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UK travel

Welcome to our UK travel forum where you can get advice on everything from holidays to exotic destinations, to tips on London travel.

Scottish campsite recommendations please

17 replies

Bwix · 29/12/2021 22:13

I was born in Scotland and would love to take the kids camping there for our summer holiday. teenagers and pre-teens. We have a tent and we also like camping pods. I’d be very grateful for recommendations.

Also, I notice more and more anti-English sentiment in the news, from Nicola Sturgeon downwards. Is it okay for English people to come and holiday in Scotland or will we face hostility?

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HalloHello · 29/12/2021 22:21

I live on the Moray/Grampian coast, and have an English family, English friends and have never heard of any hostility for that reason. We have RAF and Army here so have a high population of non Scottish people. Plenty nice places to visit up here!

takenforgrantednana · 29/12/2021 22:22

scotland is a big place, you need to narrow things down, but also remember between may and oct they are struck by the dreaded midgies

Bumply · 29/12/2021 22:24

I've lived in Scotland nearly 30 years and still have English accent.
I've never experienced anti-English sentiment other than football related (Scots will tend to support whoever England are playing) which I took as banter.

I'm into glamping rather than camping. I've stayed at the Glenmore glamping cabins Loch Morlich at your doorstep and beautiful wooded walks in that area.

Bwix · 29/12/2021 22:35

Thank you - that’s reassuring. I will check out the glamping. I like wild country, beaches, rivers and hills. I had thought about the west coast or maybe Skye or a smaller island, but will want to make a list and narrow it down. I really like the beauty of the wild. In England I like camping in the national parks.

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TheNewGnuKnew · 29/12/2021 22:40

Gairloch on the west coast has a couple of lovely campsites and is a beautiful area with an amazing beach. The bigger one, Sands, has really good facilities. I haven't stayed at the other one but I believe it is excellent too.

www.sandscaravanandcamping.co.uk/

Buttercup72 · 29/12/2021 22:52

Tbh I would question where you are seeing anti English sentiment, unless stirred up, without evidence, in newspapers like the daily mail.
It’s not at all a common view in Scotland. Independence voters or not, the majority of Scot’s like English people :-)

For camping,/pods, Do you want entertainment, or wilderness for the kids? Loch Tay is a great mix of the two - archery, boats, canoes, zorbing etc Heads of Ayr is also a good day out - farm park with lots of animals and play park/rides,. There is also culzean castle and Robert burns museum (or cottage?) not far away and lots of big beaches and walks. There is a caravan site next door, but should be glamping nearby too.

user1471519931 · 29/12/2021 23:15

I honestly wonder if this is a joke? You see more and more anti-English sentiment?? Glasgow just hosted the COP26 global summit, which seemed to go well...where is the anti-English sentiment that you see? From where I am standing I can see a shit-ton of anti-Scottish sentiment in the "British media" - bashing any policy announced by the Scottish government regardless of the intention behind the policy, constant fear mongering about the oil running out, constantly ignoring the fact that certain policies are DEVOLVED, i.e. health policy during the pandemic, but no problem undermining democracy in terms of representation in Westminster, high-risk nuclear weapons on our doorstep, not to mention Brexit. Is that all fine?

Scotland is a post-industrial, modern, first-world European nation. Its got incredible wilderness and inner-city social deprivation. It's got pockets of sectarianism, pockets of religious fundamentalism and a big science loving community of skeptics. Rural Scotland faces huge challenges in terms of transport infrastructure and access to public services, but there's no denying the flair and incredible cultural offerings of Edinburgh and Glasgow. Wherever you go you will always find a random German or Pole who fell in love with the country or the people and settled here, which is wonderful! There's a hedonist streak and a sense of humour and a solid dose of self-depreciation.

