsh (past the 5 Sisters and Eileen Donan castle) and into Skye.


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Beginning at the Stein Inn this route is a loop around the top of Skye to the main picturesque town of Portree and its harbour and onto the gardens and ferry at Armdale. 45 min ferry to Mallaig (be sure to get petrol as the next petrol is Strontian) and a second ferry (Corran Ferry 10 minutes) to the A82 south of Ft. William after which the route to Oban is another magnificent biking road. Personally, I'm not real keen on Oban itself and usually stay at the Pierhouse Hotel north of Oban in Port Appin or Knipoch Lodge located 7 miles south of Oban. Depends on your budget.


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Oban south is the best of this route and north past Loch Awe is scenic and remote. Inverary boasts a mediocre castle but fine cafes for a hot chocolate break and the run back to the A82 and Loch Lommond is wide and brisk. Overall its not nearly what the previous 2 days presented, but you are headed to the Isle of Man - via Troon, Scotland to Larne (Belfast, N. Ireland) ferry (2 hour ferry twice a day and quite catchable in the timeframe from Oban).


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If at all possible, DO take a day and ride the roads north of Larne, the A2 to Portrush and the offshoot roads off the A2, stop at Joey Dunlop's memorial in Ballymoney and have a pint of Guinness at Joey's Bar. These are the roads all the Dunlop's cut their teeth on.

Something like this


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Larne to Isle of Man

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Isle of Man to Glasgow

You can do it the horrible one day Motorway journey like this

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Or something like this - a pleasant 2 day ride through the ultra-sceenic Lake District and more = Lake District to Alston to Peebles using this route is very, very good.


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If renting in Perth, here's a straight shot that gets you on the same track as Day 1 from Glasgow and a good road too, but misses out Duke's Pass


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Isle of Man to Perth change from Glasgow route is at Peebles. Maybe an hour longer as getting back to Glasgow and if pressed for time, take the M90 motorway all the way from Edinburgh ring road to Perth = it will cut an hour off the journey.


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[Nyarlathotep]

Some excellent information above - I'd particularly recommend the trip through Glencoe and via Kinlochleven to Skye.
I live in the Isle of Man so any info you need please ask. However, be aware that Ferries between Ireland and here are few and far between. Was only Thursdays and Sundays last year, and they have just announced a further reduction in services.
You are far better catching the ferry from Heysham, near Lancaster. There is only one ferry company anyway for all routes:

http://www.steam-packet.com/SteamPacket/Book-Now/

[notarian]

Some excellent information above - I'd particularly recommend the trip through Glencoe and via Kinlochleven to Skye.
I live in the Isle of Man so any info you need please ask. However, be aware that Ferries between Ireland and here are few and far between. Was only Thursdays and Sundays last year, and they have just announced a further reduction in services.
You are far better catching the ferry from Heysham, near Lancaster. There is only one ferry company anyway for all routes:

http://www.steam-packet.com/SteamPacket/Book-Now/

Whoa. Not too sure what Nyarlathotep means above as P&O ferries between Troon Scotland and Larne, Northern Ireland are 2/day and fast.
http://www.directferries.co.uk/ireland.htm

However, the Belfast to Isle of Man IS only twice a week, so there's a bit of planning for that one. See the same link.

Isle of Man ferries should be booked as early as possible if going for the TT. Otherwise, it isn't all that necessary.

This is all supposition based on little info. These are just some ideas from someone who has ridden all these roads, taken all the ferries (except the Isle of Man) many times.

Whatever you choose, you will have a blast and congratulations on the wedding. Too right, Scotland is very good for weddings!

Enjoy.

[Nyarlathotep]

Whoa. Not too sure what Nyarlathotep means above as P&O ferries between Troon Scotland and Larne, Northern Ireland are 2/day and fast.
http://www.directferries.co.uk/ireland.htm

Yep, it's fine Scotland-Ireland. It's Ireland-IOM that's poor, and set to get even less useful:

http://www.manxradio.com/newsread.aspx?id=49608

[notarian]

Yep, it's fine Scotland-Ireland. It's Ireland-IOM that's poor, and set to get even less useful:

http://www.manxradio.com/newsread.aspx?id=49608

That's certainly up to date news, Nyarlathotep - like yesterday! I was reading further about the current 2011 Ireland to Isle of Man schedule and it shows not only the 2 weekly sailings from Belfast, but 2 from Larne as well.

