pentland ferries
book pentland ferries today with urltoken – all pentland ferries routes available to book including gills bay and st margarets hope .
at urltoken you are able to obtain live pentland ferries ticket prices, check availability, view ferries timetables and book pentland ferries car and passenger ferry tickets at our lowest available ticket price .
pentland firth crossing to orkney with pentland ferries. the crossing takes approximately one hour during which you will sail through the pentland firth and into the orkney archipelago .
travelling by pentland ferries is a quick, easy and stress free way to get there and back again. book you pentland ferries car or passenger ferries tickets with us and enjoy more choice and flexibility .
with urltoken you can book ferries to orkney and scotland with pentland ferries - st margaret' s hope, gills bay .
pentland ferries previously owned two other ex - caledonian macbrayne ferries – the iona, later renamed pentalina b, and the claymore .
discounted group travel with pentland ferries - urltoken offer a dedicated personal and affordable pentland ferries group and coach party ferry passenger reservation service offering you the lowest available ferry rates .
a family - owned ferry company, pentland ferries has been offering crossings between the pentland firth and the orkney islands since 2001 .
booking pentland ferries tickets has never been easier, compare all pentland ferries prices in real time and book the cheapest available pentland ferries tickets to and from gill' s bay in caithness to st margaret' s hope and south ronaldsay in orkney online with instant confirmation .
the vessel will be sold to pentland ferries for freight work and working with the renewable energy sector around orkney and the pentland firth .
to obtain a pentland ferries ticket price and book your ferry ticket securely online please use the real time ferries booking form on the left .
pentland ferries ticket reservations, ferry timetables and passenger information for pentland ferries sailing to and from gill' s bay in caithness to st margaret' s hope and south ronaldsay in orkney .
you can use aferry to book a pentland ferry to orkney and scotland. pentland ferries is a family owned ferry company and has been is offering crossings between the pentland firth and the orkney islands since 2001. aferry always has cheap prices for pentland ferries and the latest special offers .
stagecoach operates a local service between thurso and gill' s bay to connect with pentland ferries .
choose pentland ferries ferries for the cheapest ferry ticket prices to and from gill' s bay in caithness to st margaret' s hope and south ronaldsay in orkney .
pentland ferries operates regular crossings to orkney from gills bay on the mainland to st margaret’s hope on south ronaldsay .
be aware! i went to book with pentland ferries, but got auto transferred to aferry (also ...
take the 21st century pentland firth crossing to orkney with pentland ferries. the crossing takes approximately one hour between gills bay near john o’groats to st margaret’s hope during which you will sail through the pentland firth and into the orkney archipelago .
you can use aferry to book pentland ferries to st margaret' s hope and gills bay. see below for the latest pentland ferries prices and sailing times. click on your ferry route for a detailed timetable with arrival and departure times .
pentland ferries: the pentalina b left st margaret' s hope bound for ipswich today to resume livestock trade to dunkirk .
pentland ferries is a family owned ferry company and has been offering crossings between the pentland firth and the orkney islands since 2001. if you choose to take the 21st century pentland firth crossing to orkney with pentland ferries the crossing only takes one hour during which you will sail through the pentland firth and into the orkney archipelago. this is the shortest and quickest sea route to orkney with your car! so, whenever you choose to use the pentland ferries gills bay st margaret' s hope ferry route, you are bound to have a relaxing and enjoyable journey .
ferry logistics offer a personal and affordable pentland ferries freight and cargo ferries reservation service to and from gill' s bay in caithness to st margaret' s hope and south ronaldsay in orkney .
with the latest pentland ferries crossing information and timetables for all ferries sailing to and from gill' s bay in caithness to st margaret' s hope and south ronaldsay in orkney including information on the ferry ports and useful tourist information about the destinations our detailed route and city maps will help you plot your pentland ferries ferry journey .
to view other pentland ferries ferry routes or ferry times, please select your route, month and year and click
view
.
pentland ferries fleet consist of two ships the mv claymore and the pentalina b. the facilities onboard the pentland ferries are limited due to the duration of the crossing, however you will find nice relaxing lounges with views across the firth and a cafeteria with snack bar and toilets .
in the unlikely event you find the same all inclusive pentland ferries ticket cheaper in the brochure of any other tour operator we promise that we will do our best to beat that price or offer you the choice of requesting a refund. to book pentland ferries tickets please click here .
