Long stay ferry parking - Outer Hebrides, Orkney, Shetland

[gloomyandy]

Hi folks. It has been a few years since my last bike trip to the islands and I get the impression that things have changed over that time. I'm at the planning stage for a trip and am trying to understand the options for leaving a car long term at various mainland ferry ports. I'd like to get some up to date information if I can, I've had a look at various "online" sources (including various threads on here) and many seem to be rather vague (or contradict others) or are out of date. I've summarised my current understanding for various ports below:
Oban:
In the past I've parked on the coast road south of the harbour but my understanding is that this is now all pay and display. I've seen comments about possible long term parking in some of the council car parks, but can't see any information about this on the council web site. It seems you may also be able to pay a reasonable fee to park Roseview campsite, but unfortunately they no longer take tents so I'd have to camp elsewhere and then drop off the car if I used them.

Mallaig:
I've parked in the East bay car park before and it seems this is still available and free for up to 7 days. A possible problem with Maillaig is that the sailings to S. Uist seem to often be disrupted and have very limited capacity at the moment.

Uig (Isle of Skye):
In the past I've parked alongside the harbour (between the sea and the ferry lanes), but the last time I went that way that parking was closed due to development at the harbour. Is it still possible to park long term in Uig?

Gills Bay (Orkney ferry):
Previously I've been able to leave my car at the ferry terminal for free, it seems like this is still the case, has anyone had any issues?

Other routes:
I'd be interested to hear of any possible parking for the North Link ferry both to Shetland and to Orkney.

A further possibility would be to park at Lochaline and include Mull in my plans, does anyone know if parking long term is possible there?

[simonhill]

If you look on Google maps in Streetview you can 'walk' down the roads and look at the signs and markings. Double click on the road to view (may be easier in satellite mode).

Check the date of the photo.

[gloomyandy]

If you look on Google maps in Streetview you can 'walk' down the roads and look at the signs and markings. Double click on the road to view (may be easier in satellite mode).

Check the date of the photo.

Yes that's how I discovered that the place I used to park in Oban is now pay and display and that the parking in Mallaig is limited to 7 days.

[irc]

I parked at MacQueens when I was going to Mull for a couple of days. Not free but as far as I remember not too expensive. 5 minutes ride from the pier.

https://www.macqueenbros.com/contact-us

Alternatively the roads nearby look unrestrictee if you were happy to park on the street.

[v_perjorative]

Other routes:
I'd be interested to hear of any possible parking for the North Link ferry both to Shetland and to Orkney.

I'm planning a couple of weeks in Orkney in July, so have been pondering similar questions.
The long stay carpark at Scrabster (North Link Ferry) is £15/week, which I think is acceptable.
https://www.northlinkferries.co.uk/the- ... scrabster/

Also, the food at the Ferry Inn was pretty damned good the last time I was up there (admittedly about 15 years ago).

[irc]

I just checked prices. A car and driver return is £45 for Oban to Mull. If I was going cycling to Mull for more than a long weekend I would book my car on and take it over. Less hassle and no more expensive than paying for long term parking in Oban.

Seems a waste of ferry provision but if they don't encourage people to park and ride this will happen. How hard would it be to provided cheap/free parking on the outskirts of the town somewhere. Cyclists could ride to the pier. Pedestrians could taxi/shuttle bus.

[gloomyandy]

I just checked prices. A car and driver return is £45 for Oban to Mull. If I was going cycling to Mull for more than a long weekend I would book my car on and take it over. Less hassle and no more expensive than paying for long term parking in Oban.

I considered doing something similar a few years ago and mentioned it on here. A Mull resident suggested that parking near the ferry port on Mull is in high demand by locals and requested that I didn't do it.

I've asked about Oban parking on the facebook CalMac group and had folks recommend parking at the Kerrera ferry. This also had a couple of locals commenting that this gets very busy and asking that I not use it.

It seems there are a few "secure parking" options available for around £10 per day and you can book to park in the Tesco car park (which can be busy) for around £48.

