It’s almost too close… but totally worth the effort. Having said that, Skye is beautiful and well worth a trip if you're touring the west coast of Scotland. Grab some food here and visit the Cathedral and Castle before continuing to one of Scotlands most famous sights, Loch Ness. The Aviemore website is a great place to find out more.Â. 2017 was Scotland’s Year of History, Heritage & Archaeology, but honestly, each year should be Scotland’s Year of History, Heritage & Archaeology – there is just so much to see and discover.In hindsight, a 5 day Scotland itinerary wasn’t quite enough. If you want to road trip Scotland (which we highly recommend- there are some INCREDIBLY scenic roads in Scotland), then the best time to go is either late Spring/ early Summer (May or June) or in early Autumn (September/ October). Consider Scotland- you won't be disappointed! Camping seemed like a great way to experience it. Trying to figure out where to go and what to do during your visit? STEP 6 - Book Accommodations on a Scotland Road Trip. Have a motorhome or campervan will further increase your flexibility and allow you to choose the scenic route based on weather or interest, not on hotels you've booked. There are 30 islands on Loch Lomond alone to explore- plenty to keep you occupied if you want to stay for a few days. ), HARRY POTTER sites (so worth it! In one day we saw: This is the viaduct made famous in the Harry Potter films. Isle of Lewis, Isle of Harris & Stornoway. Activities for kids. Choose this route for – World Heritage Sites, feats of engineering and royal connections. We visited a few of them, all on the way to Mallaig (where the ferry is for the Isle of Skye. If you've found it useful, please consider buying us a coffee to show your support. © 2021 Wandering Bird Adventures. North Coast 500 (NC500) Located right up in the North of Scotland, the NC500 is most likely the road trip you’ve been told about. We drove right up after our, Scotland has an amazing law called Right to Roam. Little experience with an RV but have been driving for 40 + years. We've compiled a list of Scotland road trips and route planner ideas. We'd never heard of them before, but they looked pretty, so we decided to pay them a visit. And cows. We would be delighted to assist you in planning your road trip around Scotland when you hire one of our campervans. What would be a ball park number to use for the cost of the RV rental for a two week period? Well-poised to explore a lot of what this region has to offer, spend one day exploring the city itself and another two going on a number of day trips that are available. Finished planning our road trip today with accommodations booked! The city of Inverness surprised me and was a great half-day stop on my Scotland road trip. We didn't plan to visit Orkney during our tour of Scotland- and we definitely didn't plan to visit Orkney on our motorbikes. We drove to Aviemore for the night, which was another hour or so south. I knew Scotland was gorgeous but WOW is it gorgeous. Here are 15 of the best places to enjoy Europe in October). There is PLENTY of things to see and do in Glasgow and you can easily spend a couple of days enjoying the city before you set off on your driving holiday. It can also be suited for all vehicles (although if you're crazy enough to do it on a pushbike, it's going to take a while longer! What a beautiful country and your photos are just divine. Valetie, WOW. You can kayak, paddleboard, canoe and even hire jetskis in the summer. However, the day after we visited John o'Groats, the weather was still beautiful and we learnt we could get to Orkney by ferry for just the day- so we did! Planning a UK road trip? Check out my practical guide to renting a car in Scotland. LIMITED EDITION Road Trip Journal Logbook. With a range of hiking trails, the 92-mile Galloway Tourist Route will get your heart rate spiking. At first, our plans were lofty: we’d go wayyyy up into the highlands, getting all the way to Thurso or John O’Groats! (It's the same in Wales- see our, There is no proper border between Scotland and England, so you can explore Scotland from England without taking a passport. Self drive tours are a great way to see the country at your own pace. Scotland Itinerary DAY 3- Harry Potter Time! As long as it's not raining!! (Exactly the same as Norway). Don't forget, you can download this entire itinerary, for free, here: Search “Isle of Skye” on Google and you'll get pages and pages of blog posts and itineraries, all waxing lyrical about the beauty of Skye. Yes! It allows you much more freedom to. If you have the time, take the slow scenic route in the Highlands. 