Money Saving Tips for a Trip to Orkney

skateykatey

We regularly drive up to Gairloch in the Highlands and then down to Lancs to see our relatives and stay at the A9 Perth Travelodge. It's cheap and v good value. There's a Vintage Inn next door if you fancy some food and a massive Tesco within a 5 min drive for petrol and a sandwich.

With it being Easter, the price may be higher than normal; we go out of season and usually pay approx 15 GBP

ScrimpingandSaving

Ah found it. £25 a night sounds like a bargain! Thanks skateykatey.

skateykatey

Good. The pub/restaurant next door is the Glovers Arms and it's on Crieff Road. I've just googled the Tesco as feared my memory was failing me but it does have a petrol station.

If you streetview it you can see how close the Tesco is to it.

ScrimpingandSaving

Ok have checked out prices for the ferry and it's £150 all in. They charge £33 for the car, £14 for adults and £7 for children one way.

Booking for all of us on a return journey threw up a quote of £150.

I think residents of the island get this ferry at a reduced rate? Is there no reduced rate for family members visiting relatives, rather than tourists?

I shall start to book things tomorrow when my husband's wages come in.

Mara_uk7

This is a non subsidised ferry, Us locals pay the same prices as visitors. The other ferry lot do have a local subsidy card, but even with that, theyre more expensive than Pentland Ferries, which is privately owned and run by a local lad.

Pentland ferries have a wee cafe at the Gills terminal if you need a cuppa before the trip, its very reasonable and decent sandwiches & cakes too.
Tescos in wick also have a cafe & a filling station if you need to fill up before you cross over, Fuel here is extortionate.

Glad the trip is coming together for you, and Ill put in a word for sunshine for the days you are here

ScrimpingandSaving

Thanks Mara I'd appreciate that!
Last ferry is 6.30pm, how long do you think it will take us to get from Inverness to the ferry port?
I don't want to book the ferry and then discover that we've miscalculated and can't make it in time. I don't fancy spending a night in the car with the kids.

ScrimpingandSaving

Let me just write this down.

Google maps say a maximum of 2 hours from his mums in Lancs to Asda in Carlisle.

From there a max of 4.5 hours to Tesco in Inverness.

Max of 3 hours from there to Gills Bay Ferry Terminal.

So say we set off at 6am - get to Carlisle for 8am.
Set off again at 9am - get to Inverness for 1.30pm.
Set off at 2.30pm - get to Gills Bay for 5.30pm.

That's cutting it fine but I have been pessimistic with the times and generous in allowing an hour for breakfast and lunch.

Could we do it do you think?

Mara_uk7

You need to check in a half hour beforehand, If it was me, Id leave Inverness at 3 to get there by 6, Three hours is plenty of time,but you could leave longer in case of hold ups. (Not the stage coach variety, More like the traffic cone kind ! )

Its single carriageway all the way north of the Cromarty Bridge, and not always easy to overtake on the highland roads. If you have extra time, theres always John O Groats on the way, Just so you can say youve been there .

You can do it, Course you can, Youre a woman, women can do anything they put their minds to !

Doshwaster

Have you considered flying? Given the cost of petrol I would have thought that it would be cheaper - and much quicker - than driving. Flybe have routes from Kirkwall to all over the UK.

Mara_uk7

Flying would be so much easier Doshwaster, Sadly, as Flybe have a monopoly to flying up here, they charge an arm & a leg. far far more expensive sadly.