great to see this announcement, the return of the ferry link between Ballycastle (Northern Ireland) and SW Scotland, opening up inter-island bike-packing possibilities up here in the north-west:
"It is possible to purchase either single or return journeys between Campbeltown and Ballycastle and between Ballycastle and Port Ellen (Islay).
Single journeys are £80 per person and return journeys are £150 per person.
Journey times are 1 hour 30 minutes between Campbeltown and Ballycastle and approximately 1 hour between Ballycastle and Port Ellen. Bikes are carried free on all journeys."
Makes for some interesting bike tour routes between this, Calmac and the usual Cairnryan ferries...
Unsure why, but that has piqued my curiosity...good stuff.
quite a good way of visualising the possibilities--
https://gravelmap.com/#8.43/55.494/-5.955/-15.2/43
Is the summer timetable out yet?
Is the summer timetable out yet?
the inf online is
Timetable dates
Operates from Friday 07 April – Monday 02 October 2023.
Operates Friday, Saturday, Sunday and Monday
Departure times
0730 Campbeltown to Ballycastle
0930 Ballycastle to Port Ellen (Islay)
1500 Port Ellen to Ballycastle
1630 Ballycastle to Campbeltown
Fares
Campbeltown – Ballycastle
Single £80pp
Return £150pp
Ballycastle – Port Ellen
Single £80pp
Return £150pp
https://kintyreexpress.com/tickets/
Did this a few years ago. It was less than half the price!
I looked recently at Stena from Belfast to Cairnryan return, as a foot passenger with a bike is now £100, it's one of those things, ferry travel ain't cheap!
I looked recently at Stena from Belfast to Cairnryan return, as a foot passenger with a bike is now £100, it’s one of those things, ferry travel ain’t cheap!
The bus is a lot cheaper - Glasgow to Belfast...
https://hannoncoach.com/belfast-to-glasgow-with-hannon-coach/
Interesting, just under eighty quid return then, I wonder how bikes are stowed on the coach?
Sail Rail with Stena is good value too but the Cairnryan to Ayr leg is now by bus, which doesn't carry bicycles...
My preference is to roll up on my bike and roll off the ferry on the other side, that's the attraction of the Kintyre Express for me despite the cost, it's where it goes from and to, cycling to/from the port just appeals.
that’s the attraction of the Kintyre Express for me despite the cost, it’s where it goes from and to, cycling to/from the port just appeals.
I get this. It's an attractive proposition. That's why I did it. Remember a full can of WD-40 though. Your bike is a salty dog after the crossing..
I looked recently at Stena from Belfast to Cairnryan return, as a foot passenger with a bike is now £100, it’s one of those things, ferry travel ain’t cheap!
A tenner each way for the bike, not so bad. Of course I had an economy ticket for me booked for £7.50 each way for June 2020.
That's nuts.