Any national van hire outlets near JOG?

[alexeix]

Hi,

I'm planning a LEJOG trip at the end of May 2010 and am trying to work out how to get back to Reading with 3 bikes.

Flying looks expensive and problematic (dismantling the bikes).

The train looks pretty expensive too and that's just for the passengers - I don't know how much they'd charge for the bikes.

So the third option is to hire a van one way and drop it off in the south.
The only thing is, I suspect we'd need to use a large national chain, to do this for a reasonable price.

Can anyone advise where the nearest van/car hire chains to John O'Groats are located?
I haven't had any luck with Google!
Thanks.

 

[snorri]

Some thoughts
It would appear from this website that the major hire companies have agents in Thurso http://www.uksuperweb.co.uk/thurso.html

Or maybe try here http://www.taxi2.co.uk/

If you book well in advance the rail option should not be so expensive. If you can get back to Inverness, the bargain berth scheme on Scotrail offers a good deal on the sleeper to Euston. Bikes go free on Scotrail.

 

[alexeix]

Hmmm...the link to the hire companies is fine, but when you try selecting one and searching, e.g. Avis, Hertz or Thrifty, they don't actually seem to have offices in Thurso. Strange.

As for Scotrail, it seems we're looking at around £130 each on the sleeper (the only train available).
Doesn't sound like such good value when there are 3 people.

Do you think I've made a mistake with the search?

 

[Coco]

As for Scotrail, it seems we're looking at around £130 each on the sleeper (the only train available).
Doesn't sound like such good value when there are 3 people.

£130 to get you from Inverness to London? Thats 23p a mile and you get a bed thrown in too.

 

[alexeix]

Right, but I wonder if there's much difference between that and flying?

I've 'slept' on an overnighter from London to Edinburgh before and I wouldn't recommend it to anyone if they want a good night's sleep.

I appreciate the advice, so hope that doesn't come across in the wrong way.


So no national car/van hire places near Thurso???

I guess we could always cycle back...

 

[jay clock]

This place is shown as being in Thurso...not national, so poss no one way rentals but who knows....


Wm Dunnet & Co.Ltd Car Hire - Self Drive
Tel: 01847 893101
Mansons Lane
Thurso, Caithness KW14 8EP

 

[Kirstie]

The plane is not that problematic.

You get the puffin express from JoG to Inverness - about 28 quid per person.
Then you get on the Flybe plane at Inverness to wherever you want to go in England. It's about 80 quid for the flight. You don't need to dismantle the bikes to get on the plane. All you need to do is deflate the tyres and empty your waterbottles. You can get a thick polythene bike bag from the CTC, it costs about 4 quid, weighs a kilogramme and packs completely flat, so you can take it with you. Just stick your bike in the bag at the airport and Flybe will accept it like that - as illustrated in the photo:

http://michael-wright.fotopic.net/p52852064.html

You bungee your panniers together and check them in seperately. It's dead easy.

 

[snorri]

Do you think I've made a mistake with the search?

This company claim to have branch in Brora, not so far away http://www.practical.co.uk/locations.asp?loc=SCO
I thought with my local knowledge and a search engine I might have found something eluding you, but perhaps not!
I suggest phoning some of these national companies, it is possible they will have links with local suppliers and will be able to arange a deal for you. It is a little more difficult, but not impossible, for the majors to provide a city style service in the more sparsely populated areas.

 

[snorri]

As for Scotrail, it seems we're looking at around £130 each on the sleeper (the only train available).

Scotrail Bargain Berths are currently advertised at £39 per head, Inverness-London. Considering that this is actually bed and breakfast on wheeels, I think it's a good deal.

 

[robgul]

The plane is not that problematic.

You get the puffin express from JoG to Inverness - about 28 quid per person.
Then you get on the Flybe plane at Inverness to wherever you want to go in England. It's about 80 quid for the flight. You don't need to dismantle the bikes to get on the plane. All you need to do is deflate the tyres and empty your waterbottles. You can get a thick polythene bike bag from the CTC, it costs about 4 quid, weighs a kilogramme and packs completely flat, so you can take it with you. Just stick your bike in the bag at the airport and Flybe will accept it like that - as illustrated in the photo:

http://michael-wright.fotopic.net/p52852064.html

You bungee your panniers together and check them in seperately. It's dead easy.

Yebbut ... you can't book a bike on Flybe ... they only accept bikes on a "standby" basis (in other words, if there are empty seats they'll take bikes - the planes are tiny, akin to a Transit van with wings, and space is very limited) - not a satisfactory situation ... you could be on the plan and your bike is left behind.

Rob

 

[Kirstie]

Yebbut ... you can't book a bike on Flybe ... they only accept bikes on a "standby" basis (in other words, if there are empty seats they'll take bikes - the planes are tiny, akin to a Transit van with wings, and space is very limited) - not a satisfactory situation ... you could be on the plan and your bike is left behind.

Rob

I didn't have a problem when I did it... i just gave them a call and had a chat with them about it...

 

[theloafer]

friend and i have used these twice now has he lives next to gatwick airport pick up at inverness railway st or the airport site and he drops it off at gatwick
http://www.europcar.co.uk/car-hire-UNITED_KINGDOM-INVERNESS.html