As we continue to explore locations around the UK, we keep being blown away by the incredible landscapes right on our doorstep!
Our most recent adventure was up to Scotland, a country we've visited in the past and had a week of intense rain. It was the kind of rain where just one rain drop gets you drenched and it's a challenge to do or see anything without needing wellies, umbrella, and a small boat.
Well this time, Scotland decided to treat us with a heatwave and we were lucky enough to see what this place really has to offer, from gorgeous blue skies and crystal clear waters to dramatic cliffs and more cloud inversions than we could ever dream of...
Wild Camping in Scotland
Scotland has such a variety of beautiful landscapes on offer, and with the 'Right To Roam' you can understand why so many people head to the highlands to explore the vast landscapes! Before we get started and share our favourite spots, we just want to take a second to mention a common misunderstanding about the 'Access Code' in Scotland that we only just found out about recently too!
The rules for wild camping in tents is different for those in motorised vehicles! Camping in a motorised vehicle is technically just 'parking' and you can read more about it on the Scottish Outdoor Access Code website here 👈
We all know that camping in your camper van (or 4x4/truck/caravan/whatever vehicle you have and love) is one of the best feelings in the world. Nothing beats the freedom of being outdoors whilst still enjoying the extra comfort of a proper bed, big fluffy pillows, not-instant coffee, the list goes on. But with the #VanLife movement on the rise, more people being in the outdoors means more potential for damage to happen in these fragile environments.
Making sure that we all follow the Leave No Trace principles is the only way to be able to keep enjoying these amazing places for years to come🙏
The main things to remember are:
- taking away all your litter
- removing ALL traces of you being there (follow the guidance for lighting fires)
- not causing any pollution
We'd love it if you checked out this blog post about how we leave no trace & essential gear we use to make this possible!
Our West Coast Scotland Route
Here are some of our favourite locations, and what's great about them is that most of them can be accessed and experienced in all weathers! The views might change a little, and your socks might get a bit wetter, but this is all part of what it's like to go on adventures in Scotland!
Remember to always be prepared when heading into the mountains, and if ever in doubt, always turn back. Reaching a summit or viewpoint is never worth comprising your own safety!
1. Glen Coe / Glen Etive
After leaving Glasgow behind us, this was the first stop on our trip. It's a classic viewpoint and a great way to feel like you're high amongst the mountains from the seat of the car! Driving along the Glen Etive road will make you feel infinitely small, and you may recognise that it's home of the famous James Bond scene in the movie "Skyfall".
In the morning, we were surround by fog and couldn't see 10 metres in front of us, but we quickly scrambled up the slopes of the Glen Coe ski resort hoping for some cloud inversion below us, and we were lucky enough to see the sun rise over a sea of clouds on our first morning in Scotland.
2. Camasunary Bay
After reading about the incredible hike to Sgurr Na Stri in the Cuillins, it sounded like a great opportunity to try out our new Alpkit tent and camping gear. We took the ferry from Mallaig to the Isle of Skye and headed down the beautiful B8083 as the sun started to lower over the sharp horizon ahead of us.
We quickly rushed around to pack our bags for the overnight hike, and headed along the track towards Camasunary Bay, where we'd camp for the night before scrambling up to watch the sunrise on the summit.
The first half of the hike to Camasunary Bay is a gradual uphill walk, until you reach a viewpoint over the bay and you can see the little bothy down below you, next to a wide sandy cove. We found a small flat patch to pitch our tent, tucked in for the night after a quick dinner and watched from our sleeping bags as the moon rose over the Cuillins behind us, alarms set to hike to the summit at 3am!
Sadly we didn't make it to Sgurr Na Stri for the sunrise in the morning - fog surrounded us and the summit, so missed our chance of seeing what was described in Field Mag as "some of the finest views in the UK"...
But still, we managed to step off the tourist trail on the Isle of Skye to find this secluded bay, and enjoyed a beautiful sunset all to ourselves and a small group of red deer in the distance. A truly Scottish experience!
3. Old Man of Storr
Just as we'd stepped off the tourist trail, it was then time to get back on it, and these three stacks might be one of the most recognisable views on the Isle of Skye, but for good reason...
As with all popular spots, making the effort to wake up and hike up for the sunrise (yes that means waking up at 3-4am in summer) will reward you with a morning and views you won’t forget any time soon.
This is especially true on the Isle of Skye and the Old Man of Storr. It's a generally simple hike on a well built trail, and once you start to walk up alongside the pillars and watch the sun's first rays fall on them, there's no place you'd rather be!
There's so many great viewpoints around the Old Man of Storr, so make sure to bring solid walking shoes to scramble up some of the slopes to capture each moment. We always say "you only regret the sunrises you don’t wake up for", and that’s what gets us out of the cosy sleeping bag when it’s still pitch black outside.
You can find plenty more information on the route and what to expect on the Isle of Skye website here 👈
4. Applecross & Bealach na Bà mountain pass
Although Scotland is famous for its stunning hikes and walks, it's also home to some of the best driving roads in Europe, and possibly even the world! One of these spots is Applecross and the Bealach na Bà mountain pass. It's a narrow, winding pass that wiggles its way up the mountain, with tight switchbacks and steep drops that rival some of the classic mountain passes in Europe like Switzerland's Furka Pass.
Take your time as your drive up (or down) this pass, there's occasional passing places and it's not advisable to attempt it in Winter, but the views are well worth the effort once you reach the top!
