In the autumn, we are undertaking a tour as mentioned above. We are planning to take our time and visit as much as we can, which will include Mull (taking 'van), Iona (on foot for day) and Skye (via bridge as can't seem to get a ferry!) We are going up the M6, as we're in Cheshire and going more or less clockwise. Any recommendations of places to stay, visit and avoid would be gratefully received. We already have a few places to go as we're history/archaeology buffs. We will have two older doggies with us too.
Whilst towing, we would rather stick to roads that do not require use of passing places but happy to park at a site and go off touring. Regularly do up to 70miles each way to see something!
I'm good at arranging holidays to France for 2 weeks but this is something else. All help, gladly received!
Don't forget to leave a review of the campsites you have visited this year or last!
How long is your trip? Suggestion below would be a 2-3 week trip if you need to break the journey to and from home.
If you want to visit Mull, whilst it is a huge island, it only has a few miles of two way road serving the ferry terminal, it is then patchy, so look at sites on that stretch. Shieling Campsite or Salen Bay are two to consider. For visits, Tobermory (great distillery and the whisky is highly rated, especially the Ledaig peated malt!), Calgary Bay is stunning if the weather is good! You will be too late for the sea eagle nests, but spotting them should still be possible, we also saw Golden Eagle on Mull.
Skye ferry is from Mallaig to Armadale. Unfortunately Skye is now on my avoid list, the bridge has made it far too busy, but Autumn may be quieter. The bridge does mean you have the option of staying around Kyle of Localsh/Plockton and driving to Skye. Also opens up a day visit to Applecross via Bealach na ba and Gairloch/Torridon.
i'd then look at coming across country towards Pitlochry for Loch Tummel and Queens View or Aberfeldy to visit Loch Tay and Glen Lyon (my favourite Glen in Scotland), both of which will be spectacular if the leaves are changing.
As stated by daveyip the Skye ferry sails from Mallaig, but the narrow roads are struggling to cope with the increasing influx of large motorhomes and caravans.
I’d suggest that you day trip Skye via the bridge. A friend lives on Skye & she has stopped doing day trips because the roads cannot cope with the visitor traffic. Parking on grass verges is the norm for the honeypot locations, which then means emergency vehicles can’t get through. In short, it’s rammed. But worth seeing as you are on the west coast.
As for Mull, I love it (used to work there). Search on posts by ficklejade. Sadly, she died suddenly a while back but she stewarded car rallies there & her posts about driving on Mull (and some sites too) are on UKCS. She wrote enough to have published it.
Don’t ignore Dumfries & Galloway as it has much to offer: beaches, castles, at least one Roman fort, gardens, forests, attractive small towns and very very quiet roads (because most people drive up the M74 & miss it, apart from staying at CCC Moffat for a day or two). Consider the Borders too - gentle landscapes but abbeys galore & you could base yourself at CAMC Melrose.
I’ve got a map showing an ideal loop, I’ll try & find it.
Trouble is, my favourite places may not be your cup of tea (previous MIL loathed Glencoe, she thought it was “desolate”; current OH trained there with Mountain Rescue & loves it).
This was the route of my Scottish Trip in July 2025.
I deliberately avoided NC500 as much as I could, and only had to drive a short distance with a few passing places.
I had been to Glencoe and stayed at C&CC club site before in 2012 as a tenter and loved it. However, I decided to go to Oban C&CC instead. My plan for my next Scottish trip is to stay at Glencoe again.
I tend not to go out and about once I have arrived at a site, however, I would definitely recommend Rosemarkie C&CC for observing dolphins etc., and Iverewe Gardens C&CC for being close to the gardens.
I really enjoyed driving in the Scottish Highlands, even though it was quite twisty and narrow in places, which was quite stressful for me as I did all the driving.
Enjoy your trip!
DK
------------- Apple The Campervan - A Van For Work, Rest & Play!
- 2027: ? NL+DE+FR
- 2026: FR+DE
- 2025: 17/77
'24: 10/49; '23: 9/47;'22: 8/46; '21: 9/34
* Ex-tenter
* Treat life events like a dog: if you can't eat it, play with it or hump it, p1$$ on it and walk away!
I would like to recommend the Isle of Arran. Standing stones in several circles & distinctive groups on Machrie Moor (an hour’s walk in), Brodick Castle NTS, a whisky distillery, a high concentration of Hen Harriers, known as “Scotland in miniature” because of its geology (north is Highlands with jaggy mountains, the Highland Boundary Fault runs across the middle, gentle lowlands to the south.) Yes, I’d like to recommend it but the CalMac ferry situation is dire at present, very unreliable.
For autumn colour, in my experience you’ll need to head north to where birch and especially aspen are dominant (gold birch & bright yellow aspen): Braemar was awesome this year in October, conservation village, Royal Deeside has several NTS castles plus Balmoral. Good site at Braemar, better than any club site I’ve been to up here.
And I agree with DK re Poolewe Gardens (NTS again). I’m not keen on NC 500 now (too busy, we enjoyed it soon after it was established by a private firm), but geologists do get very excited about the GeoPark just north of Ullapool.