15 files. View the top things to do, tourist attractions and beautiful places to see in Scotland. When you think of a road trip you probably think of countries like Canada, New Zealand or Australia. Expert local knowledge, gifts and inspiration. really awesome posts about Scotland travel. Scotland Road Trip & Travel Planner. As you'll see below, there are many (many!) Have a wonderful time- let me know how it goes! Choose this route - to explore the 90 miles of the SnowRoads, discover wild landscapes and uncover the tales and hidden treasures of this untouched area. Galloway Tourist Route: the best Scottish road trip for thrill-seekers. Magical. What's included? There are several vendors. Just search/google for “motor home rentals Scotland”. BnBs are the most typical mode of accommodation in Scotland. Loch Lomond is one of my favourite spots,  and is definitely one of the must-visit places in Scotland. Want some more ideas for places to see in Autumn? Our Isle of Skye itinerary contains things to do in the sunshine, but also things to do in the rain- as it rained for 48 hours when we visited! In my opinion, a road trip holiday is the best way to see Scotland- and by that I mean a self-drive holiday, not a tour. If you haven't, where would you like to go first? Planning a road trip through Scotland. Did you know there is actually a place called Highland in the Scottish Highlands?? Love the pictures! Choose this route for - the quaint towns and villages, miles of stunning coastline, and incredible natural beauty. Some things you need to know about Scotland before you go. In order to see and experience Scotland off the beaten track, you will need to hire a car. I recently searched for the larger motor homes that sleep 5-6( or in my case, 4 adults/teens). *There may be affiliate links in this post, meaning if you click and make a purchase, we earn a small commission (from the seller- no cost to you) We are very selective about our partners and who we recommend- if we wouldn't recommend it to our family, we won't recommend it to you. Leave Skye and head up towards Thurso, stopping at the incredible Eilean Donan Castle on the way. If you're planning a motorhome or campervan holiday in Scotland you'll find many ideas here for great places to visit in Scotland! This is another one of Scotland’s driving tour routes which you will want to plan into your travel around Scotland. 7 mins. Scotland Road Trip Itinerary DAY 4 & 5- Isle of Skye, Driving Scotland Day 6- Eilean Donan Castle, Loch Ness and up to Thurso, Highlands Road Trip Day 7 – John o’Groats and Duncansby Stacks, NC500 – SCOTLAND road trip – Duncansby Stacks – DJI mavic pro drone, Scotland Road Trip Itinerary Day 9- Dunrobin Castle and Aviemore. Where should I go on a road trip in Scotland? and quietly close the door. ), our map of the route we drove around Scotland will help you plan your own adventure. Choose this route for – wild Highland scenery, refreshing walks and local food and drink. For us, it rained solidly for 3 days on the west coast- the Isle of Skye was a complete washout, even in July, but up at John o'Groats it was beautiful weather- so we detoured and went up there instead! Here's the pin. It did not go well. This is an epic trip! I know- we were the same!! Click on the icons to refine your results. We didn't go inside, as we knew we had a long day ahead of us, but it's beautiful from the outside. It was also one of the main reasons we drove to Scotland- to tick it off the list! We tried it. This trip is conceptualised with a car in mind and ideal for a Scotland road trip. We did spend a few days in Edinburgh. Scotland is full of places used in the Harry Potter films. ), Motorhome Tour Scotland – Wild Camping – Family tours Europe in a Motorhome, Road Trip Scotland DAY 2- Oban and Fort William. Scotland Road Trip Itinerary. Again, we made a compromise and chose to visit Orkney instead- guess we'll just have to do another trip to Scotland! There are still plenty of ways you can dream up and plan your exceptional trip to Scotland. But road trip to the Inverness-shire glens of Glen Affric and Glen Strathfarrar in Strathglass, just 20 minutes south of Inverness, an ancient and undisturbed Scotland is revealed. Choose this route for – 500 miles of unspoilt Highland coastline, ancient castles, watersports and glistening sandy beaches. You can walk right up to the base of it. Plan a road trip to see some of Scotland's most awesome sights. We parked in the visitor centre on the shores of Loch Shiel, which also allowed a walk up the slope for incredible views of the viaduct, even in the rain! 6. Choose this route for – lush valley scenery, fascinating heritage attractions, outdoor pursuits and family days out. This is the loch used as Hogwarts Lake, along