pentland ferries' latest ship, the mv pentalina, is more environmentally - friendly compared with other operators, and connects to a cleaner shoreside electricity supply overnight, making it far
greener
than older ferries .
pentland ferries offers fantastic fares to and from gill' s bay in caithness to st margaret' s hope and south ronaldsay in orkney ferry ports .
scotland’s pentland ferries is building a £14 million (us $ 17 million) catamaran to replace its current pentalina ferry, according to local media reports .
whenever you choose to use the pentland ferries gills bay st margaret' s hope ferry route, you are bound to have a relaxing and enjoyable journey .
this is the shortest and quickest sea route to orkney with your car. pentland ferries ltd offer the shortest crossing time to orkney for cars and passengers .
our specialist pentland ferries group travel team will secure the best deal for you and your passengers. the only requirement to qualify for discounted group travel ferry rates is that your party should be at least ten people and travel at the same time. for more information about group travel on pentland ferries please click here .
if are travelling by car, with your family or as a solo foot passenger book a ferry crossing with pentland ferries and arrive at your destination refreshed, relaxed and happy .
the orkney bus in partnership with john o' groats ferries, t: 01955 611353 .
6. 2. 4 serco northlink ferries operates in a commercially competitive market across the pentland firth. this research is not seen to be representative of the commercial application of fares .
pentland ferries managing director andrew banks said (according to john o’groat journal): “trade has been building up each year and we have been running at full capacity so we needed a bigger vessel. ”
pentland ferries offer up to 4 departures daily each way during peak travel months, making up to 50 crossings on the pentland firth each week at peak times, and the shorter, more sheltered crossing between gill’s bay and st. margaret’s hope is less susceptible to high waves than other more exposed routes .
the facilities on - board the pentland ferries are limited due to the duration of the crossing however, you will find nice relaxing lounges with views across the firth and a cafeteria with snack bar and toilets .
pentland ferries' newest ship pentalina is a fast catamaran that provides an even faster service and a greater carrying capacity reducing the crossing time between st. margaret' s hope and gills bay to under an hour .
book pentland ferries tickets to and from gill' s bay in caithness to st margaret' s hope and south ronaldsay in orkney online in advance at urltoken and you will always enjoy our cheapest available ferry ticket price .
pentland ferries recently added a cafe at their terminal for the comfort of passengers travelling with them. no doubt others in the area may appreciate a snack or cup of tea or coffee if they are in the area .
pentland ferries fleet consist of two ships the mv claymore and the pentalina b. the facilities onboard the pentland ferries are limited due to the duration of the crossing, however you will find nice relaxing lounges with views across the firth and a cafeteria with snack bar and toilets. there are great opportunities to see wide selections of wildlife such as seals, puffins, killer whales and sea birds while onboard thanks to panoramic lounges and sundecks. urltoken
pentland ferries: the company is currently on restricted passenger numbers until further notice and it is advisable to telephone and book. passengers are requested to ensure they arrive at the ferry terminal at least 30 minutes before the scheduled departure time .
best price guarantee - we always offer you our lowest available pentland ferries ticket price and there are no hidden extras or surprises such as added fuel surcharges or booking fees and we also we do not charge you anything extra for paying for your ferry ticket with a visa electron card. the price we quote for your selected pentland ferries car or passenger ferry ticket, onboard accommodation and vehicle type is all you will pay for your ferry ticket, and that' s a promise !
you can take your cat or dog on your pentland ferries sailing. when you select your preferred route, simply select the number of dogs or cats that you are travelling with. if the option is not available, please contact us .
pentland ferries: due to technical issues the company has had to cancel all sailings on friday 30th january, if you are booked on any of the sailings please contact them to make alternative arrangements. pentland ferries apologises for any inconvenience caused. also... hms ark royal is currently in scapa flow, passengers travelling on the ferry today should have an excellent view of her as the claymore will be passing quite close on her route between gill' s bay and st margaret' s hope .
pentland ferries: the company will shortly be issuing a new timetable for 2009 to reflect the introduction of the new pentalina. customers are advised to continue booking as normal, any passenger affected by the changes will be informed as soon as the timetable is issued .
pentland ferries is a family run business, owned by andrew and susan banks who established the business in 2001. currently the company owns two ships, the mv pentalina and mv pentalina - b. the company owned the mv claymore for 7 years before selling it in april 2009 .
