# Advice on touring scotland please.



## tandc (May 1, 2005)

Hi,
We are going to scotland for 4weeks in september.our aim is is to go up the east coast and then across to the west coast,and then travel down the west coast back into england.We would mainly like to use cl,s and wondered if anyone could recommend any close to the coast or slightly inland and withinwalking distance of a town or village etc. we would appreciate any help anyone could give us as we have not been above perth in scotland. thank you terry.


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## dovtrams (Aug 18, 2009)

Have a look at Cruden Bay harbour north of Aberdeen, they have spaces for 3 or 4 motorhomes. Contact is the harbourmaster, but I believe someone on the forum has a relative who runs the cafe there. A nice point to start on the east coast.

Have a good trip.

Dave


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## wug (May 19, 2011)

You can wild camp in lots of places all over Scotland. Durness in the far NW is a lovely spot. The crofters at Naast, near Poolewe, have an honesty box and allow you to camp on the dunes. A small site at Ardelve just down the road from me, near Dornie & Eilean Donan Castle must have one of the best views in Scotland. There's a CC site at Morvich a bit further on and a small one at Shiel Bridge, all with superb views. There's a CL or CS just before you reach Broadford on the Isle of Skye, another small one at Sligachan on the road to Portree and a C&CC site at Edinbane and a site at Glen Brittle, plus lots of wild spots.

If you're travelling slowly, just remember to pullover and let the locals past on our narrow roads and enjoy our great countryside.


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## Sprinta (Sep 15, 2010)

although I haven't had the opportunity to fully explore Scotland by MH, I have had a lot of car based holidays up there and I would suggest going up the West side first of all as you may find so much more to do there that you would miss out by doing it second and not having any time left.


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## rogerblack (May 1, 2005)

My suggestions from having just done the east and north in the last few weeks (if you want to be within walking distance of towns or even villages you might find CLs/CSs pose a challenge, hence I have included some club sites):

C&CC site at Rosemarkie - walk to Chanonry Point and see the dolphins really close up

CC site at Bora - visit Dunrobin Castle & Gardens

CC site at Dunnet Bay - beautiful beach

CC CL (Sealladh Na Mara) at Skerray Harbour (or wild camp - the fresh water tap is conveniently outside the CL and used by wildcampers all the time)

CC CL (94 Laid) on the shore of Loch Eriboll, fantastic views across the loch

Note these are all on or by the coast (inc firths / sea lochs) but not all are within walking distance of towns or villages - some of the best places (such as the two CLs) are very remote.

CC site at Dingwall is a few mins walk from the town and station but came as a shock after the remoter sites above! (see my recent post about noisy footballers). However it is a great base to go on some superb scenic railway trips, the route over to Kyle of Lochalsh for example, as well as into Inverness. 

We didn't go any further west, partly to avoid the midges and also because we were heading back here to our holiday cottage in Fife.


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## mags52 (May 9, 2010)

I agree with Sprinta - the West Coast is beautiful. That's not to say that the East is not but there are more places to find on the west where you might want to spend longer than you think.
Once you get to the North East do go to the Black Isle. It's easy to miss it as you come down to Inverness.
We live in Scotland and hope to do the coastal tour at some point but we think it will take at least 8 weeks to do it justice.
Enjoy - you'll want to come back.


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## tandc (May 1, 2005)

Hi,
Firs of all thank you for your replies .The reason we are doing the east coast first is that we are setting off in the last week in august and I believe the west coast is worse coast for midges so we were hoping that by the time we get to the west coast they will be in decline .once again thank you for your answers so far.terry.


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## rogerblack (May 1, 2005)

tandc said:


> Hi,
> Firs of all thank you for your replies .The reason we are doing the east coast first is that we are setting off in the last week in august and I believe the west coast is worse coast for midges so we were hoping that by the time we get to the west coast they will be in decline .once again thank you for your answers so far.terry.


Sensible plan.
Anyone who hasn't experienced midges never understands the fuss - anyone who has, does!


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## Nethernut (Jun 4, 2008)

tandc said:


> Hi,
> Firs of all thank you for your replies .The reason we are doing the east coast first is that we are setting off in the last week in august and I believe the west coast is worse coast for midges so we were hoping that by the time we get to the west coast they will be in decline .once again thank you for your answers so far.terry.


Sensible, my son is camping on Lewis at the moment and said that they are quite bad at the moment.

Would agree about wild camping spots, unfortunately there aren't that many CLs in this part of the country!

Grummore CC site at Altnahara is worth a visit - we've sat outside our van watching an eagle diving for fish there, worth the journey for a chance to see this! It is a basic site so as cheap as a CL.
Durness is definitely worth a visit as is Gairloch.

Jan


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## Spiritofherald (May 18, 2012)

Just got back from two weeks in Scotland (Nairne, Fort William, Gairloch and Isle of Skye) and although the midges were out they were not much of a problem as they seemed to be low in number.


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## marionandrob (May 14, 2005)

Nice little campsite at Inver, just north of Dunbeath on the A9. Interesting little heritage centre at Dunbeath
On a trip a couple of year ago we wildcamped one night on the harbourside at Helmsdale, there were a few other vans there either on their way up or back from the ferry terminal at Gills. Saw a seal in the harbour here.
Several good wildcamping spots on the road out to Dunnet head- little hardstanding areas off the road overlooking small lochs. Dunnet head has a large car park but can be very windy!
have also wilded on the side of Loch Fleet - coming from the south follow the road(A9) across the causeway, there is a parking area off the left side as you reach solid ground on th north side of the loch just as the road starts to climb - you end up parking below the road bridge facing a bird sanctuary.This one is good for an early start to a visit to Dunrobin castle.
We've been to the Caithness area and the flowlands as it's known locally a few times but then our surname is Gunn and the area is Clan Gunn homeland !


