Scotland

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carl steffen

New Member
Posts
3
Location
Berkshire
Hi there

My girlfriend and I are in the process of purchasing a roof tent for my 110, our first trip will be 10 days on the west side of Scotland Lomond etc, I just wondered if anyone would have recommendations on where to stay/go. Also on what the rules are on wild camping?

Any advice would be greatly received

C
 
We stayed here at Easter, nice wee place with the best showers I've seen on a campsite: http://www.benderloch.com/stay_benderloch/seaview_pages/seaview_ad.html
Close to Oban, I recommend Markie Dan's pub!
From there you can go up the coast road to Ballachulish & Glencoe. Try the Red Squirrel campsite, or there are a couple of posher caravan & camping sites in the area.
If you go through Tyndrum at lunchtime, you'll notice the Green Welly Stop is very busy. We tried the real Food Cafe across the road this year, much cheaper and great burgers! Alternatively, go through Arrochar (great views over Loch Long) and Inveraray (visit the castle & Inveraray Jail http://www.inverarayjail.co.uk/ )
I disagree about Loch Lomond being boring: http://www.beinglascampsite.co.uk/
If you have the time, this is well worth the drive: http://applecross.uk.com/campsite/ http://www.applecross.uk.com/inn/
...and it's some drive!
wp8c35e029_05_06.jpg

 
In some ways access to the countryside in Scotland is more liberal than England. You seem to be allowed to walk about over most of it, provided it's not someone's front garden. Similarly with camping, if you do it on a 'leave no trace' basis - not leaving litter and not leaving burn marks in the grass from camp fires. The only thing is that there are relatively few places where you're allowed to drive off the road network - they don't have things like 'byway open to all traffic' or 'other route with public access'. The Scottish outdoor access code is here http://www.outdooraccess-scotland.com/ The Loch lomond area has different byelaws in force http://www.lochlomond-trossachs.org/visiting/east-loch-lomond-camping-byelaws/menu-id-611.html
A few years ago I slept my way round Scotland in a home made all weather sleeping bag (a big sheet of plastic with a sleeping bag underneath it) and never had any trouble.
 
X1 on the above. Get as westerly as you have time. From Tyndrum bear west to Oban and work up the coast. If you have 10 days depends on what you want to do but go as far as Mallaig that way you'll get the sea sky and mountain experience. Unless your trekking into the wilderness wild camping in Scotland with a landy is very restrictive. Rights of way are not for off road vehicles. Suggest you stick to official camp sites. Most large estates are locked and do not encourage access. If you really want the big country go north to Wester Ross (north of Ullapool). Good time to go as it is pre-midge season but do take repellent in case. Coastal areas less prone to midges (feckin bastardy things). Enjoy.
 
carl steffen said:
Hi there

My girlfriend and I are in the process of purchasing a roof tent for my 110, our first trip will be 10 days on the west side of Scotland Lomond etc, I just wondered if anyone would have recommendations on where to stay/go. Also on what the rules are on wild camping?

Any advice would be greatly received

C
Click to expand...
Scotland has right to roam policy for walking I think using a vehicle complicates things. Just Google.
 
X1 on access. You have the right to roam on foot only. Scottish highlands and wilderness fully accessible its vehicle access that is the problem. Go to the regional tourist listings for campsites. Slightly more rustic sites are usually nicer. Some really good ones in Moidart and Arisaig areas. As for hillwalking n stuff there is loads of information out there. Take a day trip to Eigg and do some seal n basking shark spotting .
 
John S said:
X1 on access. You have the right to roam on foot only. Scottish highlands and wilderness fully accessible its vehicle access that is the problem. Go to the regional tourist listings for campsites. Slightly more rustic sites are usually nicer. Some really good ones in Moidart and Arisaig areas. As for hillwalking n stuff there is loads of information out there. Take a day trip to Eigg and do some seal n basking shark spotting .
Click to expand...
Good idea. I saw a killer whale off Mull on a sailing trip years ago.
 
HYBRIDNI said:
Frankly, I think Scotland is pretty beautiful country no matter where in the countryside you go.
Click to expand...
+1 Years ago, before children, we drove/camped around the Scottish coast. Got across to Orkney too. Orkney is an amazing place with an enormous amount of varied and interesting things to see. The North West, up to Cape Wrath etc is a stunning, magical place. It's a different world. We did have two weeks of glorious weather though :)
I'm sure the OP will enjoy the trip.
 
I think so too. I was lucky enough to travel for 10 years with work (poor wife's barely even explored Ireland!) Been virtually everywhere. Scotland for me is still in my top 3 most beautiful places to visit. After my good old Ireland of course
 
I live in Inverness and spend a great deal of time on the west coast. It's easily one of the most beautiful places in the world.

Head up north. The bealach na ba is good, much better to cycle it tho. Take bikes if you can. The drive around the applecross peninsula is good too. Wester Ross in settled cold clear air with no midges is heavenly. Achiltibuie is just stunning - overlooking western Isles and Summer Isles. Hike up Sullivan. There's a lot of good remote bothies as well. Kearvaig is particularly good up near cape wrath.

You can wild camp and roam where ever you want just keep off people's farms. Getting a vehicle off road will be tricky and to be honest I think you should leave the country side as you find it. There'll be some green lanes around I'm sure tho. Park up and walk off into the wilderness. I love my landy but this part of the world is best explored by sea or on foot.
 
One thing I've noticed visiting Scotland a couple of times in the last year is that it's enormous. Maps don't really do justice to it. Just the little corner between the Solway coast and Glasgow is about the size of Wales which is where I normally go. In the north, even the A class roads look like little country lanes in many places, so you certainly get the rural feel, and when the sun is out the scenery is fantastic. When I'm eating my dinner I sometimes have a little scoot around the place using Google streetview just to remind myself how splendid it looks.
 
Whats yer thinking then Carl? Remember to pack the midge repellent whatever you do. If you go over the next few weeks you'll get snow capped peaks from the recent late season snow.
 
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