pentland ferries was started by its present managing director, andrew banks in 1997. he attempted to start a ferry service between the cromarty firth at invergordon and orkney. being unable to generate enough freight, or get a subsidy, the service was abandoned and the vessel laid up .
independent questionnaire conducted for pentland ferries ltd by' survey monkey' about the desirability of a' real' short - sea - crossing of pentland firth gills harbour, caithness to a' new' ro: ro terminal at burwick, just eight miles across the water. give your views in the survey here folk in caithness who travel by ferry to orkney have only a few more days to vote if they would like to see a new route developed from gills harbour that would cut the pentland firth sea - crossing time to just half - an - hour .
pentland ferries is a family run business which operates a ferry crossing across the pentland firth. the purpose - built catamaran, mv pentalina, sails from st margaret' s hope in orkney to gills bay in caithness running 3 return crossings per day in winter and 4 return crossings per day in the summer months. the journey by ferry takes just one hour making it the shortest sailing to or from orkney with your car .
citylink from the main scottish bus stations to aberdeen and scrabster that connect with the northlink ferries. scottish citylink coaches ltd, t: 08705 505050 .
pentland ferries counts two ships in their fleet: the mv claymore and the pentalina b. the facilities onboard are kept to the strict necessary as the crossings are just under 1 hour, however, there are nice relaxing lounges with views across the firth and a cafeteria with snack bar and toilets .
all sailings on the pentland firth route have been cancelled from saturday 31 / 01 / 09 up to and including wednesday 4 / 02 / 09 .
be aware! i went to book with pentland ferries, but got auto transferred to aferry (also reviewed on tripadvisor) who took my credit card details without revealing i had been transferred, or who they were. (foolish i know, but i am 81 years old !) i ...
local family ferry company pentland ferries has said today that it is frustrated by the delay in implementing the scottish government’s passenger subsidy. the company have said that they want the scottish government ret scheme to reduce passenger fares to go ahead as soon as possible and are just waiting on confirmation that the scheme is legal :
urltoken is part of the world' s largest online ferry ticket distribution network providing the ability to book over 80 major european ferry operators including with pentland ferries to over 1, 200 ferry routes throughout the uk, france, spain, ireland, holland, eastern europe, the mediterranean, the baltic and north africa .
in addition to offering preferential rates to commercial operators and haulers ferry logistics is now also able to offer discounted ferry freight rates to private customers such as those wanting to take transit vans on any of the pentland ferries routes serviced. for more information and an instant online quote for your commercial vehicle ferry crossing please click here .
almost 100 ferries need to be replaced in scotland over the next 10 - 15 years, representing a potential £1bn business opportunity. this would in turn give a useful platform for scottish exports to the rest of europe, where up to 1, 000 small - to - medium sized vehicle ferries need replaced over the next 15 years; that’s a market worth some £10bn. such ship assembly could occur very rapidly, although this depends on scottish government strategy to change what has become a politicised and increasingly expensive ferries policy .
pentland ferries will run the service from monday to saturday nights over the winter period from november to march. it will use a linkspan to be reinstalled by the cromarty firth port authority (cfpa) at invergordon. the linkspan was previously used for the invergordon - kirkwall freight service operated by orcargo and streamline which was withdrawn in april last year .
pentland ferries' top priority is the comfort and safety of their passengers, making the pentalina a great way to travel for a trouble - and stress - free journey - once you have taken in the stunning views of orkney and caithness from the sundeck or one of the two lounges, you will arrive refreshed and ready to continue your journey .
© direct urltoken direct ferries limited has its registered office in london, united kingdom. for contact details visit our contact us page. the world leading website for online ferry booking
bmt nigel gee (bmt), a subsidiary of bmt group, has announced a new project to design an 85m steel - hulled catamaran ropax ferry for strategic marine, a subsidiary of triyards holding limited. the ferry is for scottish ferry operator pentland ferries and bmt will be responsible for concept through to production design, working closely with strategic marine .
there are 3 ferry routes operating between orkney islands and scotland offering you combined total of 45 sailings per week. northlink ferries operates 2 routes, kirkwall to aberdeen runs 3 times per week & stromness to scrabster about 3 times daily. pentland ferries operates 1 route, st margaret' s hope to gills bay which runs 3 times daily. as the frequency and duration of crossings on some routes varies we would advise that you do a live search for crossings from orkney islands to scotland to get the most up to date information .
