Seeking advice on traval from NE US to Scotland by boat

I'm seeking advice and suggestions about how to get from my home in Maine to the UK, mainly western Scotland near (NW of) Glasgow.

But here's the challenge: I don't want to set foot on a commercial airline. I want to travel by boat (ship mostly), train, bus, even bush plane. Just not a commercial airline. I'd rather go by Viking longship than by commercial airline.

Yes, yes, I know air travel would be quicker (1 day vs 7 - 14) and way cheaper (I'm finding flights into London for less than $500, where as by boat, it'll cost me around $1500.) Later in the thread, especially if pressed, I'll explain why I've made this decision; there are multiple reasons, ranging from TSA ((I'm done with your cattle prodding, TSA. DONE! ) to a desire to just chill out, explore the ocean (I'm an informal student of oceanography).

When? 2018 and beyond. So, I'm well ahead of the game. No firm plans yet. I'll plan around opportunities.

Where? My main destination is County Argyll, western Scotland near Glasgow. As I'm discussing in this thread, I've recently learned that my mother's ancestors, Clan Lamont, lived there. (Cowal was our homeland, but most of my clan was wiped out by Clan Campbell; their leader reportedly migrated to Australia after the massacre.) Argyll was also the land first occupied by invading (migrating Irish) back in ... I think it was roughly 5th century; I'll check the date later. Parts of it -- notably the Islands of Bute and Aaron in the Firth of Clyde -- were inhabited by neolithic peoples.

And more: the Vikings raided there for centuries, until they were finally run off in the 1300's.

Oh, another motivation in Argyll: Lock Lomond and the Trossachs National Park, 720 sq miles.

Another reason to go to UK is that my father's ancestors -- Stone, Leftwich and Vernon -- lived in the 11th century just south in England near Liverpool in Chesire; one of them fought with William the Conqueror during the Norman Invasion, and later owned a castle there (as a result of his loyalty to William) that is no longer standing.

But I'm most drawn to Scotland; it's one of the only places outside the US I've ever wanted to visit, and still is.

My trip will involve both personal and professional components, and it won't be measured in weeks, but months -- at least. I'll also be carrying my entire wilderness kit : pack, gear, hammock, tent, etc, etc (no handgun, though), and will be producing some videos while there. (I'm also planning another trip to Newfoundland and Labrador, but Scotland is top priority for now.)

(Honestly, I'm not even completely sure I'll return to the US from there given the way this country is going , plus, I have a feeling I'm going to fall in love with Scotland the same way I have fallen in love with Maine, and for many of the same reasons: geography, geology, ecology, culture.)

My dream is to hop a cargo ship with passenger accommodations (vs a commercial "cruise" line) in Portland (Maine), Boston or NYC and get off near Glasgow, or across the northern channel in Ireland -- where I can catch a ferry. (I've already researched that part.)

But here's the challenge: how to find a boat from the northeast US to the British Isles that's preferably not a cruise line, even though I'm not ruling out a cruise line -- it's cheaper and faster.

I've spoken already with two travel agents who are doing research. The first is in my town, but she doesn't really do boats ("You'll probably have to fly to Britain," she said; if so, then I'll look elsewhere). The second is a cruise line, one of those fancy ones. I'm not interested AT ALL in a cruise with fancy food, social stuff (casinos, shows, etc). I just want a ticket on a boat. I'll entertain myself with books, laptop and watching the ocean wave. But it may be the way to go price wise, because cargo ships can be at least as expensive.

I've found several options so far, after a fair amount of research and speaking to several travel agents dealing with cruises. Most notably, iCruise.com, but I've already sent inquires to two companies that book voyages on cargo (mostly container) ships. I've also found two or three articles on using those: pros, cons, etc. I'll post them later, but I'm curious to see what others have to say first.

@nathan shepherd, any ideas from that side of the pond?

Finally, some motivation in the form of images -- none mine (yet) -- so you'll see why I'm so eager.

First, here is the Cowal Peninsula (red arrow) in Argyll. Bute Island is just south (and almost connected), and the larger Arran Island south of that out in the firth.



Satellite image of Cowal (on the left half of the map). Note Glasgow on lower right.



Loch Lomond, between Cowal and Glasglow (to the right of the map above).



Another of the Loch Lomond area.



Stone monuments erected by neolithic people on Arran Island in Firth of Clyde.

 

Even though Scotland is an English speaking country, it's really not entirely.

So, I've already begun lessons on how to speak Scots. Here's my first resource -- looks like a short course.

Uh, what's that you just said?

Hey, it's still going to be easier than Chinese, and similar in some ways to Maine.

 

I'm sure you have good google fu but this looks promising, I just googled it and came up with it.

http://cargoshipvoyages.com/

Great idea btw both method and destination. In two weeks I'll be in the English Lake District which has the mountains and the lakes but too many people for you otherwise.

Regards,

Kevin

 

Hey thanks, guys.

We're on the same wavelength here. I did find both of those pages earlier. Very good information. I sent an email to the one Kevin posted; couldn't quite parse the site. I'll let you know what they report.

