Scotland circular tour : towns and route ideas (1 Viewer)

[Paul J]

Hi, hoping you can share your knowledge and tips for a few days I'm going to take to go around Scotland, now firstly, the girlfriend is busy with family, and I've got some time off from work for a much needed recharge, so this break should ideally have a relaxing theme, and keep away from big towns and the hustle and bustle.
The plan was to go roughly up the west coast, right around the top, visiting John o Groats (only because I've never been) and roughly back down the East coast, home is Blackpool, just by the way
I'm happy to spend the majority of my day driving, so the distances aren't a problem (I once rode a motorbike 1219 miles in a day I have roughly 3 to 4 nights and would love any suggestions of interesting 'Motorhome Friendly' towns, with easy parking, and/or a relaxed atmosphere, or a place where I can occupy myself with something interesting bearing in mind I'm alone.
Camp site suggestions are good also, if they're really worthy of pointing in a particular direction for, but if I don't have a camp site planned, I will find a quiet spot for the nights kip.
If there any particularly good driving routes, please let me know those too

Towns I've liked in the past, just to give you some idea of my thoughts, York, the all time favourite, for obvious reasons, and Newquay was always great for it's quirky surfing connections and good nightlife.

As ever, thanks for reading this, I'm also doing research online, but advice from those who share the hobby of motorhomes is better than that of people who simply have a general interest in Scotland, perhaps anyway

Paul

 

[ambulancekidd]

Simple bit of advice I'd give, turn left immediately after crossing the border into Scotland.
If your looking for a truly undiscovered corner of Scotland we can deliver it by the bucket load. Its very quiet, with plenty of campsites to suit all tastes & budgets.

I'm sure some of the other funsters will give you more info on travelling further north, sit back, read & enjoy. Then get planning

 

[Kirsten]

Glen Etive is fabulously beautiful - wild camping a plenty, some beautiful campsites on the west cost as well, but remote so possibly just drive through stop for lunch look at stags /eagles. The NC 500 route may throw up some suggestions for nightlife - Applecross has fab pub and friendly locals.

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[Paul J]

I think thats Dumfries and Galloway ? I've stayed at Brighouse Bay near Kircudbright a number of times, was always nice.

 

[DavidG58]

Lovely idea but not doable in 4 / 5 days

do as above, have a drive around the Dumfries and Galloway area instead, save the miles for when you can make more time

 

[Paul J]

thank you for the advice David, I will bear it partially in mind

... but still looking for a proper driving holiday, with interesting towns, on a circular route

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[Candapack]

I get what you say about driving, but IMO, 3 to 4 nights to go round Scotland's coast is just a waste.
As you're coming from Blackpool, much better to stick to SW Scotland and have a good look round. It's gorgeous.
OR, get a ferry to Arran (often called Scotland in Miniature) and go right round that coast.
Whatever you do, enjoy.

 

[Puddleduck]

Dumfries and Galloway or The Borders, you really don't have time to go much further

 

[Rapido925M]

We did the "NC500" (omitting Applecross) from Stockton-on-Tees and back: it was 1300 miles and took 13 days!
We didn't have time to see many "attractions" other than Smoo Cave, Ben Nevis and the Falkirk Wheel.

Look carefully at an atlas: you will probably find that the scale is reduced north of the Central Belt, so the distances appear shorter than they really are.

Many roads required MAXIMUM speeds of less than 40mph; some sections were 20mph max.
Stopping to allow other users to traverse narrow sections, bridges etc added to the slow progress.

Towns are virtually non-existent: Edinburgh, Perth, Inverness, Thurso, Ullapool, Fort William, Stirling, Glasgow are probably the major ones but only Ullapool interested us.
Mainly there are little villages with a post-office, stores and garage (often combined) BUT surely that is what you are looking for IF you want to travel round a wilderness?
(Albionphiles will say I'm not being fair and there is loads of nightlife in remote pubs etc.)

Standard advice is to "do" the east coast first, as it is less attractive than the west coast.

IF you are desperate to get into the Highlands, perhaps you might consider the reduced tour by going up to Inverness then straight down the Great Glen to Fort William?

Gordon

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[jearing]

The N500 very very busy if you love sitting in traffic ok but I'd aviod...

 

[Paul J]

Very good advice indeed, I'm resigned to sticking more locally in that South West corner perhaps

 

[kelpie]

Another one for Ambulancekid's suggestion , Dumfries and Galloway a very pleasant surprise . Going there for a couple of nights next Tuesday.
To Robert , hope the two of you are slowly feeling better mate.
John

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[Christoph]

Another vote for Dumfries and Galloway. We’re also near Blackpool and can get there in less than 3hrs.