with Loch Morar. The ultimate guide to planning a trip to Scotland; What to pack for a trip to Scotland; How to save money on your Scotland trip; Overtourism in Scotland & where you should go instead; Car hire for a 10 day Scotland road trip. Scotland is a dream trip. It's ok for young kids, but it's pretty expensive, so if you're on a budget you might want to keep driving and stop at one of the many laybys along the loch. You can pay to walk the gardens, but we decided to press on and head south before the rain closed in. Don't forget to check out our other posts on Scotland too, to help you create your perfect itinerary. UK school holidays are July and August. They say the North Coast 500 (NC500) is Scotland’s answer to Route 66, the famous Californian route and is backed by many as one of the most beautiful drives in the world. I plan to do a trip in mid Oct this year with my wife. If you're driving in Scotland, the best months to visit are April- October. UK Motorhome Holidays – 17 breathtaking places to explore, Hampshire & Dorset road trip- 21 beautiful places to visit, Unmissable England Road Trip ideas for every itinerary, Driving in Europe after BREXIT- 10 things you need to know, 🚌🌲 Wild Camping with a motorhome/ camper, 🎁 Gift ideas for motorhome/ campervan owners, Scotland is part of the UK, so they speak English, British Pound is the currency. 3 videos. Want to save this list for later? Where was your favourite place? best places to experience Autumn in Europe. What would be an expected rental rate for a Motor home for two weeks? Interactive planner with routes, distances and must-see attractions on the way. Likewise, if you have longer, you can either travel more scenic routes around Scotland (especially on the Highlands tourist route), see more incredible places,  do some more tours around Scotland or just take your time and linger a while over your favourite places. We spent 7 days just covering the North, a kind of adapted NSC500. May visit a friend in Aberdeen and some friends in Dublin and in between intend to explore Scotland as its our first trip. My suggestion is to plan your itinerary on Google Maps, and then be as flexible as possible to work around the weather. We even got sunburnt!! Just look at this view!! That’s why we love touring Scotland by motorhome or camper- you have your own cozy space to relax in. Although Scotland is seen as a small country, getting around has its challenges. ), visit the Start Here page to find out more about me, us and how our experiences can help you! Aviemore is in the Cairngorms National Park and is Scotland's winter sports mecca, but there's plenty to do in the summer too, including a visit to the famous Speyside Distilleries. We want to go back to continue adding to our Scottish photography portfolio and we’ve now got inspiration for extra places! This is obviously easier if you are touring Scotland in a camper, instead of driving in a car and using hotels, but do the best you can. I returned for a few days the next year and spent all of my time without a car exploring the city centre. Choose this route for – the scenic route from the Scottish border to Edinburgh, textile heritage and family attractions. Driving time from Edinburgh to Highland is 3 hours and 15 minutes (157 miles). However, remember that other feasible options do exist and a road trip is not the Holy Grail of planning a trip to Scotland. Whether you're touring Scotland by car on a self-drive holiday, by motorhome, campervan, motorbike (or any other vehicle! Cheers & Happy Travels. The RAC Route Planner complements our motoring-services products such as our 5 Star Defaqto Breakdown Cover and Car Insurance. What is the best month to visit Scotland? ), hiking in the Highlands, enjoying the views of the lochs? A consortium of local tourism interests has just launched the Heart 200, a road trip around the heart of Scotland.The 200-mile circuit connects the likes of Stirling, Crieff, Callander (pictured below), Aberfeldy, Pitlochry, Dunkeld and Perth, and it comes hot on the heels of the successful North Coast 500. I would really love to get to the Isle of Skye, the Duncansby Stacks and Dunnet Head for those incredible coasts and views. Classic 3-Day Scotland Itinerary Road Trip Edinburgh to Skye via Loch Lomond. But we were blessed with INCREDIBLE weather at John o'Groats- definitely made up for the misery of Skye! Basically, head for Duncansby lighthouse and park right next to the lighthouse. 