I'm spending the evening watching Youtube documentaries. Tours of Glasgow (I'll visit there for sure, even though I'll spend most time outside that city), a couple about Glasgow gangs (so I know what parts of the city to avoid), the various tours of the highlands. Going to look next for videos of Argyll and Cowal specifically, and hopefully some of the western islands (including Hebrides).

Gonna have to try some good scotch, and some haggis!

And as it turns out, I have a friend on Facebook who's from Argyll!

 

This is a link to a podcast I listened to and I've just found it for you.

https://ww.hope.net/offthewall/2005/0905.html

You might get a warning about the site but the warning is BS, it's safe. You want to scroll down to the episode shown below. I've listened to this podcast for many years.

 

Thanks, Kevin! Will listen next! I need some popcorn first.

Also, just found this site: Wild about Argyll. Found it first from this video.

Very interesting. Even a page on bushcraft, and another about ATVs.

 

^ Fascinating ...

 

Taking a break from the audio log (I will finish listening tomorrow early), watching another video of the North Coast 500 -- a road that runs all the way around northern Scotland around the coast. It's nearly impossible for me to grok this landscape. It's like the peaks of the Rockies meets the desert of eastern Oregon but with a sea coast added. The vastness of it is almost inconceivable.

And even more, my mind boggles at the size of the land inside that highway loop that runs along the east, north and western coast of the entire country. Just park, get out, and walk for years in the interior.

 

Had to take a break from the videos -- so overwhelmed by the rocks and mountains of northern Scotland.

Dropped back to some text-based geology of the land.

Nearly all eons, periods and eras are represented there. All the way back to Archean eon (3.9 - 2.5 billion years ago), then Proterozoic eon (2.5 - 0.6 bya), then to the Phanerozoic eon: Periods = Cambrian, Ordovician, Silurian, Devonian, Carboniferous, Permian, Triassic, Jurassic, Cretaceous, Paleogene, Miocene, Pliocene, Pleistocene, Holocene.

It's all there. That's just unbelievably rare, to have all those exposed in one region.

I could spend another life time just looking at it, learning about it.

And it's not surprising that the father of modern geology -- James Hutton -- was from there. What he saw broke all the models of his day: unconformities suggesting massive forces causing inconceivable changes in the crust.

As a guy who still wants to be a geologist someday, all I can say is ...

Wow.



A fossil fish from the Devonian.



The main geological divisions of the country.

 

I don't really have much idea about boats from the US to Scotland. However the links above seem promising though. There are plenty of large ports in Scotland so some of these boats will make it over here I presume.

Some advice on places to visit? Argyll is nice and I know you will go there due to the family connections. It is not the landscape that most people will picture in their mind when thinking of Scotland. It's often a rolling gentle countryside. The highlands are stunning. I've included a few links of places that I think you should consider adding to your hit list.

https://www.google.co.uk/search?q=g...I_PrSAhWBB8AKHSArCA0Q_AUICCgC&biw=414&bih=628

https://www.google.co.uk/search?cli.....1c.1.64.mobile-gws-img..0.1.109.6oB_zwVVLQU

https://www.google.co.uk/search?q=m...biw=414&bih=628#hl=en-gb&tbm=isch&q=arisaig&*


https://www.google.co.uk/search?cli...KY2o#hl=en-gb&tbm=isch&q=skye+cuillin+hills&*


https://www.google.co.uk/search?cli...AO9s#hl=en-gb&tbm=isch&q=ullapool+mountains&*


Happy planning

 

@nathan shepherd , thanks a ton for those links. I've glanced at them, but will more so tonight after work.

And yes, totally understood about the countryside around Cowal. You're right that my visit there is more about family than landscapes, but I probably won't center my visit there. In fact, given my quasi-nomadic explorer genes, I'm not sure I'll "center" anywhere except -- from what I've learned so far -- in the western coast and islands, as far south as Islay and Jura.

Fortunately, I realized this morning that I have a friend living on Islay who is from the area. We know each other on Facebook, and have never met, but he's extended an invitation to visit.

Here's an update on my research. I've spent six hours online and on the phone today (and it's not over yet) with travel agents and booking agents. I now have estimates for two cruises from NYC to Southhampton (basically London) in spring, 2018, one of which stops in Cork, Ireland, and they said I can get off there (rather than going to Portugal first then London, which seems convoluted, but oh well). I'd like that since some of my genes are Irish, and I could get a ferry from Dublin to Liverpool (or a more western point), which would put me off at my father's ancestors area.

From there, I could get up to Scotland by rail. (I'm already researching rail passes; they have some very sweet deals for seniors.)

No surprise, boat (ship) fees are very large, both with gross for double occupancy around $1300 per person, with a deposit of $650 (refundable until Jan 1, 2018). But one is on the Queen Mary II. I mean, how many times in my life will I get a chance to experience that and rub elbows with rich people?



And they're already booking for 2018 (and even 2019), so I need to make some decisions within a few months.

