Falling asleep to the soothing sound of a waterfall in the background, enjoying your first morning coffee by the lakeside, and having the freedom to stop wherever and whenever you desire. Do these thoughts cross your mind when you think about camping in Scotland? That’s exactly how we felt. Until recently, we were more into the typical travel routine, relying on rental cars and hotels or vacation rentals. However, the idea of affordability, ultimate flexibility, and our slightly romanticized vision of what a campervan journey can offer convinced us to give it a try.
To ensure your campervan adventure in Scotland goes off without a hitch, we’re here to share our 12 most crucial tips in this blog post for camping in Scotland – insights we wish we had known beforehand to assist with your planning. From guidelines for wild camping to useful apps and our favorite campsites, after reading this blog post, you’ll be well-prepared for camping in Scotland with a campervan.
We’ll use the terms campervan and motorhome interchangeably in this post, as our tips apply to both.
For transparency: In this post we use advertising links, so-called “affiliate links”. These links are marked with * and redirect you to products or services that we recommend. If you make a booking via one of these links, we receive a small commission. This support helps us very much to continue providing our blog articles, photos, and videos free of charge. You will not incur any additional costs by doing so.
table of contents
1. Why go camping in Scotland with a motorhome?
1 Nacht in Rabat
Our campervan trip through Scotland was an absolute blast, and we’d do it all over again in a heartbeat. But what ultimately convinced us to going camping with a motorhome?
Flexibility: Traveling with a campervan or motorhome gives you the freedom to adapt your plans on the fly and explore Scotland at your own pace. We’re usually the type to plan our trips carefully, but in Scotland, where the weather changes in the blink of an eye, having the ability to adjust our plans on short notice proved incredibly convenient.
Cost Savings: With a campervan, you’ve got your car, accommodation, and kitchen all in one. We prepared most of our meals in the campervan, saving a significant amount of money that would have otherwise gone to daily restaurant visits. Whether a campervan is more budget-friendly than a rental car and hotels depends on your travel time, but we managed to save around 500 euros.
Comfort: We opted for a spacious motorhome, complete with a large double bed, plenty of storage space, a toilet, shower, and even an oven – what more could you ask for?
Scotland’s Nature: Scotland’s natural beauty speaks for itself, whether you’re traveling by campervan or car. Due to the motorhome’s size, we chose to steer clear of cities and instead journeyed along the coast and through the Highlands. We actually fulfilled our romantic vision of camping by the lakeside more than once, allowing us to experience Scottish nature in an entirely new way.
2. What is the best time for camping in Scotland?
When it comes to motorhome camping, we strongly recommend choosing the shoulder seasons, which are April to May and September to early November. Prices during these times are more affordable, and the popular spots are less crowded. There’s still a good chance of having pleasant weather (although it will also rain – that’s part of the authentic Scottish experience).
Another reason to avoid the peak summer season, from June to August when traveling with your campervan, is that Scotland has faced significant challenges with motorhomes and campervans in recent years. Unfortunately, many campers have dumped their trash or toilets wherever they pleased, disregarding basic rules and causing traffic jams in parking lots and on the roads. Especially popular places like the Isle of Skye have experienced a rush of camping enthusiasts during the high season.
- Save this post to your Pinterest board
3. How to get to Scotland with your campervan?
2 Nächte in Fes
3,5 Stunden Fahrt von Chefchaouen, 200 km
If you own your own campervan and have plenty of time on your hands, you might be thinking about driving to Scotland. Depending on where you are in Europe, you’ll need to head to one of the ferry ports in Northern Europe that offer crossings to Scotland. Here’s a quick look at the most common routes:
Getting to Scotland via France:
From France to Scotland, you can reach the United Kingdom via Calais. From Calais, you can access the UK through the Eurotunnel. The train journey through the tunnel is a quick and efficient way to get to the UK, taking about 30 minutes to reach Folkestone in England. From there, you can drive north to Scotland. The trip from southern England to Scotland will take at least 7 hours, depending on your destination in Scotland.
Book your train ticket for the Eurotunnel
Alternatively, you can take a ferry from Calais to Dover in England, which takes around 90 minutes and is a bit cheaper than the Eurotunnel.