6. 2. 5 trunking and associated costs have reduced the attractiveness of the pentland firth route in recent years and put increased pressure on the aberdeen to kirkwall service. .
view departure dates and ferry times for pentland ferries gills bay to st margarets hope route here, simply select the month and year below to see the available timetables. once you know when you are travelling, why not check out some of the best prices available on gills bay to st margarets hope and book securely online with instant booking confirmations on aferry .
4a) gills harbour' s community - owned inner basin: pentland firth tidal - stream electricity generation (a. k. a. green' marine renewable energy') .
the crossing takes approximately one hour during which you will sail through the pentland firth and into the orkney archipelago. this is the shortest and quickest sea route to orkney with your car .
the price you see is the price you pay. there are no hidden extras or surprises such as added fuel surcharges or booking fees and we do not charge you anything extra for paying with a visa electron card. the price we quote you for your selected pentland ferries route, onboard accommodation and vehicle type is all you will pay, and that' s a promise .
this important construction task, (its basis is a redundant floating ww ii dry - dock) is being undertaken by pentland ferries ltd, with' in - house' finance and largely utilising the skills of its gills - based direct - labour squad at using the shipping company' s own heavy construction machinery. (backhoe excavators, dumper trucks, concrete batching plant etc .) .
spring 2008 will bring the arrival of the fastest ferry over the pentland firth. a new catamaran state of the art high speed ferry will whisk passengers from gills terminal in caithnes over to orkney .
thanks to the use of a catamaran and a shorter, more sheltered crossing, using the lee of stroma for much of the route across the pentland firth, the pentland ferry service is less affected by weather conditions than the rival, and government subsidised, northlink service from scrabster to stromness. this has allowed it to take a significant volume of the commercial traffic heading to or from the orkneys .
official figures show more people and cars sailed across the pentland firth from caithness to orkney in 2016 from gills bay than on any other route. official figures recently published by scottish government' spending watchdog' body audit scotland show that the so - called' short sea - route' from gills bay to st margaret' s hope was the busiest seaway to orkney across the pentland firth in 2016 .
6. 2. 17 orkney islands council observed that, across all options, the scrabster - stromness route is an outlier and is more expensive relative to other publicly specified routes. it noted that there is logic in reaching a common approach and they also noted the potential impact on pentland ferries. however, the council explained that it did not follow that prices should remain high to protect another operator .
take pentland ferries as an example. they have employed a medium - speed catamaran on the notorious pentland firth route to orkney – home to some of the fastest tides and roughest seas in the world – for the past five years. research has established that service to be so efficient it does not require any subsidy at all. meanwhile, co² emissions per car carried are approximately one - third compared to a monohull. indeed, a competing ferry service operated by serco northlink’s monohull ferry between scrabster and stromness soaks up about £10m a year in public subsidy and emits well over 50 per cent more c0² in the process .
in recent research undertaken by edinburgh napier university in europe and the middle - east, medium - speed (i. e. 16 - 20 knot) vehicle - carrying catamaran ferries were found to offer at least 50 per cent improved efficiency when compared with the monohull ferries commonly used here. total operating costs are also around 50 per cent less for the catamaran, with lower fuel consumption resulting in substantially reduced co² emissions .
a short video when we were travelling from st margaret' s hope to gills bay onboard the catamaran ferry' mv pentalina'. subscribe to help us grow our channel! operated by pentland ferries. the vessel operates up to four return sailings everyday from the scottish mainland to orkney. captured on a sunny day using dji phantom 3 professional and dji osmo x3 # djicreator check our other videos for more commercial marine footage urltoken urltoken urltoken
orkney ferries: the earl sigurd returned to orkney from re - fit at peterhead on 25 january, allowing the earl thorfinn to sail for peterhead on 26 january (nearly a week later than previously anticipated). source: urltoken
multi - cats are expected to be required throughout the planned (but likely to be extendable) 25 year initial life - span of the 269 - turbine inner sound tidal electricity project and on following pentland firth tidal stream schemes .
this is the shortest and quickest sea route to orkney with your car with a timetable that fits in with most of the outer island ferries. st margaret’s hope is a 20 - minute drive from mainland orkney, largest settlement on south ronaldsay .
