Recommendations for Scotland please!

[Notalone]

We are off to Scotland in the summer and are looking for somewhere on the coast with beautiful countryside too. We went to Dumfries and Galloway last year and absolutely loved it but this year we have a friend who moved there so we are hoping to combine a visit to them with a stay somewhere else as well. I may be wrong but have thought the West Coast may have better weather but please feel free to correct me! We would be looking for a static caravan somewhere quiet - a very small site overlooking the sea would be perfect! I have found this site www.hoseasons.co.uk/Webpages/UKPark/ProductDetailPage.aspx?ISDLNK=1&SCODE=STCY&TIDPDUKPARK=parkInfo& ISPKMD=true&pid=123&${ja}=kw:St+Cyrus+caravan+park|cgn:St+Cyrus+ParkSTCY|cgid:1489421559|tsid:2000|c n:Parks+%26+Lodges+-+UK+Names_Scotland|cid:42628089|lid:10746466149|mt:Phrase|nw:search|crid:4600223 589|bku:1&gclid=CNSq9IuRg58CFaBb4wodsznuJg but can't find much about the surrounding area so any advice on this would be most welcome as well. Thanks!

How about Grannie's Heilan' Hame?

The beach at St Cyrus is possibly the prettiest beach on the east coast - gorgeous red sand, usually quiet but the sea can be wild. Also, it is the NORTH sea so will be freezing. The caravan park is probably up on the cliffs - there are certainly no cravans down at beach level. As Geordieminx said nearby Lunan bay is also lovely. There is not much to do locally around St Cyrus but there is a water park in Montrose and outdoor swimming pool up the coast in Stonehaven. Further afield you have Aberdeen and Dundee and the Angus glens.

I would also recommend the East Neuk of Fife - lots of sandy beaches, plenty of beachside caravan parks in places like Crail, lots to do in Fife.

I you want rural then you can't get better then Applecross Campsite, Applecross peninsula - it is lovely and has it's own bakery in Summer.

One thing - Montrose etc is a heck of a drive from Dumfries & Galloway (esp depending on where your friend lives).
Re midges - if you can put up with windy location, you'll get fewer midges. We cycled round Arran once and there was a lovely spot on the south coast that I remember being midge free (we visited in late May) whereas the one at Lochranza was lovely but midge-infested...

Thats the one Earlyriser. Think I may give that one a miss then - thought it was too good to be true! Thanks for letting me know though

Some of the other suggestions look fab too. I really am going to find it hard to decide where to go. We did look at Grannies Heilan Hame Wallace too but after talking to DP it looks like we may have to look closer to Dumfries and Galloway as the drive is going to be too long for him and I don't have a licence to share the load. Shame because Geordieminx's recommendation of Lunan Bay looks beautiful.

Mugglewump and mistymoo - those links look lovely! More investigations are needed methinks!

Thanks you everyone for your input!

notalone you cant get a location on google maps as its very close to glaxosmithkline, dp works in glaxo in montrose but isnt sure where that caravan park is.

Lunan bay is about 2 hours from me (glasgow) if that helps any notalone?

Where in D&G are you visiting friends?

You probably won't have to go far to find somewhere else nice in the area.

The review site I linked to earlier has a good advanced search that allows you to look for campsites by the beach (for example):
www.ukcampsite.co.uk/sites/county_adv.asp?region=Scotland
Once you get a postcode, try putting it into google maps and look at the satellite view. Plus of course there are the camper reviews to help narrow it down.
Hope you get something good!

Wow Numptymum - have just had a proper look and that site is fab! It also has reviews which I always check before hand so is perfect! Thank you so much for the link!

Nevergoogle - we are visiting friends not too far from Castle Douglas. We love the area but want to see somewhere else too. We were Scottish Holiday virgins last year and stayed in the Dumfries and Galloway (which was truly beautiful) but don't want to be caught in the trap of always going to the same area.

Thanks Geordieminx - I definitely want to to go there so perhaps we can organise a stop off / visit somewhere along the line

Clayre - sorry to be a bit dim but why would Glaxo prevent a true location? Am very curious now and imagining an area 51 type place lol

Never heard of it

Hmm, well that's me stumped for suggestions.

we went to gairloch on the west coast last year - absolutely stunning scenery and beaches, can really reccomend it

One place I'd NOT recommend is the campsite at Saltcoats. We were on our bikes and got pelted with eggs as we cycled through residential area towards the campsite, then found the tent pitches were right next to the train line which was between us and the sea. Luckily it was a 1-night stay as we were getting the ferry to Arran the next day...

Yes Gairloch is lovely and fantastic for wildlife. I think the beaches are best on the west coast.

We stay over on the east coast usually, someone already mentioned it - the Black Isle just north of Inverness it's lovely.

I love the Highlands.

D&G is lovely, well worth staying in & exploring. If you do want a change, I've heard a campsite near North Berwick (near Edinburgh) recommended but I'm not sure which one & I'm not sure if that website I put lists all campsites...

They make medicines (swine flu jabs at the moment) at Glaxo, very dangerous and its classed as a terror risk, the security for staff is tight!

Jackiepaper and Clairedeloon - oooh Gairlock looks amazing! Which county is it in?

Funny you should say that Numptymum cos I considered North Berwich last year before we went to Scotland. I really am spoilt for choice with ideas here

Numptymum - would that be Sandylands by any chance? I have heard terrible things about that place including that it is next to a really rough housing estate and next to an abbatoir too. . Thanks for the headsup though!

Clayre. Ah - I was wondering!

Aarrghh = spelling is appalling tonight. Sorry!

Sandylands rings a bell. A warning bell, I think...

Not sure if anyone has mentioned this, have just skimmed the thread, but if you're planning to go in June, bear in mind that the Scottish schools break up well before the English ones (late June) so the earlier in June you can go, the more peace and quiet you're likely to get!

Gairloch is in wester ross (i think) it is absolutely stunning and melon udrigle beach has to be the most beautiful place in the world that i have ever been.

but...it is in the middle of no-where and we spent a lot of time driving on that holiday.

Thanks Midnightexpress - we went last year in early June and it was deserted but we were told it would not be the same a few weeks later!

Jackiepaper -that beach is probably the nicest photo I have seen so far but its soo far away! What a dilemma! Is it f f freezing up there normally?

We're off to Poolewe in May which is very near Gairloch in Wester Ross.

It'll be our third year in a row up that way (and I spent many holidays as a child in that part of the world). Fabulous!

The first year we went we had the most glorious weather, last year not so much but still had a great time.

It's just so beautiful and the beaches are incredible.

Sands Holiday Park just outside Gairloch is really good. We camped there 30-odd years ago and it was still as nice last year!

we went in august last year, it wasn't freezing - for 2 or 3 days we were on the beech making sancastles, on the other days we were walking on the beach. I wouldn't describe it as warm tho, we had the log fire going on a couple of evenings.

we went to the celidah at poolewe which was brilliant fun and the kids made some friends. it is a bloody long way but it was worth it, stunning landscapes, beautiful beaches and ridiculously quiet, even on the august bank holiday!

May 2008 it was shorts & t-shirts weather the week we went (the water was coooold though - didnt stop ds & dh swimming!). I have a very fond memory of dh and I sitting on the end of the pier at Gairloch, broad daylight at 10pm, after a lovely meal at the Old Inn.

Last May was wetter and quite windy so we just dressed appropriately and went paddling in our wellies.