Scotland Booked 1 Week - Can't Wait

AllThingsShooting

Well-Known Member
So Highland Scotland Stalking Trip booked for 2013 with fellow SD Member. Very excited and can't wait!

Question - we are likely to get a few big stags as part of our package... We were planning to get the train up. Has anyone experienced any issues with bringing them back on the sleeper???

Could drive but 15hrs and with the cost of diesel from the south to the north is high.

Driving - Est £270
Flights - Est £140
Train - Est £105
Pallet - Est £400 (trophies)

Any recommendations on the most economical way of getting back with trophies....


Ben
 
drive...drive drive drive..train you'll not be able to bring the artillery, have to be picked up and dropped off, dependant on the trains working!!! also, you can't stop for food and they're banning alchohol consumption on trains so you'll be bored to death! oh, and you can't bring the trophies.

deffo drive, scotland without a car is no good, especially if you'll want to get away for an evening or two.
 
To be honest, once you factor in all your gear and getting from the station to wherever it is you are stalking you are probably better off sharing a car/truck and splitting the fuel costs I'd have thought?

At least you have the option of bringing back whatever you've got room for then!
 
Depends where you are going but a lot of this country is still pretty isolated, while it may cost a bit more you will have much more freedom if you drive, if you have booked with an estate or an agent your trophies should be prepared for you (boiled and cleaned) though there may will be a charge for this ,if you want something full mounted thats a different story if thats the case better to have them done up here then shipped to you again estate should be able to arrange that for you.

Should be no problem transporting them by rail if they have been cleaned rap the skulls in news paper or bubble rap
and cover the tine ends so there are no sharp points, short sections from a length of garden hose is what is usually used for this, again most estates will do this for you.

At the end of the day think you will find driving the most hassle free way to do it, or fly and hire a car from the airport, airlines except trophies if treated in the way I describe.
 
Take the car mate, carrying all your stalking gear on the train will be a bit of a chew not to mention the transporting of your rifles on the train. I would imagine you will have to change trains at Glasgow/Edinburgh as well.

You can also see a lot more of the country at your own pace.
 
Can't see the train being £105 return, thats very optimistic, the cheapest Super Off-Peak Return between London and Inverness would be nearly 10 hours duration and £150 (February 2013), and thats on selected trains only, if you open your potential journeys Off-Peak Return they want almost £240.

These prices are only available online bought in advance, you go to a station on the day and you'll be paying a lot more.
 
So Highland Scotland Stalking Trip booked for 2013 with fellow SD Member. Very excited and can't wait!

Question - we are likely to get a few big stags as part of our package... We were planning to get the train up. Has anyone experienced any issues with bringing them back on the sleeper???

Could drive but 15hrs and with the cost of diesel from the south to the north is high.

Driving - Est £270
Flights - Est £140
Train - Est £105
Pallet - Est £400 (trophies)

Any recommendations on the most economical way of getting back with trophies....


Ben

15 hrs really where are you driving from and to

I'm pretty well as south as you can get and I done north of Inverness to malcs lease in about 12 hrs
 
Depends on the vehicle obviously, but in a Grand C4 Picasso I'd probably get there (Inverness) and back (London) for less than £165 fully laden, sticking to speed limits. We obviously don't know where you're travelling from/to, but it definitely appears the car, if not cheaper, is a more practical suggestion. It would obviously take a bit longer, but if you took a trailer, then the pallet costs will be a maximum of 25% more fuel (~£40), not the £400 you're looking at.
 
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Hope Ben doesn't mind me jumping in on this thread , the cars we have the option of using are my defender and perhaps a discovery 3/4 , hence high cost of diesel and lengthy amount of time ( for the defender at least ) .

The train is cheap , we both have railcards . And there's no problem travelling with a rifle , but it depends if trophies come under animal remains not for human consumption or taxidermy which is classed as art and antiques . The former is illegal to travel with .

Its certainly something for me and Ben to think about , but we've got plenty of time to get ourselves sorted ! I think perhaps rental or borrowing is looking the best route to go .

very excited for my first Scottish trip !
 
I would definately drive. I go up there stalking every year and its all part of the fun plus you get to drive through some stunning scenery. If I was you I would just have a jar on the side and each week put ten or twenty in it by the time you go stalking you will have your holiday diesel money plus more thats what I do. Plus by taking the disco plenty of room for trophy's to come home at no extra cost. Good luck Ben
 
I would drive mate but if you do mind yourself on the A9 still a lot of cameras about on that stretch. Also £400 for a pallet seems a bit steep Caledonian logistics delivered a 3 cly Genset to me from Southhampton for £98 insured maybe check them out.

Have a good time.

Phil
 
ATS,
Am I missing something here, I thought this was an old thread hence the mention of shooting stags!
Firearms are not allowed on Trains although they turn a blind eye to it, the last thing you need is to be stopped from boarding with all your kit.
 
So Highland Scotland Stalking Trip booked for 2013 with fellow SD Member. Very excited and can't wait!

Question - we are likely to get a few big stags as part of our package... We were planning to get the train up. Has anyone experienced any issues with bringing them back on the sleeper???

Could drive but 15hrs and with the cost of diesel from the south to the north is high.

Driving - Est £270
Flights - Est £140
Train - Est £105
Pallet - Est £400 (trophies)

Any recommendations on the most economical way of getting back with trophies....


Ben

The train fair of £105 is cheap ie cattle class. I use the Inverness - London sleaper a lot and a cabin is approx £200 + for a return, depending when you book and travel [work pay!], I prefer it to flying as you don't waste a day in airports etc + I can jump on the train at Aviemore, 10 mins from house.
Train or Fly, you will need to be picked up at the other end or hire a car.

Personally, I would hire an econmomical car and drive up. Easier with firearms, trophies and kit. Also gives you some freedom.
 
I do a steady actual 76 mph according to the SatNav I'll have you know, and yes everything still overtakes me, its like I'm going backwards sometimes.
 
Done it many times, train always seems cheaper,in the end it's not, and you are in need of transport up there. All in all it's about the same cost. I stop off on the way back overnight about halfway, eases the boredom!! If you have a large collection, or a collection of large trophies you can get them packed, and I have had four returned from far North to Essex for £30, door to door. There's a couple of websites where you post your requirements and hauliers bid on it. For me 13 hours drive, v's 7 hours train, seemed great time saving travel, took door to door 15 hours on the train, once you take it all to consideration, and that's without delays.
 
Thanks all for the advice, I think we are going to drive, and head up a day before so not jumping out the car on to the hill.

makes sense, just thinking about the stress free option.
 
We have just returned from a week on the hinds in glen lyon, flying was the easiest route by miles left east sussex at 6am and we were sitting in the cottage by 1 in the afternoon same day, we flew with easyjet £180 return for 2 people and 1 rifle, (the rifle is £50 each way i believe) we hired a cheap car from the airport prepaying made it cheaper. completely stress free.
i would try and get a couirer to collect your trophies and deliver them home.
atb matt
 
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