shetland islands council: shetland islands council ferries are working with psa to develop a series of ongoing online surveys to improve the information for the uk ferry industry. the latest version of the domestic ferry questionnaire can be found below: domesic ferry survey
you can use aferry to book ferries to the orkney islands including stromness and st margaret' s hope from mainland scotland. using aferry you will always get a great deal on your ferry to the orkney islands. see below for timetables and the latest special offers .
a real problem with tidal energy is that it cannot produce round - the - clock' base - load' power, although its almost gets there as the periods of slack - water (when no generation is possible) are quite short in the pentland firth .
the initial £50 + million'' demonstration' phase of the project to harness the kinetic energy in the fast - flowing tidal streams of the pentland firth' s inner sound to generate electricity is now well towards completion. it lies entirely within the highland council area .
thus casplan should designate the inner basin of community - owned gills harbour as being the preferred caithness mainland location for a pentland firth workboat supply base for marine renewable electricity generation in local waters. this is as in n - rip 2 (national renewables infrastructure plan) of 2012 .
once you arrive at st margaret' s hope it is a twenty minute car journey across the famous churchill barriers, past the italian chapel onto mainland orkney where you can catch the ferries to the outer islands or visit places like maes howe, skara brae, and the ring of brodgar .
two vessels made their debut visits to gills harbour on the morning of sunday, may 10th, 2015. the mini - ships uskmoor and lodesman sailed across the pentland firth from orkney to conduct operations in the inner sound of the narrow, tide - swept, channel separating caithness from the isles .
the new purpose built catamaran, mv pentalina, took over the pentland firth route from the mv claymore on her arrival in orkney. the catamaran will provide an even faster service and a greater carrying capacity reducing the crossing time between st. margaret' s hope and gills bay to under an hour .
6. 10. 4 relevant local authorities also pointed out that state aid advice will be required in handling the situation on the scrabster - stromness route. whilst almost all options identify a fare reduction for this route, the practicalities of introducing such a reduction are challenging given the presence of a private sector operator on the pentland firth .
this is the most recent of the many car - ferry routes to have connected the orkney islands to mainland scotland. it is also the shortest, and so the best value, especially with the new catamaran in service. the service started in may 2001, originally operating ex - calmac ferries, but now using the much faster pentalina catamaran .
this is rather than under pentland firth waters to the west of a line from st. john' s point to tor ness (hoy), sea - areas that are much more exposed to atlantic - origin swells brought in by the prevailing w - to - e tracking pattern of atmospheric' lows' (i. e. weather' depressions') .
emma neave - webb is the sanday ranger and in the winter months she has been remotely operating the sanday seal cam, which is proudly sponsored by northlink ferries. broadcasting from a remote beach on the island, the sanday seal cam shows two pupping beaches in the months when grey seals haul ashore to give birth. we spoke to emma and she offered a fascinating insight into seal behaviour !
scotland has a long and costly history of operating ferries to its many islands. traditionally, we rely on heavy monohull (single hull) vessels but new options are on the horizon, offering the potential to not only drastically reduce costs, and reduce public subsidies, but to also enhance operations. such a “sea change” however, requires a new way of thinking, 'with little room for a blinkered traditional approach .
this can be lessened in future if power - station arrays in different parts of the east pentland firth are linked together' as a single unit'. this is due to the wide variations of high - water times out from the shoreline (c. 2. 5 hours to mid - firth out from gills) and laterally along the firth' s central' line', a phenomenon that can be rationally explained .
northlink ferries: a feasibility study into the installation of couchette berths on the passenger ferries hjaltland and hrossey has highlighted difficult cost issues and the project will not now go ahead. as part of the study, northlink surveyed passenger opinion about possible couchette berths and carried out a detailed examination of costs. all of the relevant data has now been reviewed and it has become clear that it is unlikely that the revenue from the sale of couchette berths would cover the total costs by june, 2012 when northlink’s contract to operate the northern isles lifeline ferry services comes to an end. northlink chief executive, bill davidson, said: this is a disappointing outcome as we know that for some of our passengers the couchettes would have offered a welcome alternative for overnight accommodation. however, the sums don’t quite stack up and as a result we are unable to proceed. source: urltoken
casplan should acknowledge a desire locally to have a proportion of the electricity from tide - streams the pentland firth used locally to create sustainable local employment possibilities. in a manner of speaking, this could be a' compensation' for the fact that conventional fin - fish farming (that is such an important employer in many other' fragile' areas of the n & w highland coasts and in the northern islands) is not possible here .
