Hi Stacey - have you looked at the ferry website http://www.northlinkferries.co.uk ? That will give you the ferry times from Stromness to Scrabster. This website also provides links to the bus company timetables between Scrabster and Inverness so you should be able to plan the journey from that. Good luck!

Theoretically it's possible although this being Britain nothing is simple or clear!

there is a government travel website for Scotland but it's so bad I'm not even bothering with the link!

There are a couple of short ferry routes but the one linked previously seems to be the one you need.

That gives official info on the ferries and a guide to coach connections.

The ferry company say the coach is a 958 operated by Citylink but if you go to http://www.citylink.co.uk/index.php and use the journey planner it gives you detail of the Stagecoach X99! You can book the coach from that link - whatever the route number is. Do not try and ask for through times from Scrabster to the Airport, it isn't that clever.

The official summer timetable from Stagecoach is http://www.stagecoachbus.com/timetables/guide6Caithnessnorthsutherland180509webpdf[1].pdf which doesn't work automatically because of the odd bit at the end!! You'll have to copy and paste that into your browser, you need page 7. the airport connection is in http://www.stagecoachbus.com/timetables/Jet180509.pdf.

With me so far? This is where it gets confusing. The various companies can't agree on the time of the ferry but it's a fair bet the coach will wait for it. The bottom line is that you need to be at Stromness by about 06:00 and will get to Inverness Airport before 14:00.

Funny enough there was an economics expert on BBC this morning saying Britain hadn't seen the influx of foreign visitors they expected because of the pound being low. Maybe if he tried planning a journey he'd realise why - they've given up and gone somewhere else!!!

Steve, you are a star but it still gives me a headache. Now I know why there arent that many people on the Orkney islands- they cant get there! I thought we would fly from Brum to Inverness then on the way back get a ferry, then a bus to the airport and fly home- Simples!
We really cant afford to spend a lot of money so I am trying to find the cheapest way possible of doing it, however I have now got to the sod it point! I think we are just going to fly there and back all the way with FlyBe (the only airline that does this!) The flight times are a bit pants but it can be done for £125 each, which is more than I wanted to pay.
Easy jet can do Luton- Inverness return for £120 Total but we would then have to shell out for buses, ferries, extra petrol etc. Right I am going to lie diwn in a darkened room,
Thanks again!

Now I know why there arent that many people on the Orkney islands- they can't get there! I thought we would fly from Brum to Inverness then on the way back get a ferry, then a bus to the airport and fly home- Simples!

I think that your main problem is that you want to go via Inverness and the Scrabster ferry! It's a much simpler connection to fly to Aberdeen and get the ferry from there to Kirkwall on Orkney or even an onward Aberdeen/Kirwall flight. Yes, it's a longer ferry journey from Aberdeen but the airport is only a 20 min bus ride on a frequent service from the main bus station which is 10 mins walk from where the ferry docks. £125 return from Birmingham to Kirkwall is an exceptionally good price - it can cost this much just for a return flight from Aberdeen or Edinburgh and personally I would jump at it before it goes up further. Travel around the Highlands and islands is neither cheap nor easy because only 10% of the UK population lives in Scotland and close to 2/3rds of the population of Scotland lives in the 'Central Belt' ie Glasgow and Edinburgh and the corridor in between. Welcome to my world

SM

Thanks SM I dont know why but I thought it would be easy! I think we are now going to travel up on Friday evening with my sister and fly back to Birmingham. Seems like the easiest option.

It ought to be easy but as with so many things in thinly populated areas it often isn't! People who live on the islands can access subsidised fares but for 'offcomers' it can be expensive. I think that in the end you've chosen the simplest option - get yourself a window seat in front of the wings if possible because if it's a clear day the views will be fantastic :-)

SM

there is a citylink bus that meets the orkney ferry at ~ 08:45 hrs at scrabster pier that will take you to inverness bus station from their you can get a bus to the airport , no problem atall.

the gills and john o groats ferry's are cheaper but not as good for transport links.
If you were driving I'ld recommend the new gills ferry much cheaper for cars and brand new.

Thanks very much my sister and brother in law are driving up so I will let them know anout the new ferry.