And even though I've said I won't travel by air (while stomping my feet and holding my breath), I'm pricing them anyway as a back up plan contingent on fund raising efforts (which I'm planning now). Not only is price better, but I can get straight to Glasgow from Boston on either Aer Lingus (Irish) or Iceland Air. Prices for early 2018 are running $350 - $700. I'd rather go by boat, but getting there is top priority, so if I must ...

I'm keeping in mind that my long term funding is for not just transportation but a 6 - 12 month stay ... while I decide whether to return to the US (if and when) or remain in Scotland. Can't say yet, of course -- and won't until after I arrive. But if I had to guess right now, I'd give it a 50:50.

I've also been researching social security, medical care, etc. The first looks easy, the second less so, and is going to take a lot of work. Fortunately, at the moment, I'm a very healthy person <knocks on wood>, but that's an important detail.

 

Scurvy. Be careful of scurvy.

 

<laughing> I guess scurvy would be relevant if I have to take that viking longboat.

 

Midnight here. 5 am in Glasgow.

After an afternoon and evening of reading Wikipedia pages about William Wallace, Robert the Bruce, Montose vs Argyll, kings of England and Scotland, the Massacre at Dunoon in which my clansmen were slaughtered by a larger ruthless clan, The War of the Three Kingdoms, and other history, I'm watching this after a dinner of fried salmon, egg, cheese, bacon and pickles.

This video may be slightly dated, and low def. But it's scientifically accurate -- IMO (especially about the ice ages and geology -- and brilliantly produced to tell a story of prehistoric Scotland. I'll watch it again at least once.

 

Thanks to all who contributed ideas here. I think I've got all the boat/ship options bookmarked, and have spoken with two major cruise lines and gotten fare estimates.

However, my research for this project has revealed a challenge that is forcing me to consider moving the time frame later, probably from 2018 to 2019. Most notably, my social security will transfer over there, but a big chunk of my health coverage -- medicare -- will not. So, that's going to take extra planning. I'm working with my health insurance agent to find a workaround, but that will take some time, as will other parts of the plans (personal and professional networking, identifying places to stay, travel options in the UK, etc).

Nevertheless, this remains one of the two top priorities in my life now, the other of which -- getting my professional work onto a stable operational and financial footing. And fortunately, that is actually closely related to this one since my (eventual) trip to the UK, especially Scotland, is going to involve a professional component, both in terms of offering some of my seminars over there, in terms of collaborating with several colleges and universities, and filming videos there about ecology, geography, geology, outdoor opportunities, bushcraft, etc. The main focus of my work is in the sciences -- including ecology and geosciences -- but includes outdoor living skills (if for no other reason that to do studies in the sciences in extreme wilderness, those skills are necessary).

So, I'm going to let this thread wind to a close -- even though it's still wide open for any late-comers with boat suggestions.

But I'm going to start another thread in the same sub-forum -- Adventure, Hiking, Backpacking and Travel -- for posting and archiving resources that I need for the trip (when ever it happens) that may be useful to others. I'll copy/paste some links to maps, images, videos and pages from here to there and add others.

Once I create it -- maybe next week (not my top priority at the moment), I'll post a link here.

 

Just posting these photos in case there is anyone on this forum that like Scotland and rocks. I'm not sure that there is though.

 

Sounds like an adventure

 

I can't think of any one.



Spectacular. Thanks, @nathan shepherd. B&W photography is always so stunning, especially when shape rather than color is the quality of attention. Is that digital or analog? Large format, perchance? Reminds me of Ansel Adam's work in Yosemite.

And @mwramos76 , yes, it's going to be an adventure for sure. One of the best of my life, if not THE best.

I'm glad you guys bumped this thread. I see in my last post above that I was hedging a bit on going in 2018. That's changed now. Come hell or high water, I'm going to Scotland in 2018. My target is spring.

I'm still very unclear on what boat I'll take. Believe it or not, right now, I'm leaning toward QE 2 from NYC to Cork (Ireland) -- even though it's so not my style. (If there was a ship that size but with far less ostentatious and luxurious accommodations (designed more for rich people or wannabes), more like ocean-going bushcraft, I'd jump it. But alas ...

Cargo ships are still an option, but I'm reading there are definite downsides to that, including scheduling and more rocking (heavily loaded container ships are top heavy and lead to a rougher ride).

One of our newest forum members -- @Michael Meyer -- has booked passage across the Pacific on his walk around the world (carrying a 62 kg (130 lb) pack), and is going to share some info with me.

Once I get plans more finalized, and get my fundraising drive well under way (I'm working on the professional elements now -- notably videos -- that will be at the core of that), I'll create a thread in the Adventure, Travel, etc subforum that'll run ongoing as the adventure begins. But for now, this will suffice.

Hmm. Ships. Here's an option. Maybe I could get one of these out of Newfoundland over to Greenland, Iceland, Scandinavia, then across the channel to Orkney, then ...

 

Photos by iPhone 7 Plus.