scotland is the northernmost of the four countries that form the united kingdom of great britain. surrounded by the north atlantic ocean to the west and north, the north sea to the east and across the border to the south you’ll find england. scotland is a lively and friendly country, rich in history and heritage dating back thousands of years. people flock here to visit not only the beautiful mountains and valleys, rolling hills, forests and rocky coastlines but also for the experiences that scotland has to offer. whether you’re looking to play a game of golf at the very place it was invented or to visit one of the many distilleries for some whiskey tasting, scotland has much to offer any visitor. in terms of arriving by ferry to scotland, from northern ireland there’s a choice of year round services from and to numerous ports with sailings operated by modern and well - equipped ferries. there are no longer any direct ferries from continental europe to scotland however there are numerous crossings to england and ireland that get you close enough .
community - owned gills harbour is the most northerly seaport on the british mainland, lying on the shores of the pentland firth' s inner sound, just off the a 836 road, only four miles west of john o' groats. the spring of 2015 has seen some significant developments locally, both in sea - transport and marine electricity, that bode well for the future of the little port on the inland' apex' of gills bay; it belongs to the 600 people living along the north coast .
there are other benefits from this move to medium - speed catamarans. scotland is no longer at the cutting edge of ship design, shipbuilding or innovation; none of today’s successful international ferry designers are based in scotland and commercial shipbuilding is something we no longer excel at. but that could change. assembling advanced medium - speed catamaran ferries here in scotland is another real, potential benefit from any policy change in this sector. sea transport corp in australia, for example, has mooted plans to ship catamaran kits, creating significant employment opportunities locally .
other than that, the way to get to the other third of inhabitants is likely to be either through ferries (most of which are owned by the local council) or through making friends with the local fisherman and persuading them to take you from island to island. the local ferry is probably the recommended route. you can also go by air in what is allegedly the shortest scheduled air trip in the world between westray and papa westray - though scheduled to last two minutes, it can sometimes take as little as one if the wind is in the right direction .
the tragic sudden loss with all eight hands of the 83 metre, 1, 850 (gross) tonne laden cargo ship cemfjord in' extremely violent' seas in the merry men of mey roost to the nw of stroma in the early afternoon of 02. 01. 15 proved just how dangerous this pentland firth roost can be. this was at a time when the w - flowing ebb stream was opposed by a westerly gale, with its associated heavy incoming atlantic swells. cemfjord' s capsize was so sudden that no emergency mayday radio call could be made .
g) locally produced. sea - salt: the pentland firth is known to contain the cleanest waters around the uk coast, as those are replenished on a twice - daily basis from open ocean / seas. there is a known demand for british / scottish sea - salt which can be produced in a poly - tunnel (as per the ones designed for shetland - conditions as above), providing that there is an on - hand heat - source; and what better selling point in that it comes from' green marine energy'? historically there were salt - pans at flotta, orkney and near keiss, then using peat as heat - source. again a' back to the future' concept, but one where this area has some advantages over others .
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a new overnight sea freight ferry link between orkney and invergordon is to be launched shortly, creating up to 24 jobs, it was announced yesterday .
since then the linkspan has been on loan to orkney islands council to assist with the fabrication of new facilities for the northlink ferry service into stromness .
only one bicycle can be booked per ticket. if you wish to book more than one bicycle you will need to make a separate booking for each bicycle. .
something on the roof, e. g. roof box, bikes etc ?
there are great opportunities to see wide selections of wildlife such as seals, puffins, killer whales and sea birds while onboard thanks to panoramic lounges and sundecks .
all very simple and efficient. . does what it says on the tin... .
very enjoyable ride. the staff are quite friendly. we even made a booking error, and they contacted us and allowed us to make changes easily. keep up the good work .
easy checking, the ferry was very comfortable with spotless toilets and a small cafeteria with hot and cold food. disembarking was as easy .
we enjoyed our trip to orkney. we chose to travel from gills bay as it was the shortest journey time. we were impressed by how easy everything was. the expertise in manipulating all those large trailers onto the ferry was fascinating. it was a very easy trouble free ferry journey which i am looking forward to completing again .