Nothing in it but to wait a month or so and see what the new schedule is because this is by far the best route to IOM from Scotland with the return via western England (IOM - Heysham [near Lancaster]).

[katrider]

Sent a PM with some ideas...

[DrD]

You guys are awesome!    Thanks.

[Oddball]

I'd like to thank you guys for ideas also, as I will be traveling to Scotland for work now.  In fact I fly out for the first time tomorrow.  Wish it was the time of year I could ride, but that will have to just be some other time.  But next weekend I'll be looking for something to do in Glasgow so if anyone has any suggestions please post up or send me a PM as I did not start this thread.

Congrats on the up coming marriage.

[notarian]

I'd like to thank you guys for ideas also, as I will be traveling to Scotland for work now.  In fact I fly out for the first time tomorrow.  Wish it was the time of year I could ride, but that will have to just be some other time.  But next weekend I'll be looking for something to do in Glasgow so if anyone has any suggestions please post up or send me a PM as I did not start this thread.

Congrats on the up coming marriage.

First off, Glasgow has the best and most diverse food in the UK outside London. Name it and you can get it - except for a good hot dog, so bring your own.

The city is home to the nosiest people in Europe (in the best possible way). The Irish are right up there too! Talkative (often positively yappy) , inquisitive and friendly. While just waiting for a bus you'll know the chap has buried 3 wives, his current spouse beat cancer, has 6 kids and 2 grandchildren - he carries the photo and he'll know where you are from, what you are doing in Glasgow, how long for, what you do for a living, married/single, children... and you'll have an open invitation to meet again his pub...

Public transport is good - if in Glasgow for any length of time, learn the bus routes and underground. Taxi's get expensive. Train to Edinburgh is about an hour.

Museums.

Best is the Burrell Collection. An amazing amount of art from around the globe dating from thousands of years ago to modern time. Set in beautiful grounds in South Glasgow.

Transport Museum is worth a visit and so is the Kelvin Hall across the street.

Walk Glasgow in sections and enjoy the diverse and various contrasting building architecture. Bold, brassy, subtle, brick, sandstone, glass... Google MacIntosh the artist, architect.

Take in a football match - Rangers or Celtic.

Trendy shops and shopping.

Haggis, neeps and tatties

Visit Glengoyne Distillery and take the bus up the A82 along side Loch Lommond to Tarbet for a hotel pub / lunch

Golf in Troon - take the train from Queen's St Station

Explore Byres Road, the University and the back lanes and alleys off Byres Rd

Horseshoe Pub downtown for atmosphere is a certain! Do not miss it.

Check 'What's On' for music and theatre venues and right now the superb Celtic Connections Music Festival is on the go! 13-30 Jan. You're a lucky fella to be in Glasgow in January with that happening. CHECK THIS SITE AND DO NOT MISS IT.

http://www.celticconnections.com/

There's more, but that should keep you busy for a couple of weeks.

Oh, Rogano's is a must for dinner. Expensive tho. If not dinner, start the evening with a cocktail at Rogano's = best in the UK and art deco decor is an exact copy from the 1920's Queen Elizabeth I passenger ship. Right downtown and only a couple streets from the Horse Shoe.

Enjoy!

[Oddball]

Thanks Note!  That is just the information I was hoping to get.  By what I've read it looks like I might want to make sure that I am really needed there to spend more time taking in the sights.

[FJR-UK]

Oh, btw, we might get married while we are there.  I hear that is the place to do it.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Gretna_Green

Gretna Green may be the place to which you refer.

Notarian covered most of the rest of the questions.

Scotland is motorcycle heaven, if you get the weather ... good luck!