Advise on Scotland

[Chomp]

Might not be the right forum to ask on, so please move if necessary.

My in laws are traveling up in their Disco for three weeks traveling around Scotland, going up the east side, up to John O'groats, and then back down the West side. Can anyone recommend nice camp grounds, B&B's and places to visit etc. Any local's on here that might know if there is any places where maybe they can 'wild' camp?
Any advise you can pass on shall be much appreciated.
They have contacted the Scottish tourist board and surprisingly(cause every other tourist info place has come up short in the info they send) came up with lots of information for them of places to visit, but as you know there are alot of other places of interest that our not mentioned.

i know this trip isn't to further reaches like Africa(that I'm sure most of us would want to travel), but my father in law wants to keep a journal of all the places visited so he can pass on any information to others wanting to travel through Scotland, so anyone else 'on a budget' can have a 'mini' adventure.

Thanks for taking time to read through

mark

[Jim-Willy]

Isle Of Skye blew us away when we drove the coastline........

[Frankie-Boy]

One of our members owns a B&B on the Isle of Skye, PM me and I'll send you details if you wish.

[Chomp]

PM sent Frankie-boy

[Frankie-Boy]

PM answered.  :)

[AndyMacG]

having just come back from a week in scotland  and  ended up driving from the lrw show at eastnor up to mallaig in one go ( never again  didnt think it was that far just over 9 hours behind the wheel)

theres a whole host of camp sites on the west coast  of scotland 2 that I can reccomend are

camusdarach campsite near to  arisaig   great views from the campsite and a cracking private beach within 5 mins walking distance  and cheap at £6 per person a a night   and with decent showers aswell

the red squirrel  campsite in glencoe     just watch out for the midges 

[Chomp]

Thanks for the recommendations :clap: :clap: :clap:. i have passed all the information on so far. Please feel free to post up other places to stay and things of interest.

Thanks again

Mark

[crazymac]

Hi Chomp, sod the inlaws, get up there yourself!!

I'm going to post some links for you to research, but my own particular favourite is the drive down to Kinloch Hourn. This is on the west coast, just up the "great Glen" from Fort William. We drove it a couple of years ago, and during the drive we walked among around 50 Red Deer, my little un was speechless during it, we collected mussels on the beach for dinner that night, sighted eagles in the sky and collected a load of driftwood for decorating the garden when we got home. It takes a while to drive but well worth it.

http://www.undiscoveredscotland.co.uk/knoydart/kinlochhourn/index.html

Also have a look at these sites and it is really worth checking out other single track roads.

http://www.undiscoveredscotland.co.uk/usfeatures/singletrack/index.html

http://www.visitscottishheartlands.com/highlights/index.htm

http://www.incallander.co.uk/cartrips.htm

http://www.slowtrav.com/uk/scotland/dx_northern.htm

http://www.aboutscotland.co.uk/west/shiellandscape.html

If they do NOTHING else, get them to drive down to Kinloch Hourn!

A trip to Skye is great, my sister lives down the southern end which is really green and lush, as opposed to the north which is bleak and windswept! And of course try some whisky!!

[davidjmiller]

On the road north out of Ullapool the there is the most amazing campsite just on the edge of a sea loch. Stayed there about ten years ago and saw the most wonderful sunsets. There was a line of guys with camera tripods just clicking away. Sorry, can't remember the name.

David

[V8MoneyPit]

I haven't been north of Glasgow for years, but drove my 1965 MG Migdet around the highlands many years ago. As said by others, Skye is a must. Now it's easy with the bridge, but the ferry is more fun! Is there still a ferry?

[crazymac]

I haven't been north of Glasgow for years, but drove my 1965 MG Migdet around the highlands many years ago. As said by others, Skye is a must. Now it's easy with the bridge, but the ferry is more fun! Is there still a ferry?

There are two that still operate, the "short" route is to go to Mallaig and cross to the southern end at Armadale

http://www.calmac.co.uk/summer-timetable.html?id=summer-skye--mallaig-armadale.gif

and the much more scenic route from Glenelg to Kylerhea which is a small community run ferry

http://www.skyeferry.co.uk/

[Chomp]

Hi Chomp, sod the inlaws, get up there yourself!!

 :clap: :clap: :clap: :lol: :lol: :lol: That made both me and the in-laws laugh!! Thanks for all the information ALL you guys have given - it's proved very helpful - big round of applause to you all  :clap:

[bigwood]

Strange how you miss something , I am taking the missus to Scotland this September and I didn't see this post :oops: The first time I did Scotland, 1960,s,  we drove all the way to the ferry only to find my sister had chicken pox. My father then drove all the way back to Manchester. This was in a Ford 100E Escort with three kids and a mangy collie dog. We are thinking of going to the top of Glasgow in one hit.Overnight in that area, then across the small ferry to Malaig rather than Fort William and the Skye bridge . We may come back over the bridge heading east to bring us back to the east side to Lincolnshire. I will PM Frankie Boy regarding the Isle of Skye. My thinking being the missus will want to take the Saab rather than the Disco, wrong !!!, we are taking the Disco because she can see farther . She is only five foot. :roll:

[V8MoneyPit]

Strange how you miss something , I am taking the missus to Scotland this September and I didn't see this post :oops: The first time I did Scotland, 1960,s,  we drove all the way to the ferry only to find my sister had chicken pox. My father then drove all the way back to Manchester. This was in a Ford 100E Escort with three kids and a mangy collie dog. We are thinking of going to the top of Glasgow in one hit.Overnight in that area, then across the small ferry to Malaig rather than Fort William and the Skye bridge . We may come back over the bridge heading east to bring us back to the east side to Lincolnshire. I will PM Frankie Boy regarding the Isle of Skye. My thinking being the missus will want to take the Saab rather than the Disco, wrong !!!, we are taking the Disco because she can see farther . She is only five foot. :roll:

We drive to Glasgow from deepest Norfolk regularly in the Freelander. Takes about 6 to 6.5 hours on a good day. You are rather closer, so shouldn't take so long.

But if you've got time, head west from Leeming Bar (A684) to Leyburn. Then take the road north west to Grinton and then across Swaledale to Kirkby Stephen. Simply stunning.

Then it's a simple bash up the M6 to sunny Glasgow  ;)

[bigwood]

I know the Leaming to M6 run, I used to get recovery's across to Glasgow off the A1 . The idea was to change over at Leaming services with a truck from Carlisle but the timings never worked rite , if I had the hours it was a nice run in the summer. On one occasion the A66 was blocked by trucks stuck on one of the hills so rather than come back the long way I came over the tops to Leaming, lovely with snow on the ground.I have walked a lot in Scotland but never been in the Loch Sheil area so as a sort of look round for future trips we are going from Glasgow to the ferry at Corran and then the A861 to Malaig. Coming back we will probably use the Skye bridge and head across to the borders around Galasheilds area for a couple of nites. We have a whole week away on our own, no kids no dog just the me and the misus and the Disco.  :clap: