North West Scotland Tips

[Aidy P]

I’m travelling up to the North West of Scotland next week with my 14 year old daughter and 3 year old cockerpoo. We will be going to Skye as I’ve been many years before. Other than that it’s a blank page and I’d like to get up to the far North West coast.

I’d appreciate advice on the best places to go for beaches, camp sites, pubs & places that allow campervans. Good sea kayak rental. Plus any other top tips for the area.

Any advice on wild camping at present? I’ve heard that with the popularity of the 500, it’s not as easy.

I’m really looking forward to this dad, daughter & dog road trip over Easter

Thank you.

 

[SamSara]

If you are on Facebook there are a few NC500 groups full of advice and sites, stop overs advertised

 

[Aidy P]

I’m travelling up to the North West of Scotland next week with my 14 year old daughter and 3 year old cockerpoo. We will be going to Skye as I’ve been many years before. Other than that it’s a blank page and I’d like to get up to the far North West coast.

I’d appreciate advice on the best places to go for beaches, camp sites, pubs & places that allow campervans. Good sea kayak rental. Plus any other top tips for the area.

Any advice on wild camping at present? I’ve heard that with the popularity of the 500, it’s not as easy.

I’m really looking forward to this dad, daughter & dog road trip over Easter

Thank you.

Thanks. I don’t use Facebook though.

 

[ThomasHJ]

We loved the isle of mull. Fidden farm camp site was great. No idea if theyre open this time of year.

 

[Carryon Cali Camping]

Clachtoll Beach campsite!! Say no more

 

[RockinNRollin]

Wild camping; plenty do it (even thought strictly speaking the legal status in Scotland doesn't apply to vehicles), but personally I'm sick of seeing vans parked up everywhere when I go to the Highlands these days - I feel it's ruining the place, especially come the spring when hoardes move up there. I'd sooner stay on a campsite, have a clean conscience (and clean toilets), and keep the countryside wild for everyone to enjoy. If you're determined to have wild-ish nights, some of the forestry car parks do "overnight" rates, which is a way to legitimise wild camping as you're doing it with the landowner's permission. Often no toilets though.

As for where to go, Skye is a beautiful island but so overran with tourists these days it's not what it used to be. Keep going north from Skye and it's better. Just take your time - I'd stay several nights at Clachtoll for example, there's a lovely beach, coastal walks on the doorstep (saw a white-tailed eagle and the Northern Lights last time I stayed!) and you wouldn't be doing the place justice if you whistle through.

 

[barry]

Clachtoll Beach campsite!! Say no more

I would TOTALLY go with this.
Free loan of canoes and boards and of wet suits of various sizes. Very sheltered small bay and very helpful site people. Might be busy during Scottish school hols (which are different from English ones).

Small shop on ghe site and fresh fish on sale on the two occasions we've been there.
Another small shop a couple of hundred yards from the site.

 

[chockswahay]

Haven’t been there, but this looks promising………

https://maps.app.goo.gl/xCERnTtNMwZPVM9v8?g_st=ic

 

[Oceandrive2023]

We are going Mid May to Lewis and Harris and Applecross. If it helps, we also ordered this book from Amazon by Martin Dorey called Take the Slow road to Scotland. Very useful info in this book for us .
https://www.amazon.co.uk/dp/184486538X/?tag=eliteelect-21

 

[RockinNRollin]

We are going Mid May to Lewis and Harris and Applecross. If it helps, we also ordered this book from Amazon by Martin Dorey called Take the Slow road to Scotland. Very useful info in this book for us .
https://www.amazon.co.uk/dp/184486538X/?tag=eliteelect-21

Sitting in the beer garden by the sea at the Applecross Inn with a pint of local(ish) beer looking across to the sun setting over Skye's Cuillin hills was a favourite memory of my NC500 trip a few years ago (by motorbike, not Cali, but there is a campsite at the village too).

 

[Oceandrive2023]

Yes, we have booked 2 nights at the Applecross Campsite and a table at the Inn already !

 

[RockinNRollin]

Yes, we have booked 2 nights at the Applecross Campsite and a table at the Inn already !

The landlord is great there; we had ordered a tray of beers (four of us), went outside and they were slightly hazy - tasted fine and we didn't think anything of it as it's quite common with modern real ales. The landlord then appeared with another tray of beers "yeah, I didn't think they looked right when you walked out, so I've put a new barrel on and here are some more".

 

[scottk]

Sandwood Bay is a nice walk in if you get the weather. Sands at Gairloch and Sango Sands are nice campsites where you choose your spot and and park. Only rule seems to be to give some distance to the next camper.
Just read my post and it is full of sands!! Lack of imagination or just too lazy to think of another name.

