Published in Scotland Magazine Issue 36 on 14/12/2007.

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Flying high

To make the journey to your Scottish destination a pleasurable part of your trip, Kate Ennis advises taking the modes of transport that can re-inject some of that old-fashioned travel glamour.

The sight of the seaplane gently touching down on the waters of the River Clyde recalled that glorious era of travel in the 1940s and 1950s, when aeroplanes were new and exciting and travel felt glamorous. It was a time when men sported hats and carried smart leather trunks, while the women wore fur coats and stoles, a time when the journey to your destination was all part of the adventure rather than a chore to be endured.

This inaugural flight of Loch Lomond Seaplanes last summer may have been a reminder of the past but it marked a pioneering move for the future. It marked the introduction of the first commercial seaplane service to Europe and one of the most exciting new transport developments for Scotland. Loch Lomond Seaplanes is the vision of David West, a pioneer who believes this mode of transport is one that eminently suits the type of communities and terrain particular to Scotland and offers enormous potential to open up the country like never before.

In a country where long and winding roads around loch and glen make for lengthy car journeys, travelling as the crow flies is always going to be quicker and so seaplanes dramatically slash travelling times between the central belt and more remote communities. The journey now takes minutes instead of hours, which is a boon for visitors to Scotland as well as locals.

At present, the company offers up to four flights per day (depending on the season) from Glasgow City Centre to Oban – the gateway to the Western Isles –.....

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By Kate Ennis

Section : Scotland Travel

Page number : 66