Scotland

[karl webster]

Finally we have dates in the diary for a drive up and around Scotland/west coast and holly is wanting to do a couple of island hops.

We are going in September so fingers crossed the weathers good.

Is there any must see places that we need to make sure we get to?

If anyone has any names of beaches/ lakes that is a nice camp we would be greatful to hear them.

I'm hoping to wild camp most of the time.

Thanks for any info.

 

[goodoldboy]

Is there any must see places that we need to make sure we get to?

Is there any must see places that we need to make sure we get to?

https://www.glenmorangie.com/en/experiences#distillery-tour

 

[AndyCook]

Hi Karl

I will send you some spots via IM

 

[frank rabbets]

We drove as close as we could all along the North coast, amazing.

 

[AndyCook]

Yeah, can't go wrong doing the NC500

http://www.northcoast500.com/interactive-map.aspx

But taking in glencoe and Skye beforehand
And Cairngorms on way back south via aviemore, tomintoul, braemar, Pitlochry

A9 and A90 on east dull in comparison

 

[garygiles1963]

I'll Second Andy you wont go far wrong, but do try to get Cairngorms in, its a beautiful area.

G

 

[flint]

Ferrys from Calmac : https://www.calmac.co.uk/hopscotch No cheaper than buying single tickets, but gives a few ideas.
If you go for the 500, it's worth a slight detour to take in:http://www.visitwester-ross.com/bealach-na-ba.asp

 

[Josh Tagg]

Done quite a lot round Scotland in the van,road to isle of Skye is out of this world and the top road a836 provides good views! I'm up there myself all next week doing a tour round-edinburgh, mull, aviemore, ullapool, loch Ness, Dundee and a far out place campletown. Ill let you know what's worth visiting

 

[Josh Tagg]

Also still believe Edingburgh is the nicest UK town I've ever been too. Never short on refreshments...... Great campsite called Morton hall too

 

[AndyCook]

belach na ba and applecross are on the NC500 route
i suggested Karl try the campsite at Applecross - good pub there too

on Mull next week, camping with the Hilux - so will report back

Ferrys from Calmac : https://www.calmac.co.uk/hopscotch No cheaper than buying single tickets, but gives a few ideas.
If you go for the 500, it's worth a slight detour to take in:http://www.visitwester-ross.com/bealach-na-ba.asp

 

[Gary Stockton]

If you head to Edinburgh, let me know Meet you for a frostie somewhere nice...

 

[diggerdave]

There pretty much no green lanes in Scotland, but we went on an 'adventure day' with Hugh Roberts from Far x Four back in 2014 that was a full day of farm tracks and some pretty wild trackless moorland in the Borders. The estates in Scotland are huge and he had landowners permission to basically drive anywhere on their land. The scenery was great, it's pretty unique to be able to 'green lane' in Scotland and a fair chunk of it was just virgin, trackless bog.

 

[karl webster]

To be honest dave were not going up for any lanes. It's mainly just the wild camping on beaches etc that I'd like to do. There's so much to see from what people have told us. I'm taking my truck rather than the van just so we can do the beaches.

 

[karl webster]

Done quite a lot round Scotland in the van,road to isle of Skye is out of this world and the top road a836 provides good views! I'm up there myself all next week doing a tour round-edinburgh, mull, aviemore, ullapool, loch Ness, Dundee and a far out place campletown. Ill let you know what's worth visiting

Cheers Josh. Your inputs great thanks.

 

[karl webster]

I'll give you a shout Gary when we have a plan (ish) lol

 

[karl webster]

Thanks Andy for the pms .

 

[diggerdave]

Haha, if it's beaches you're after, you could go to Dunnet Beach (not sure I'd want to camp though)

Applecross Pass is one of the best tarmac roads in the UK



If you like remote spots, you could drive to Lower Diabaig and beyond, taking the minor road northwest of Torridon. It's a dead end and I don't know about the camping but you drive past the the stunning Torridon range (which are proper mountaineer's mountains that I remember sombre blokes with frostbitten noses and serious beards talking about in my rock climbing days) and end up at a wild beach with (in 2007) a beached derelict on it...



Further south but also very remote and beautiful in a different way is the Ardnamuchan peninsula. Worth a visit to the old crofting village of Sanna where they still practice subsistence farming as it was 100 years ago pretty much. But watch your step.

Have a great time - there is so much to see and do on the west coast. We hired quad bikes at the Ardverikie Estate near Fort William which was brill. You go round the estate land and inland beaches (think they also have a drive your own 4x4 course but we didn't have one in those days)

 

[GeekOKent]

If you do the nc500 route, go anti clockwise. Far lesser traffic that way. Other than that, remember to remain stocked up on essentials and diesel. The bothy network is pretty solid. Maybe lookup some of those.

 

[Josh Tagg]

This was our view 10 minutes ago on the isle of mull. Probably the best view I've seen in the UK. We have been very lucky with the weather I must say!

 

[flint]

Apparently Applecross campsite toilet block had a fire this week, no one hurt but could be a little inconvenient (sorry),
Reminds me of being on a campsite in Marrakesh in the early '70s when the toilet block actually fell down during the night, nobody in it at the time but much despair in evidence at first light.