Getting back from JoG...

[HorTs]

What are the options?

I don't really want to spend another day cycling to Durness for the Bike Bus, nor cycling back down to Inverness.

Anybody tried hiring a car or van?

 

[cnb]

I did the le jog a few years back..We rode back to Wick caught the train to Inverness then hired a car point to point..Dropped it off in Newcastle nr where we lived

 

[growingvegetables]

It used to be that "carrying a bike on Scotrail between Wick/Thurso and Inverness" actually meant them transporting the bikes in a van, while you went on the train.

Don't know if it's still true - and I'm struggling to find it now; I'll keep looking

Ach - no longer true. But is this any use?

http://www.atob.org.uk/bike-rail/uk-bike-rail-restrictions/#ScotRail

 

[robgul]

Train from Wick or Thurso to Inverness (it's the same train - not many each day) is perfectly feasible BUT you MUST, MUST book and get a PHYSICAL BIKE RESERVATION TICKET* From Inverness there are several trains going south.

Or there are a couple of options in the Links at www.cycle-endtoend.org.uk (not cheap, but shared it starts to get reasonable)

Mick F may be along shortly suggesting the bike on a pallet air-freight option from Wick airport.

AFAIK hiring a one-way vehicle that far north is unlikely.

* See Journal 176 at the Cycle : End-to-End site for a sorry story about the train

Rob

 

[HorTs]

I guess what I have been reading is out of date. It was saying that you couldn't take bikes on the Thurso/Wick trains.

 

[theloafer]

we caught the train from Thurso to Inverness but as rob says is perfectly feasible BUT you MUST, MUST book and get a PHYSICAL BIKE RESERVATION TICKET* From Inverness then we used these
http://www.europcar.co.uk on a one way hire picked up just outside inverness station and my mate dropped it off at gatwick where he lives also used them to get back from our west coast trip too

 

[robgul]

.... I forgot - someone that contacted me via the Cycle E2E website did post a soft bike bag to, I think, The Seaview Hotel at JOG - part dismantled the bike to go in the bag and got the bus to Inverness and then the train south. Don't know he fared.

AND - for some of our Boys' Outings we have an "emergency bike bag" in case of train issues .... it's a sheet of the non-woven fabric that's used for weed control in gardens + a roll of tape + some long cable ties (all packed in a polythene envelope and then either taken on the journey or posted to the final night B&B) - remove wheels & pedals (oh, you'll need a pedal spanner!), lower saddle, turn forks and cable tie handlebars to top tube, cable tie wheels either side of frame, shroud in the fabric and tape - carry onto the train as luggage.

Rob

 

[HorTs]

Thanks for all the suggestions. If the Thurso/Wick trains now take bikes then that seems like the best option for me.