# Scotland mid August



## dawnwynne (Nov 14, 2009)

Hi All,

We are so excited....we are heading to Scotland mid August and have a couple weeks for our trip. 

I'm a bit of a whimp and don't want to over plan our holiday but am worried about getting places to stay at night. We want to do the west coast and up to John O'Groats etc.

My question is this...we've never wild camped..so I'm a bit nervous of it ...so at this time of year will we find it next to impossible to get into a site for a night if we just show up on the day?

Any advice would be greatly appreciated as I really hate the idea of pre-planning this trip to death.


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## suedew (May 10, 2005)

Know how you feel about 'pre-planning' and can't help with your query :roll: 
Just want to wish you a great holiday in my homeland. wish I was going too  
bit of a 'bump' too
Sue


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## rolyk (Aug 24, 2007)

Make sure that you have plenty of midge repellant as it's a very bad year for them.

Enjoy your trip!


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## rupert1 (Feb 13, 2009)

We have twice done four weeks during August in Scotland. Only site we booked was Edinburgh CC one. We use the CC sites a fair bit but found that most in Scotland no problem if you telephone the site about 10.30 in the morning they nearly always have a pitch. Others sites have never had a problem getting on and just turned up.


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## dawnwynne (Nov 14, 2009)

Thanks Sue and thanks Rolyk, I'm stocking up on insect repellent...I'm from the land of mosquitos the size of sparrows so I figure a few midges won't scare me away! :lol: :lol: 

Anyone else have any ideas on how busy it is mid august for sites? I'm probably just going to have to wing it and figure out how to get water etc. on the fly! Adds to the excitement!  :lol:


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## dawnwynne (Nov 14, 2009)

Oh Rupert you were typing at the same time as I was...thanks for that...it makes me feel so much better. I assume a lot of sites are saying they are full right now but come the day, I'm sure they will have had cancellations.


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## Telrac (Jun 26, 2010)

We went on our first ever trip in July to the west coast and didn't stay in any campsites the whole week - used the iphone app link to wild camping spots detailed on this site and found some really cracking locations to camp. We had a vague idea of where we wanted to go but didn't plan in any great detail and found there are literally hundreds of wild camping spots dotted all over the highlands - some are viewpoints, others off road laybys, and all have fantastic views!! Have a lovely holiday and as someone else said take plenty of midge cream!!


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## bozzer (Jul 22, 2009)

Hi

Scottish schools go back in 2 weeks. That's in Stirlingshire area at least. There are lots of wild camping areas and we've seen caravans parked at the side of Lochs, full awning etc. My son who lives in Scotland says many are pushing the free camping to such an extent that he's worried they'll lose it.

Enjoy your break and let us know where you get to. Hope you've lots of Avon skin so soft and you need to put it on every 2 hrs a Dr friend says!! They live on the East coast.

Jan


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## 96299 (Sep 15, 2005)

Hi

We're doing the west coast middle of August and have only booked one site, the first night at a CL near Newton Stewart, Dumfrieshire. The rest of our stops will be suck it and see and wilding.  Like you we cannot wait. 8) 

steve


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## H1-GBV (Feb 28, 2006)

We've just returned from 2 weeks - up the west coast (inc Skye), down the east coast. This coincided with both Scottish & English school holidays, and we stayed almost entirely on sites - only CCC Luss (Loch Lomond) refused us a pitch. However we did use several CCC THS, and they do have the National Feast of Lanterns just before Bank Holiday.

We saw plenty of wild camping going on, including caravans, and plenty of spaces in some lovely spots. I would just go for it.

(Hope the weather is better than we had - 2 days of sunshine, the rest mist or rain.)

Gordon


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## Zozzer (Aug 13, 2006)

We'll be up at Rosmarkie CC&C on the 20th August four days for our first ever Dolphin Watch at Channory Point. Then it's along the Moray coast and around to Banf, MacDuff, Frazerburgh, Peterhead.


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## dawnwynne (Nov 14, 2009)

Thank you everyone for your responses...I'm feeling a whole lot more confident that I can do this wild camping thing...or at least I feel more confident that if I chicken out of the wild camping thing I will be able to find a site! :lol: :lol: 

Jan good news about the school kids going back...that will probably make it a bit quieter.

Zozzer, the dolphin watching sounds terrific....I've just looked it up...I think this will be a must do!! Found a boat trip for £22 each....that will be exciting!

So I now have 2 things for sure I must do...one is take in a day of Highland Games...and dolphin watching....any other ideas anyone?


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## UncleNorm (May 1, 2005)

Hi Dawn. Good luck with your trip. You WILL enjoy it. The west side is probably the most scenic area in the UK. AuntieSandra and I spend two months of each year next to Lochalsh, one month in the spring, one in the autumn. Each time, we see the seasons changing... brilliant!

For a preview, try our nephew's LIVE webcam on his shop...

http://www.914outdoor.co.uk/content/view/15/29/

To help improve the video quality of the live output, you might need to download an ActiveX file from Streamdays.

It's a brilliant webcam... I've watched air-sea rescue practising, I've watched as emergency services have been recovering an articulated lorry that was blown over by the wind!!

So... whatever you do, wherever you go, enjoy the experience!!

Oh, the nephew's shop also sells huge quantities of Avon Skin So Soft!! As he says: "We have the nicest smelling mountaineers in Scotland!"


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## locovan (Oct 17, 2007)

What a place to have a shop Norman WOW very impressed


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## dawnwynne (Nov 14, 2009)

Wow Norm....maybe I'll have to retire in Scotland instead of British Columbia because it is just as stunning! Someone did tell me the West coast is like a mini BC (I'll probably be very homesick while I'm there). 

