Very recently I was having a conversation about seeing Scotland using public transport. The person I was talking to strongly believed that Scotland is not doable at all without a car. While I agree that some parts of Scotland are completely inaccessible on public transport or requires a fair amount of walking or cycling or hitch-hiking should one choose to, it is also quite surprising how much you could actually see by using the various modes of transport crisscrossing the country.
Here are ten amazing areas around Scotland which are perfectly doable on public transport.
Moray Firth
The incredible coastline with its magnificent rock formations and rich wildlife is easily accessible from Aberdeen by Stagecoach bus services. The regular service also allows you to walk the coastline by parking your car at one point and taking the bus back. Cullen is a good location as a base.
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| Bow and Fiddle rock in Portknockie |
Loch Lomond
Though the west coast of the loch, hugged by the A82 makes the villages of Luss, Tarbet, Inveruglas and Ardlui easier on the Citylink bus services, the dramatic east coast, perceived as inaccessible on public transport, needs some more planning. Train services from Glasgow will take you to Balloch, at the southernmost tip. From here regular bus services run to Balmaha where you can go up the Conic hill for a spectacular view of the Loch Lomond islands. In summer months, a ferry service runs from Tarbet to Rowardennan and Inversnaid giving you an opportunity to explore these rich wildlife reserves and a walk up the most southerly munro Ben Lomond.
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| Rowardennan from the ferry |
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| Loch Lomond |
Cape Wrath
The difficult way of visiting the most north westerly point of mainland Britain is by walking the challenging Cape Wrath trail. Alternatively, a bit of planning makes the place more accessible from Durness. About three miles south of Durness, the Cape Wrath ferry leaves from Keoldale to cross the Kyle of Durness. A mini bus service then takes you through twelve miles of remote wilderness to the lighthouse at the tip of Sutherland. The area is used for military training exercises and the bus service is planned around it. It is recommended to check and book in advance. Visit
www.visitcapewrath.com for more information.
Durness is well connected to Ullapool and Inverness through bus services. While in Durness, visit the amazing Smoo cave and the beach at Sango sands
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| Cape Wrath lighthouse |
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| Smoo cave in Durness |
Dunnet head and Castle of Mey
The most northerly point of mainland Britain and the Queen mother's home in Caithness can be reached by regular bus services from Thurso, though be prepared to stretch your legs for a bit. Thurso is connected to Inverness by both trains and bus services.
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Castle of Mey
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Applecross
The Applecross peninsula is considered as the most beautiful part of Scotland with views of the Skye Cuillins bordering the horizon. The peninsula also boasts of the dangerous and spectacular mountain pass, Bealach na Ba. Public transport is highly limited in this region and no taxi services are available. If hitch-hiking, I would try to make sure the driver is skilled enough as the roads are twisting, narrow and dangerous. Personally I have not used public transport to visit this part of Scotland, as services are infrequent through the week. However, if you have the time this is something not completely impossible. Visit this site for more details
Applecross Inn
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| View of Skye Cuillins from Applecross |
Arran
This is the most well connected of all Scottish islands despite its relatively small size. Get the train to Ardrossan Harbour from Glasgow for the ferry to Brodick and then spend a day or more seeing this beautiful island. Buses run on three routes covering the north, south and the String road. The timings of the train, ferry and buses are perfectly matched to have a perfect break in this beautiful island, my favourite.
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| Standing stones at Machrie moor |
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| Walking to Goatfell from Sannox |
Barra
Barra and Vatersay form the southernmost island of the Outer Hebrides. Barra is reachable by a five hour ferry ride from Oban, or by a memorable one hour flight from Glasgow landing on the beach, the only place in the world for an official flight. Once on the island, local bus services will give you a door to door service, though you will need to get the timetables as the services are infrequent and normally run with flight and ferry timings. Go down south to Vatersay through the causeway or travel north to see the rest of the Outer Hebrides, connected through ferries and causeways.
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| Barra airport take-off |
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| Madonna of the seas on Heaval. Kisimul castle a distant spec |
Skye
It is quite surprising how limited the public transport is in this most popular Scottish isle. The north of the island is much more accessible with a north circuit bus service running from Portree. The south is far more difficult, especially if you want to visit the Fairy pools and Glenbrittle at the foot of the Cuillins. Hitchhiking is the only option here. However, you can still get magnificent views of the rugged mountains of Skye from Sligachan and Elgol. Sligachan is well served by Citylink, Stagecoach and local buses. Elgol has limited bus service by Stagecoach and will need advance planning. For the local bus timings, you need to get it from the bus drivers as both TravelineScotland and the timetables at the bus stops can be out of date.
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| Snow covered Cuillins from Sligachan |
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| Cuillins from Elgol |
Glencoe
The dream of every walker, climber, photographer and a visitor to Scotland, Glencoe represents what people around the world perceive Scotland as. Citylink services serve the A82 tearing through the heart of Glencoe and you can enjoy the wild beauty from your seat. However, it is highly recommended you do get off the bus and have a wander around. Bus drivers normally heed to your request for a stop provided it is safe to do so while getting off. However, they may not be as compliant if you wave them down from the road. The services are infrequent, so remember the timetable, else hitch-hiking will be the only option as places to stay are far and between.
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| Buachaille Etive Mor - Glencoe, also known as the Skyfall hill |
Loch Ossian
Finally the list is never complete without a mention of this beautiful loch on the Corrour estate with its old boathouse, now transformed into a eco-hostel. The only way to reach is by train or a long walk. Corrour is on the West Highland Line and is the highest mainline train station at 1,339 feet. This turns into a request stop at less popular times of the day when you literally hold up your hand to stop the train. The Loch Ossian youth hostel is about two miles down a well made track. Taking a cycle on the train is a good way of exploring the area.
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| Loch Ossian |
Traveline Scotland - the one stop hub for planning journeys on public transport in Scotland. However, from my experience, I would always recommend verifying the routes and times with the suggested travel providers as databases have been known to be out of date, especially if it's not summer.
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