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Original poster

Scotland in April - is it madness?

22 replies

Filterphobia · 09/02/2025 09:10

So we have just over a week pencilled in for a camping trip in the school Easter holiday, 12th April onwards.

We really want to go to Scotland but I’m worried it’s going to be too cold and wet and we will just be miserable. We have a VW campervan but use a large awning for storage and living space. The van has heating in and we have an electric plug in fan heater for the awning.

There are four of us, two adults, two tweens and a dog.

The plan would be to do 4 nights in Luss at Loch Lomond and then pack up and move to Glen Nevis near Fort William for another 4 or 5 nights. I can’t cope with moving anymore than that as we will have too much stuff in the way of warm clothes, coats, walking boots along with all the usual camping equipment.

We have been put off going in the Summer due to the midge season.

Has anyone camped in Scotland in April? I know the weather is so unpredictable, it could be glorious sun and mild or it could also be snow at that time of year!

OP posts:
DownThePubWithStevieNicks · 09/02/2025 11:19

I’ve definitely had snow and sun in April, sometimes on same (tent) camping trip! I think the question is probably how miserable would you be if it rained for a week and you were all cooped up in the van? If you’d get out walking (or doing indoor activities) anyway go for it. It probably won’t rain for a week!

I assume you’d be going to camp sites, not wild camping for 4 days at a time with an awning? If so, pick a site with a drying room and you won’t have to worry about wet clothes everywhere.

Igneococcus · 09/02/2025 11:25

April could be any sort of weather really but I cycle past a campsite (Argyll&Bute, right by the coast) often and there have been people in campervans all throughout winter, including during the storm two weeks ago and now with overnight frost. Yesterday some of them had a BBQ in front of their campervan and there was still ice at the edge of the track, they all seemed quite jolly nevertheless.

QueenOfWeeds · 09/02/2025 11:42

We did a week around then a few years ago - I got sunburned off Skye, and thought we were going to blow away in the Cairngorms. My concession was that we had a few hotel nights booked so that if the weather was atrocious, we could get warm and dry. I did end up binning a pair of trainers that got soaked early on and stayed damp and disgusting for the rest of the week.

Mochudubh · 09/02/2025 12:00

Weather in Scotland around Easter can often be warmer (hot even) than actual summer and also often better than further south at the same time.

It's well known that study leave for Scottish school exams will have some of the best weather of the year while you're meant to be studying, but I think that's a wee bit later than you're planning to go.

That said, there are no guarantees. Pack plenty layers.

RunnerDown · 09/02/2025 12:01

As above - there could be any kind of weather in April. Constant rain would be the worst thing to deal with if you are camping.
Only other thing I would say is that Luss is pretty awful imo. Ok for a quick visit but Loch Lomond is a bit dull and touristy compared to many other places you could visit in Scotland. If the weather is good it becomes inundated with visitors from Glasgow, and not in a good way .(I live in Glasgow and love the city and the people but there is a rougher crowd)
Fort William is a bit of a dump too although the countryside around it is lovely and the drive through Glencoe is spectacular.
I’ve done lots of Scottish holidays in the Summer and have never been overly bothered by the midgies. And that’s been up the West coast and on the Islands. Not camping though .

Lucked · 09/02/2025 12:03

Central Scotland. My birthday is mid April, I have had both sunburn and snowball fights on my birthday

Gettingbysomehow · 09/02/2025 12:04

I'd sooner go in April than face the midges.

Objectionhearsayspeculation · 09/02/2025 12:04

We have done it before and loved it, although we are a little less weather hardy now (I'm permanently on crutches so don't handle wet/slippy terrain well) but I'm quite happy left somewhere with a book if the others go for a walk

Itsfiiiine · 09/02/2025 12:07

It's a very unpredictable time of year. Yes we've had 20c and sun some Easters and snow others. I wouldn't camp under canvas but you'll be fine in a campervan with heating, probably Grin

RogueFemale · 09/02/2025 12:10

You'd be better waiting until May. May can be absolutely glorious.

OneLilacGuide · 09/02/2025 12:10

In a campervan you’ll be fine I would think - lots of people campervan up here all winter. It wouldn’t be me though!

You could try the east coast for less risk of rain?

Purplecatshopaholic · 09/02/2025 12:12

Camping in Scotland in April? I live here, and I think you are mad tbh, lol.

Original poster
Filterphobia · 09/02/2025 14:55

Thanks for the replies. I’m still so undecided. I’m tempted to leave it until a week before and just hope the sites are still available. We plan on getting out and about hiking and covering trails but agree that constant rain would just be the worst. I can deal with cold and rain if I can see on the forecast that there will be a break in the weather. The thought of 8/9 days of constant wet weather and dealing with soggy boots and clothes is just miserable!

OP posts:
Funf · 11/02/2025 18:41

Just done an overnight stop near Edinburgh, it was cold at night but not in bed or in the van with heating on. Didn't see any rain

NotaRealHousewife · 11/02/2025 19:49

It could be scorching or it could be pissing down.... no one knows

Vickybush · 16/02/2025 20:14

This reply has been deleted

This has been deleted by MNHQ for breaking our Talk Guidelines.

MajorCarolDanvers · 16/02/2025 20:22

April can often been the warmest and sunniest month of the year in Scotland. Or it could snow and pish it down

there’s no guarantee with the weather any time. You just need to be or for whatever.

PlugUgly1980 · 15/03/2025 11:29

You’ll be fine, we did Aviemore at new year for a week in our van! Brilliant, just got to be organised if you’ve got wet kit. Easter we’re going to Arran and May half term Glen Nevis.

coxesorangepippin · 23/04/2025 02:46

How was your trip op, did you go

Original poster
Filterphobia · 23/04/2025 07:45

We didn’t go to Scotland, but not due to weather. My eldest son became unwell in February with appendicitis and is waiting for an operation in June. He’s at risk of it recurring between now and then so we didn’t fancy being so far away from home up in the highlands in case we needed to make a quick dash to hospital. We’ve already had one scare since February when his school phoned us to say he had tummy pain, luckily everything was fine that time.

We did get away in the van, 4 nights in the Peak District, followed by 4 nights in Anglesey. The weather has been mixed but we had a great time. Maybe next year for Scotland for us.

OP posts:
outdooryone · 23/04/2025 13:45

A shame - we have had some amazing weather up here the last month....

See you up here another time.

unlikelychump · 03/05/2025 19:30

We went last year in April. Was glorious. Weather mixed but it didn't matter. We were warm enough at night.

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