Flying back from Orkney (posting bike)

Specific board for this popular undertaking.
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Mike777
Posts: 306
Joined: 29 Sep 2008, 9:11pm

Flying back from Orkney (posting bike)

Post by Mike777 »

Hi all

It has been suggested that I could fly back from Orkney (Live in Oxfordshire) following my LEJOG trip in May 2012.

I am told it may be possible for the local bike shop in Kirkwall to package up a bike and that post it back.

Has anyone ever done this from Orkney as it could be an intetesting way to end my trip !

Many thanks for your time

Regards

Mike
Last edited by Mike777 on 15 Jan 2012, 9:28am, edited 1 time in total.
tuftyrowlands
Posts: 8
Joined: 18 Jul 2011, 1:54pm

Re: Flying back from Orkneys (posting bike)

Post by tuftyrowlands »

We did LEJOG in July August this year and whilst we didn't fly back from the Orkneys, we did from Inverness.

www.landsendtojohnogroats.weebly.com


Booked Easyjet before Christmas the year before (2010) and flew back for £22 to Bristol. The bikes were packed up in Thurso bike shop. We called them well before we set off on the trip to be sure that they reserved some boxes for us - they were extremely helpful and knowledgeable too.

In a nutshell, they charged £15 for the box and guidance on packing the bike along with helmets etc and anything else we could get in the box. Posted them for £37. Got the train to Inverbess for £17 and stayed in the YHA there. Then bus to the airport for £3.40. All this was all in walking distance as well so it was a good and cheap way to come back. ie You can walk to the train station at Thurso easily and at Inverness its a 15 minute walk from the station to the YHA. The bus actually goes past the end of the road that the YHA was in. The bikes turned up about 4 days later with Parcel Force.

So if you can fly from the Orkneys with Easyjet - definitely a good idea I would say! Good luck!
Temesvar
Posts: 5
Joined: 18 Nov 2011, 2:50pm
Location: Cambridge
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Re: Flying back from Orkneys (posting bike)

Post by Temesvar »

Yes, I did that, it worked pretty well.

I took the ferry from Gills to Orkney, stayed overnight in Kirkwall and flew back the next day with Flybe. I took my bike on the plane as booked luggage, I think it cost about £40 or so. I had to pack the bike up (front wheel off, handlebars turned straight, tyres deflated etc) in a big plastic bag which you can get from Wiggle or CTC for about £6.
Ron
Posts: 1385
Joined: 5 Jan 2007, 9:07pm

Re: Flying back from Orkneys (posting bike)

Post by Ron »

Mike777 wrote: the Orkneys

Aaarghhh!
There's only one Orkney, the plural hurts the ears of many locals. :)
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