ORKNEY fishing

[big gus]

Chaps,

A bit out of the blue (and a bit bizarre) but I'm thinking of buying and running a Guest House in Orkney....literally, surrounded by the sea, and has some of the best wild brown trout fishing available.

My question is, how popular would it be...would groups of anglers make the trip up, seeing as its so far away?

I have a good deal, if I want to proceed....but we would obviously rely heavily on rooms being filled...

I guess I'm asking how many people you know of or hear of who go to Orkney to fish?

Thanks in advance (and any feedback welcome)

Gus

 

[David Craine]

Driven up a couple of times for sea fishing competitions, glorious place and top class angling, but the travelling put me off, and I live in Yorkshire, so heaven knows what the travelling time is from London or the south, ( perhaps you could research a full package inc flights, pick up, tackle hire , Bait,etc ).

Best of luck,

Dave.

 

[big gus]

Thanks for the reply David.

It is a trek for most people, yes. hence the question about whether people would make trips (maybe parties of 8 or 12 or whatever).

If I were to pack up my current business and take the plunge I think I would sink or swim on room bookings, rather than bar/restaurant takings.

Anyway...still looking into it.

Cheers,

Gus

 

[big gus]

Mods, could you move this thread to the Fly Fishing forum please....apologies, my mistake.

Couple of details in the original post are wrong, the property is surrounded by lochs, not the see.

Apparently Harray, Swanney, Hundland and Boardhouse..........

Again, any feedback would be much appreciated....I've persuaded the missus to up sticks and start this new business....I now just need to persuade myself /forum/smilies/i_dont_know_smiley.gif

Cheers, Gus

 

[Colin North, the one and only]

Hi Gus,

I fished Orkney in the mid 80's. I travelled from South London to Thurso, leaving at 6 a.m. and arriving in Thurso a 8 p.m. after stopping for breakfast and lunch on the way. I caught the ferry to Stromness the next morning. I am not sure if I would want to do that drive again, but who knows.

One of the Ghillies on our practise day was a local Policeman, and during the course of the day,I asked him what he did in the winter, and he replied "collect bodies".... "since we have the highest suicide rate in the whole of the UK"!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Seriously, the fishing was excellent, the surroundings superb and the natural habitat top class.

One other recollection of the place was that all the youngsters that drive, do so like lunatics, speeding along some of the little cobbled streets in Kirkwall as if no one else were allowed to be there.

 

[big gus]

Hi Colin,

Is is a better/quicker journey going to Thurso and catching the ferry to Stromness rather than driving to John OGroats and catching the ferry to St margarets/Kirkwall?

I'm still looking into it....ferry is £100 for a return trip if you take the car. Seems expensive to me.

Learning new things every day about the property and the place....thanks for the story about the Policeman!! If I proceed with the purchase, we will own the rights to 700acres of lochs....plenty of hiding places for dead bodies?!/forum/smilies/i_dont_know_smiley.gif

Euuuurgh.

Gus

 

[Colin North, the one and only]

Hi Gus,

I've only done the Scrabster to Stromness crossing, so I wouldn't know whether the other route is any quicker. I cannot now recall what the ferry cost and indeed, whether I even paid for it myself, as I went there as part of the England National team, for the Autumn Home International on Stennes. I seem to recall staying at the Standing Stones Hotel.