Book your ferry ride from Calais to Dover
Getting to Scotland via the Netherlands:
If you want to avoid a long drive through England, you can consider taking a 12-hour ferry ride from Amsterdam to Newcastle upon Tyne. From there, it’s a short drive until you reach Scotland.
Book your ferry ride from Amsterdam to Newcastle
Alternatively, you can find ferry rides departing from Rotterdam, which will take you to Hull in England in about 12 hours.
Book your ferry ride from Rotterdam to Hull
Remember to carry your passport or identification card, your driver’s license, and your vehicle registration documents. Also, make sure to research what kind of insurance you may need for Scotland, as this can vary from country to country.
4. Where can you rent a campervan in Scotland?
If you don’t own your own campervan or don’t have the time for a long drive to Scotland, you can simply fly to Edinburgh or Glasgow and rent a van or motorhome there. That’s exactly what we did, and it worked like a charm. We flew to Edinburgh, took an Uber from the airport to the rental station, which was about a 15-minute ride, and picked up our campervan from Just Go. We paid €2,400 for 17 nights, which was a pretty good deal considering we had our bed, our car, and our kitchen all in one.
Are you still looking for a flight to Scotland? Here you can find one (* Affiliate-Link):
Here are some rental companies to check out and compare prices:
Just Go
Bunk Campers
Campstar (offers sometimes cheaper rates than Just Go and Bunk Campers directly)
Roadsurfers
CU Camper
Camplify
To rent a campervan or motorhome, you usually need to be at least 21 years old, sometimes even older, depending on the rental company. Depending on where you live, you might need an international driver’s license, and, of course, you’ll need to show your passport or ID.
- Keep in mind that the rental stations for your campervan may not always be located right at the airport. Sometimes, the companies offer a taxi service to pick you up and drop you off. We booked an Uber through the Uber App at Edinburgh airport and took a taxi back to the airport on our way home. If you're using Uber in Edinburgh, make sure to go to the pick-up and drop-off area, NOT the taxi stand. Uber drivers can't enter the taxi area, and they only have 5 minutes to wait for you in the pick-up and drop-off area before they will charge you an additional £5.
5. What are the rules for wild camping in Scotland?
Social media platforms make campervan camping in Scotland look very idyllic. These images definitely have some truth to them, but when it comes to free camping or wild camping, it’s not quite as simple as you might think.
When you look into the rules for wild camping in Scotland, you’ll quickly come across the Scottish Outdoor Access Code and the Land Reform Act of 2003. We don’t want to bore you with legal details in this blog post. To sum it up, both regulations state that wild camping on non-private or restricted land in Scotland is allowed. However, there’s a catch – this permission only applies to tents. Camping with any type of motorized vehicle is not included. Additionally, it’s worth noting that nowadays, the majority of land in Scotland is privately owned.
Now, strictly speaking, you need to differentiate between wild camping and overnight parking. When we talk about free camping or wild camping, we often simply mean parking overnight. The difference is that when you’re overnight parking, you don’t unload all your equipment and set up camping chairs, tables, and your BBQ outside the vehicle. So, if you’re looking for a quiet spot to sleep and plan to stay inside your campervan or van, you shouldn’t have much trouble finding a suitable spot for the night. This type of wild camping is generally tolerated in most areas of Scotland. However, you still need to be discreet and respectful, and it’s a good idea to plan ahead and limit your overnight stays to one night.
- If you're planning to visit Loch Lomond & The Trossachs National Park with your campervan, keep in mind that this is an area where you can't wild camp all year round. Specifically, this covers the period from March 1st to September 31st. During this time, there are designated "permit areas" where you can book permission four weeks in advance. You'll pay a small fee of £4 per tent or campervan.
6. Dos and Don'ts when choosing your overnight spot
What you should do:
- Park away from main roads or busy streets.
- Be considerate of other campers. If there’s plenty of space, don’t park right next to another campervan.
- Respect the privacy of locals.
- If you want to park in a parking lot, like at a supermarket or a pub, ask for permission beforehand. We can’t guarantee you’ll get permission, but the Scots are really friendly.
- About every 3 days, we recommend booking a campsite. This way, you can not only enjoy a long, hot shower, but also empty your toilet and greywater and refill your fresh water. We didn’t find it easy to locate disposal stations outside of campsites, and not all campsites want you to dispose of your waste without booking an overnight stay.
- Dispose of your greywater or chemical waste only at designated disposal stations.
