Visiting St Kilda, Scotland?

[saintsRrising]

I have recently decided to visit Scotland next year as part of a UK+ Ireland trip.

Naturally being a diehard Saint the thought of visiting St Kilda, Scotland, popped into my thoughts.

But it is not so easy. as it is in the middle of nowhere!

See http://www.kilda.org.uk/visiting.htm#.WQbYu9p95EY

And http://www.gotostkilda.co.uk/ and http://www.gotostkilda.co.uk/book-now Day trips are a bit pricey, but so bad for a once in a lifteime experience and are cheaper than a Grand Final Ticket!


Has any forumite visited St Kilda, Scotland? If so, do you have any tips or advice.

[bigcarl]

I hope you like the taste of seabirds sRr.

[longtimesaint]

I have recently decided to visit Scotland next year as part of a UK+ Ireland trip.

Naturally being a diehard Saint the thought of visiting St Kilda, Scotland, popped into my thoughts.

But it is not so easy. as it is in the middle of nowhere!

See http://www.kilda.org.uk/visiting.htm#.WQbYu9p95EY

And http://www.gotostkilda.co.uk/ and http://www.gotostkilda.co.uk/book-now


Has any forumite visited St Kilda, Scotland? If so, do you have any tips or advice.

I have never visited but my wife comes from Scotland and I can tell you it is very remote and wild.
Strong winds and rough seas to get there.
If you are lucky to get good weather views would be outstanding.

[saintsRrising]

I have never visited but my wife comes from Scotland and I can tell you it is very remote and wild.
Strong winds and rough seas to get there.
If you are lucky to get good weather views would be outstanding.

Remote and wild is often my preferred travel taste.

Ok with the winds rough seas too as I have done a fair bit sailing, but yes their idea of rough seas is ROUGH!

It would require a fair bit of time and effort though for what would most likely be a day trip. But what a memory it would make

It is certainly tempting enough to research what is achievable, and for myself planning a trip is all part of the fun.

[Waltzing St Kilda]

It's not too hard. Hire a car and do a jaunt through the Highlands. See Fort William, Glencoe (the Three Sisters) and Eilean Donan Castle. Stay at a hotel on the Isle of Skye (and do some driving around the island, which is pretty surreal and includes Storr
-- look it up). You can take a boat trip from Skye to St Kilda. Best to do this in April-October as beyond that the weather can get wild and night falls as early as 4 pm. In these months you can also do a trip on the Jacobite Steam Train (seen in the Harry Potter films) or just watch it cross the viaduct at Glenfinnan (where the Highlander -- "there can be only one" -- came from.)

All that can be done in three days. Spend the rest of the time in Edinburgh with a day-trip to Glasgow (only about an hour away by train). There are also bus tours into the Highlands from Edinburgh but make sure you don't do just a day-trip as you won't get far enough. Loch Ness is just a big body of water and can be safely avoided. The Three Bridges at South Queensferry 9not far from Edinburgh) also deserve a look.

[saintsRrising]

Thanks

-- look it up). You can take a boat trip from Skye to St Kilda.

and yes I have already and hence my link on booking trips in the OP.

My reference to the hard part is that you probably have to stick to a day trip, as to get dropped off to stay or two would require two hefty one day transport fees.

[Waltzing St Kilda]

Make sure you secure a decent hotel though as the cheaper ones can be pretty bad (by European standards anyway).

[saintbrat]

2 Saintsationalists have been there
viewtopic.php?f=1&t=90136&hilit=St+Kilda+isle&start=25

gershwin

Yes Loris it was me that went to the island of St Kilda back in 2013.
Actually the island is called Hirta and it is in the group of islands called St Kilda.
We had lovely weather which is unusual as at least half of the time trips are cancelled because the sea is too rough. The National Trust look after the islands and apparently there is a St Kilda scarf in their bunkhouse. When I moved to Scotland earlier in 2013 I didn't take over any of my many St Kilda scarfs but my wife did a great job of knitting one in the weeks before we went to St Kilda. It was a nice moment to display it and have a photo taken.
I'm still living in Scotland but will return to Australia to live in the near future.

and Verdun 66

Coincidentally my wife and I are going on a cruise of the Hebrides in late June this year. And we go to St Kilda. Have seen many photos and TV shows about the place, so I know exactly what it looks like. Really looking forward to it. Will take a scarf! And hope for good weather.

