A couple of days ago I happened to see a poster advertising a “Ferry and B&B Offer” in the window of the NorthLink ferry terminal. This offer turned out to be the best bargain we’ve encountered this summer.
The morning ferry from Stromness, Orkney to Scrabster in Scotland departs at 6:30 am, which is a bit early for some folks (like us). With the B&B deal, you board that ferry at 10 pm the night before.
Aboard MV Hamnavoe you get a small stateroom with a private bathroom, coffee- and tea-making supplies, and internet. The ferry departs in the morning whether or not you are awake to see it leave the harbor. A full Scottish breakfast in the ship’s restaurant is included. You arrive in Scrabster well-rested and fed at 8 am. And the price for the whole package was less than what we’ve been paying for B&Bs that don’t include a boat trip to Scotland.
We spent the rest of today making our way across the highlands. We first took a bus from Scrabster to Inverness and then transferred to another bus from Inverness to Ullapool, a pleasant fishing village on the west coast. We will catch the morning ferry here to our next island destination.
One of the nicest things about Ullapool is that it is a sort of center for traditional music. This group of young people played after dinner in the cafe.
Lorna of Arabia 