Scotland , places to visit and Aires to try?

[Jake Royd]

I know a lot has been said on this subject and I have made a note of a lotof it.
We will be starting a 2 week tour of Scotland and the North on Wednesday next week.
Plan is to overnight near Lancaster on the way up , then into Dumfries and Galloway, then very roughly North East taking in the Kelpies and The Falkirk Wheel.
No real plan other than this.
We do know Scotland to a degree having visited Inverness and the Black Isle and Oban/Tobermory etc. over the years.

My reason for posting is could I ask some kind Funsters to suggest things to see and places to stay, so we don't miss things we should make an effort to see.
Aires and other overnight places included (planning the second night at Sweetheart Abbey.
No problem staying in CL's but want to avoid Club sites , we are members of the CCC and the CAMC.
The van can be self contained for about 3 days.

Might touch parts of the SC300 and NC500 but no real motivation to complete them.

Thank you for your suggestions.....................................................................

 

[Arnothill]

You can stay at the Kelpies or at the Falkirk Wheel. Check online buf I think there is a small fee and you can use the toilets. Falkirk wheel has a restaurant nearby, but both are a short walk into town.

We stayed at Inn at the Bush CA7 5HT near Carlisle. Nice pub as a Lancaster alternative. Good aircraft museum at Carlisle airport.

Kirkcudbright is lovely with a decent campsite.

One cool trip is to take the ferry to Dunoon, cross Argyll and then go to tarbert. Look up Kilmartin...not so well k own.

Hope that helps

 

[Terry242]

We've been up there for a few days. From S Wales, our first stop was at Metal Bridge pub approaching Gretna, free overnighting and a nice meal in the pub.
Then onto Caerlaveroch Corner aire with a nice walk to the castle. Followed by Sweetheart as you planned.
We're now at a site on Loch Ken, lovely location.

I know you're not looking for sites, but should you, bear in mind that the first 2 we tried were fully booked. You being a couple of weeks later should be fine.

Also, take a look at the camping in the forest sites on www.visitscotland.com £6 for the night.

Terry

 

[Jake Royd]

Thank you

 

[Chipster]

Just had a super stop over at Lock 10 on the Crinan Canal. Recommend if your coming up this far. Wasn’t busy, interesting canal to walk/ride along and lovely area.

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[irnbru]

If your going NE and looking for a cheap stopover then visit Silversands Aberdour, it’s only £2 for car park entry, no signs to say you can’t overnight, we along with other vans often do if in the area.

Ruby bay Elie is another good stopover but I’m not sure if that’s chargeable overnight now.

 

[lazygirl]

If you want to visit Caerlaverock Castle with a motor home, don’t try going through the arch. Turn where the buses turn and park in the lay-by. Too many motorhomes are damaging themselves and most importantly, damaging the old stonework

 

[Jake Royd]

Well we did very well I thought , covering 1100 miles round trip.

We detoured to Maryport on the way up , there's a nice little site at Maryport Marina. The A595 South Lakes road was hard work.

Then on to Castle Corner Aire (no chance of getting in Glencaple)
Then Sweetheart Abbey (thank you @minxygirl for this one)

Then to Loch Ken , Clatteringshaws Loch , Garlieston , then New Lanark (Britstop) on the way to The Falkirk Wheel and the Kelpies.
We stopped off in Kielder Forest on the way back.

Three main observations:-

1) Very busy 'motorhomewise' everywhere.
2) As a consequence of 1) we booked ahead more than we intended, chickened out a bit on wild camping.
3) I guess due to feeling constrained wild campingwise in England , Scotland felt very free , even allowing for the fact that the law there is not as permissive as some believe.

Scotland was beautiful , we will be back and we didn't even get to The Highlands.

 

[Grianan]

Lovely CL just south of Crail in the East Neuk of Fife - lovely area and direct access onto the Fife Coastal Path.

 

[TerryL]

Scotland will be a lot quieter now - we've found late September/October to be almost ideal and had some excellent weather (that's no guarantee of course!) Only drawback is it gets darker earlier.............

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[Speve]

Take a gander at this web site.
https://sites.google.com/view/wildcampingmotorhomes/home

 

[Jake Royd]

Thank you.

 

[CazPaul]

Lovely CL just south of Crail in the East Neuk of Fife - lovely area and direct access onto the Fife Coastal Path.

Have you the details of the CL please I can’t see one.

 

[poppycamper]

Have you the details of the CL please I can’t see one.

Possibly Bankhead Farm CL... halfway between Crail and Anstruthers... been to THS there a number of times.

 

[CazPaul]

Possibly Bankhead Farm CL... halfway between Crail and Anstruthers... been to THS there a number of times.

Yes, thanks, they are full

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[Johnen]

A little past Crail on the way to St. Andrews is a lovely beach car park at Kingsbarn, which has six overnight spaces. It is a bit tight down a single track road