Also northern England as Will be travelling up. Will be in a camper. Not sure if we will go the Alps again this summer but funds are a bit tight. So thoughts are turning to Scotland.
Never been which is shameful. Even more so that I love dramatic hilly landscapes. (Not been past lake Windermere.)
So where do folks recommend? I know there is the coast 500 but I've heard that doesn't really show the best of Scotland.
Stoneybridge.
https://youtu.be/vSi741fJeQ0?feature=shared
Secret bunker -St Andrews
Commando monument - Spean Bridge
A Big Bridge
Skye
Glenfinnan Viaduct
Distilleries- all over the place
Falkirk Wheel
Kelpies
Wallace Monument
Stirling Castle
Balmoral
Royal Yacht Britannia
Loch Ness
Culloden
My family is from Huntly; I love going back to visit the North East coast, from Aberdeen round to Inverness, and the hinterland Cabrach, Speyside et al.
Also, don't be too quick to hurtle through the south of Scotland. Galloway, the Tweed valley, the southern uplands north from Newton Stewart, the - oh! bugger it, just go somewhere, you can't go wrong.
The least scenic bit is the Forth-Clyde corridor, but even that is crammed with points of interest.
Unclealec's top two tittilating tips for tourists - Roslyn Chapel (just south of Edinburgh) and Cultybraggan Industrial Estate outside Comrie in Perthshire.
Off the top of my head, from my last trip to Scotland I remember having pleasant stops at the following.
Arisaig
Ardroil/Uig on Lewis/Harris
Sligachan on Skye
https://sunnysidetouringsite.co.uk/who-we-are/
https://campingscotland.com/campsite...ands-campsite/
https://www.sligachancampsite.com/
Sent from my iPad using TZ-UK mobile app
If you do happen to go to Loch Ness, the drive to Oban from Loch Ness is absolutely beautiful.
Sent from a technical device
Go up alongside Loch Lomond, through Glencoe (its famous for good reason), don't bother stopping at Fort William, Take the road to Mallaig (stunning beaches and campsites as previously mentioned), ferry to Skye, The Black Cullin mountains/Fairy Pools, back to the mainland via the bridge and down through Glen Garry.
I don't wish to denigrate the east of Scotland, but if you want dramatic scenery then west is best
Basically, if you stay away from the Central Belt, you can’t really go wrong. And I say that as someone who is born and raised in the central belt.
It was mentioned that West is best for dramatic scenery and I’d agree. That being said, the East coast from Montrose up to Nairn is packed with great beaches and some fabulous coves.
Depending upon how long you’ve got… a trip up the East, up to Nairn… then down to Dufftown for the whisky. Loop in the Cairngorms, then head over West to Oban. From there come back inland to Loch Lomond and pick up the road from Tarbet to Loch Fyne for some further great scenery through the Rest and be Thankful. Loop around Kintyre, get the short ferry to Portavadie and head to tighnabruaich… and ferry back to Glasgow from Dunoon.
I’ve not included the islands as even the above is a lot to cram in. But, Mull, Skye, Arran and Islay are all in striking distance if you wish.
That route keeps you well away from the crowded NC500 as well.
This is one of the most spectacular drives you can do .Originally Posted by Halitosis
Go up alongside Loch Lomond, through Glencoe (its famous for good reason), don't bother stopping at Fort William, Take the road to Mallaig (stunning beaches and campsites as previously mentioned), ferry to Skye, The Black Cullin mountains/Fairy Pools, back to the mainland via the bridge and down through Glen Garry.
I don't wish to denigrate the east of Scotland, but if you want dramatic scenery then west is best
The A74 M from Carlisle to Glasgow isn’t a dull drive by any stretch but as soon as you hit Loch Lomond you’ll be blown away.
Also, if you haven’t been past Windermere, you could easily drive around the Lakes for a couple of weeks without getting bored .
Cheers folks. Plenty to be getting on with there.
Anywhere, everywhere. Highlands are stunning.
"Bite my shiny metal ass."
- Bender Bending Rodríguez
If you’ve not already got it; get Search For Sites app. Think it’s £9.99 for full access. A huge amount of worthwhile places to stay for free, pub stops, private campsites, the main camping club’s locations and sites.
Cumbrian Coast 250 - essentially Morecambe Bay around to the Solway Firth
SW300 - Dumfries and Galloway plus a little bit of South Lanarkshire. A little known gem. Very friendly towards MH’s and Campervans
Isle of Arran - Scotland in miniature.
Anywhere on the west is dramatic as others have said. But don’t ignore the NE - some great places with stunning beaches and a lot less rain
NC500 - it’s apparently mad nowadays. We did it in 2018 before it was stupidly busy. It’s definitely worth doing but I hear that it’s more restrictive than it used to be largely because a lot of selfish f**kwits have spoiled it by leaving rubbish and other less than pleasant evidence that they were there. Therefore campers are welcomed not as much as they used to be.
Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk
The NC500 isn't a real thing at all, it's a manufactured piece of nonsense with a cool name trying to pull people into areas that don't see much tourism... and areas that don't see much tourism generally don't for a reason. The crazy thing is that the people who do the NC500 and think it's a big deal actually drive through or past much better scenery and roads to get there.
I'm not a fan, can you tell?
Sorry, this post is more what not to do than what to do, so stick to the Cairngorms and west coast and you can't go wrong.
Swing by Samye Ling on your way up for a stroll around the gardens and a cuppa in the tea room
Don't just do something, sit there. - TNH
Torridon, Applecross, The Mamores....
Probably the most important recommendation of all, do it when the weather is kind.
Yeah , good luck with that .
We went to Skye a few years ago when the country was basking in a heatwave .
I’m sure we saw Noah cajoling animals into his ark that week .
Naa. Forget the weather it’s the midges you have to plan to avoid.
Sent from my iPhone using TZ-UK mobile app
As a proud Fifer we are always overlooked.
Don’t drive up the M6-M74, drive up the M1 on the East, through the Borders taking in Hawick, Jedburgh etc, then through Edinburgh and Lothian and over the bridge into Fife.
Take the coastal route through Aberdour, Burntisland, Kinghorn then round into the East Neuk including Pittenweem, Anstruther (stopping for the best fish and chips in the world) and into St Andrews.
If you want to stop for a few days with gentle walks, head for the hidden gem that is Falkland and enjoy the estate and Lomond Hills.
Once you’ve sussed that, you can head north up the A9 and into the Cairngorms and beyond to follow the recommendations above.
This. Lived in Edinburgh for eight years, very often our Saturday trips were on the Fife coast. Apart from Anstruther (great fish and chips neat the corner of the main road), there are favourite Lobster and Crab shed restaurants at Craig and Pittenween. Classic North Sea harbours, fresh sea breeze.
On the East Coast, would advise Tantallon in the South ( just before North Berwick ) and Dunnottar Castle (just below Stonehaven , up North). Quite a drive but worth it. From there the drive to Balmoral, flanking the river Dee, gives you often a great experience of salmons jumping upstream. Then Balmoral Braenar etc
Last edited by Franco; 17th May 2024 at 22:38.
Posting Permissions
Reply With Quote