A slow tour of Scotland

[Monocock]

I'm planning a slow (Cub) tour of Scotland for 10 days in June. I had a lovely trip up to Bute/Strathaven a couple of years ago, but am keen to go and see what's worth seeing for a longer period.

Can anyone give a decent 'itinerary' for such a trip that they have done?

Decent places to stay near to various strips would be good too. Camping is ok, and I'll have a tent, but not my preferred option...:)

Thanks.

[maxred]

How's about this

Prestwick, Bute, Oban, Glenforsa, Plockton, Tiree, Wick, Dornoch, Perth, Strathaven, back home.

All have hotels, pubs, activities, close to the airfields. Gives you a nice round robin of our beautiful country. The West coast in particular, is stunning.:ok:

[Monocock]

That's exactly the kind of thing I was looking for. Thanks.

I'll buy one of those Northern charts you guys use (I seem to recall they're a really bad waste of money because most of it is blue (water!)) and have a butchers.

[maxred]

If you have Sky Demon, they are all there. If you had already been to Bute, you could go into Campbeltown, and then route up to Coll, Colonsay, then up to Oban and Mull.

Again Coll and Colonsay have hotels, plus some grass for the tent:)

Also Islay, and you could get the ferry to Jura. Now that is an adventure. Jura used to have a grass field at the beach North of Craighouse, I took a Cub there once, but not sure it still exists.

[Croqueteer]

;)Mon0, don't take max too seriously. Once you've seen one heather covered hill, you've seen them all! That is of course IF you can see them. The most attractive parts of Scotland are the Angus Glens, Deeside and Donside, and all the bits between. The weather is better, and a lot more to see. You would be welcome at Insch, trains to Aberdeen, and Aboyne gliding field is good for Royal Deeside, but they are PPR. The gliding club near Forfar would probably also help. OK, the west coast is certainly worth a visit, but don't forget the east! As Scottish wx is very much east/west, you might find the decision made for you. Have a good time.

[maxred]

What the flat Eastern Lowlands. Never, anyway with Climate Change,the West Coast weather in now much better than the East:)

[Maoraigh1]

Once you've seen one heather covered hill, you've seen them all!
More grass and rock on the west - but with sea and land lochs between ridges. For scenery, I prefer to fly across to the west of Inverness - but consider Perth and north past the Cairngorms. Dornoch has accomodation close by, I think Knockbain has B&B.
Plan several routes - and leave deciding until preflighting the aircraft.
Let the forecast AND WHAT YOU SEE decide east/centre/west/outer isles.

[maxred]

Actually Mono, an invite to Insch is something to consider. Also I forgot about Longside, Peterhead, a lovely welcome assured.

In fairness I did initially suggest coming back down the East Coast:cool:

[piperboy84]

Your welcome in at Forfar, a good cafe and top notch restaurant within a mile a few b&b and hotels within 3 miles or if you fancy camping at the strip there's hot water and wifi,

As for the route, there is a lot of scenery packed into a small country, no reason why you can't do it all if you plan on a week or so.

[mad_jock]

its worth the extra to go up to Kirkwall for a visit and if you haven't been to the Orkney's before worth maybe a day or two on the bus seeing the local sites.

Orkney - Scotland | VisitScotland (http://www.visitscotland.com/destinations-maps/orkney/)

Going for a whaz round the island airfields is worth it as well.

If you get in touch with the tower at Kirkwall they were in the past very good at getting a weekend pass including parking for the islands sorted out.

[Genghis the Engineer]

Some excellent recommendations, but it is vital to plan for fuel in Scotland. A much smaller proportion of Scottish than English airfields have fuel - due presumably to the cost of transporting it to more remote locations.

Which is just a planning issue, albeit an important one. The best little aeroplane flying in the world (at least when the weather is good! ) in my opinion.

I will disagree with Mad Jock on one small point. In Orkney, hire a car. The local bus services will get you there - eventually - but can leave you stranded for hours and occasionally overnight. It's not a good option if you are trying to do things in a relatively limited amount of time. Do visit Skara Brae and the Italian Chapel if you possibly can - places without parallel anywhere else in the world, in my opinion.