- Trust your gut. If something doesn’t feel right, it’s better to move on.
- Make use of apps and online platforms that show you suitable spots:
Park4night This is probably the most well-known app for campers. The free version is sufficient for finding suitable spots for free camping or campsites in your area.
UK Motorhomes: A list of motorhome and campervan spots, not only in Scotland but throughout the United Kingdom. Unfortunately, we don’t find the overview very user-friendly.
Brit Stops: A network of farms, pubs, and wineries that allow overnight stays on their property. Access to the network costs £39 per year. Disposal facilities are usually limited or not available. You need to buy the guide first and then get access to the app.
Campercontact: This app works similarly to Park4Night and offers both a free version and a paid version for €2.49 per month. The paid version allows you to contact spots directly and use the app offline, which can be quite useful in Scotland.
What you shouldn’t do:
- Do not block other vehicles and private parking spaces.
- Avoid places where overnight parking is explicitly prohibited.
- Leave no litter. Please be very careful about this. Otherwise, you risk the spot becoming unavailable for future campervan campers. It’s always a good idea to leave the place even cleaner than you found it and, if necessary, pick up any trash left by other campers.
- If you’re wild camping with your campervan, don’t stay longer than one night at a location.
- Don’t light open fires during the summer months or in areas where signs prohibit them.
- Do not turn your overnight spot into a campsite. This means leaving all your camping gear and your clothesline in the van. Such behavior can lead to long-term restrictions for other campers.
7. What about motorhome clubs in Scotland?
When you’re planning to go camping with your motorhome, you’ll come across a few campervan clubs that you can join. These clubs offer benefits like access to campsites with particularly beautiful views, additional insurance coverage, or the opportunity to connect with other camping enthusiasts. Personally, we don’t think such a membership is worth it for a few days or a couple of weeks in Scotland. They’re simply too expensive for this limited time. However, if you plan to travel more frequently with your campervan in the United Kingdom, it might be worth considering a membership.
8. Our 10 favorite campsites for camping in Scotland
Although wild camping is a lot of fun, there are just days when it feels good to be on a campsite. And in Scotland, there are some incredibly great places, where you often have a lot of space just for yourself.
Port Nan Gael – A relatively new campsite on the Isle of Mull with a very convenient contactless check-in
Fidden Farm Campsite – Probably our favorite campsite in Scotland, with free pitch choice and located right on the beach on the Isle of Mull
Portree Campsite – Located on the popular Isle of Skye
Kinloch Campsite – Another lovely option on the Isle of Skye
Glenbrittle Campsite – All good things come in threes, one more campsite on the Isle of Skye
Invercoe Highland Holidays – A great base for hiking in Glencoe
The Shore Caravan Site – Beautifully located at the famous Achmelvich Beach
Scourie Campsite – An ideal base for your North Coast 500 road trip
Campsite Castle stalker – This one offers a great view of Castle Stalker but is only bookable as a member of the Caravan and Motorhome Club
Linwater Caravan Park – Great for your last night before returning. It’s located near the airport in Edinburgh.
Be sure to use the apps and websites we mentioned in this post to find suitable places. Before choosing a campsite for the night, check their websites. Some campsites in Scotland are only open from April to mid-October. Some require reservations, while others operate on a first-come, first-served basis even during the high season.
- If you've rented a campervan in Scotland, we highly recommend booking a campsite near the airport for your last night. Before returning your campervan, you'll need to dispose your gray water and fresh water and empty the toilet. You'll also need time to clean up and tidy the van and find a gas station to top up AdBlue, gas, and liquefied petroleum gas (LPG). You can use this map to find LPG filling stations. Don't underestimate the time you'll need for this. You definitely don't want to be stressed on the day of your departure.
9. What’s the road traffic like in Scotland with a campervan?
To be honest, this was my biggest concern. Driving on the left side of the road is one thing, but driving on the left with a massive motorhome is a whole different ball game. Thankfully, everything went well, but I definitely recommend only renting a campervan in Scotland if you consider yourself a confident and experienced driver (so it’s a good thing Patrik fits that description).
Never underestimate the distances in Scotland. The country isn’t huge, but the roads are narrow and not always in the best condition. Often, you’ll be on what they call “single lane roads,” which means one-lane roads. Consequently, you’ll often need to stop and let oncoming traffic pass.