And I absolutely love it when there is noticeable season changes....makes them that much more spectacular.


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## sallytrafic (Jan 17, 2006)

UncleNorm said:


> Hi Dawn. Good luck with your trip. You WILL enjoy it. The west side is probably the most scenic area in the UK. AuntieSandra and I spend two months of each year next to Lochalsh, one month in the spring, one in the autumn. Each time, we see the seasons changing... brilliant!
> 
> For a preview, try our nephew's LIVE webcam on his shop...
> 
> ...


Been there, shopped there


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## sallytrafic (Jan 17, 2006)

dawnwynne said:


> Thanks Sue and thanks Rolyk, I'm stocking up on insect repellent...I'm from the land of mosquitos the size of sparrows so I figure a few midges won't scare me away! :lol: :lol:
> 
> Anyone else have any ideas on how busy it is mid august for sites? I'm probably just going to have to wing it and figure out how to get water etc. on the fly! Adds to the excitement!  :lol:


The wee ones are the worst and they don't come in 'a few' no the normal quantity is 'a lot' look at the output of a midgeater:


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## viator (May 1, 2007)

sallytrafic said:


> dawnwynne said:
> 
> 
> > Thanks Sue and thanks Rolyk, I'm stocking up on insect repellent...I'm from the land of mosquitos the size of sparrows so I figure a few midges won't scare me away! :lol: :lol:
> ...


Hi sallytrafic,
I seem to have seen that photo somewhere before, perhaps a breach of courtesy on your part.
viator


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## dawnwynne (Nov 14, 2009)

sallytrafic said:


> dawnwynne said:
> 
> 
> > Thanks Sue and thanks Rolyk, I'm stocking up on insect repellent...I'm from the land of mosquitos the size of sparrows so I figure a few midges won't scare me away! :lol: :lol:
> ...


 :lol: :lol: :lol: You trying to scare me away Frank? 8O :lol:


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## erneboy (Feb 8, 2007)

Dawn, all of Scotland is great for wild camping. There are stacks of places and it is lovely. Orkney is very much worth the short ferry trip.

The people are great. The midges are a bugger, Alan.


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## DTPCHEMICALS (Jul 24, 2006)

Avon skin so soft in a spray Green
i have four bottles on order.

Midgies love me. They leave Lady p alone.

Someone told me to switch from Scotch to G and T.

dave p


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## The-Clangers (Sep 18, 2009)

We may head North middle of August, up to Castle of Mey (The Queen Mothers old home) near John O' Groats. Along the top and down the West side to Ullapool.

However, if the weather is iffy and looks better down Sarf, then either Wales or Suffolk/Norfolk. That's the great thing about a van you can go where you want (if you can get in anywhere).

A good place for sites is Scottish Campsites.com. But plenty of little parking places for the night, and very little traffic.

Have a lovely time.

David


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## dawnwynne (Nov 14, 2009)

Thanks everyone....I'm getting more excited by the day! 

Somehow I think this is the first of many trips up there. I'm going to have to seriously get better at blogging my trips....my intentions are always good! :lol: :lol:

Thanks David, but I think that website is still under construction. Even looked at scottishcampsites.co.uk and it is under construction as well.


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## archai46 (Sep 7, 2008)

Not sure where your itinery takes you but the Caravan Club site at Bunree (just outside Fort William) and the Broomfield Holiday Park in Ullapool are both good.


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## sallytrafic (Jan 17, 2006)

viator said:


> sallytrafic said:
> 
> 
> > dawnwynne said:
> ...


Sorry Viator - (I pinched it from one of Viator's posts on here)


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## dawnwynne (Nov 14, 2009)

Thanks Archai...I'll look them up


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## carolynis21 (Dec 4, 2009)

dawnwynne said:


> we are heading to Scotland mid August
> ....... I really hate the idea of pre-planning this trip to death.


Hi I would love to hear the outcome as we are thinking of doing similar in 2011. Where the midges awful? did you get the wild camping bug? were the sites available or fully boooked? ... but most of all - did you enjoy it ?

Carolyn


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## dawnwynne (Nov 14, 2009)

Hi Carolyn

Unfortunately we had a change of plans at the very last minute and did not make it to Scotland...but we plan to very soon....perhaps you'll have to tell me how it went for you! :lol: 

I think from all I've read and heard...you will love it!


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## greenasthegrass (Oct 27, 2007)

We went last 11 days of August went up the East Coast. St Andrews, Perth, Stirling. Apart from NFOL which in my opinion was tripe everywhere else was lovely.

We went on the beach at Kingsbarns - sea cold, beach empty - got to 70 degs.

After 20th August everything seemed to be empty as everyone had gone back to School/Work.

Perth was fantastic, lovely tea shops we stayed at Scone Palace C&CC site for 3 nights granted torrential rain on first day but hey its Scotland. Scone Palace definitely lovely and well worth the visit you get money off for staying at the site.

If you don't want to go on a campsite there is camping allowed on the main car park for around £3 a night I think.

Stirling is also lovely and very clean and tidy loads of rural landscapes to look at and very pleasant people.

Can't wait to go back as we felt 11 days was not long enough.

Greenie


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## 96299 (Sep 15, 2005)

Hi

We went up the west coast after first going into Dumfrieshire and hugged the coast as much as we could on our way upto Oban and beyond. Done a fair amount of wilding which was great, especially on Skye where it is a doddle. Midges this year were slightly worse than when we were up there last in 2008, but really not that bad.  Just do it, you'll love Scotland, we do and cant wait to go back. 8) 

Steve


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