First motorhome Road trip - driving to Scotland

[NotSoLittleGoatGruff]

We have booked a motorhome for 5 days in a couple of weeks time and, weather depending, we would either drive to Scotland (if not, Cornwall).

We have young kids, all under 4 and this will be our very first road trip. I am buzzing with excitement as I have always dreamed of road trips with the family.

Can anyone suggest any beautiful sites we should consider in Scotland? And what do people do, do they stop for a night or two in one place and then move on to the next?

I am after:

• In the middle of nature, right by a spring ideally (or lake), next to a forest and would love it if they allow a fire/have fire pits

• It would be nice if there was an animal farm within walking distance to keep the kids entertained but obviously not a must

Apart from the obvious groceries, wellies and warm clothing what else should we take with us? Someone mentioned a door mat, anything else?

I would really appreciate any recommendations you might have?

Work commitments make it impossible to stretch this any longer unfortunately.

My parents used to drive from Scotland to the south of France with 3 teens, a baby and a toddler (and there on). Doable!

My dh is of the same opinion, that is doable. I want it to be enjoyable too. We only have a week to decide

It's a long way from London, so I'd forget about the Highlands and go to Galloway (which I prefer anyway). It's doable with children (in a car) in a day from Surrey not sure about a campervan. I can recommend Gatehouse of Fleet, the coast west from Kirkcudbright and if you are into book, Wigtown.

Well it’s about 8hrs door to door from London to Stirling - in a car - so I can only imagine a camper van will be a lot longer. But then the journey is the whole thing itself isn’t it? I’d probably go closer (Wales or the lakes?).

London (bit general, I grant you) to Gatehouse of Fleet.

That really doesn't look that bad! How is Galloway, is Gatehouse of Fleet the place to go?

Fellow motorhome owner here. Keep an eye on height restrictions on car parks. Think you will be ok at Longleat but not sure they allow motorhomes through the safari. If they do, don't go in the Monkey section as they will destroy it.

Make sure you know how to fill it with water, connect the hookup, put the gas on for the fridge etc when you are stationary (never on gas when you are driving) you also need to know how to empty your grey water and empty the toilet cassette.

I think a week for Scotland is a better idea. There are the NC500 and a shorter 250 route. You may need a long range fuel tank for the 500. You could always try Devon, Dorset or Cornwall. Went to Cofton holidays in Devon recently which was nice.

We find that fixtures and fittings in motorhomes can be quite fragile and very hard and expensive to replace. My kids aren't fiddlers but one managed to release the drop down bed and crack the windscreen. Had we not had windscreen cover this would have cost £4000 to fix. The rubber alone was £400.

We also find that moving around can be a bit of a performance, packing everything up, turning gas off and then driving to the location to find a space big enough to accommodate the motorhome can be hard in peak season. Remember driving to Looe in Cornwall from the campsite a few miles away just to turn around and go back as we couldn't park.

I only recommended that one as it is the only one I have camped at but there are a few around there. I'd check reviews on Trip Advisor.

Kipford is (or was) lovely. It's been 10+ years since I've been.

What I loved about our camper was you didnt need to go far to have a great time. Personally, from London, somewhere much much closer. New Forest? Peak District? Surrey/Box Hill?

If and when you do have time to come to Scotland OP I recommend Blairdrummond Safari Park.

Also wrt a PP the funicular at Cairngorm is not working now.

Having looked at the weather and taking all things into consideration, we have decided to go for Cornwall.
If anyone has any suggestions for a memorable trip, I am all ears(or eyes)

Wales is absolutely beautiful, you could get there in three hours. Fabulous beaches and a range of scenery that you could easily see in a week. Mountains, lakes, forests. Not a busy as Cornwall.
Hope you have a fantastic time.

MH owner here, hello!
If this is going to be the first time you have driven a large vehicle, have a look at YouTube videos of roads in Cornwall. Are you confident in your reversing skills if you meet a tractor?
Another vote for or North Wales.
We've stayed here a couple of times www.campinginnorthwales.co.uk/
A good place to look for sites is www.ukcampsite.co.uk/sites/
Northumberland is also beautiful, we're going there on Sunday
www.annstead.co.uk/
Have a great time!

The travel time will also depend on the day you set off - the A1 is a bugger on a Friday in either direction and there are not many direct routes to Scotland to choose from. My son was at university in Aberdeen and I regularly travelled from North Notts borders - it took at least 6 hours on a good day and the longer part was in the UK.
With 2 small children I would be looking at using camp sites for their facilities. I am a motorhomer and using your own battery power for 5 nights will hammer the battery. You would probably use the gas heather for hot water.
For a first trip i would recommend going not so far this time. I have been to Moreton-in-the Marsh and Broadway camping abd caravan club sites, both in the Cotswolds. Both within very short walking distance of the town, lots of family friendly pubs/cafes etc and both with good transport right outside the site. Buses from Moreton and even the steam train from Broadway.
Both sites are within travel distance of Adam Cotswolds Wild Life Park,both sites with brilliant children's play areas /easy access to Stratford on Avon for boating on the river etc and lots of lovely little villages where you could park up and potter around in little streams etc. I am thinking of The Slaughters and Bourton on the Water. Both these last 2 places you can park a motorhome, roadiside in the Slaughters and a big Ca Park with dedicated motorhome parking in Bourton. You can join the club with a telephone call, or check if it's included with the motorhome hire.

Re Cairngorm - unfortunately the funicular is out of operation at the moment.
And as someone from the Highlands who would love you to come here - it's an awful long way from London and I think that campervans are restricted to 50mph on the A9, so travel would take an awful chunk of your holiday time.

Have you considered the Rhins of Galloway? Lovely countryside too and just over the border from England, so an easier drive to give you more of a break?

oops - cross posting with others re funicular and Galloway suggestion :)

Go to the Gower peninsula and Pembrokeshire! Folly Farm is fantastic for the little ones. Its probably a quicker drive than Cornwall.