Scotland in june

[Hotel California]

Seems a hot topic with lots of recomendations so we will not be clueless !

Regarding ferry's to the islands , is it doable hopping from island to island like the ferry's between the fjords in Norway ? Or are there long queues ?
Guess it will have a price tag also , would love to see the most but i'm not planning to rush . We will be leaving some parts aside and come back a other time as there's so much to do.
In general we want to get to see the countryside and the nature , stunning views ,....
Visiting all kinds of museums and buildings is not always on top of our list but we always try to visit a few hertiage sites when abroad .

Will starting by looking at possible campgrounds and stopovers and then see what comes allong the route together with the info from all of you...
Thanks so far and keep 'm comming those tips!

 

[Straad]

Hi again, what you need to look at is the Calmac website. Almost all the ferries on the west coast are Calmac.
https://www.calmac.co.uk. there is a Hopscotch or Island hopper ticket that might suit what you are looking for.

 

[Scarylion1]

Edinburgh has spots where you can park free in the weekends, from 6pm Friday to 8am Monday. Useful and I was told you can legally sleep too? Discuss....

 

[Straad]

.... but some of the ferries can be pretty basic!

 

[B J G]

Could you give a hint about price? We are going this summer and it seems like the only cheap option is euro tunnel (264 a/r) . Other ferry seems to amount at least 600 euros. Am I wrong?

Hook of Holland to Harwich is a long crossing which is best done at night. Expensive and doesn't put you into good road access for travelling north.

As you are Belgium based I'd stick to the Channel ports for a crossing point.
When serving in the RAF in Germany the Hook was used when a 'Leave Travel Pass' paid but everyone used the Zeebrugge Ostende route when paying personally.

 

[Pro moochers]

DO NOT UNDERESTIMATE THE MIDGES!!
They can be relentless, especially in the west.
If there’s no wind, get as high up as you can.

West is best though (for me). Stunning scenery and coastline.
I love Glencoe/Glen Etive, Ullapool and Skye


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[MartG]

DO NOT UNDERESTIMATE THE MIDGES!!
They can be relentless, especially in the west.
If there’s no wind, get as high up as you can.

I love Glencoe/Glen Etive, Ullapool and Skye

Those are probably the midge epicentres...

 

[Deskman]

Hook of Holland to Harwich is a long crossing which is best done at night. Expensive and doesn't put you into good road access for travelling north.

As you are Belgium based I'd stick to the Channel ports for a crossing point.
When serving in the RAF in Germany the Hook was used when a 'Leave Travel Pass' paid but everyone used the Zeebrugge Ostende route when paying personally.

I've tried them all, except Rotterdam - Hull, which is over 600 euro return.

If you take the channel you will have to drive through all England and try to pass London in the morning, paying extra for the Dartford crossing.

Going via IJmuiden is still a trip through the busiest part of NL (if you are from Belgium, ferry leaving late afternoon).

Hook - Harwich drops you right in the countryside and you can travel at your own pace to Scotland. 4 weeks is quite some time. You can take the slow road and visit the Yorkshire Dales or the Lake District and sneak into Scotland via Galloway.

I'm still waiting for the direct ferry to Rosyth.

Calais/Dunkerque and even Hoek van Holland will be probably getting (next year) the least preferred due to the Brexit-induced customs.

 

[WelshGas]

Hook of Holland to Harwich is a long crossing which is best done at night. Expensive and doesn't put you into good road access for travelling north.

As you are Belgium based I'd stick to the Channel ports for a crossing point.
When serving in the RAF in Germany the Hook was used when a 'Leave Travel Pass' paid but everyone used the Zeebrugge Ostende route when paying personally.

They travel faster by day. Never found it to be much of a problem. As far as road access I’ve never found that a problem, certainly a lot less of a problem than Dover. I always do the daytime crossing for my return. Board at 11am local, sail 1pm local and arrive at 8pm UK time and then an easy run to South Wales with no commuter/business traffic, via the A14/M6/M40/M42/M5 and M50 onto M4. So good access to Manchester or Birmingham or the north via A1M or M1.

