Tickets for our first ever AWAY GAME go on sale on Monday 24th May, at 12noon. And we’re getting very excited about it all.
The event is taking place over the 24th – 25th September 2010, on the Inner Hebridean island of Eigg – situated off the west coast of Scotland. This is our most ambitious event yet … so you’ll no doubt have a bunch of questions. Thankfully, with the assistance of my pal Sarah, I’ve put together a wee F.A.Q. / Away Game Guide thing. You might want to copy/paste it into a Word Doc, print it off, and read it with a fresh cuppa and one of those Cadbury’s Caramel biscuits. Well good, those.
1. How do i get to Eigg? It’s miles away!
Yes. Yes it is. So we’re arranging ferries to the island from the coastal town of Arisaig. There will be two ferries leaving for the island on the Friday, one ferry returning on the Sunday, and another ferry returning on the Monday. (Although we might just charter some ferries to return only on the Monday if no one wants to leave on the Sunday. But i’ll get to that in a bit).
The ferry is called The Shearwater – and it’s a foot-passenger only ferry, so you can’t bring your vehicle/camper-van over. Tents and clothes/food/booze/etc only, please.
It’s also possible to take the Caledonian MacBrains ferry to Eigg, from the town of Mallaig (which is the next stop on the line after Arisaig – about 15 mins away). However, this ferry only runs once a day – usually early morning – and the cost of this ferry will not be included in your ticket price.
2. Okay, so how do I get to Arisaig?
TRAIN: Trains go to Arisaig from Glasgow Queen Street three times a day. The pier is 3/4 mile downhill from the train station – about a 15 minute walk. The train journey can take about 5 hours from Glasgow, and we’ve co-ordinated the ferries so that they set sail to Eigg 45 minutes after the train arrives. This gives you time to walk down to the pier, load your gear into storage on the ferry, and board.
BY BUS: Citylink run a coach service from Glasgow to Fort William and Shiel Buses run from Fort Willliam to Arisiag (http://www.shielbuses.co.uk/table4.htm).
BY CAR: By car, Arisiag is about an hour from Fort William on the A 830. It takes about 3 to 3.5 hours from Glasgow and 4 to 4.5 hours from Edinburgh.
3. When exactly are the ferries going, then … and what ferry am i getting on?
Ok, so as stated above, we’ve set up the ferries so that they will leave about 45 mins after the scheduled trains arrive into Arisaig. This gives you time to walk down to the pier, load your gear into storage on the ferry, and board
The 09.07 train from Glasgow Queen Street gets in to Arisaig at 13.53 – so the ferry will leave Arisaig for Eigg at 14.45.
The 12.21 train from Glasgow Queen Street gets in to Arisaig at 17.26 – so the ferry will leave Arisaig for Eigg at 18.15.
The ferries can only take 89 people each, so – after tickets have gone on sale – i’m going to set up an online sign-up sheet for ferries coming over. I will send you details of this sign-up sheet in your ticket confirmation email. Basically, you’ll have to put your name (and the names of those you’re buying tickets for) next to a ferry time – and that’ll be the one you have to take.
I need to know if any of you folks will want to go back on the Sunday … or if you’d all rather leave on the Monday. It’s not a problem if you do want to leave on the Sunday. I just need to know. Again, this will all be explained better in your confirmation email.
4. What happens if I miss my ferry?
I will kill you.
Okay, not really. But it will make things difficult, cos the ferry has a fixed capacity. Worst comes to worst, you might have to stay overnight in Arisaig or Mallaig, and take a ferry over the next day. There’s plenty of cheap B’n'B’s in these towns … but that’s not going to happen, because you’re not going to miss your ferry. I have complete faith in you.
5. What should I bring with me, then?
* Your camping gear, certainly. Tent. Tent poles. Tent pegs. Sleeping bag.
* Some clothes – for the Friday/Saturday/Sunday. Maybe the Monday too.
* A towel. For towelling.
* Some snacky-foods, and some booze. Not too much though, cos you can buy most of what you’ll need on the island.
* A torch, thick clothes, midge repellant.
* Wellies or walking boots. Matches.
* Water containers too, maybe?
6. How far will I have to walk with my camping gear to the site?
The campsite is approximately 10 to 15 minutes walk from the pier. The last five minutes or so are over an unsurfaced farm track.
7. Is there a shop?
Yes. Eigg shop. At the pier.
They sell: beers and wines, spirits, chilled and frozen produce, fresh fruit and vegetables, butchery , bakery, wholefoods and fresh fish as well as household items, coal, peat, small hardware, maps, local newspapers, postcards, stationery, ice creams, nappies and so on.
Accepts cash cheque credit or debit cards.
MONDAY: 10.00 AM to 5.00 PM
TUESDAY: 10.00 AM to 5.00 PM
WEDNESDAY: 10.00 AM to 5.00 PM
THURSDAY: 11.00AM to 3.00 PM
FRIDAY: 10.00 AM to 5.00PM
SATURDAY: 11.00 AM to 5.00 PM
SUNDAY: 12.00 noon to 1.00 PM
You can also find a craft shop and bike hire here.
8. What about eating out?
Snacks and meals plus bevvy is available in the tearoom – which is located right next to the shop. Handy that. There’s a resturant three miles from the pier called Lageorna which serves evening meals cooked with local produce. Booking necessary (01687 482405).
9. Is there a cash machine on the island?
Nope. You can get money out of the post office but they don’t always have stacks of cash in the safe so you’d be advised to bring what you need. The Post Office is located in the shop. Official opening hours are:
Monday: 10.00AM to 12.00 NOON
Thursday: 11.00AM to 2.00 PM
Saturday: 1.00PM to 3.00PM
10. Will my phone work?
Most people get a phone signal at the pier or on top of the Sgurr (Eigg’s biggest rocky hill) but not in other areas of the island. There’s a public telephone in the foyer of the tearoom. The tearoom also has a computer with an internet connection.
11. What is the toilet / shower situation? Are they open all night? Is there water?
There are male and female toilets situated at the pier complex and are open 24 hours.
There’s also a shower facility in each of the toilets. There’s a tap for drinking water on the back outside wall of the tearoom.
12. How much cash should I bring with me?
Tell you what … we’ll find out how much the hall/tea room charges for drink and let you know accordingly.
13. How many tickets can i buy at once?
You can’t buy more than 5 at a time. If you find a way of buying more than 5 at a time, we’ll just refund you your tickets.
14. What is happening, music wise?
The music is going to start on the Friday from about 9pm, at the Community Hall, and will continue into the night (and beyond!). We’ll be there to meet you as you get off the ferry – and will help y’all find the campsite, set up, so we can all have a drink before the march up to the Community Hall.
The music starts up again mid-afternoon on the Saturday, and continues into the night. And beyond (again!).
On Sunday we’ll be recovering … but might do some spot acoustic shows in the early-afternoon, somewhere on the island.
As always … we’re not revealing the line-up yet … but we’ll let you know over the next few months. Some very special surprises in store!
15. Will I get burnt to death in a giant effigy of a man woven from wicker?
No. Eigg’s sea name is Isle of the Big Women, so most probably it will be an effigy of a woman with giant boobies.
16. I’m worried about this thing.
Don’t worry. The thing to remember is that it’s a bit of an adventure. Yeah, you’ll be without home comforts for a few days … but you’re going to have an amazing time. Honest.
If you’ve got any other questions, please let us know. Log in / Sign up to our message board, and put your questions in this thread: CLICK HERE
