Our wonderful happy 9 day trip to Scotland. Forums

Sonesta

Hi,

We have just returned from 9 fabulous days touring around Scotland and we have had the most wonderful holiday and despite most days seeing a good offering of rain showers, we did not let this spoil our enjoyment of this enchanting place. We were prepared for the Scottish climate and so sunny warm days were just a delightful bonus!

Despite only having 9 days, we got around to visiting far more places than we envisaged we would, so I feel we did get to see a good sample of the real beauty of Scotland. Although we drove in total, around 1000 miles during the 9 days, it was well worth the effort and we are pleased we ventured that little further North than we initially planned to do and as the scenery was so spectacular, driving could hardly be described as a negative experience!

We commenced our trip in Edinburgh (a fascinating city) staying at the Mortonhall Caravan & Camping Park, which is situated approx 3 miles from the city centre. Mortonhall is a very nice site with its own onsite restaurant and bar. We had a nice meal in the restaurant despite there being a bit on a panic going on in the kitchen due to staff shortages. Our waitress seemed a touch flustered but we were on holiday so we told her we weren’t in any rush!

The following morning we took a taxi into the city centre but there is also a bus stop right outside the campsite with a regular bus service into Edinburgh. Whilst in Edinburgh we visited the Castle and we just loved the old part of the city with all its amazing architecture and the unusual little shops. We weren't impressed with that dreadful new Scottish Parliament building though and we both thought it was a real eyesore!

The next day whilst en route to Loch Lomond we stopped off for a look around the Royal Yacht Britannia and we both enjoyed our visit here. With the day being sunny and warm this definitely enhanced the whole experience, especially so, when we stood on the sun deck knowing that in hot foreign climes this was where the Royal family would gather for drinks with such famous guests as Ghandi and Sir Winston Churchill!

After our visit to the Royal Yacht we headed towards Loch Lomond and our chosen campsite was Cashel Caravan Park. Again this was a nice site and our pitch was only feet away from the Loch but as there was not much else in the immediate area to see or do I probably would not return to this site. If you can get a pitch on The Luss Camping and Caravanning Club Site on the opposite side of the Loch you may find that this is a better choice as the village there is, as far as I understand, where they shot the television series Take The High Road. Sadly, they had no availability at Luss C &CC for the 2 nights we wanted to stay. It is a very popular site so it might be a good idea to pre-book a pitch here if you fancy giving it a whirl.

After Loch Lomond we then drove to the fishing town of Oban stopping on The North Ledaig Caravan Club Site, 5 miles from the town centre. Again, another lovely site, with stunning views over the bay. It’s a beautifully kept site with a well-stocked shop that sells everything you need including a good selection of wine and beers etc. The site is well managed but a tad on the large side for our tastes but for those that don’t mind larger campsites then this would be an excellent choice. We drove our 28.5 foot Auto Trail into the town centre after the campsite warden told us we would have no problem parking in the town and he kindly directed us to a car park adjacent to Tesco’s supermarket where there is FREE all day parking for cars and motorhomes. Here you will find 6 or 7 clearly marked out bays especially for motorhomes. We parked our motorhome quite easily, which we were delighted about as town centre parking can often be a problem for larger motorhomes and the town centre is a handy 3 min walk away. Apparently you can also park your motorhome for FREE in Tesco’s own car park for up to 3 hours, so if there is no room in the long-term car park then this is another option.

It was in Oban that we witnessed a lady with walking difficulties fall from the jetty and it really shook my husband and me up. It was quite a shock to witness her fall but despite this awful event we still had a very enjoyable day but it took the shine off for a while. We took a boat trip over to the Isle of Mull, which included a meal on board, and this was a nice relaxing end to quite an eventful day!

After 2 nights at the campsite near Oban we then made our way to Fort William and after a brief stop for lunch we carried on to Glencoe where we booked onto a campsite named Invercoe. We managed to get one of the best pitches, located inches from the Loch with magnificent views overlooking Loch Leven. With the Loch having a background of surrounding mountains the scene before us resembled that of a highly talented artists oil painting and to be honest we felt like we had truly arrived in paradise. The location was absolutely breathtaking and it has to be the best campsite we have ever stayed on. It was so laid back too with no real strict site rules either. We love to wild camp whenever the opportunity arises but due to yet another battery charging problem that unfortunately reared its ugly head during our trip, we decided it might be a good idea to stick to campsites whilst touring around Scotland! However, finding this superb campsite more than made up for any disappointments that arose by not being able to wild camp.

The next day we awoke to blue skies and got ourselves ready for a walk into Glencoe village with the intention of stopping at the local pub for a lunchtime snack and drink, this plan did not materialise due to the fact that there was no pub lol, Laughing

so we picked up a few snacks from the village store to eat as we strolled through the nearby forest trails. A walk around the village somehow turned into a 3-hour amble through the picturesque forest and all around the lake and when the heavens suddenly opened we dashed to a nearby wooden cabin for shelter. Here we both sat for a good half hour happy just being together in this magical place both hypnotised by the scenes around us. It was fascinating to observe the huge raindrops attacking the mirrored surface of the previously still lake and this surely has to be wonderful therapy for any married couple? We are not normally romantic and I think work and everyday life bog down a lot of couples - but this day I know will live in both our memories forever and it really was a special day for sure.

