The Fridays Tour

[GrumpyGregry]

One cheap option if it's available at the time and if you're 55 or older is ScotRail's 55Club ticket. The 55Club fare between any two stations in Scotland is £19; and, for the promotion, Carlisle and Berwick stations are included in Scotland. It would be a gamble, however, to wait to see if 23rd June or a few days after was to be in such a promotion.

Not planning on staying for four years!

 

[mmmmartin]

A minor update on my camping plans: after speaking to some others after the Hills & Mills audax from Hailsham today, I think the best strategy is to wait and see which campsites folk are going to, which is where the van will be dropping the kit, and then book to stay there. That will make life much easier for the man in the van, and more social.
Having said that, if when it comes to the ride, there is a space in a room going on the occasional night, then I might take that. Camping is the cheapest option, which is why I'm doing it, but a few nights indoors is no bad thing.
So if people have worries because they have a twin room with only one person footing the bill, this problem might evaporate nearer the time.

 

[snorri]

Middlemas Junction (I think that's what it's called)
One cheap option if it's available at the time and if you're 55 or older is ScotRail's 55Club ticket.

It's Georgemas Junction.
The current Club55 offer closes on 31st March, I cannot recall it being offered through the peak season in previous years.
http://www.scotrail.co.uk/club55

 

[theclaud]

As it happens, mintyarselard is on my mind.

Are you sure you've been reading the Instructions For Use correctly?

 

[theclaud]

I saw Shame yesterday. Michael Fassbender's arse qualifies for that description.
As you were.

This thread is useless without pics...

 

[Moodyman]

I've updated Dell on my return from JOG, but thought it might be worth sharing with others.

Saturday evening (23rd), ride back to Wick with The Fridays, have a few beers, stay in B&B (Harbour House £30 per night).

Sunday visit The Spot Bicycles, who'll charge £50 to box and post bike to home (Bradford).

After this, walk to Wick airport and catch flight to Manchester at 4.30pm (Flybe.com - £105 with add-ons). Catch evening train from Manchester Airport to Bradford. Arrive home mid evening.

Train return home cost £160 with a 19 hour journey. Still no guarantee of bike space.

 

[dellzeqq]

Eddie C has a share of a twin available at Burnbank (Kinross) and Bellhaven (Wick) - e-mail me for details

 

[dellzeqq]

Nasir - it's certainly worth a thought. Fifty quid is a fair bit for disassembly, packaging and postage but maybe they would be willing to do a number of bikes for less.

I realise I've not been too forthcoming on the transport back for people outside the southeast (and, for that matter, thus far you're about the only one out of the southeast) but I'd have thought we could have worked something out. Apologies, though, because I should have dealt with it.

 

[rb58]

I've updated Dell on my return from JOG, but thought it might be worth sharing with others.

Saturday evening (23rd), ride back to Wick with The Fridays, have a few beers, stay in B&B (Harbour House £30 per night).

Sunday visit The Spot Bicycles, who'll charge £50 to box and post bike to home (Bradford).

After this, walk to Wick airport and catch flight to Manchester at 4.30pm (Flybe.com - £105 with add-ons). Catch evening train from Manchester Airport to Bradford. Arrive home mid evening.

Train return home cost £160 with a 19 hour journey. Still no guarantee of bike space.

I'd be interested in this option too, but will hold off in case there's a group thing going on.

 

[StuAff]

Just had a look at the various options for my return home.
Sleeper all the way back: £177 or so. I think not, not least because I'll not take the Monday off work if I can help it and that leaves me no time to get ready..

Wick-Gatwick flight, changing at Edinburgh & leaving 1630: £95, 3hrs 40 mins. Then a tenner or less to get back home on the train (£5 advance fare £9.85 anytime), a further ninety minutes. So not bad...

Inverness-Gatwick: EasyJet 1345 & 2045 £38, 1hr 35, BA 0705 (er, no!) & 1710 £68. But then the problem of getting back to Inverness airport- paying the taxi fare, from £125 for four, assuming there were enough people to share, seems like the only practical option to make check-in without leaving Wick at the crack of dawn or hanging about for hours. Train is 4 hours & leaves at 1153, and still have to make a connection to the airport, bus is 3 hours (arriving Inverness bus station 1025, 1240, 1425, 1632) and again, I'd have to get to the airport from there- buses one an hour at five past the hour and taking 25 minutes, or a taxi from there.

Wick to Southampton: 1630, changing at Edinburgh, £106 (3hrs 25) or £86 (with a two-hour longer wait at Edinburgh). Train from Southampton Aiport Parkway under an hour and £6.25. Unless there are a few peeps for a taxi share for Inverness airport in time for the 1345 flight, winner, methinks...

 

[StuAff]

Nasir - it's certainly worth a thought. Fifty quid is a fair bit for disassembly, packaging and postage but maybe they would be willing to do a number of bikes for less.

Worth a try....Not sure if I'd take that option up, but it would save me a trip to the smoke...

 

[dellzeqq]

please don't call Spot until I've had a word with them - I'm bound to be asked by people, so I might as well find out for myself. I'm also going to call my brother and ask him how much he pays for sending bikes FedEx.

As for the travel home - it would be sensible to wait a week or two. I've had two more people sign up today. There may be more in the pipeline. If we start getting in to the thirties the sums change - and we can start looking seriously at the coach.

 

[Cayopro]

Ive just looked at one way car hire from Inverness airport back to Stevenage, 2 day hire, 2 bikes and luggage in the back, it £100 + petrol........

 

[AKA Bob]

Simon,
This might be worth some investigation too? http://www.johnogroatsbiketransport.co.uk/

 

[dellzeqq]

a bit pricier than the operation upthread

Ive just looked at one way car hire from Inverness airport back to Stevenage, 2 day hire, 2 bikes and luggage in the back, it £100 + petrol........

again - please hold off booking stuff. I'd have thought that the seven person jobbies from Avis at Inverness Airport might be a better bet - but taking hire vehicles from Inverness still leaves us with the problem of getting bikes to Inverness. That's where the second van option might come good, and, with more people, the coach might come in to its own