[saintsRrising]

They do have a 2 day camping option though.

TOUR DETAILS
Book now
Time: 7:00am Day One - 8:30pm Day TwoDeparts from: Uig Pier, Isle of Skye. View Map Operates: May 10th - 11th (fully booked), May 12th - 13th, and July 15th -16th 2017 Price: £450 per person + £12pppn camp site fee


That is a fair bit more than my average per day travel cost though! Plus for example based on current costs Europe Return is only about $180 for me and so the baot trip will cost many times more than my flight costs to Europe.

[saintsRrising]

2 Saintsationalists have been there

Thank you for that.

[saintsRrising]

Make sure you secure a decent hotel though as the cheaper ones can be pretty bad (by European standards anyway).

Plus would need to be for a few nights as there seems to be a high chance that trips can be cancelled die the weather.

[saintsRrising]

and Verdun 66

Coincidentally my wife and I are going on a cruise of the Hebrides in late June this year. And we go to St Kilda. Have seen many photos and TV shows about the place, so I know exactly what it looks like. Really looking forward to it. Will take a scarf! And hope for good weather.

Will have to at least check out the Cruise Options.

[magnifisaint]

I reckon we should play one home game a year there.

[mullet]

Scotland is fantastic. Get a train down to sterling. Spend the day there. Fantastic old town with an awesome castle.

[avid]

I've never been to Scotland, but I'm making mycontribution to the discussion by posting my avatar -- that's what St Kilda looks like.
Looks little chilly for me.
(But I can make out 'A V i d' spelt out in its rocky form.)

[Gershwin]

Yes as posted above I was lucky enough to get there a few years ago and it was one of the best things I have done. The football connection is one thing but the island itself is amazing. On a day trip you get enough time to walk around and see the old village (some houses have been restored) and to see the dramatic cliffs and masses of seabirds.
We went from Leverburgh on the Isle of Harris where we stayed in a self-contained cottage for a week. This was worth it too. Book for a couple of days if you can and then it is just a matter of crossing your fingers and hoping for fine weather.
I wouldn't fancy camping there - the 4-5 hours you get there on the day trip is enough.
Let me know if you have any more questions.

[saintsRrising]

Yes as posted above I was lucky enough to get there a few years ago and it was one of the best things I have done. The football connection is one thing but the island itself is amazing. On a day trip you get enough time to walk around and see the old village (some houses have been restored) and to see the dramatic cliffs and masses of seabirds.
We went from Leverburgh on the Isle of Harris where we stayed in a self-contained cottage for a week. This was worth it too. Book for a couple of days if you can and then it is just a matter of crossing your fingers and hoping for fine weather.
I wouldn't fancy camping there - the 4-5 hours you get there on the day trip is enough.
Let me know if you have any more questions.

Thank you.

Did you day trip from or from Leverburgh nearby Berneray ?

Do you remember who you arranged the day trip through?

[White Winmar]

Was booked to go way back in 1991, SR. Cancelled due to crap weather and I couldn't hang around for the next one. Even had my saints jumper and Sherrin for the big shot! And this was in the summer, so I can only imagine how hardy the souls who lived there must have been to survive the winters!

[saintbrat]

Yes as posted above I was lucky enough to get there a few years ago and it was one of the best things I have done. The football connection is one thing but the island itself is amazing. On a day trip you get enough time to walk around and see the old village (some houses have been restored) and to see the dramatic cliffs and masses of seabirds.
We went from Leverburgh on the Isle of Harris where we stayed in a self-contained cottage for a week. This was worth it too. Book for a couple of days if you can and then it is just a matter of crossing your fingers and hoping for fine weather.
I wouldn't fancy camping there - the 4-5 hours you get there on the day trip is enough.
Let me know if you have any more questions.

from memory you provided a photo gershwin?

[Verdun66]

We went last year. June I think. We went on a fairly large boat, and the weather was ok. We were on the Hebridean Princess as part of a longer journey. Not cheap! We all got a bit seasick going out, including most of the crew! We met some others there who had gone on smaller boats and taken longer journeys. They had all been as sick as dogs. They did not want to do the journey back. You have to do it in summer, and try to time it for reasonable weather. Difficult! Either you have great sea legs, or get every sea sick remedy going!