 

[neilp........]

Sands at Gairloch an excellent site.
We are on Skye this week also....hoping its not too crazy.
If you leave the island heading north, a visit to Plockton is definitely worth it.
Stunning village and some nice dog friendly pubs for lunch too.
Achmelvich beach is beautiful and has a campsite nearby.

 

[Aidy P]

Sands at Gairloch an excellent site.
We are on Skye this week also....hoping its not too crazy.
If you leave the island heading north, a visit to Plockton is definitely worth it.
Stunning village and some nice dog friendly pubs for lunch too.
Achmelvich beach is beautiful and has a campsite nearby.

Thank you. Plockton is on the list as a place I need to revisit on the way North

 

[JuanVecino2023]

We loved the isle of mull. Fidden farm camp site was great. No idea if theyre open this time of year.

Second for Fidden Farm. And the passenger ferry to Iona.

 

[scottk]

Just be aware that a lot of places tend to close on a Sunday up the west coast.

 

[Mullaghroe]

Thanks. I don’t use Facebook though.

YouTube is another good source of info. Wandering Bird or Robbie Roams for instance

 

[WEHILL@SONS]

On the way north there is a lovely little pub about 15 miles north of Glasgow that allows smaller self contained vans to overnight in their car park. Fintry Inn - excellent food, microbrewery on site, open Wednesday-Sunday.

 

[Beeechke1]

We liked this site for its great location Ardmair Point Ullapool https://www.ardmair.com/

 

[vwcaliforniacornwall]

Yes, we have booked 2 nights at the Applecross Campsite and a table at the Inn already !

I would highly recommend ordering their Cranachan dessert with a side order of drambuie to pour over it - awesome!!

 

[Hawthorn37]

You‘re spoilt for choice. We did the same trip 12 months ago. BEFORE Skye, we went to Bunree on Loch Linnie. It’s a beautiful spot (we used the caravan club site but there are others) and good for trips to Glencoe, Fort William and Glenfinnan viaduct etc. You‘ve booked in at Skye (which site btw?), afterwards, the natural spot would be Applecross via the Bealach Na Ba pass - book your meal at the pub, or at the Walled Garden for lunch - lovely place! After this, head more north, the scenery just gets better. Choice: Gairloch (beautiful sands, fab site, park in the dunes), and good for Inverewe Gardens, and Scourie (unbelievable nature reserve/ coastline, plus a pub on site). At the tip, Durness beach. Enjoy!!

 

[dspuk]

Wild camping; plenty do it (even thought strictly speaking the legal status in Scotland doesn't apply to vehicles), but personally I'm sick of seeing vans parked up everywhere when I go to the Highlands these days - I feel it's ruining the place, especially come the spring when hoardes move up there. I'd sooner stay on a campsite, have a clean conscience (and clean toilets), and keep the countryside wild for everyone to enjoy. If you're determined to have wild-ish nights, some of the forestry car parks do "overnight" rates, which is a way to legitimise wild camping as you're doing it with the landowner's permission. Often no toilets though.

As for where to go, Skye is a beautiful island but so overran with tourists these days it's not what it used to be. Keep going north from Skye and it's better. Just take your time - I'd stay several nights at Clachtoll for example, there's a lovely beach, coastal walks on the doorstep (saw a white-tailed eagle and the Northern Lights last time I stayed!) and you wouldn't be doing the place justice if you whistle through.

This.

Wild camping in a motorised vehicle is illegal in Scotland and why would you rather than supporting the local economy with their great campsites.

They are some of the cheapest and friendliest I have used on the west coast.

You have your pick really but we enjoyed Port A Bhaigh and Shieldaig Camping & Cabins.

 

[JuanVecino2023]

The Pierhouse Hotel in Appin is a wonderful place to while away a lunch while waiting for the ferry from Oban to Mull.

 

[derek_j_buchanan]

I’m travelling up to the North West of Scotland next week with my 14 year old daughter and 3 year old cockerpoo. We will be going to Skye as I’ve been many years before. Other than that it’s a blank page and I’d like to get up to the far North West coast.

I’d appreciate advice on the best places to go for beaches, camp sites, pubs & places that allow campervans. Good sea kayak rental. Plus any other top tips for the area.

Any advice on wild camping at present? I’ve heard that with the popularity of the 500, it’s not as easy.

I’m really looking forward to this dad, daughter & dog road trip over Easter

Thank you.

Lewis and harris plus the Assynt. Port Apin as recommended by someone else is Oban area. You can stop in the public car park near the hotel.