Road trips
Scotland campervan itinerary: complete route guide
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A trip to Scotland is one of the best campervan holidays to have in the UK. To help you have an amazing time exploring its wilderness, we’ve rounded up the best road trips and top highlights like Edinburgh, Glasgow, the Scottish Highlands, the Isle of Skye and the Cairngorms National Park - all perfect for a campervan trip.
With our Scotland campervan itinerary ideas, you can really see the best of the country while taking things at your own pace. And it can be as varied as you like – read on for inspiration!
Scotland campervan itinerary ideas
North Coast 500 highlights
Drive time and distance: seven days; 350 miles
Hire a van from: Inverness
It’s been called the best road trip in the world: Scotland’s stunningNorth Coast 500/NC500 is a spectacular circular route along the country’s northern coast, stopping off at popular destinations like John O’Groats and Ullapool.
It’s particularly suited to campervans rather than caravans or big motorhomes because of its Applecross peninsula section, where the winding mountainous road Bealach na Bà takes explorers to 2,000 ft above sea level.
Spring or autumn is the best time of year for the NC500, as the touring route gets busy in summer. And while you can do the route in four or five days if you must, we recommend taking a week to enjoy it in full! Here’s how to spend seven days on the NC500’s highlights:
Day 1 – Inverness to Dornoch (44 miles)
Day 2 – Dornoch to John O’Groats (79 miles)
Day 3 – John O’Groats to Thurso (20 miles)
Day 4 – Thurso to Durness (71 miles)
Day 5 – Durness to Scourie (25 miles)
Day 6 – Scourie to Ullapool (42 miles)
Day 7 – Ullapool to Inverness (58 miles)
North-west Scotland and the Isle of Skye
Drive time and distance: five days; 250 miles
Hire a van from: Glasgow
This spectacularly scenic trip takes in one of Scotland’s two national parks – Loch Lomond & the Trossachs – plus its famous lake.
A campervan trip around this region also allows for time at Loch Fyne, perfect for scuba diving; Inveraray, on the loch’s western shore; and Glen Coe, Glencoe village and the Glencoe Visitor Centre. Oban or the “Gateway to the Isles” is a tourist hub for the islands of the Inner and Outer Hebrides.
Islands on the route include the Isle of Skye, the largest island of the Inner Hebrides; and Mull, home to the Tobermory whisky distillery.
Day 1 – Glasgow to Loch Lomond (31 miles); Loch Lomond to Loch Fyne and Inveraray (32 miles)
Day 2 – Inveraray to the Mull of Kintyre and Oban (37 miles)
Day 3 – Oban to Mull (by ferry; park in Oban)
Day 4 – Oban to Glen Coe (34 miles)
Day 5 – Glencoe to the Isle of Skye (115 miles)
Edinburgh to Glasgow
Drive time and distance: 219 miles; three days
Hire a van from: Edinburgh
This three-day route is perfect for a Scottish road trip if you’re pushed for time. Starting from country capital Edinburgh, the route goes north from Edinburgh to Perth then ancient Pitlochry, a popular tourist destination in Perthshire on the River Tummel.
Drive west from there for time in Inveraray, then south-east through the Loch Lomond & the Trossachs to arrive in Glasgow via Greenock and Paisley.
Extend to a five-day trip by having a full day in Edinburgh and a full day in Glasgow at the beginning and end of the holiday.
Day 1 – Edinburgh, Perth and Pitlochry (71 miles)
Day 2 – Pitlochry and Inveraray via Loch Tay (82 miles)
Day 3 – Inveraray, Loch Lomond and Glasgow (66 miles)
Top places to see in Scotland
Campervan spots are all over Scotland, in a wide variety of landscapes and locations; and as wild camping is legal in most of the country, you’ll always find the perfect place to park up! Have a look at our campervan spots in Scotland blog for more information, where we go into detail on our top picks:
The Scottish Highlands
The Scottish Borders
Argyll and the Isles
East coast and Aberdeenshire
Campervan tips
Wild camping
Scotland is an awesome place to wild camp! It’s legal everywhere apart from some parts of the Loch Lomond and the Trossachs National Park: recommended areas include the Cairngorms National Park, the Rhins of Galloway peninsula, the Isle of Skye and many more. Read ourwild camping in Scotland guide for tips and advice.
Campsite prices, facilities and bookings
Like pretty much any other destination, campsite prices in Scotland are usually higher in peak season. However, there are so many remote and not-overly visited spots in the country that even in summer you shouldn’t have to pay too much.
Facilities range from basic almost-wild sites with running water, to state of the art holiday parks with pools and entertainment. But as Scotland has fewer campsites overall than England, we recommend booking in advance – even if this is just a day or two ahead while on the road.
Driving in a campervan on Scottish roads
Many roads in Scotland are narrow and rural and can be difficult to navigate in winter. Single-track roads are common in more remote areas, so drive slowly and carefully especially around the Highlands where cows and sheep may wander onto the roads.
You’ll also need to be aware of “passing places”, where you can pull over and allow an approaching vehicle to pass you. Look for a black and white pole or a sign with a white diamond.
When to visit and what to bring in each season
Summer of course will be the warmest season, but with preparation and proper packing driving around Scotland in winter is easily possible too.
Our'When is the best time to tour Scotland in a motorhome?' guide has the full low-down on when to visit and what’s best to see in each season. And whichever season you’re travelling in, bring at least one set of warm clothes and one set of waterproofs; you’ll need insect repellent in summer too.
Campervan rentals on Camplify
Renting a campervan for your road trip is easy on Camplify. Our campervans for hire in Scotland suit any type of trip and budget. Here are a few popular pick up points in Scotland to start you off!
Need some more inspiration? Our best campervan sites in Scotland guide has plenty of ideas for stunning places to stay. We also have heaps of ideas for a 3-day road trip in Scotland, and plenty of examples of a Scotland itinerary for 7 days, as well as overall ideas for aScotland road trip.
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The information in this blog is accurate and current as of the date of posting. Please be aware that information, facts, and links may become outdated over time.