Keeping the Ferry Frenzy kettle boiling right up to the election, BBC Scotland today has the above and:
The owner of a South Uist tourism business has said they are dealing with a wave of cancellations thanks to on-going disruption on the ferry network. The island remains without a direct mainland ferry after CalMac said the route’s usual vessel – the MV Lord of the Isles – is required to operate services elsewhere.
It comes after weeks of ferry disruption across the network, with almost a third of CalMac’s fleet out of action at the start of April. The company says its services are now stabilising but Archie MacLellan, who owns Uist Travel Accomodation Limited in Daliburgh, said he is seeing a lot of visitors cancelling trips.
There is a regular ferry service to North Uist. The main direct route is over the Sky Bridge to Uig on the Isle of Skye and then to Lochmaddy (the main port on North Uist), less than 1 hour from Lochboisdale in South Uist.
What is the time, from Glasgow, to get to Lochboisdale via Mallaig ferry versus the bridge to Skye and the Uig to Lochmaddy ferry?
1. Via Mallaig Ferry (Direct to Lochboisdale)
- Driving Glasgow to Mallaig: ~144–151 miles, 3–3.5 hours (realistically 3.5–5 hours allowing for traffic, single-track sections on the A830 “Road to the Isles,” and scenic stops). rome2rio.com
- Ferry Mallaig to Lochboisdale: 3 hours 30 minutes. This route runs daily in summer (frequency varies; often 1–2 sailings per day, with some tidal adjustments). no26bythesea.com
- Total door-to-door estimate: 8–10 hours on a good day (driving + ferry + check-in/waiting). Some older estimates suggest around 7h 55m for the core journey, but add buffer for real-world conditions. exceptthekylesandwesternisles.blogspot.com
2. Via Skye Bridge + Uig to Lochmaddy Ferry (Then Drive South)
- Driving Glasgow to Uig (Skye): ~226 miles, 4.5–6 hours (via A82 through Glencoe to the Skye Bridge, then A87 north; allow extra for traffic and photo stops). rome2rio.com
- Ferry Uig to Lochmaddy (North Uist): 1 hour 40–45 minutes. Usually 1–2 sailings daily, 7 days a week in summer. visitouterhebrides.co.uk
- Driving Lochmaddy to Lochboisdale: 42 miles via the A865 causeways through Benbecula, 55–70 minutes. calmac.co.uk
- Total door-to-door estimate: 8–11 hours (driving legs + short ferry + check-in). The sea crossing is much shorter, but you add island driving.
So, pretty much the same travel time to Archie MacLellan’s self-catering chalets?
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Talking-up Scotland 
And for those whose sea legs are not in the best condition, much more enjoyable!
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Maybe wrong but is the South Uist ferry route not conditional on Ferry availability, is it not the case that the South Uist ferry is the fleet spare tyre?
Stuart McNicoll
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