Scotland in a camper van?

[Stew]

Evening.

We’re trying to come up with a plan for a weeks worth of holiday in August. Left it quite late but, well, it happens!

So there’s a thought of maybe flying up to Scotland then hiring a camper and having a drive round for a week.

To be cheeky - does anyone know of any good routes that could work. Are there any classic trips for people to do? Ideally not just a drive round for a week but a drive to fun here and fun there!!

I am clueless about many things and this is included!

Ta!

 

[MaC]

First check that there are campers available....... Scotland is a tourist magnet in late Summer.

Best of luck with it though.

Where to where ? what do you like to do or see ?

Coastal routes are great for some but my husband finds them terminally boring. Give him hills though and he's a happy man.
Castles and history are everywhere but main sites are swamped in Summer.

I think if you've only a week I'd pick an area, like Galloway or Fife, or the Black Isle, maybe up around Inverness (airport there) or Argyll, though the Border towns and surrounds are lovely, and just make the most of that bit.

 

[Stew]

Where, what, etc. don’t know!

It’s my wife’s thought. Persoanally I worry that it could be a bit boring for the kids!

 

[MaC]

Lots to see, but to do ? what do they like to do ? Scenery is all very well, but after a few hours it's much of a muchness.

Personally my kids were happier either having one site, like a major castle to investigate, or one hill to climb or one riverside/beach or loch to be left to play around. The occasional museum of Natural History was fine, but after that they'd much rather avoid towns, shopping, sight seeing and just have some place to settle down and play with stuff. Much of the water's pretty damned cold though. Fife's good, it's warmer out that side and the beaches are excellent. From rock pools to sand, they have it all. Busy though; well for us it's busy.
Driving around just did not appeal to the boys at all.

We did do a trail along the Antonine wall though, not a great deal to see, but they'd been to the Museum in the Uni with the milestones, etc., first.

I think I'd pick an area, and then look and see what's available there. Then organise, ahead of time, for things to do each day for the kids and yourselves. So maybe pony treking, canoe hire, trip on a boat, hands on history, Sunday car boot/farmer's market, local events, and fit that in with jaunts in town/pubs for lunch, etc., keep everyone happy.

I hope the weather's kind for you and the midgies just don't appear

 

[Winnet]

From what I heard, stay away from the NC500.

G

 

[5teep]

From what I heard, stay away from the NC500.

G

Unless you can get to it early in the season that's good advice. I have to drive much of it for work and it is for sure amazingly beautiful but if you're driving it can be very frustrating.

 

[MaC]

How about we fling some ideas of things we know are fun sites ?

I'd say the castles, but in the height of the tourist season getting into either Edinburgh or Stirling with a campervan, and finding parking is a total no.
So I'd say they're out.

If you got to Edinburgh airport though, and managed to pick up a camper nearby (https://motorhomeescapes.co.uk will accomodate, if they have one available) and then maybe head up to Perthshire.
Lovely bit of the world, kind of has it all without needing to spend all day driving and it's central for everything else apart from the borders or the islands.

Comriecroft is a favourite campsite, it's near Crieff, https://www.comriecroft.com and they have over 20 miles of mountain bike trails and they'll hire you the bikes and safety wear.

The Crannog centre is up near Aberfeldy, https://crannog.co.uk
Usually something going on there

The activity Scotland folks offer horse trekking in Perthshire too.

Horseriding Pitlochry Perthshire, horseriding centres activity days breaks holidays Perthshire Highlands Scotland

##

www.activityscotland.com

You could go gorge scrambling

Gorge Scrambling

Gorge Scrambling activity days in Aviemore, the Cairngorms, Scotland! Lots of fun in the Cairngorms National Park. Book online today!

www.activeoutdoorpursuits.com

You could visit the Owl Centre,

Scottish Owl Centre

Meet the birds you’ve heard as a distant Twit-Twoo. Ticket prices from just £5.50. The Scottish Owl Centre is located in Polkemmet Country Park.

www.scottishowlcentre.com

It's kind of fun to have them flying over you

There are all sorts of Highland games on, and agricultural shows, just depends on your timing.
Lochaber Agricultural Show for instance.

The Edinburgh tattoo is on as well, they do a park and ride for that, so probably do-able. Again, it's the dates.