12 text files. These spectacular driving routes are all scenic alternatives to the main roads, with a range of great attractions en route. Choose this route for – the stunning scenery of the North West Highlands Geopark, local arts and crafts, and picture-perfect coastal walks. Did we miss some beautiful views and places by cutting through the middle? My family and I did a road trip around Scotland and the Scottish Highlands early one summer and it has been one of my favorite trips of my life. Getting there is about a 2.5 miles walk and takes about 1.5-2 hours depending on how often you stop. For us, we prefer to stay away from big cities when we're travelling in our motorhome and instead focus on areas like national parks, nature reserves, mountains, waterfalls… you get the idea. Or a bit of everything?? Still, if you have the time, you should try to add Orkney into your itinerary. Road trip Scotland: what you can experience on a tour of Scotland! Choose this route for – spectacular castles, the beautiful Cairngorms National Park and a captivating, and sometimes bloody history. Here's the first EVER video where we flew our drone over the sea… the views of the shoreline and the rocks are incredible. You have just skyrocketed Scotland up to the top of my bucket list! and therefore had no idea which island he was meant to be filming. Pradeep April 12, 2020 4:59 pm. Loch Lomond is the biggest. When touring Scotland by car (or camper or bike), your route can vary in length; trips can be as short or as long as you like. Get off the main roads and tour Scotland the scenic way now I’m now trying to see if I can squeeze it into my 2019 travel plans 🙂. Scotland is a great country to plan a road trip. You could easily spend a week or two touring a large area of the country, or explore a region over a weekend. Step 5 – Plan your Scotland road trip route. Sadly I’ve only ever been to Glasgow and Edinburgh (like you I prefer Edinburgh) but haven’t had the opportunity to explore the countryside. Our Trip Planner function is now no longer available, but don't worry! As you can see, this is a HUGE post. If you enjoy food- you're in for a real treat- Edinburgh has some FANTASTIC eating places. Love love love this itinerary (and all the Harry Potter references). Trying to squeeze a country into just a few days is tough, but it IS possible to plan a Scotland travel itinerary with the best places to visit, as well as some places away from the main tourist areas. Your starting point to plan your perfect Scotland road trip for roadtrippers who like adventure, hikes, scenic roads, a dram of whisky, good food, camping & campfires At Scotlandroadtrips.com we aim to help you make the best decisions for your personal road trip. We decided on 1st night in Glasgow, then Oban, Fort William, 2 nights on Skye, Inverness, Pitlochry and 2 night in Edinburgh. We chose to drive out of the National Park and camped in a layby on the way up to Loch Ness. Trying to squeeze a country into just a few days is tough, but it IS possible to plan a Scotland travel itinerary with the best places to visit, as well as some places away from the main tourist areas. As long as you have- or as long as you let it!! Choose this route for – the rugged landscapes of the Sma' Glen, whisky distilleries and outdoor activities. Click it and a new box will appear on the left-hand side with the option to … Start here! The land of the Scots – perfect for a little road trip! © 2021 VisitScotland. Here is a suggestion for a 10 day itinerary. Ok, now that you've enjoyed a couple of days in Glasgow, let's head up into the ‘real' Scotland. Need to watch the Harry Potter films again I think! I hope you make it to Scotland one day 🙂, Wow I had no idea Scotland was this beautiful ! I am seriously considering camping through Scotland. Planning Scotland road trip itinerary? Having your own vehicle allows you to set your own itinerary, plan your visits, pick the best roads in Scotland and generally be more in control. With a Motorbike trailer on the back. The North Coast 500 is the most popular road trip in Scotland and we’ve put together a comprehensive 7 day North Coast 500 itinerary to help drivers navigate this driving route. Scotland Road Trip DAY 1- LOCH LOMOND and the Trossachs National Park, WATCH VIDEO of us at Loch Lomond (and seeing the Harry Potter sites! This itinerary for a perfect Scotland road trip is tried and tested. The loch is absolutely breathtaking, especially if you're lucky enough to see it on a sunny day. Planning a Scotland road trip can be DAUNTING. Interactive planner with routes, distances and must-see attractions on the way. Hotels and things to see included. Hi Mike, that will depend on a lot of things, like time of year, destination, group size and driver experience. Another detour worth the effort is to Devil's Pulpit– a hidden waterfall between the rocks. Filled with martian landscapes, vast, open lands, and incredible history, Scotland