Touring in Scotland by motorhome is the ideal way to ensure that you see much of Scotland, but life will be easier, if you stay more than one night in each caravan park; study a map and plan your visit so you can stay in one place for a few days and explore in a different direction each day. VisitScotland, the national tourist board, inspects caravan parks every year and the best of them are awarded 4 stars (excellent) or 5 stars (exceptional) for their standard of facilities and services. Many of these parks have joined the group of Thistle Holiday Parks.
For a 10-day stay, I suggest an itinerary along the following lines:
Edinburgh and the Lothians: Stay in the area east of the city, in Tantallon Caravan Park in North Berwick or Belhaven or Thurston Manor at Dunbar. Both towns have a good train service to Edinburgh, so you do not have the hassle of parking and can enjoy the city and the countryside. There is plenty to see in Edinburgh – the Castle, the National Museum of Scotland, Dynamic Earth and the Scotch Whisky Heritage Centre are just a few of many attractions. Near North Berwick are the Scottish Seabird Centre (with a possible boat trip to Bass Rock), the Museum of Flight (with a Concorde), Tantallon and Dirleton Castles, and Glenkinchie Distillery. Plan to spend at least a day in Edinburgh and a day in the Lothians.
If you are heading north, the next stop could be in Perthshire, where there is Pitlochry and Dunkeld and Blair Atholl, all of which have good caravan parks. Set up home in any of these places and you have an excellent choice of excursions for daytime and places to eat in the evening. You could head west to Kinloch Rannoch (one of the most remote parts of Scotland, where few people go); or to Aberfeldy (Dewar’s World of Whisky) and Kenmore (Scottish Crannog Centre); or east to Loch of the Lowes (where ospreys nest) and south to Scone Palace. There are also places where you can hire a bike and find cycle paths or quiet roads.
In the West Highlands Oban is a good choice, because from here you can take the Caledonian MacBrayne ferry to Mull and across to Iona. If you have a car or a small motorhome, an exciting journey is along the Ardnamurchan peninsula right to the furthest west point of the Scottish mainland; climb to the top of the lighthouse and you may be lucky enough to spot whales. Return via Glenuig, Lochailort and Glenfinnan – and you will travel through one of the most beautiful parts of Scotland. Two places to visit are the Glencoe Visitor Centre and Dunstaffnage Caste.
On the way south, stop off at Inveraray. This village sits on the shores of Loch Fyne and has a magnificent Castle, owned by the Duke of Argyll, as well as Inveraray Jail, where you can see how the criminals of two hundred years ago were treated. From Inveraray, it is only a couple of hours to Glasgow, along the banks of Loch Lomond.
Judith Sleigh
-Thistle Holiday Parks
Fotocredits: Mortonhall Caravan Park
