# Touring in Scotland



## denhamcs (Jan 15, 2007)

Hi

My wife and I are planning a trip to Scotland this summer and I would be grateful for any advice regarding places to visit, sites to use, etc. We only have about 16 days including the drive up from South Wales and the current plan is to try to see as much of the Western Isles as we can. 

In particular, has anyone freedom camped in this area before? Is it legal and safe?


----------



## THEPOET (May 1, 2007)

Hi,

We did a 3 week trip last year, which included a fair bit in Scotland. The Highlands are beautiful.

We kind of followed Andy Stodharts route as shown in a previous MMMs Mag. After visiting friends in Ayr, we drove up past Loch Lomond; I believe the C&CC (or CC)site at Luss is good. We were heading for Oban fora couple of nights. Be aware that especially at weekends sites will only book you in for 2 or 3 nights minimum. We then headed through Fort William, stopping at the Commando Memorial and on out to Kyle of Lochalsh. A brief photostop in Kyleakin with the Skye Bridge behind saw us heading off towards Plockton. I must admit to chickening out taking the van in Plockton and as we did not have bikes with us we missed out. We did however wildcamp just a bit further up the road on a viewing point overlooking Loch Carron (My Avatar) We were joined by a couple of Belgian M'Homes for the night.

Back to Loch Ness and up through Inverness, night stopping outside Aviemore then down to Blair Atholl, Called in at the Falkirk Wheel just North of Edinburgh stayed with friends who ran the C&CC site at Jedburgh, Lindisfarne (wild camp) Housesteads, Angel of the North and on home via friends near Stockton Teeside.

Wild camping is allowed in alot of places, although there are places where there are signs forbidding it. If you peruse the MHF WIldcamping database should give you a good idea.

I am sure there will be other advice. Have a great holiday

Ps; be aware that roads in the highlands can be very narrow and single track and quite steep. Midges we were not bothered with this was in July but he weather was not to good.


----------



## Guest (Jan 25, 2008)

denhamcs said:


> My wife and I are planning a trip to Scotland this summer


Last July we did this by motorbike.

Last August we bought an RV.

Too much water does spoil the scotch.

So late August, back to Scotland in comfort.

All the best sites are full.

Motto: Book in advance.

This year it's back across to Italy. Scotland very good, across the alps to Italy, is in a different league.

From Perth across to Breamar ( good place to stay but site full ) then Balmoral, campsites in Banchory ( also full ). Lovely trip.


----------



## cronkle (May 1, 2005)

We had two weeks up in the north-west of Scotland four years ago.
Having been up there before we decided to head , at the gallop, for Fort William and start the holiday from there. We stopped on Skye for a couple of nights but found that the roads and the surprising volume of traffic made getting to the really pretty bits a bit of an ordeal.
A strategic decision by the navigator then put us on the ferry to Harris and Lewis. Following a very pleasant crossing we did a mixture of campsites and wild camping (not something that we normally do but it feels so safe over there) for five or six days then it was back to the mainland and up to Ullapool. We could have taken the ferry directly there but we had not bought the right tickets but then again the drive from the Skye bridge north is through spectacular scenery.
Anyway, at Ullapool we camped at a site on the loch-side with superb views of the sunset and listened to Hamish on radio loch Broom-he seemed to be on first name terms with all of his local listeners!
Then northwards again to Durness and a stop to visit Smoo cave followed by the drive along the north coast to make the almost obligatory visit to John'o Groats.
We then came back down the east coast to Inverness visiting Dunrobin castle on the way.
It is a route that to my mind is as scenically spectacular as Provence or the Alps (in a different sort of way, obviously).


----------



## Glengyle (Mar 18, 2007)

An option worth considering would be taking a ferry form Oban to Barra (5 hours) in the Outer Hebridies then visiting South Uist, Benbecula, North Uist, Harris, Lewis then ferry over to Ullapool on the mainland. Cal Mac ferries do special tickets to cover this type of journey. If you have time it's worth visiting Durness for a day or two (70 miles north of Ullapool).


----------



## Pixelpusher (Feb 26, 2007)

I can't provide any advice because we've only just planned our first tour to Scotland. We're off for 2 months exploring, Arran, Mull, Skye, Lewis, Harris and the main land. It was a difficult choice where to go. What started out as a 4week tour finished up as 2mths and even then we're sure we're missing something.

We found this to be a useful web site

http://www.undiscoveredscotland.co.uk/index.html

and used Google Earth to take a look at the region.

We're off in May to July - we'll wave to anyone, maybe it will be you 

Colin


----------



## 97339 (Jan 18, 2006)

Hi, Denhames. We visit Scotland every summer in our motorhome and nearly always free camp. Have a look at this year's holiday on Virtual Tourist. You'll also find all our othr Scottish holidays on here. Don't forget to read the tips.

http://members.virtualtourist.com/m/87f23/4c489/


----------

