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Original poster

Driving from Leeds to Orkney

12 replies

Aparecium · 31/12/2023 11:07

If you were driving from Leeds to Orkney, and did not want to do it in one go, where would you stop overnight?

Edinburgh seems the obvious choice, but I think it could be quite a hassle in the summer. Anyway, Edinburgh merits a proper several days visit, not just an overnight - and not even a late night, because of all the driving the following day.

OP posts:

BloatedBrenda · 31/12/2023 11:10

Perth, it’s sort of half way and a nice place to stop.

HopeAndStrength · 31/12/2023 11:15

Yes, another vote for Perth

Darklane · 31/12/2023 11:29

Dingwall, gets a good chunk of the driving behind you & easy access to the A9 which is the best way to go so far north. We’ve done it many times from Pennines level with Leeds

Newbeginningsandhappy · 31/12/2023 11:32

Pitlochry - would be my usual stopping place.

SaveFerris1 · 31/12/2023 11:37

Depends where you're getting the ferry from Aberdeen or Caithness?

Lonecatwithkitten · 31/12/2023 11:40

If you are going from Aberdeen, I always stop in St Andrews.

IbizaToTheNorfolkBroads · 31/12/2023 11:44

We live 10 ish miles south of Leeds (M1 J39) and have a child who hates being in the car for more than 4 or 5 hours.

We did
Home - Perth
(Overnight in Premier Inn)

Perth to Wick
(Overnight in camping pods on a farm). We needed the second overnight due to ferry times.

Ferry from Scrabster to Stromness, each way. We did this rather than Aberdeen, as the Aberdeen ferry would have got us in at something like 11pm and we didn’t fancy putting up a tent at midnight! Maybe an option with a camper van or more solid accommodation.

On was home, we overnighted in PI in Inverness and Berwick u Tweed. We could have got further south than Inverness on the first part of the return journey, and done it quicker. But, as DH pointed out. It was his holiday too, and he spends enough time driving for work. We did a lot of stopping, sightseeing, beaches etc on our overnight stops.

Original poster

Aparecium · 31/12/2023 12:17

Lots of options, thank you. We'd like to do something in the overnight stop, not just rock up late, eat, sleep and leave. So something like a beach or a pretty town to stroll around are definite wants.

Ferry isn't decided yet. TBH it's still all at the 'hmm, can we do this?' stage.

OP posts:

Darklane · 31/12/2023 12:52

What are you travelling in? A car or a campervan as this makes a difference to stopovers.

Original poster

Aparecium · 31/12/2023 13:23

A car.

OP posts:

Original poster

Aparecium · 31/12/2023 13:26

And no tents!

Might consider a yurt or a glamp. I don't mind making my bed, but I will not make my entire 'house'. So b&b/YH/sc.

OP posts:

IbizaToTheNorfolkBroads · 31/12/2023 13:32

Aparecium · 31/12/2023 12:17

Ferry isn't decided yet. TBH it's still all at the 'hmm, can we do this?' stage.

In Perth we all went for a lake swim at an outdoor pursuits centre. In
Berwick we went to the beach and walked the walls - in fact we had our "last swim in Scotland" in Eyemouth, right on the border, and half an hour later had our "first swim in England" at Berwick u Tweed. We did have plans for Inverness, but by the time we'd been to John O'Groats and caught up with a friend in Caithness, it was quite late when we got there, and the dc just wanted to crash. We stopped to see friends in Tynemouth on our final leg too.

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