Many people in Scotland that are civically engaged and interested in politics (voting age is 16) have been through the mill in the last decade because of the referendum on independence, the uk general election, the Scottish Parliament elections and the Referendum EU membership. Do not underestimate how much folk generally know about UK politics...maybe some of their opinions are worth listening to? Perhaps it could open your mind to hear what they think about certain issues. It's similar to when people criticise Israeli government policy, the knee jerk reaction is "that anti-semitism!"

If you come on holiday to Scotland and I really hope you do, then please spend a day or two in Edinburgh - it's stunning and the old town is full of history. The National Museum of Scotland is free and really interesting for all ages.

For camping, there are so many beautiful areas - the Borders, East Lothian, Dunbar, North Berwick, then the whole of the West Coast, then further North...depends on how you want to travel and how far you want to get away from it all. Tons of glamping, pods, Shepard huts, etc as well.

I do realise that I've gone a bit off-tangent here, but hope you don't misunderstand me. I've lived abroad for years, have friends all over the world and friends and family in England. When I am down South I never judge them for their politics and certainly don't buy into what we are spoon fed by the British establishment...I just accept that I'm in a different part of the country and there are different upbringings, educations, experiences at play. I try to understand where they are coming from and am genuinely interested in the different ways of doing things.

Fivemoreminutes1 · 30/12/2021 07:25

Clachtoll Beach is gorgeous but I’m not sure I would have enjoyed it as a teen - it’s very basic and remote!
Scourie in Sutherland also feels pretty wild but has a bit more to offer

Chatwin · 30/12/2021 07:34

I notice more and more anti-English sentiment in the news, from Nicola Sturgeon downwards. Is it okay for English people to come and holiday in Scotland or will we face hostility?

Really? What press are you reading? There is a huge anti Scottish bias from the BBC and gutter press like the DM. But the reality is Scotland is a modern, welcoming country as PP has said. I have a lot of English friends and family who regularly visit and have never felt anti negativity. It's upsetting people actually believe the crap in the news.

Camping, Sands in Gairloch is a good bet but a very long drive. If considering one of the islands, book ferries early. And consider the midges, especially in the west coast. They have an anti everyone bias 😏

user1471519931 · 30/12/2021 09:17

Agree it is upsetting @Chatwin...hence my long winded response!

Bwix · 30/12/2021 20:47

Eek 😬 didn’t mean to cause upset, sorry. Because I’m Scottish-born I follow some Scottish personalities and politicians from a bunch of parties on Twitter, and I guess it can be easy to infer anti-English sentiment from some of the strong opinions you get in Twitter debates.

But I take reassurance from you lovely vipers. Thank you for the recommendations I will check them out

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MoanyMo · 30/12/2021 21:33

😂 we don't wait at the border with pitchforks, I'm pretty sure you'll be fine 😉.

Cannyshite · 30/12/2021 21:39

We loved loch shores at foyers on bank of Loch Ness - had a beautiful bbq on the shore and amazing walk up to waterfall.
www.campingandcaravanningclub.co.uk/campsites/uk/inverness/foyers/loch-ness-shores-camping-and-caravanning-club-site/?utm_source=google&utm_medium=organic&utm_content=LochNessShores&utm_campaign=google_places

disneydreaming · 30/12/2021 21:40

Clachtoll Beach - if you get the weather no better place.

Kinloch campsite on Skye is also lovely.

Sango Sands - Durness

Dalraddy in Aviemore

Glen Nevis near fort William

Would highly recommend all of these.

Also shell bay on the east coast is lovely but not remote or wild like you are looking for.

coodawoodashooda · 30/12/2021 21:43

I know of only one Sturgeon supporter and I am Scottish. I thought the general consensus was that she was awful.

emmathedilemma · 30/12/2021 21:50

Another vote for Sango sands, Clachtoll beach and Sands campsite at Gairloch!

ChocolateDeficitDisorder · 01/01/2022 16:58

I know of only one Sturgeon supporter and I am Scottish. I thought the general consensus was that she was awful.

Half of Scottish voters voted for her party in May 2021.

That's certainly not suggestive of her being awful.

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