G

[malcolmf]

Some excellent recommendations, but it is vital to plan for fuel in Scotland. A much smaller proportion of Scottish than English airfields have fuel - due presumably to the cost of transporting it to more remote locations.
And it's eye wateringly expensive. we filled up at Barton on the way up.

[mad_jock]

G there is tour bus with I think 3 different options on the route.

And there is Jean Ross who will pick you up in her car and basically you just tell her what you want to see and she takes you there. Means you can go to the brewery distillery and have a pint/nip or two. Never been on one of her tours but folk that I know that have were well chuffed and said it was well worth the extra. She has lived on the islands for 40 odd years and knows all the bits and bobs. I think she knows the lady at the Orkney jewellery place and you get a discount as well if she takes you there.

If you don't want to use Kirkwall the bloke that owns Landholm didn't used to be adverse to visitors.

And fuel price depends on where you fill up.

Dundee is OK
Inverness is OK.
Wick the refueller might as well turn up with a highway robbers mask on.

Kirkwall is loganair on request Fuel AVGAS 100LL AVTUR JET A1 Oil
Tel: 01856 872415. Your better to phone them a couple of weeks in advance and see if there is a problem and book your 100litres or what ever you want.

Think they have avgas still in SYY.

Anyway check all that it been a while since I been to the islands in a put put.

[maxred]

You will want to avoid Inverness like the plague. Stalag 47:ugh:

Kirkwall is a great visit, as is Shetland, but to take it all in it would be more than 10 days I think. I found Kirkwall staff, given it is HIAL, really friendly and helpful, which are words that generally do not appear in the HIAL customer service plan.

MJ from memory, I thought the bus service into town was ok

He is going in a Cub, so fuel planning, unless it is Mogas, is a thought. But that would form part of any flight plan:uhoh:

Bags of options, and Mono let us know what you plan.

[mad_jock]

I don't know why with INV maxred.

You just go and show your license at the RVP gate and they will let you take mogas cannisters through as well. As long as you don't want to go onto the terminal side of things as long as you have a yellow jacket I haven't seen anyone have a problem. Just don't look into the waste paper bucket when you walk past it. They really don't think its funny those that remember that incident.

The Airport town bus is fine for Kirkwall, its the tour buses I was on about to scarbrae etc. I have only ever got them from Stomness though I think it left at 9am and got you back for 5 and you did 5 sites or something like that.

[maxred]

I don't know why with INV maxred.

They used to be alright, but after the most bizarre set of circumstances I have ever encountered, I decided not to revisit. Not worth the hassle. Short of being strip searched by guys in pointed white hoods, it could not have gotten much worse.

I also don't think they are particularly GA friendly..but I will be corrected on that from those that operate from it no doubt.

[mad_jock]

Could have changed, these things can be on a daily basis in all airports.

Did you have a look in the waste paper basket that usually winds the old timers up.

[maxred]

Did you have a look in the waste paper basket that usually winds the old timers up

That possibly prompted the blindfold and handcuffs;)

[PH-UKU]

Cub-tastic!

Other places/thoughts. I'm sure there would be plenty microlight type strips too that you could try. Any private sites suggest you research a bit and get permission beforehand. ;)

Fuel usually readily available at - Prestwick, Oban, Islay (pricey), Perth, Inverness (may have to wait while refueller does commercial traffic), Wick, Kirkwall. All friendly enough, prices vary from £1.80+vat at Prestwick to about £2.50+vat on Islay. Average about £2.10+vat.

Bute, grass strip 10min walk to Kingarth Hotel
Gigha, grass strip with decent pub 10 min walk away.
Mull - camp under wing, good hotel, good food and craic.
Colonsay - hotel nearby and 9 hole golf course next to airfield (bring a 3&9iron and putter)
Plockton - camp on airfield, farmshop nearby, 15 min walk into town. Pubs, seal tours etc.
Knockbain - near Dingwall, friendly reception, interesting strip on hilltop.
Lamb Holm - Orkney, short walk to Italian chapel.
Feshiebridge gliding site near Aviemore .... Remote if no-one around.
Barra - land on the sand, camp on a carpet of flowers, small cafe at airport.
Private strips at Fort Augustus and Blair Atholl

Let me know if you're at Oban/Mull and fancy some float flying adventure ;)

:E

[MoloPooh]

I am planning a similar trip in the Luscombe. My "goal" is to get to Unst and I am reading with interest all the other suggestions. Who knows, our paths may cross. :)

[fisbangwollop]

Here's a useful free tool to use for planning etc. will also give you details of airfields, weather, controlled airspace etc etc.
SkyVector: Flight Planning / Aeronautical Charts (http://skyvector.com)

[mad_jock]

Oh and that's another bonus you get flying up north the personal services of Scottish info.