Does any of this kind of thing appeal ?

M

 

[noddy]

Go to Berwick whatever you do. Kyle of Lochalsh too

 

[Fast but dim]

From what I heard, stay away from the NC500.

G

Definitely. I went from Aviemore to gairloch, then down the coast to shielding in April.
Nc500 is just chocker with massive rental mohomes being driven by Rich fuckers.

 

[Stew]

Does any of this kind of thing appeal ?

M

It does - thanks - I’ll have a better look later.

 

[MaC]

While I mind, Perthshire....Doune Castle, it's small but it's where they filmed Monty Python and the Holy grail, Outlander, Game of Thrones, etc.,
parking is tight, very tight, mini buses need to book ahead, no idea about camper vans.

 

[Quarterstaff]

Wouldn’t want to the the NC500 that time of year!

If you end up in the Cairngorms area, a few attractions…..

Highland Wildlife Park, Kincraig

The Highland Folk Museum, Newtonmore

Cairngorm Mountain Funicular Railway, Nr Aviemore

Landmark Adventure, Carrbridge

Plenty of distillery tours, plenty of walking, not too far to beaches at Findhorn, Nairn, etc.

 

[Winnet]

Is the funicular open again?

I keep pondering taking dad for a trip back up there and wasn't sure if they were still trying to rebuild it.

G

 

[MaC]

Re-opened in January I believe...sure I saw it in the news.

There'll be a website, surely ?

https://www.cairngormmountain.co.uk/funicular-railway-reopens/#:~:text=From%20tomorrow%20–%2026%20January%202023,the%20newly%20refurbished%20Ptarmigan%20building.

 

[Winnet]

Thank you, I will have a better look later to see if there is a lift at the Ptarmigan Cafe.

G

 

[Quarterstaff]

The cafe has been closed on Tuesdays for finishing work, I think it’s coming to and end soon?

 

[noddy]

midgies

I know this will sound obvious but, early this evening, I was getting increasingly harassed by no-see-ums, mosquitoes, wasps and blue-arsed flies.

I was having to catch up with work so, rather than do anything practical about it, I swatted irritably and distractedly and to little avail as the emboldened cloud kept looking for avenues to get a quick bite.

Presently, Dearest W handed me a bottle of bug spray. I applied it and all the bugs as it were 'went somewhere else'. Like detergent on greasy water, the air cleared.

There is a moral to the tale, but I feel sure you can work it out.

 

[MaC]

@noddy

What was the bug spray ?

Truthfully, deet apart, the midges just seem to work their way through pretty much anything here. It is area dependent though. Perthshire midgies seem to loath the SkinSoSoft stuff while the Lanarkshire ones take it as an invitation.

Deet has issues unfortunately.....bit like the organophosphates that were used in sheep dips, which is why since they are now banned that we have an explosion of keds and ticks :sigh:

 

[noddy]

It is call Off!

I have had good results with that SkinSoSoft stuff in the past, but haven't seen any for years.

 

[MaC]

Ah, it's DEET. It works, just it's rather toxic to everything.

"OFF! is an insect repellent brand from S. C. Johnson & Son, produced in Finland. Its active ingredient is DEET (N,N-diethyl-m-toluamide) or metofluthrin "
SSS is still available. Personally I loathe the smell of it, but for those who find it works, it's good stuff. Mostly citronella I believe......
" ingredients: isopropyl palmitate, alcohol denat., aqua, simmondsia chinensis (jojoba) seed oil, tocopheryl acetate, parfum, bht, citronellol, coumarin, hydroxycitronellal, limonene, linalool. <02890-014>"

Available from Amazon if local Avon won't supply.

Skin So Soft Original Dry Oil Spray - 150ml

Enjoy silky-soft skin in seconds with our top-rated Skin So Soft Original Dry Oil Spray, a lightweight formula enriched with jojoba oil. Shop now.

avon.uk.com

 

[noddy]

Yes, Off! is fierce. Melts car seats, Gore-Tex, sunglasses and so on.

Generally, I try and keep it off my skin unless it is aggressively buggy - keep it to my hair, clothes etc.

 

[Stew]

Apparently skin so soft doesn’t really cut the mustard after a recipe change.