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## hsscrm (May 24, 2012)

Oh, your post makes me want to jump in our van and go north!

Wild camping is very easy up north - never had a problem (it's where we do most of our trips as we live in Edinburgh).

We did a big loop all the way up the east coast, along the top and down the west coast and only stopped at a fraction of the (beautiful) places we would have liked to.

Some favourites:
Achiltibuie
Lochinver
Ullapool
Arisaig (fabulous campsite Invercaimbe - owned and run by lovely Joyce)
Killin
Stac Pollaidh (wild camp in car park at bottom)

And SO SO many more!

Hoping to get away next weekend ourselves...sadly kids back at school tomorrow so weekends it is until the October half term break.

Have fun! And another anti-midge tip: Avon's Skin So Soft. They're 'orrible wee things. At their worst if you're somewhere warm, damp and still. Slightly better if there is a sea breeze, for example.


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## tsrwright (May 4, 2011)

Just had three weeks on the west coast, one of the best tours we have ever done. Only some midges - maybe too cold? Used 'hopscotch' ferry ticket to cross to Mull and Skye and cover roads along the coast we would not have otherwise seen.

Most importantly all but one of the private sites we used were first class and always had space so we didn't have to fret about the few C&CC or CC sites which always seemed to be full and not much use for touring people like us.

There is a good map available of all the Scottish sites and contact numbers for ringing ahead to check but in September I am sure you can just turn up. There always seemed to be a site at any sizeable settlement.

I would definitely go west first.


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## Zebedee (Oct 3, 2007)

hsscrm said:


> And another anti-midge tip: Avon's Skin So Soft. They're 'orrible wee things.


Have you actually tried it?

I'm not being obtuse here, as Mrs Zeb is very susceptible to small biting critters, and is put off visiting Scotland by all the tales of midges making life a misery and ruining the holiday. 8O

We bought some Skin So Soft on the recommendation of others on here, but it was useless - it even seemed to attract the little swine!!!

Is this one of those tips which people read about and pass on, no doubt with good intentions but with no personal experience??

Dave


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## locovan (Oct 17, 2007)

You will find all you need to know in Sallytrafic's blogs he writes them so well. Even went with a bus pass all the way to Scotland from Salisbury

http://www.motorhomefacts.com/blog-search-sallytrafic.html

This one contains the Tour to Scotland http://www.motorhomefacts.com/blog-display-jid-309.html

From Day 16 when he reaches Gretna


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## sallytrafic (Jan 17, 2006)

This bit goes from Morecambe Bay to Glasgow around the coast. As Mavis said Scotland starts at day 16:

Blog 4b 

This bit is Glasgow to Edinburgh around the coast Scotland blog 5a

There is a link at the bottom to 5b then from there to 5c then 5d and on that one it links to part 6 which goes from Edinburgh to Berwick on Tweed

Hope this helps


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## Hezbez (Feb 7, 2009)

Zebedee said:


> Have you actually tried it?
> 
> I'm not being obtuse here, as Mrs Zeb is very susceptible to small biting critters, and is put off visiting Scotland by all the tales of midges making life a misery and ruining the holiday. 8O
> 
> ...


Hi Zeb,

Yes! I have tried it. Use it frequently up here. It's not 100% effective, but it certainly helps, plus it's not as toxic as using actual repellants on a regular basis.

Maybe it depends on the breed of midge, as to whether it works or not. Some are little buggers and I don't think a nuclear bomb would kill them.


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## Nethernut (Jun 4, 2008)

Zebedee said:


> hsscrm said:
> 
> 
> > And another anti-midge tip: Avon's Skin So Soft. They're 'orrible wee things.
> ...


Yes and it didn't work!!! June formula spray does for me anyway!


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## Jagman (Feb 16, 2008)

Like two other posters - just got back from annual Scottish tour - midges not bad at all for us but we did have skin so soft just in case and it does work for both of us. Lots of mh's waving this year - foreign ones seemed very keen to wave which was not always the case  but northern sites not as busy as usual.

Broomfield park at Ullapool is an absolute must for sea/loch view and very short walk to town. Sango Sands at Durness and the site at JOG are ideal for boxing off the far north, nice to see the JOG Hotel being refurbished, not sure about the new holioday chalets :? Dunnet Sands is as good a site as you'll find anywhere and Thurso a short drive away.

These threads are worth looking at:

www.motorhomefacts.com/ftopict-98682-days0-orderask-0.html

www.motorhomefacts.com/ftopict-105870-.html

the first one contains some other good links

be prepared for 159/litre diesel 8O

Have a great trip.


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## wug (May 19, 2011)

Check out theMidge Forecast and info on a new repellent. And buy a midge net for the head & neck - widely available and do work.

And if you think you've seen midges just try milking a cow by hand in the Trossachs!!


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## wug (May 19, 2011)

Jagman said:


> be prepared for 159/litre diesel 8O


We run on cask strength whisky - it's no cheaper, but you feel a hell of lot better on it


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## Nethernut (Jun 4, 2008)

Nethernut said:


> [
> 
> Yes and it didn't work!!! June formula spray does for me anyway!


Should have read "Jungle formula" spray!!!!


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