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very efficient service. staff very helpful. quiet terminals at both ends, easy access. fabulous ...
very efficient service. staff very helpful. quiet terminals at both ends, easy access. fabulous views of the peatland firth .
we had a lovely smooth crossing on the pentalina. the boat inside is much to be desired though and although newish could do with modernisation. strong smell of cooking in the lounge. toilets weren’t the cleanest but overall nice journey and quick turnout in port .
this journey was a good experience. impressed by the efficiency of the staff parking the vehicles... good view from the deck, lot of seats up there, i liked the cafe, very affordable and tasty .
fantastic booking system - why do so many people try and do it the modern way? ?? ? ring up, book, note your reservation number - simple. very efficient loading, left on time, smooth trip ditto on return. who can ask for more - it des what it ...
if you are going to the orkneys this trip from gills bay to st margaret' s hope is short and with this being a catamaran it is more stable than normal boats. however, if you can, book in advance. we did and were so glad that ...
both trips to and from gill' s bay & st. margaret' s hope were perfect! thank goodness we had reserved, as the return tripwas totally full. every stepof the process was flawless and we enjoyed every minute of the trips. we also ate at the cafe in ...
the journey itself was fab. a little rough due to the currents even on quite a still day. the real gem is the cafe at gill' s bay. fresh food prepared to order and great value for money. a must while you wait for your ferry .
i booked a return journey on this ferry service online, printed everything off, everything fine, the sailing was for 5th feb 2018, the evening sailing, as i live in england the distance would have been to great to travel on monday, a stop over in ...
travelling shortly after christmas. evening sailing from orkney and thought would get some food on the boat as had a fair bit to travel after getting of boat. unfortunately they had run out of rolls, which considering there limited offering to begin with meant a ...
note: your question will be posted publicly on the questions & answers page .
passport requirements to travel to orkney... . fo i need to have 6 months on my passport
yes you can take dogs on the ferry. they must either stay in the vehicle on the car deck or they can be taken onto the top sun deck for the duration of the journey .
we had a horrible journey going over during a storm, the ship was tipping up & down & rolling sideways. people were staggering all over the place so that added amusement value. coming back was smooth and sunny, what a ...
we had a horrible journey going over during a storm, the ship was tipping up & down & rolling sideways. people were staggering all over the place so that added amusement value. coming back was smooth and sunny, what a contrast .
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introducing, eddy, first grandson for andrew and susan and a wee cousin for sara. here he is with grandma susan. congratulations to eddy' s proud mum and dad, laura and jamie !
“we want this scheme to go ahead as soon as possible, it is good for orkney and will help us attract more passengers. all we are now waiting for is confirmation that it’s fully legal and then we can get on with implementing it. our lawyers have told us that because we are a commercial operation and currently receive no subsidy whatsoever, we have to be 100% sure that this scheme complies otherwise our whole business is at risk. we are not sure why it is taking so long to get simple confirmation .
“although not one penny of the proposed subsidy comes to us, it goes directly to the passenger, we would be forced to pay it all back if it doesn’t comply, that could ruin us and we can’t take that risk. all we are asking for is for the scottish government to check that it’s legal with the eu and uk and then we can get on with it .
“we have today asked for a meeting with local msp liam macarthur to see if he can do anything to get things moving forward on our behalf. this is extremely frustrating but as a family run, fully commercial orcadian business employing 70 people and with exciting expansion plans, we cannot risk our business when we are being told that the scheme may not be legal. ”
iconic ben nevis needs to be top of your scottish to - do list .
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citylink also runs a bus service from inverness to gills bay which coincides with most ferry crossings. from st margaret hope, visitors can take the x1 stagecoach bus to kirkwall or stromness .
mv pentalina is a purposely commissioned vessel for the route capable of carrying 9 articulated lorries, more than 30 cars and 250 passengers (346 in peak season) .
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cars are taken on and off forwards, with their carrying space being under the passenger accommodation on either side of the deck, the central space being open and used by lorries and taller vehicles. this allows cars to turn around by using both sides of the deck, one on and one off. the two car areas are marked out for dual rows of vehicles, although this does prove to be a tight squeeze !
this page was last modified on 25 june 2018, at 09: 45 .
