Reply to: Shetland and the Uists
Posted By: Caroline @ Rabbie's on 17/10/2012
|
Hi Debbda
Spooky! We have had an email into the sales team today from another passenger looking to go to the same places!
Her name is Luisa and she is also a member of the forum -I will email her and ask get her to get in contact with you!
Yippee!!
Caroline
|
Reply to: Shetland and the Uists
Posted By: Robert W. Goodrich on 17/10/2012
|
Debbda,
I also have an interest to see the Uists ( as well as Barra ). Not so much to see the Shetlands way, way up there, although I'm sure it would be a fantastic experience. Would be nice for Rabbie's to create a tour from Oban out to Barra and the Uists outbound, and return by way of Lochmaddy to Uig on Skye and stay one night in Portree. For those who've never been yet to Lewis and Harris, they could make it a complete tour of the Outer Hebrides chain. I'd like your feedback on this scenario.
Robert |
Reply to: Shetland and the Uists
Posted By: Erin on 17/10/2012
|
I emailed today looking for a tour of North Uist, however, would love to visit South Uist as well. It would be a nice addition to the Scottish Island Highlights tour.
Although a tour starting in Oban would be nice as suggested. I spent two hours in Oban this summer and it wasn't nearly enough. |
Reply to: Shetland and the Uists
Posted By: Debbda on 17/10/2012
|
|
Reply to: Shetland and the Uists
Posted By: Debbda on 17/10/2012
|
| A trip to N. and S.Uist and to Barra sounds fantastic---I have been to Lewis, Harris and to Skye following the Orkney tour. Fell in love with Lewis--and the sunny weather! But still also want to see Shetland, not just the archeology, geology but also the wild life. (I don't want a tour totally on watching birds.) |
Reply to: Shetland and the Uists
Posted By: Luisa Ferrari on 18/10/2012
|
I would really like to do both the tours, the one to Shetland and the one to the Outer Hebrides (from Barra, South and North Uist, Benbecula up to Harris and Lewis). It seems there's already a small group wanting to do them! And the more we are the better. We could get in contact via email through Rabbie's office.
Luisa |
Reply to: Shetland and the Uists
Posted By: Susan Goodfellow on 18/10/2012
|
| I'd be up for a tour of the Uists and Barra as well, and enjoy Oban as a starting point. Shetlands also sound interesting, particularly after seeing George's photos when he did the private island-hopping tour earlier this year, but it's a long ferry ride, so would want to have several days on the islands in between the ferries. What time of year were you all thinking about? |
Reply to: Shetland and the Uists
Posted By: Luisa Ferrari on 18/10/2012
|
It would be a great group! I was thinking to go there in August.
Luisa |
Reply to: Shetland and the Uists
Posted By: Debbda on 18/10/2012
|
Good morning everyone.
An Oban to Barra, Uists, Harris and Lewis trip would be great but is there a time limit for how long the driver can be out on the road? I would prefer May (before the midges start) when the machair is out.
Shetland: I'm happy to do May-July so I get to see the puffins!!! (Anyone interested in doing both trips?) |
Reply to: Shetland and the Uists
Posted By: Caroline @ Rabbie's on 18/10/2012
|
This is very exciting!
To give you some basic (boring!) driving rules.....Legally, our drivers are only able to drive for 6 days without a break. We can organise relief drivers or activities that do not need a bus if necessary.
There are also limits to the number of hours a driver can drive each day/week/month - its very confusing - thank goodness for our Ops team!
I would perhaps suggest a 5 day tour to the Uists, Barra and Outer Hebrides and separate tour to Shetland. These could be joined like one of our "combos" or done at two separate times?
If at any point you need our help then please let us know. |
Reply to: Shetland and the Uists
Posted By: Robert W. Goodrich on 18/10/2012
|
| Sounds like Rabbie's could have two busses going on tour at the same time, just with a different destination for each. One could do the entire Outer Hebrides including Lewis and Harris for those who want to do all of the islands, and a second one for those who have already been to Lewis and Harris. Or, alternate the tours by length. |
Reply to: Shetland and the Uists
Posted By: Debbda on 18/10/2012
|
Would anyone consider a longer tour to Shetland, with a day or two to do "our own thing", for example wildlife-watching? Would mean a break from 'non-stop' driving for both us and the driver. And that could get around the length of time he mustn't go over legally.
If you want to include Orkney we could do it over 8-9 days and that would mean avoiding a long (rough?) ferry ride back to Aberdeen.