Thank you all for your ideas and suggestions. We’re looking at about a month but that will include stopping in Cumbria (not the touristy parts) and Northumberland on our way home. We are going to stay at the Shielling campsite on Mull, and then we can go where we want to. Can’t decide re Skye as there’s quite a lot we want to see, not sure it’s doable in a day?? We’re stopping in Dumfries/Galloway. I love the area and we want to revisit Gretna - 32yrs after our wedding there.
I’m the single malt whiskey drinker, so looking forward to that! I’ll keep an eye out for the Ledaig!
------------- 2026
Various weekends, weather and time permitting
April - Yorkshire and Yorkshire
June - Wiltshire and Oxfordshire
Autumn - North and Scotland
Skye is a big place and all the really amazing geology and scenery is at the northern end of the island, about 55 miles from Kyle of Lochalsh. Its 2-3 days to see everything. Raasay is also well worth the short ferry trip - lots of interesting industrial heritage.
I've visited at least 50 distilleries over the years. Latest was just last week - Annandale near Annan in Dumfries and Galloway, just north of Gretna. A new distillery on a site once owned by by the Johnnie Walker company. Didn't do the tour, but from my first taste the whisky they produce is excellent.
I went to Tomatin near Inverness for a whisky tour and tasting back in 2012, and learnt I could appreciate even the really peaty ones by slight dilution with water, and bought a handmade glass dropper from a shop in Inverness as a souvenir.
DK
------------- Apple The Campervan - A Van For Work, Rest & Play!
- 2027: ? NL+DE+FR
- 2026: FR+DE
- 2025: 17/77
'24: 10/49; '23: 9/47;'22: 8/46; '21: 9/34
* Ex-tenter
* Treat life events like a dog: if you can't eat it, play with it or hump it, p1$$ on it and walk away!
Kinloch campsite outside Dunvegan on Skye might be worth a look. Although I've not stayed on the site I have stayed nearby a few times, self catering with friends and it's a good base to explore the island.
Two lane roads almost to the site which is on the loch shore.
https://kinloch-campsite.co.uk/
Don't forget to leave a review of the campsites you have visited this year or last!
We thought Glencoe was lovely but were glad we'd decided not to stay there once we saw how busy it was (September).
If you are a CAMC member I can recommend Bunree on the way up or back - gorgeous scenery, easy access to Fort William, Ben Nevis etc, very good walking just across the road from the site, ferry trips across Loch Linnie etc. The site has just been upgraded with new sanitary blocks. If you can manage without your awning for the night, you can get one of the loch side pitches with an awesome view.
A couple of the campsites are suggesting travel insurance, esp. as using ferries. We don’t usually use travel insurance when holidaying in UK. but as this is going to be a longer holiday, think it’s probably a good idea! Any recommendations… before I disappear down the rabbit warren that is insurance!🤣
------------- 2026
Various weekends, weather and time permitting
April - Yorkshire and Yorkshire
June - Wiltshire and Oxfordshire
Autumn - North and Scotland
Quote: Originally posted by gailbonney on 12/1/2026
A couple of the campsites are suggesting travel insurance, esp. as using ferries. We don’t usually use travel insurance when holidaying in UK. but as this is going to be a longer holiday, think it’s probably a good idea! Any recommendations… before I disappear down the rabbit warren that is insurance!🤣
Not for camping, however, I used MoneySupermarket for a quote and opted for one of the ones provided by Admiral.
I did the same 2 years ago and opted for a slightly different policy with them.
Last year, all my trips were domestic in the UK, so I did not bother with a separate dedicated travel insurance.
DK
------------- Apple The Campervan - A Van For Work, Rest & Play!
- 2027: ? NL+DE+FR
- 2026: FR+DE
- 2025: 17/77
'24: 10/49; '23: 9/47;'22: 8/46; '21: 9/34
* Ex-tenter
* Treat life events like a dog: if you can't eat it, play with it or hump it, p1$$ on it and walk away!
Bumping this back up: the VisitScotland newsletters are packed full of information, worth signing up for (free). The most recent one includes itineraries:
https://www.visitscotland.com/things-to-do/itineraries
Because what appeals to any of us might be appalling for you. Combine with UKCS site search (VisitScotland app isn’t good for campsites until it gets to Orkney & Shetland, in my experience). If you stick to Club sites, you’ll reduce your choice of route hugely.
And be aware that some roads (e.g. single track with passing places) might be less easy / enjoyable to drive when you’re towing if you’re not used to them. (There are a few that we’ve done in a 5.3m MH & have vowed never to do again.)
There are a good few CLs; don't even think about only using Club sites. The Old School House is good, and there is a CS near Dornoch whose name escapes me which has laundry facilities. Both straight in off the A9.
A day of all things motorhome and campervan. The show is held both in the main indoor arena and across the grounds. Catering, hot drinks and food options are available. Easy access to the site and free parking included. Win one of five pairs of day tickets
Topic: Tour of north and Scotland with caravan
via mobile 04/1/2026 at 4:14pm