5. Torridon
If you're exploring the Scottish Highlands by car or van, chances are you'll find yourself driving part of the North Coast 500 (sometimes just called the NC500). It's a beautiful route that starts and ends in Inverness and covers (you guessed it) 500 miles of Scotland's most dramatic landscapes.
The route passes through Torridon, and although most drivers might cruise through this area on the way to or from the Isle of Skye without stopping, there's some beautiful single track roads that wind their way along the coast. It's a great way to get off the main NC500 route and avoid being stuck in a motorhome convoy, whilst seeing some of Scotland's lesser known beaches and coves.
There are some beautiful views of the Torridon Hills and surrounding munros, which are most dramatic at sunrise and sunset when their bases are surrounded in fog, and the peaks are just barely visible above.
6. Swimming and Paddling the Highland Lochs
Scotland has so many lochs scattered all over the country, to say you're spoilt for choice would be an understatement. Amazingly, there are at least 31,460 freshwater lochs in Scotland and during only 7 days along the west coast, we saw more than we could even attempt to count.
They are perfect for a refreshing dip (especially if you get searing temperatures like we did) or exploring the distant shores on a paddle board or canoe. If you're lucky, you'll catch a glimpse of deer on the opposite banks, or a hungry Osprey or Cormorant fishing for its dinner!
A few of our favourites include Loch Tollaidh, Loch Maree, Loch Torridon and Loch Lurgainn
7. Assynt Road
Similar to the routes around Torridon, Loch Assynt and the surrounding area has some of the most beautiful roads and scenery we saw in Scotland! Whether you're on your way to see the crystal clear waters at Alchemich Bay, or explore the ruins of the 16th Century Ardvreck Castle, the views in the Assynt region aren't to be missed.
If you're on the way to see and drive over the iconic Kylesku bridge, make sure to look out for the hidden Loch na Gainmhich waterfall tucked away on the side of the road - perfect for an early morning dip before a long drive!
8. B869 Coastal Road
This was one of the hidden gems we discovered on our recent trip to Scotland. It's one of those roads that you stumble on and instantly pin it to your map so you never forget where it is! Whilst driving back from the Kylesku bridge, we took a slight detour and ended up on this, the B869 coastal road. If it wasn't for the occasional sign post written in English, you wouldn't be mistaken for thinking we were in Norway, exploring the narrow roads around Lofoten. This took us straight back to our arctic Norway adventure which you can read more about here...
The sailing boats anchored close to tiny little isles scattered along the coastline and small fields of sheep are the closest thing you'll find to civilisation, and it was a welcome break from the faster and busier A894.
Put on your favourite driving playlist, roll down the windows, and enjoy the drive...
9. White Sand Beaches of Scotland
When you think about Scotland, a beach holiday with crystal clear water and white sand between your toes isn't the first thing that comes to mind. Usually, it would be raincoat, wellies, and a very slim chance of seeing blue skies!
We were so surprised to find these spots scattered all over the west coast and were even luckier to be able to see and enjoy these beaches in 24 degrees and sunshine. It could not have felt more like a tropical beach holiday, some of our favourites were the beaches near Mallaig, as well as the famous Achmelvich Bay and the secluded Gruinard Beach.
Some of the beaches are getting more crowded each year and busier than others, so to keep them special we'll let you discover your own secret cove next time you're exploring the West Highland coastline of Scotland!
10. Stac Pollaidh
We love long hikes that take you far into the wilderness, but because Wally is still a puppy and can't walk too far, we decided to try to find some shorter hikes we'd all enjoy. When we heard that the hike to Stac Pollaidh was considered to be the best hike in Scotland for effort vs. views, this sounded ideal for us!
And it did not disappoint - the path was super easy to follow, and although there were some steep steps and some scrambling to get to the summit, we reached the top in just over an hour. We pitched our tent just below the point where the scrambling started, and whipped up a quick dinner whilst watching the sky and surrounding peaks turn golden before the sun dipped below the horizon.
In the morning, we quickly grabbed our cameras and scrambled up to the summit, catching a brief glimpse of a herd of deer in the sunrise light.
This is one of our favourite hikes that we've ever done, and the views at the top are so accessible, it's almost too good to be true!
A Few Others Worth Mentioning...
- The Quiraing on the Isle of Skye can be busy, but it's also one of the most dramatic roads in Scotland, so don't let the crowds put you off. The thing we always say about busier places, and always works, is ⚡️get there as early as possible to avoid the crowds⚡️
- The drive through the Loch Lomond and The Trossachs is absolutely stunning. If you're making your way up from the south then you should get to drive the beautiful forest roads of this spectacular National Park on the way to Glen Coe. We didn't get the chance to explore as much as we'd liked sadly, but we did camp there on our last night when heading back down to England and we're gutted we couldn't explore a bit more. Hopefully next time! 🤞
We hope you enjoyed this blog post & that this can be a starting point for you to start planning your own epic adventure around Scotland!
A Note On Camping Spots
We haven't shared exact camping locations because we believe in keeping these places somewhat special, and we know most people will treat them with respect and Leave No Trace, but we have also seen first hand how many places have been destroyed because of their accessibility. We hope that if these places take a little more effort to find then they will mean more to the people who visit them🥰
Some amazing resources we used to plan our trip include: Hidden Scotland, Scottish Access Code, Park4Night and don't forget to follow along on Instagram for more photos from our trip, see you there! ☺️
Have you visited any of these places?
Or are there any spots that you think we should know about?
Let us know in the comments below or on Instagam, we'd love to hear from you!