I'm currently toying with driving to Port Appin and getting the ferry from there to Lismore (an island I've not visited before). I'd leave my car at the Port Appin parking, spend a day or two on Lismore then get the ferry to Oban and then the ferry out to Barra or wherever. If I return to Oban I'd probably go back via Lismore (I like ferries!) to avoid cycling on the busy roads north of Oban.

[POIDH]

Oban: just go up by Mossfield Stadium / Rugby Club area. There is street parking and it is as safe as street parking can be.
I used to leave car in either Dunstaffanage or Ganavan and take the cycle route in, but that has been closed down now
Do not use Kerrera - we went for the day a fortnight ago and there was one space left for day travellers, with a few locals suggesting folk the shortage of space was a combination of long term local car dumpers and visitors using it as parking for Mull Ferry...Which led to a few folk missing the ferry and having to walk back from Oban.

Islay, Jura, Colonsay and Oronsay - Kennacraig has loads of free parking.

Arran - it used to be easy to stay in the free car park at Ardrossan, but I am not sure if this still exists so that you can pedal down to the ferry at Saltcoats. To be fair, easiest way was to get a train down....

Gills Bay (Orkney ferry): was free last summer still, lots of room as well.

Aberdeen/Shetland: there is lots of free on-street parking in Aberdeen. The Esplanade road is free parking - go right to the East/South End- leaving a last few hundred metres of grotty, busy roads into the ferry terminal. Not a great feeling area, but there are the surf schools etc set up there and we have not had a problem.

[matt2matt2002]

Other routes:
I'd be interested to hear of any possible parking for the North Link ferry both to Shetland and to Orkney.

I'm planning a couple of weeks in Orkney in July, so have been pondering similar questions.
The long stay carpark at Scrabster (North Link Ferry) is £15/week, which I think is acceptable.
https://www.northlinkferries.co.uk/the- ... scrabster/

Also, the food at the Ferry Inn was pretty damned good the last time I was up there (admittedly about 15 years ago).

I'm just back from 4 days on Orkney. My fourth time there . I pop up on the ferry from Aberdeen .
Yes, the food is very good at the Ferry Inn
Long stay carpark. Yes, Scrabster is ok. Check out the web site
There are big island games this year on Orkney so accommodation will be tricky then . Also a big Blues festival, same accommodation issues . Dates on the web.
Lovely island.
This time I visited Hoy and Rousaay.
Stayed at Kirkwall hostel.

Matt

[irc]

Islay, Jura, Colonsay and Oronsay - Kennacraig has loads of free parking.

I would dispute that. When I visited Islay last spring there was no parking at Kennacraig. Every space taken. As I was cycling I parked at the roadside half a mile or so south on the main road and cycled back.

[POIDH]

Islay, Jura, Colonsay and Oronsay - Kennacraig has loads of free parking.

I would dispute that. When I visited Islay last spring there was no parking at Kennacraig. Every space taken. As I was cycling I parked at the roadside half a mile or so south on the main road and cycled back.

By heck that's busy!

Noted as we're planning a camp on a Friday soon at the port and then out to Colonsay for the day...

[irc]

Islay, Jura, Colonsay and Oronsay - Kennacraig has loads of free parking.

I would dispute that. When I visited Islay last spring there was no parking at Kennacraig. Every space taken. As I was cycling I parked at the roadside half a mile or so south on the main road and cycled back.

By heck that's busy!

Noted as we're planning a camp on a Friday soon at the port and then out to Colonsay for the day...

I parked here. As close to the sign as I could get. It is a bus stop layby but I'm confdent I wasn't obstructing it parked right at the end as far off the road as I could get.

https://maps.app.goo.gl/L2aBrHt85rur6Pz29

[eileithyia]

Last year when we were looking for parking in Oban for the day we were advised via here to try Longsdale Road car and coach park.... which was fine until i couldn't get the machine to increase the hours required to park beyond 6 hours... not suitable for our requirements so i ended up street parking oppsite the entrance...... as someone was leaving one of the houses at the time we checked with them and they said it would be perfectly ok... PA34 5JZ