Was a fantastic place. Scenery and atmosphere incredible.The millions of birds there and on the surrounding sea stacks were a sight i'll never forget. The history is fascinating. The people were moved off in the thirties and some of the males became forestry workers on the mainland. Pretty ironic given there are no trees on St Kilda, and none of them had seen a tree in all their lives!

Highly recommended. I brilliantly left my Saints scarf on the boat, so didn't quite get the shot I was after.

[Superboot]

Make sure you drive through Glen Coe. Spectacular.

[kosifantutti]

Yes as posted above I was lucky enough to get there a few years ago and it was one of the best things I have done. The football connection is one thing but the island itself is amazing. On a day trip you get enough time to walk around and see the old village (some houses have been restored) and to see the dramatic cliffs and masses of seabirds.
We went from Leverburgh on the Isle of Harris where we stayed in a self-contained cottage for a week. This was worth it too. Book for a couple of days if you can and then it is just a matter of crossing your fingers and hoping for fine weather.
I wouldn't fancy camping there - the 4-5 hours you get there on the day trip is enough.
Let me know if you have any more questions.

from memory you provided a photo gershwin?

Reprinted without permission.

[samuraisaint]

Years ago when I lived In London a mate of mine who was from Irvine invited me and my girlfriend to stay at his family home on the bleak west coast of Scotland. I never got to St. Kilda but the name St. Kilda is everywhere in Irvine. Near my mate's mum's place all the streets were named St. Kilda; St. Kilda St, St. Kilda Rd, St. Kilda Lane, St. Kilda Ave, etc.

The west coast near Stranraer is not a pretty place, but it is certainly picturesque, and the people are amazing. Have a great time. I went there in summer, and as a few have already posted, going in winter would definitely not be for the faint of heart.

[saintsRrising]

Yes as posted above I was lucky enough to get there a few years ago and it was one of the best things I have done. The football connection is one thing but the island itself is amazing. On a day trip you get enough time to walk around and see the old village (some houses have been restored) and to see the dramatic cliffs and masses of seabirds.
We went from Leverburgh on the Isle of Harris where we stayed in a self-contained cottage for a week. This was worth it too. Book for a couple of days if you can and then it is just a matter of crossing your fingers and hoping for fine weather.
I wouldn't fancy camping there - the 4-5 hours you get there on the day trip is enough.
Let me know if you have any more questions.

Thank you.

Did you day trip from or from Leverburgh nearby Berneray ?

Do you remember who you arranged the day trip through?

Was it Kilda Cruises?

http://www.kildacruises.co.uk/


For those interested there is a Trip Video
https://youtu.be/qCPS7Fs63uY

[Gershwin]

Yes as posted above I was lucky enough to get there a few years ago and it was one of the best things I have done. The football connection is one thing but the island itself is amazing. On a day trip you get enough time to walk around and see the old village (some houses have been restored) and to see the dramatic cliffs and masses of seabirds.
We went from Leverburgh on the Isle of Harris where we stayed in a self-contained cottage for a week. This was worth it too. Book for a couple of days if you can and then it is just a matter of crossing your fingers and hoping for fine weather.
I wouldn't fancy camping there - the 4-5 hours you get there on the day trip is enough.
Let me know if you have any more questions.

Thank you.

Did you day trip from or from Leverburgh nearby Berneray ?

Do you remember who you arranged the day trip through?

Was it Kilda Cruises?

http://www.kildacruises.co.uk/



For those interested there is a Trip Video
https://youtu.be/qCPS7Fs63uY

Yes it was Kilda Cruises from Leverburgh on the Isle of Harris. They were very good. The main issue determining whether the boats go or not is the sea conditions at St Kilda. They only have a very small pier there and you have to disembark from the big boat to a rubber ducky to go to the pier. If the sea is too rough this is too dangerous so the boats don't even leave to go to St Kilda. As I have mentioned we had a glorious day, flat seas and blue sky. The Outer Hebrides of Scotland are one of the loveliest and interesting places you can go to so even if St Kilda doesn't work out for you it won't be a wasted trip.