It took almost two years to plan this trip and I can't believe how quickly our six weeks in the Faroe Islands and Scotland flew by! We had so much fun!
When we first conceived this trip we agreed on several key points. We would focus our trip on the islands and highlands - it would be a trip about landscapes and not cityscapes. We would avoid the big cities in Scotland and so, at the end of day, we only stayed a total of 4 days in Edinburgh and Glasgow combined. We would avoid going to several of the more popular tourist sites so Loch Ness was out as was Inverness. We would avoid historic landmarks like palaces, castles, forts, churches, cathedrals., etc as much as possible though we did visit at least one of each....except no palace. Even though this was my first trip to both the Faroe Islands and Scotland, I do not have any regrets about missing the usual tourist haunts because what I got to experience instead made for a far more memorable trip for me and I would do it the same way all over again!
It was a monumental effort to plan the logistics and drive routes for this trip but in the end, everything went smoothly for which I am much relieved! Here is how our trip broke down - by the numbers. You'll notice that we took a LOT of ferries and I am NOT a hotel/taxi kind of traveler!
Flights (2 international round trip, 2 domestic round trip)
JFK -> Edinburgh
Glasgow -> JFK
Edinburgh <->Tórshavn, Faroe Islands
Kirkwall, Orkney <-> Westray, Orkney
Westray, Orkney <-> Papa Westray, Orkney
Accommodations (2 hotels, 6 B&B’s, 10 Airbnb’s)
Queensferry (Hotel)
Tórshavn (Airbnb)
Edinburgh (Airbnb)
Lerwick (Airbnb)
Kirkwall (Airbnb)
Glasgow (Airbnb)
Luss (B&B)
Perth (B&B)
Grantown-on-Spey (B&B)
Ullapool (B&B)
Stornoway (Airbnb)
Finsbay (Airbnb)
Portree (Airbnb)
Tarskavaig (B&B)
Maillag (Airbnb)
Taynuilt (Airbnb)
Inveraray (B&B)
Paisley (Hotel)
Rental Cars (4 in total)
Faroe Islands
Lerwick, Shetland
Kirkwall, Orkney
Glasgow
Ferries (15. 12 passenger only, 3 with car)
Sørvágur <-> Mykines, Faroe Islands (2)
Aberdeen -> Lerwick, Shetland (1)
Shetland (2)
Shetland -> Kirkwall, Orkney (1)
Orkney-> Aberdeen (1)
Ullapool-> Stornoway, Outer Hebrides (1 with car)
Tarbert, Outer Hebrides to Uig, Isle of Skye (1 with car)
Armadale, Isle of Skye to Maillag (1 with car)
Oban <-> Craignure, Isle of Mull (4)
Isle of Iona -> Fionnphport, Isle of Mull (1)
Boat Rides
Oban Wildlife Boat cruise (1)
Fionnphort -> Isle of Staffa (1)
Isle of Staffa -> Isle of Iona (1)
Day Tours
Papa Westray, Orkney
Oban Wildlife Boat Cruise
Mull, Iona Staffa Day Tour
Train Rides
Steam locomotive (1)
Regular rail (1)
Bus Rides
Long distance - Edinburgh to Aberdeen (1)
When I have a chance, I'll put some photos from this trip. In the meantime, it's off to work on the next trip. Planning this trip took so much effort that I decided a I need a break. I promised myself that the next one will be much easier to put together!