Always available to laugh at you when your freezing your nuts off in a Cub I have found.

[thing]

Think I'm up there for a week at the end of May, have read all the suggestions with interest so thanks for asking Mono! :ok:

[Monocock]

I'm aware that I'm best not to plan a certain time to go, and to allow myself to be dictated to by the weather.

As for fuel, I know it'll need careful planning, especially with a range of 3.2 hours and a speed of 85mph... :O

[Dan the weegie]

Get the second tank installed :) I have 6 1/2 hours and it's perfect :).
85mph is pretty quick, you must have the shorter wings and a fancy prop!

Piperboy, I want to land my cubby on your strip, how long?

Inverness is a bit of a pain in the arse for GA as there is only one way out and the security folks are not used to having strangers around. They insist on a passport and a pilot's licence to get through the gate and hangar space can be a pain to get if you need it but that said I'm sure there will be space found for you somewhere. It's useful as a base to stretch out to Kirkwall and to the west, definitely carry a jerry can :).

Good luck, I'm sure you'll love it, proper cub flying up this way!

[maxred]

As for fuel, I know it'll need careful planning, especially with a range of 3.2 hours and a speed of 85mph...

In June that can be the headwind component in the Western Isles...

Great trip to be planned, best of luck

[Whirlybird]

I have fond memories of landing on the beach runway at Barra; definitely worth doing if you can fit it in.

[mad_jock]

6 and a half hours in a cub?

There must be human rights issues involved in that especially if the heater doesn't work in the back in January.

[piperboy84]

Piperboy, I want to land my cubby on your strip, how long?

Right around 1700ft by 50ft at the threshold opening up to a couple of hundred feet which allows you straight in for most westerly and southwesterly winds.

[Unusual Attitude]

Piperboy has a cracking little strip, been in several times in a Supercub. Even in a standard Cub you'll have no probs.

UA

[Maoraigh1]

You will want to avoid Inverness like the plague. Stalag 47

Inverness is a bit of a pain in the arse for GA as there is only one way out and the security folks are not used to having strangers around. They insist on a passport and a pilot's licence to get through the gate
I asked Security this afternoon, as I went through. A visiting pilot needs his license and a photo ID (driving license) to get back in. I've never found Inverness Security people a problem or unpleasant.
And there's fuel at Inverness, and a very frequent bus service.

and a speed of85mph...In June that can be the headwind component in the Western Isles..
Just stay below the jetstream altitude, like the rest of us taildragger pilots in the north.

[piperboy84]

Been in to Inverness for my breakfast a few times, never had a problem, landing fee based on the honour system fill out a form with your cc number and you get a receipt in the mail a few weeks later , field re entry simply walking up to the gate showing pilots licence and some ID then get buzzed thru the gate follow the yellow brick road back to your plane. Decent sort of folks in the tower also. It's all good

[mad_jock]

I think you lot that have been having a bad time have been looking in the waste paper bucket.

[LightningBoots]

The weather tends to be most reliable on the west coast in May. I lived up there for 15 years, and always make my return trips in May. The one time it slipped into June - rain and fog. :ugh:

[Captain Smithy]

Inverness like Stalag 47? Eh? Some folk have been at the meths I think. There's lots of GA activity there and it's worth a visit.

If you want the Stalag 47 treatment go to Edinburgh. Absolute bloody nightmare there now. :ugh:

Kirkwall's recommended too... very interesting place to visit especially if you're into history, plenty nice places to stay and eat too.

Edit: Forgot to mention Stornoway as well - nice part of the world.

Smithy