Speaking of single lane roads, there are a few things to keep in mind. On these roads, you’ll always find “passing places,” which are laybys. You only pull into a passing place if it’s on your side of the road. Otherwise, it’s the responsibility of oncoming traffic to use it. Passing places are also used to let faster vehicles overtake. However, they should never be used for parking. Please don’t do that, as it can quickly lead to traffic jams and blocked roads.
Parking with a campervan is another thing to consider. On almost all major parking lots, there are designated spots for campervans and campers. Unfortunately, these spots are often used by small cars, so we occasionally had trouble finding a parking lot. Otherwise, parking lots usually operate on the “park and display” principle, meaning there are ticket machines where you pull a ticket.
Speed limits for campervans under 3.05 tons:
Motorways: 112 km/h or 70 mph
Dual carriageways: 112 km/h or 70 mph
Rural roads: 96 km/h or 60 mph
Built-up areas: 48 km/h or 30 mph, sometimes even 32 km/h or 20 mph
There are definitely more things to consider when driving in Scotland, but we’ll detail those in another blog post. The ones mentioned above are, in our opinion, the most important, specifically for driving a campervan through Scotland.
10. How expensive is it to go camping in Scotland?
The costs of such a trip are, of course, very individual and depend on factors like how often you eat out, how many kilometers you cover in the van, what amenities you want in your campervan, and so on. However, to give you a rough idea, we’ve listed our cost breakdown. These prices are for a 2.5-week trip in Scotland for two people:
– Flight tickets from Germany to Edinburgh and back: €500
– Campervan rental: €2,400 for 17 nights
– Diesel: €580 (we covered 2,500 km in 2.5 weeks)
– Campsite fees: €190
– Activities (whisky tastings, boat trips, castles, etc.): €200
– Food: €500
– Other expenses (parking fees, ferry rides, etc.): €120
11. What to bring when camping in Scotland with a motorhome?
When you rent a campervan in Scotland, you don’t need to bring many things. Basic equipment like a power cable, water hose, and connectors are provided for you. You can also rent items like bedding, towels, camping chairs, and a table. However, here are some items we found useful:
Inverter: An inverter is essential if you’re not connected to external power sources like campsite electrical hookups. It allows you to convert your vehicle’s DC system (typically 12-volt DC) into 230-volt AC power. You’ll need an inverter that matches the electrical outlets in your country. We used this one for Germany.
Adapters: If you plan to stay at campsites with electrical hookups, you may not need an inverter, but you’ll need an adapter for your country. However, we got by with just the inverter and a power strip.
Extra towels and dish towels: Even though we rented towels and bedding from Just Go, we were glad we brought some extras. 2.5 weeks with just one towel felt a bit limited, and having extra dish towels came in handy.
Leveling blocks (optional): We didn’t rent them and didn’t really need them. Depending on where you want to park, they can be useful for leveling uneven ground.
Map: While we mainly used Google Maps for navigation, there were some areas in Scotland with no cell reception, and we had to drive blindly. Either remember to make map sections available offline in Google Maps, use MAPS.ME (an offline version of Google Maps), or have a physical map handy.
- Of course, you'll need to do grocery shopping on your first day to stock your fridge. However, it's worth taking a close look around the rental station when picking up your campervan. At Just Go, we were able to take quite a few useful items that were left behind by other campers, saving us from buying dish soap, trash bags, salt and pepper, midge repellent and kitchen towels, for example.
12. Which route to take when camping in Scotland with a motorhome?
To be honest, Scotland is filled with so many breathtaking places that it doesn’t really matter where you go, you’re guaranteed to be rewarded with fantastic views. However, one of the most popular routes in Scotland is the North Coast 500 (NC500). It’s a famous route spanning 500 miles, taking you through the stunning Highlands, beautiful coastal stretches, and past a variety of castles. Some popular stops on this route include Inverness, Sandwood Bay, Duncansby Head, and Dunrobin Castle and Gardens. We’ll be posting a travel itinerary to Scotland covering some of these places in one of our upcoming blog posts. But if you don’t want to wait, we’ve provided a link to another blog post with more information about beautiful routes in Scotland.
We hope this blog post has left you feeling well-prepared for your motorhome or campervan adventure in Scotland. If you have any questions, feel free to reach out to us on our Instagram account. Safe travels!