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the route is the most sheltered between gill' s bay in caithness and st margaret' s hope, south ronaldsay in orkney providing a more appealing option to travellers who are unsure of travelling on the sea .
as the ship turns around needle point st margaret' s hope village comes into view. the third largest settlement on the orkney islands and the main settlement on south ronaldsay st margaret' s hope is a peaceful place to stay and a good starting point for many of the attractions throughout the orkneys .
throughout the crossing there is the opportunity to see a wide selection of local wildlife including seals, porpoises, killer whales, puffins and other sea birds. as you pass the uninhabited islands of swona and stroma watch out for the feral cattle on swona, now recognised as a separate breed after being left alone on the island since 1974 .
as you set off from gill' s bay in caithness you will see the islands of stroma and swona in the distance .
both common seals and grey seals can be seen basking on the shores of stroma and swona and you may well see the now famous feral cattle of swona which were left to run wild over thirty years ago and are now a recognised breed .
when you pass along the firth depending on the time of year look out for porpoises, orcas, dolphins and minke whales .
between may and august on rare occasions huge basking sharks can also be seen the cliffs running along the islands are inhabited by huge numbers of seabirds including puffins, fulmars, great skua, razor bills, guillemots and gannets to name but a few, can be seen nesting, roosting and flying around throughout the journey .
feeling the short sea route had potential, even although it had been tried and abandoned by orkney islands council in 1989, after protracted negotiations, banks obtained a 99 year lease on the gills bay terminal, about 3 miles west of john o' groats. after two years work improving the site, pentalina - b started the service in may 2001, sailing to st margaret' s hope .
for more information, answers to frequently asked questions or to contact us directly please click here .
a catamaran can carry more vehicles, is lighter and requires less power than a monohull ferry. picture: donald macleod
the catamaran can carry more vehicles, its weight is hundreds of tonnes lighter and it requires less power than a monohull of similar capacity. that also means better manoeuvrability and reduced rolling motion, offering a comfortable journey but and a safer platform to evacuate in the event of an emergency. medium - speed catamarans also perform well in strong winds, waves and currents, contrary to criticism .
the economics make sense too. replacing monohulls with catamarans across scotland’s entire subsidised ferry network would amount to a saving of at least £50 million a year – or more than £1 billion over the estimated 25 - year lifetime of the entire scottish fleet. moreover, the catamaran’s greater loading capacity would offer an increase in overall fleet capacity, giving scope to raise revenues .
so what is delaying this change? publicly - owned organisations, that do not really function in a competitive market, often have little incentive to change. nonetheless, the evidence of much more efficient, lower - cost ferry design solutions is becoming difficult to ignore .
at the same time, pressure is mounting on the public purse. in greece, for example, some small islands no longer have any ferry services due to subsidies being withdrawn following stringent budget cuts. scotland is not yet at that stage, but we should not ignore the potential gain from technological efficiencies, especially where they can help improve services and reduce costs and emissions .
clearly, public sector decision makers need to more fully consider employing these superior vessels. they and island communities will need to embrace change to make change happen. however, many islanders have been looking enviously at orkney’s highly successful catamaran service ever since it was introduced several years ago, so change might be easier than expected. diminishing public sector budgets, meanwhile, should concentrate the minds of those who have been responsible for some very expensive ferry procurement decisions over the past decade and more .
booking a ferry to or from orkney couldn' t be easier with aferry. you can either use the booking form at the top left of the page. or, if you see a price you like on the left, just select the number of passengers and click go .
the orkney islands, an archipelago in northern scotland, are home to a rich and varied history .
orkney also has much to offer the nature - lover; auskerry, one of the smaller orkney islands, provides a nesting ground for the arctic tern and the strom petrel. the orkney islands are a lively and welcoming destination, with friendly locals, and many festivals and events occurring throughout the year.
pentland ferries is a privately owned , family company which has operated a ferry service between gills bay in caithness , scotland and st margaret 's hope on south ronaldsay in orkney since may 2001 . the company is one of only two major vehicle ferry operators plying within scotland which are not subsidised by the scottish government or local authorities . 
pentland ferries is a privately owned, family company which has operated a ferry service between gills bay in caithness, scotland and st margaret's hope on south ronaldsay in orkney since may 2001. the company is one of only two major vehicle ferry operators plying within scotland which are not subsidised by the scottish government or local authorities.
pentland ferries is a privately owned, family company which has operated a ferry service between gills bay in caithness, scotland and st margaret's hope on south ronaldsay in orkney since may 2001. the company is one of only two major vehicle ferry operators plying within scotland which are not subsidised by the scottish government or local authorities.