Touring scotland in a camper van

[GraciousPiglet]

Hoping someone has some experience of doing this with young kids.

DH and I usually camp in France, either in a furnished tent type thing or a mobile home. We love it. For us holidays are about being outdoors, not luxury, though I do like a basic degree of comfort. I am happy to do proper camping for a few days but I find it exhausting so we only do short stints. We have two boys, 6 and 3. They just want to be outdoors playing and exploring.

DH has always wanted a proper camper van. I've always said no as they are £££ and I don't like the idea of being stuck in such a tiny space as the boys get older.

However a holiday might be fun. We can't do our usual France trip this summer and I'm truly gutted. I want to do something the kids will really remember so we are considering hiring a large 6 berth modern camper and going to do a tour of Scotland. We would probably combine it with a few days in Edinburgh and maybe a week in a cottage so 2 and a bit weeks in total with a week in the van.

We have found a van but I'm trying to work my head around what a holiday in a van with small kids is like and where on earth we should go! We have before been to the Trossachs and Loch Lomond. I've been to bear Oban which was lovely. What would be a good route to take? The kids are good walkers and love a beach but I guess I'm worried that if it rains all week we will just end up stuck in a tiny van together so perhaps a very very remote route might not be a good idea?

Really keen to hear from anyone who's done this before OR done a camper van trip with two smallish kids.

Look at the north coast 500. It does get incredibly busy though!

No advice but joining the thread in hopes of tips, we’re considering doing this. I expect it will be very busy this summer since people won’t be going abroad.

Worth bearing in mind that Scottish summer holidays are different to English ones.

The 500 was a retirement plan for this year but we are postponing. Firstly I don't trust Sturgeon from banning travel from England, and if she doesn't I think it'll be busy.

The Moray Coast is nice!

Basically you take the coastal route from Aberdeen to Inverness and stop at:

Stonehaven
Crovie
Cullen
Lossiemouth
Findhorn
Nairn
Inverness

Plenty to do if it’s raining, but lots to explore outdoors too.

The Moray Coast is part of the North East 500, but it isn’t overly busy.

Agree re Moray coast being lovely! Beaches particularly nice.

NC500 - likely to be v busy this year and there were lots of issues and local tensions last year. If you are going, then best to book into campsites rather than use laybys and car parks.

Similar issues aorund Loch Lomond area.

Ive toured Scotland in my very basic campervan, no kids in tow though so we mostly looked for quiet places.
We went to Oban, Skye, Malaig, Achiltiebuie, Applecross ( Id advise going via Torridon rather than taking a van up the Bealach na Ba) Durness ( sango sands campsite) and a few places in between then down into Keilder forrest over the border

theNC 500 has become very popular, we were doing it in a tent before it became a thing.

so hints and tips

Avon skin so soft dry oil spray to keep midges at bay.
or any anti insect spray/ cream
citronella candles too

check out how to drive on single track roads and use passing places.

Some councils are making it difficult just to park up in a campervan these days but it is doable but maybe look at getting membership of caravan and motorhome club or camping and caravanning club, you will get reduced prices on sites.
Even if you dont join look at their websites for sites across Scotland

there are a few facebook pages dedicated to touring Scotland have a wee look around .
Scottish motorhome campervan adventures has lots of advice if you read the pinned posts

google camp sites too

The west and North coast have some wonderful beaches but the water can be cold so maybe wetsuits would be an idea.

Edinburgh itself has two sandy beaches one at Silverknowes and one at Portobello, there are more places to eat/get coffee and playareas at Portobello.
The main campsites in Edinburgh are at Mortonhall and the Caravan club site at Marine Drive

Last summer was horrendous, both in the Highlands and Moray. Campervans parked in all the lay-bys, passing places, gates blocked. Litter and human waste left everywhere :-( . So much campervan traffic on the roads, not knowing how to use single passing spaces. There are few public toilets, places for waste disposal, litter bins. The councils are putting in a few more facilities this summer, but only a few. Please book into campsites in advance, and be considerate of locals. Thank you.

the north east neuk is lovely and full of lovely beaches and parks etc Think Elie, Pittenweem, St Andrews, Broughty Ferry and you could go all the way up to Stonehaven Johnshaven, Aberdeen etc. No midges that side of Scotland and also much drier than the West

I live in Moray. I wouldn’t have classed it as overly busy last summer. More so than usual, but in a good way. I didn’t hear of any issues with campervans etc. Not when you compare it to somewhere like Cornwall. You can park your van beside a beach here easily. I agree though, that disposing of waste can be tricky.

You can have a village that’s busy but the next one along is really quiet. Aviemore is about 60-90 mins away from here and it was mobbed. The road was blocked with campervans.

You will need to put some thought into proper stopping over points.
Councils are starting to manage more assertively some of the significant issues that campervans are causing.
The north and west are very lovely but the roads aren't designed for much traffic and many people who hire campers seem incapable of actually reversing them into passing places.

God not another campervan clan!The NC500 is the worst discovery, they don’t have the infrastructure to cope and locals are seriously fed up. We almost got wiped out by a German campervan on the wrong side of the road!

I would suggest the east would be quieter than the west?
The west was hoaching last year.

No advice but can I come?

Locals, was it busy all last summer or just during school holiday times? We’re not tied to term times, so could do May or September.

If you want nice weather go may rather than September

You'll be ok in Scotland, can't do it in England now, thanks to Pritti Patel.
Unless of course her new laws only apply to travellers, that wouldn't surprise me.
Stop in an undesignated camp site and you are arrested and vehicle/ home in our case confiscated.
Good luck camping folks.

I’d suggest exploring Galloway in the SW. very quiet, historic, beaches and local activities if open. It gets the Gulf Stream so warm, milder and sunnier. A bit like Brittany.

Wouldn't book May - we'll probably still be in lockdown then. September weather can be beautiful and will be quieter. NC500 is ruining the area.

With small children I would imagine you would want to be booking proper campsites (as early as possible). I don't think it would be much fun just stopping in a layby or by the side of the road where they wouldn't be able to run around.

There were absolute horror stories about people emptying toilet tanks in laybys etc last year so I would not blame locals for being less than welcoming. I have also got to say that coming up behind a camper lumbering up a hill with a queue of traffic behind is disheartening, so often they go for miles without letting people past (obviously there are also some who are very considerate). There are people in the highlands with jobs to do and places to be, just like anywhere else. That's not to say that people driving at 25 mph in cars admiring the view isn't just as bad. If the view is that great it is worth stopping to look at it.

Agree with pp, Galloway is stunning and much quieter. Caravan club site at Garlieston Bay is lovely.

Avon skin so soft dry oil spray to keep midges at bay.

Only if you are mildly attractive to them. DH is a walking buffet for any flying, biting insect, and Skin So Soft just isn't repellent enugh for him.

Second Galloway - it's lovely!

Third Dumfries and Galloway

Galloway sounds like a smart idea.