To Ullapool by Train and Bus (2)

The third trip of my 50 at 50 adventures was in three parts over two and a bit weeks. In essence we both went to Ullapool and Skye, although via separate modes of transport, and then I went to Mallaig and Glasgow on my own.

Ullapool isn't on the railway line, the nearest station is Garve, of which more later, but there's very little at Garve and I didn't fancy getting stuck there if the bus to Ullapool didn't turn up so the best option was to take a train to Inverness and then get a bus from there (that being a better place to get stranded). Inverness is one of the places to can get to via a Scotrail sleeper and I do like those so this was an opportunity to fit in a journey on one.

It's not that cheap travelling by sleeper. There are four options. In order of descending price these are: a first class cabin to yourself, a standard class cabin to yourself, a shared standard class cabin (with a stranger of the same gender), or a reserved seat in a "seated sleeper" carriage. Neither the third or the fourth was very appealing (although I shared a cabin with a friend last year which worked fine).

I have in times past gone for a first class cabin. However this time I got smart. Scotrail offer a limited number of "bargain berths" priced at between £19 and £49 so long as you book far enough in advance. These are shared standard class berths. For this trip they had some available at £39 so I booked two, one for me, one for Beth (even though I knew she wasn't going to come with me as she had to take Jake and all our holiday cruft up in the truck). But the bottom line is that I now had a standard class cabin to myself for £78, which is the cheapest way to get a cabin to yourself. I shall do that again.

It's probably worth pausing for a second to explain about the sleeper trains. There's actually two sleeper trains to Scotland and they go to five different destinations every night except Saturday. Both start from Euston. They use one of Euston's longest platforms as the first train effectively three separate rakes of coaches, each with catering facilities, cabins and a seating carriage and there's an engine on the front and the back.

The first train sets off at about 9:45pm and trundles north up the west coast main line stopping at various places like Carlisle to pick up more passengers. Finally at about 3:30am it arrives at Edinburgh Waverley where it is split into three parts.

Looking out of the window at a deserted Edinburgh Waverley at 3:45am

One part goes to Fort William (which means it crosses back across the central belt and through Glasgow before heading north), the second to Inverness and the third to Aberdeen.

The second train sets off nearer midnight and splits at Carstairs with half going to Glasgow Central and the other half to Edinburgh Waverley.

Anyway I set off to Inverness on Wednesday 5th May. First stop on the train was the bar as I knew from my last trip that it was a pleasant place to unwind and after the trip I'd had down to London I needed to unwind¹. The bar had comfortable sofas and they come and serve you so I sat on a sofa with a pint of McEwans and watched the London suburbs speed by as we headed north.

I sleep poorly on sleepers - they're just too exciting, I'm like a big kid - which is why I got the shot above of Waverley at 3:45am. But I did then get some sleep and woke to find us north of Perth heading up the line which runs parallel with the A9 through the centre of Scotland to Inverness.

6:45am on a grey morning as we head through the Cairngorms alongside the A9

At about 8:30am the train pulled into Inverness. It was still grey and overcast but at least it was dry and I had all day to explore the town.

Arriving at Inverness

But first important things. In standard class you get tea and a some shortbread for breakfast and that's your lot² so once I'd had a look round and found the bus station I repaired to the bus station greasy spoon for a proper breakfast.

An excellent breakfast at a greasy spoon near the bus station

I then spent the rest of the day wandering around Inverness (lots of photos of that here) before getting on the coach to Inverness. I'd booked that a week earlier via the Scottish Citylink web site. Not only was it cheaper that way but I could print my own ticket rather than relying on the post.

Ullapool Village Hall

Finally after an hour and twenty minutes the bus delivered me in Ullapool where I was due to stay Thursday night at Woodlands B&B³ ready for Ullapool Book Festival which began on Friday at the village hall (and was the reason I'd arrived a day before Beth).

Beth and Jake then joined me on Friday for a week and a day in a cottage in Ullapool.

1. I'd bought an Oyster card as I'd discovered that I could save a lot of money on Tube fares that way (e.g. typical zone 1 single fare: £4 cash, £1.50 via Oyster card!) and this was my first chance to try it. I got off the train at Finsbury Park as this was the most direct tube connection to Euston. Except my Oyster card didn't work and told me to get assistance ... but there were no London Transport staff on the station!

   Luckily I'd bought a ticket to Kings Cross and there were lots of trains coming through to there so I was able to hop on another train and go to Kings Cross. There I tried the Oyster card again. It still failed. A kindly London Transport man explained why: I've still got my bus pass in my wallet and it turns out it's a smart card too, so it was interfering with the Oyster card. Separate the two and the reader read the Oyster card no problem. Phew. But lucky I'd allowed lots of time for this leg huh?

2. It's not a lot better in first to be honest: the "bacon roll" is microwaved - yuck!
3. Nice place: WiFi, good breakfast, interesting proprietor, if you ever stay ask him for his life story.