By the time we got back our 2 little dogs were exhausted and immediately curled up in the motorhome and fell sound asleep! By this time the sun was now shining and we grabbed the opportunity for a spot of alfresco dining ……….so out came the Cadac and a BBQ was soon sizzling away. I prepared the salad and hubby poured the wine and we sat down to soak up the stunning scene before us whilst excitedly anticipating the sunset ahead. What a beautiful end to a wonderful day?

On our final day we decided to drive 3 hours towards home so that we did not have such a long journey ahead of us and decided that once we got to the Scottish Borders we would find a campsite for the night. We chose to head for St Abbs; a little fishing village popular with divers and the coastline in this area is rugged and spectacular. Once again, as we were sightseeing around the village and watching all the activity of the fisherman and divers getting ready to take out their boats, the heavens opened and we had no option but to cut short our visit due to having no waterproof coats with us! By the time we got back to where we had parked the motorhome, both ourselves and the dogs resembled 4 drowned rats! After a rub down with a towel, we then drove back another couple of miles to the Scoutscroft Holiday Centre in the hopes that they had a pitch, it was a Saturday and the kids have broken up for their summer hols in Scotland now so we didn't hold out much hope ......... but thankfully they had one pitch left, so luck was on our side!

Our first impression when we checked in was that it was a typical hi de hi type holiday camp but as it was only for our last night we weren’t too concerned about what it was like etc. Once settled onsite we really did get a pleasant surprise and can honestly say it is a very nice site and has something for everyone. It is not a large Haven type place but a small family run park and well managed. There is a small intimate onsite restaurant with candles on the table offering a very nice menu, so for a special meal this would be a nice place to eat and for those looking for a simple bar menu meal, including meals for children at a reasonable price then there is the modern airy sun lounge where again there is a dining area and large comfortable sofas. We decided to eat in the restaurant and the food was excellent and the waitresses were lovely young ladies who never stopped smiling and asking if everything was okay so they were definitely worthy of a good tip! After our meal we moved into the entertainment bar and the evening’s act was a really talented male and female duo and even my hubby, who is normally hard to please with this kind of thing, was noticeably impressed! I am sure he thinks he is Simon flipping Cowell! The little dance floor was soon full of happy people all out for a good time and everyone seemed to be enjoying the night. We rolled in at midnight and our 2 little dogs were sat waiting up for us wondering why we were a bit wobbly on our feet! So 10 out of 10 Scoutscroft Holiday Centre, it was a very enjoyable evening.

I felt a tinge of sadness as we left Scotland behind us and the genuine friendliness of the Scottish people has certainly left a lasting impression but after our first little taster of Scotland, I know it wont be long before we once again return to this very special and enchanting place!

Sue

sallytrafic · Southern Rally Co-ordinator

Nice report and it sounds like you had a good one and hooraaaaaay I will be in Scotland soon never been disappointed North of the Bordera we have been everywhere you mentioned except St Abbs (but I went to Eyemouth once which is just next door) anyway I will put that right in about May 2009 when I complete the Scottish part of our Coast trip.

Now all you have to do is add the campsites mentioned to the MHF database which will help you prolong the holiday feeling......honest Smile

thewaltons

Sounds like you had a fab time. We have 3 weeks planned in Scotland leaving home on 3rd August and your account of your holiday is going to be so helpful. Thanks v much Very Happy

peedee

Yup interesting report Sonesta, I too love Scotland but not its weather.
Thanks for the tip about parking in Oban, last time I was there I parked in the coach park but it is quite a walk into the centre from there.

I hope you will put those sites into the database, I would like to visit them next time I get up there.

peedee

Jagman

Great report, thanks Sue, we head to Scotland whenever we can and appreciate your feelings about your experiences - especially around Loch Leven as we saw similar spectacular views earlier this year - your description brought memories back on a dull Monday morning with the week ahead! Thanks.

Those magical moments you describe on the walk when the rains came must resonate with a lot of readers. You never know when they will come do you, but you sure know when they've arrived, and MH-ing seems to provide a good chance of experiencing them.

Here's to many happy trips for you over the border in the future.

DABurleigh

Thanks for the report, Sue. Wind up that database now Smile

We have a soft spot for remote log cabins, too, but I'd better leave it there.

Dave

Rapide561

Glad you all had a good trip Sue. Now you are refreshed and ready for the "season"! Get some work done!

R

JockandRita

Hi Sue,

What a wonderful write up, and thanks for taking the time to do it.

I am so glad that you enjoyed your stay in Scotland.