# Scotland Touring advice please



## DaveGB (Nov 21, 2013)

Planning our first two week trip away to Scotland during Easter 2014....I know madness with the kids off :roll: 

Anyway our idea is to travel up from Northamptonshire with a general route of:
1. Stop in Cumbria / Lake District ( 2 nights poss)
2. Drive up to the West Coast of Scotland / higlands ( No. of nights not decided
3. Drive up to Loch Ness (2 nights stay)
4. Loch Ness to ????Undecided, am considering Stirling but would like to end up in Edinburgh for a night or two.
5. Finally travel back down and spend a night or two in either the Scottish Borders or Northumberland before traveling back home.

Anyone have any suggestions of the following would be much appreciated:
1. Itinerary
2. Places to stay
3. Sights to see including 'undiscovered' sights not always thronging with tourist coach parties....I know it's hoping for alot.

Appreciate any comments, links, advice etc.


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## Jamsieboy (Jan 14, 2011)

Hi Dave GB

You are looking to cram in a lot. Driving in Scotland especially some west coast roads can be slow!

Anyway I would suggest that it will take approx 3.5 hours from Cumbria to reach central Scotland. May be worth an overnight at Strathclyde CC site near Glasgow. 

Then head up the west stoping perhaps at Luss CCC site on Loch Lomond. From there head up to Bunree CC site just south of Fort William. 

From Bunree head north east to wards Inverness. Return south via A9 stopping near Perth or Stirling. Approx 1 hour from Stirling to Edinburgh CC site.

Enjoy


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## DaveGB (Nov 21, 2013)

Thanks Jamsie,

Agreed a lot to cram in, but the lady wants, so I guess she gets...if I want some peace and quiet....just kidding.

Am thinking is it worth driving with an empty water tank and fill up at the first overnight stop?

Will look into your suggestions.

Once again many thanks for the tips too.


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## snmh1 (Nov 15, 2013)

You shouldn't get many places 'thronging with tourist coach parties' at that time of year - Easter is often still snowy up here.
It should be fairly quiet really - which is nice!

Plus schools go back on the Easter Monday (14th. April), which isn't a Bank Holiday in Scotland.


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## selstrom (May 23, 2005)

You are planning to drive approximately 1400 miles in a fortnight.

What are your interests? What do you want to see. Are you a member of the CC or C&CC? Are you planning on only using sites, if so many could be fully booked.

You mention the West Cost, which parts as it is 250 miles long as the crow flies and about 500 to drive.

The west coast & the Islands are magnificent when the sun shinesb but little to do if the weather turns bad, have a contingency plan.


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## Brian-the-Snail (Dec 1, 2011)

Hi DaveGB,

Do you do Free/Wild camping or just sites.

Clive


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## Cornichons (Apr 23, 2012)

Great place to stop if you travel south of Edinburgh on the A1 is the small site at Thornton Loch, near Dunbar about 25 miles south of Edinburgh - you can't miss it as it's next to Torness Nuclear Power Station - great pitches almost on the beach.
Alternatively if travelling down the A68, again about 25 miles from Edinburgh the camp site in Lauder is very good and near the small, but nice town.


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## cheshiregordon (Sep 24, 2011)

we are also planning to tour Scotland during May and early June. A rough itinerary is to travel up the west coast along the north coast taking in Orkney before traveling down the east coast.

We've chosen May in the hope of some clear weather. A couple of years ago during April while in some of the most scenic parts of Scotland we were just about able to see the end of the van it was so misty and rainy. The inclement weather lasted for days and in the end we moved away.

Good luck


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## barryd (May 9, 2008)

Wow. A lot for two weeks.

You could be lucky with the weather or not! 

If it were me I would be checking the zoover two week forecast just before I left and if it was bleak I'd head for the south of France. Dordogne maybe. About the same miles but quick to get there.

If your set on Scotland I would just do the west coast and maybe an island. What about Arran? There is loads to see and do there and it comes alive at Easter. No need to book any sites either. Wilding heaven as is the west coast. Save the rest for another time.


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## nicholsong (May 26, 2009)

DaveGB

I note you have not answered Clive's question about whether you want recommendations for campsites or wildcamping, but I see that, as a Non-Subscriber, you can only make 2 more posts.

Maybe you should consider subscribing - since you want answers to so many questions and would need to thank the respondents :wink:  

Geoff


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## Wilmannie (Feb 7, 2010)

You are talking about a lot of miles but if you enjoy the driving that may not be a problem for you.

It's quite practical to drive from Cumbria to Luss on Loch Lomond for your first stop and then to go on by Crianlarach, Tyndrum and Glen Coe to the west coast. For your next drive, consider going by Fortwilliam and Fort Agustus to Loch Ness. That's a lovely route so far. You could then drive the length of the Caledonian Canal through the Great Glen to Inverness. 
That should take care of your first week !!!

There is lots of wild-camping available and the CC & CCC have many sites and CLs so you shouldn't have a problem in sorting out stops. The weather is a bit of a lottery tho! Best to check before maybe but we often have really good weather for Easter.

Good luck & hope you enjoy!


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## blondel (Jun 12, 2005)

snmh1 said:


> You shouldn't get many places 'thronging with tourist coach parties' at that time of year - Easter is often still snowy up here.
> It should be fairly quiet really - which is nice!
> 
> Plus schools go back on the Easter Monday (14th. April), which isn't a Bank Holiday in Scotland.


Just checked and these are the 2014 BH dates. - Thought our Ruby anniversary wasn't Easter weekend. :roll:
2014
1 January	Wednesday	New Year's Day
18 April	Friday	Good Friday
21 April	Monday	Easter Monday
5 May	Monday	Early May bank holiday
26 May	Monday	Spring bank holiday
25 August	Monday	Summer bank holiday
25 December	Thursday	Christmas Day
26 December	Friday	Boxing Day


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## Nethernut (Jun 4, 2008)

blondel said:


> Just checked and these are the 2014 BH dates. - Thought our Ruby anniversary wasn't Easter weekend. :roll:
> 2014
> 1 January	Wednesday	New Year's Day
> 18 April	Friday	Good Friday
> ...


In fact, as well as Easter Monday, 26 May & 25 August are not holidays in Scotland. Banks may close but nothing else. Towns set their own "local holidays" each year, some may fit in with the rest of UK but not many. For example our schools break up end June/beginning of July and start again mid August. Northern Scotland also gas a 2 week holiday in October whereas the Central Belt gas just a week.


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