has something for everyone. Do you focus on visiting beautiful cities like Edinburgh and Glasgow, seeing the history of Scotland (which is fascinating! Have you visited Scotland? This is a LOOOOOONG post) nearly 4000 words!) It's also close to Steall Falls– the second highest waterfall in Scotland at 120m and the waterfall in Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire, in case you're wondering!! This Scotland road trip is great for all adventurers and adrenaline junkies! Wild Camping is forbidden within the Trossachs National Park, so be careful where you park up for the night if you're in a camper. Restaurants and shops were open, as were many outdoor activities for all ages. Scotland road tripping will do that. If you have time, Inverness is definitely worth a visit. We are not ‘hike whatever the weather' people and we really don't enjoy getting sopping wet climbing a mountain when there's no view anyway, so you might find that itinerary useful too. Why not download it so you can keep it with you and use it for planning your own Scotland itinerary. The map starts on the west coast of Scotland, but, of course, you can do the drive in reverse if you prefer. Coronavirus (COVID-19) advice. You can also visit Urquhart castle, which are impressive ruins along the shore of Loch Ness. We keep meaning to go to Scotland (we only live in Manchester ? Iconic Ben Nevis needs to be top of your Scottish to-do list. We sent the drone up to get a picture of this beautiful island… but alas, Mr WB is NOT a die-hard Harry Potter fan (boo!) We'll start our Scotland tour in Glasgow, on the west coast of Scotland. One highlight of our tour was the Applecross Penninsula. Here are 27 of the best places to experience Autumn in Europe. (Want more ideas for October travel? All pretty great countries but pretty far away too. But I can take only so much November weather and needed to start somewhere with my Scotland road trip. Don't forget to grab our free list of 57 best (and secret!) Loch Lomond, The Trossachs, Stirling & Forth Valley. (Check out these other beautiful waterfalls in Europe). We stopped in Edinburgh for a few hours and, honestly, the only thing we did was see Edinburgh Castle- which is beautiful but left us wanting more. So, how DO you narrow down all the ‘must-visit' places into a reasonable itinerary, especially if you only have 7-10 days for your Scottish road trip? As an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases. From the capital city, you wind your way up through the Trossachs National Park. We work hard to make this website the best it can be. Choose this route for – the rolling Galloway Forest Park, fun-filled activities and Robert Burns attractions. Loch Lomond is actually part of the Trossachs National Park, which has 22 lochs! You can now search our website to see what businesses are open and signed up to the Good to Go scheme. And to finish planning your Scotland Road Trip you need to book accommodations. For one week out of Edinburgh, it was going to run me about 1100 GBP before adding any extras (like insurance, bedding, etc). There is parking here, but it can be limited for Motorhomes, so be prepared to have to park some distance away in high season. I have to say though, the photos just don’t look as good in bright sunlight! places in Scotland! We’ll discuss some of the solutions to obstacles below. Warning. All rights reserved. Full directions can be found here. Your pics are amazing ! As you've seen, this Scotland driving itinerary can be adapted to suit all tastes, abilities and durations. Choose this route for – idyllic coastlines, ancient history and delicious seafood. If you don't want to drive, there are coach tours which go all day, so book yourself onto one of them. ), don't mention football. We did debate going all around the western edge and completing the NC500, but we only had 10 days for touring Scotland, so we decided to cut across to save time, plus see Loch Ness and to escape the rain on the Isle of Skye! Choose this route for – stunning coastal views, charming traditional fishing villages and rich history. hope I’ll get to explore Scottland soon. Scotland has been on our list for too long, and this post may just be the thing that finally gets things moving. The problem with places like that is there is SO MUCH to see. Where is the most beautiful place in Scotland? Commentdocument.getElementById("comment").setAttribute( "id", "a06746b2223166b0f9577a473a1535f0" );document.getElementById("ae57312e0d").setAttribute( "id", "comment" ); Save my name, email, and website in this browser for the next time I comment. but never make it – this itinerary might just be the push we need to hire a camper and do it!