Although more expensive, I'd consider flying to Sumburgh then coming back via Kirkwall and to N. Scotland. Perhaps use local guides who could then put us back on the Kirkwall ferry... |
Reply to: Shetland and the Uists
Posted By: Susan Goodfellow on 19/10/2012
|
| I generally do two trips a year, one in April-early June timeframe and one in the Aug-Sept time frame. This coming year, though, the earlier time frame is complicated due to several factors I can't control, so I wouldn't be able to commit to a trip during those months until we got a fair bit closer. I could probably commit to an Aug/Sept trip more easily. I can't speak for Rabbies, of course, but if we do either trip it would likely be as a private tour, so we'd need to agree on a general itinerary as well as on dates. Having just taken a private tour in August, I can tell you that you have alot of freedom to decide what to do on any given day, and can design the tour to your tastes. Only constraints are the ones that Caroline already pointed out about drive time and down days for the driver. So, for the Shetlands, there would not really be an issue of needing down time for days to things on your own, as long as the small group of folks going on the tour had similar desires. Private tours also cost more, since you are covering the costs of the driver, vehicle, petrol, ferries, and room/board for the driver as well as your own room/board. So, for example, a 5-day tour that went to the Uists and Barra (and Lewis-Harrs or not) would probably run at least 2200 pounds sterling, split across the number of us that went on the tour. Our room'board would be additional. |
Reply to: Shetland and the Uists
Posted By: Robert W. Goodrich on 19/10/2012
|
| I'm looking at a late April - May tour to just the Uists and Barra if possible. I never travel in June, July or August due to the seasonal price increases and tourist peak times. A 5 day-4 night tour package maximum is what I would prefer. Looking at overnights in Oban, Castlebay, Lochmaddy and Portree. Might consider a tour in late Sept. - early Oct., but prefer the earlier season. |
Reply to: Shetland and the Uists
Posted By: Debbda on 19/10/2012
|
| Robert, this idea sounds excellent to me. As you say, not peak season and less tourists, but also no midges. |
Reply to: Shetland and the Uists
Posted By: Robert W. Goodrich on 20/10/2012
|
| Although most of us would prefer to see the Uists and Barra as a tour heading north, it might be more practical for Rabbie's to tie this tour in with their current Outer Hebrides tour to Lewis and Harris, using Portree as the drop-off and pick up point for those going further. Since the Outer Hebrides tour starts on a Tuesday and stays overnight in Portree on a Friday evening, it would be preferable to have the Uists/Barra tour leave Edinburgh on a Friday morning, go all the way to Portree and pick up passengers from the other tour on Saturday morning. Then, perhaps the shortcut route by way of the Quiraing to Uig to pick up the ferry to Lochmaddy on North Uist. Just a thought. |
Reply to: Shetland and the Uists
Posted By: Anke Gilpatrick on 21/10/2012
|
Dear Debbda,
interesting Blog you have started. Even though I just got back from a trip, as always you piqued my curiosity and love for travel! However, it's too early for me to plan yet, but I will closely follow this particular blog and hope to see you again next year for our next Rabbies's adventure! Keep me posted! Anke |
Reply to: Shetland and the Uists
Posted By: Debbda on 21/10/2012
|
| Caroline, does James still work for Rabbies? I think his mother was from N. or S.Uist and I wonder if he'd have any good ideas. (Perhaps one of your others do too.) |
Reply to: Shetland and the Uists
Posted By: Caroline @ Rabbie's on 24/10/2012
|
Hi Debbda,
James left this year and is currently at college in Canada - exciting!
Would you like us to suggest a brief itinerary for the tours?
Caroline |
Reply to: Shetland and the Uists
Posted By: Debbda on 24/10/2012
|
Yes please Caroline. What's the chance of either of these trips taking place in 2013?
Good luck to James if you speak with him. Bet he's having a great time! And wearing his kilt! |
Reply to: Shetland and the Uists
Posted By: Robert W. Goodrich on 16/11/2012
|
Debbda,
Have you heard from any other interested parties other than those of us on the forum to date ? Curious to know at this point what will need to be the earliest time frame in 2013 for Caroline to put together a tour for a minimum group of say... seven or eight. Wish you the best on organising something for a Shetlands tour. Having just been to the Orkneys, I don't prefer to return to the north next year. Looking to complete the chain of the Outer Hebrides next year, if possible. |
Reply to: Shetland and the Uists
Posted By: Debbda on 20/11/2012
|
Hi Robert.
Sorry in selay in getting back to you.
I asked Peter (who I'd dealt with at the start) and he said they won't have any scheduled departures to Shetland or the Uists in 2013. "Not enough strong interest in a private tour to make this a viable, cost effective option for you all either so I would say it would be unlikely that we will run a tour here in 2013."
So that's that for now. Going to Shetland this summer by myself but would seriously consider the Uists late one spring/early summer if more people were interested...? in 2014
|
Reply to: Shetland and the Uists
Posted By: Debbda on 06/03/2013
|
Hi Caroline and Peter.
Any further thoughts of running an Uist/Barra, with or without the Isles of Lewis and Harris, trip for 2014?
Many thanks for letting me hassle you again! |
|