 

[bigtwin]

The N500 very very busy if you love sitting in traffic ok but I'd aviod...

Busy?

You don’t really live in Kent do you?

Besides, timing is everything. At this time of year, there’d be very little traffic.

Ian

 

[wardj2010]

Hi, We were headed for the NC500 starting with a stop in the Cairngorms and Speyside (single malt country) but whenever I spoke to anyone who had already been their first comments were about how busy it was and rubbish roads so decided to stay on the eastern side as the weather for west was predicted wet and windy. After a short trip into Dumfries we unintentionally ended up driving the 'snow route' and the NE250 - Dumfries nice but lacks the wow of other parts of Scotland - snow route exciting but NE250 disappointing and similar to many other places. On the eastern side Stonehaven was nice with Dunnottar Castle close - Cruden bay also good with Slains Castle and Bullers of Bucan close - the Kelpies at Stirling + Wallace Monument good + Falkirk wheel and loads of canal cycling for the faint hearted - hopefully west coats next time!! --- enjoy

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[Dognewf]

for 3/4 nights, i suggest not too far, oban or Fort William, up the great Glen to Inverness and back maybe via Elgin.

 

[Candapack]

See you're thinking of sticking to SW Scotland now. Have a great time.
As a matter of interest, despite having an area that is about 60% of that of England, Scotland's coastline is more than double that of England's.
(Slarti Bartfast worked on Scotland after he finished Norway).

 

[ambulancekidd]

Another one for Ambulancekid's suggestion , Dumfries and Galloway a very pleasant surprise . Going there for a couple of nights next Tuesday.
To Robert , hope the two of you are slowly feeling better mate.
John

We've just got back home, we were away picking up a new puppy today!
We're not looking for a replacement for Georgie girl but, she's left such a hole in our lives that we thought we'd bite the bullet & jump back in.
We'll pop a proper introduction & some photo's of the wee chap tomorrow.

...Robert

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[wiljoy]

Stick to Dumfries and Galloway. It's not real Scotland but beautiful. The north of Scotland is now wrecked with the N500.

 

[G-RMPS]

Au contraire, it is the real Scotland. I spent four days wandering around the Galloway hills with a tent and never saw a single soul.

 

[WillH]

We live in Dumfries and Galloway, it is almost as remote as the Highlands and much quieter once off the main roads, (we only have two). Get up into the Galloway hills, beautiful, and quiet.

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[kelpie]

We've just got back home, we were away picking up a new puppy today!
We're not looking for a replacement for Georgie girl but, she's left such a hole in our lives that we thought we'd bite the bullet & jump back in.
We'll pop a proper introduction & some photo's of the wee chap tomorrow.

...Robert

Look forward to seeing the photos .
Take care ,
John

 

[Gellyneck]

Au contraire, it is the real Scotland. I spent four days wandering around the Galloway hills with a tent and never saw a single soul.

Is that because the locals saw you first?????

 

[G-RMPS]

Is that because the locals saw you first?????

...probably!

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[Grianan]

I have such mixed views about the posts here ... firstly Dumfries and Galloway is beautiful. You have rolling countryside, charming towns, castles, moors and hills and lovely coastlines. It is as much real Scotland as any other part of our country. We have a house about 5 miles off the NC500. I rue the increase in traffic and even dislike some of the rallies who simply drive the route as fast as possible with scant regard for other tourists or locals and who bring nothing to the area. I feel sad that so many people drive the route without exploring some of the other wonderful places just off it. But I cannot hand on heart say it is ‘spoilt’. There is a majestic beauty of mountains falling into lochs which can only be found in northern Scotland.

 

[SandyD]

If you really want to drive I would support something similar to the route Dognewf suggested. From Glasgow, head for Crianlarich and through Glen Coe to Fort William. Great Glen to Inverness. From Inverness, Granton on Spey, Tomintoul, then over the Lecht to Corgarff then over the Gairnshiel Shiel to Braemar. Part of this road is single track, you might want to head to Ballater to avoid it. Then back via Glenshee and Perth. Don’t know how many miles that is but some great roads and doable I think in your timescale.

 

[Paul J]

wow, there are so many replies here, I can't respond to each one, but I just want to say that it's really helping to point me in the right direction, and I will certainly let you know how things go, and where I ended up !

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[Wee Bold Davy]

Where ever you decide to go I'm sure you'll love Scotland. It's all too tempting to try to cover too much ground on one trip as there is so much to see. Blackpool isn't too far from Scotland. Let us know where you decide to go and you'll get plenty of advice, where to go and where to avoid for whatever reason. Have a great trip

 

[robnchris]

Another vote for The Mull of Galloway plenty enough there for 10 days driving, Portpatrick is well worth a few days.