 

[MartG]

I had heard mutterings a while ago about the Rosyth ferry being reinstated this April. I believe it was stopped due to the aircraft carrier builds which are now near completion and a fire on one of the freight ferries. Would be great if it were.
You have to weigh up the cost of driving and camping over the distance covered by the ferry, plus an evenings berth, fresh for the next day, then the price may not seem so bad...
I think the M25 could be easy, but it could also be horrendous! Not good for stress levels if you are timing it short for checking in.

 

[clarinetbcn]

Edinburgh has spots where you can park free in the weekends, from 6pm Friday to 8am Monday. Useful and I was told you can legally sleep too? Discuss....

You can park here free on Sundays.

Dropped pin
Near Queen's Dr, Edinburgh EH8 8AZ, UK

55°57'03.8"N 3°10'12.0"W

goo.gl

 

[marchugo]

We toured in the north of Scotland for more than four weeks with our Cali, and still haven't seen 95 percent of the area. In hindsight we should have chosen some smaller Scottish regions, walk more and drive less. Half a day driving for fifty miles is very common on the single track roads.

Can recommend the north-west coast, fabulous landscape, deserted, you can wild camp at about every corner. But campsites are ok too. The now (in)famous RC500 route is very crowded with campers nowadays, mainly in the summer, with hired big ones, with people not used to camper life. We spoke to Scots that complained about littering by campers and refusing to give way on single track roads.

This was our route:



Some highlights for us were, at random:

- the parking at lighthouse Stoer Head (we had gale force nine there):





- camping Fortrose, with dolphins nearly every evening during the evening flood in the Moray Firth at the Chanonry lighthouse:




- the little parking at the Arctic Convoy Memorial, north of Cove (no midges in March, the more in summer!);
- campsite Port A Baigh, near Althandu, with a fish bar called Am Fuaran Bar (when we came in at Sunday they had no fish);
- camping Sango Sands at Durness (lovely walks).
- the parking in Sheigra near the cemetary with a nice small beach (a sign says now: no overnight camping);
- camping Applecross is rather crowded and noisy during festivals. The woods though are very nice for hiking.

- Camping Woodend, North of Lairg:



- Crail:




I have made a travel report for our German collegues at Caliboard.de, it's in German. Maybe I'll try to translate it into English, if there is interest for it.

Schottland linksdrehend, gegen den Uhrzeigersinn

Hi Freunde des gepflegten Reisens, Für holländische Freunde habe ich auf Niederländisch ein Reisebericht geschrieben über unsere tolle Cali-Reise in Schottland diesen Sommer. Bevor ich die Herausforderung einer deutschen Übersetzung à la Rudi Carrell angehe, möchte ich hier fragen: 1. wie lange (...

www.caliboard.de

Some more pics:

Glenn Coe, of course we had some fog:





Skye:







And homeward bound, waiting for the ferry in Newcastle:



Regards from Amsterdam,

Marc.

 

[Deskman]

We toured in the north of Scotland for more than four weeks with our Cali, and still haven't seen 95 percent of the area. In hindsight we should have chosen some smaller Scottish regions, walk more and drive less. Half a day driving for fifty miles is very common on the single track roads.

Regards from Amsterdam,
Marc.

My first visit to Scotland was also one with too much driving - a bit of 'fear to miss'. On day three we went up Ben Nevis. Snow on the top and a (rare) crystal clear sky. But I would have enjoyed it much more when we had better planned the walk, had more time to explore the area.
The second trip was a day-to-day trip with a lot of easy hill-walking, some munros and a lot more time to fall in love with the country. "Doing the NC500" is not on my bucket list. Never was, never will.

 

[B J G]

They travel faster by day. Never found it to be much of a problem. As far as road access I’ve never found that a problem, certainly a lot less of a problem than Dover. I always do the daytime crossing for my return. Board at 11am local, sail 1pm local and arrive at 8pm UK time and then an easy run to South Wales with no commuter/business traffic, via the A14/M6/M40/M42/M5 and M50 onto M4. So good access to Manchester or Birmingham or the north via A1M or M1.

A14 upgrade can have long delays as can the 'Smart motorway' upgrade on the M6 around Coventry.
Must admit to not using the Dover route personally.

Personally if a long crossing involved I prefer a night crossing to enable a full days driving on arrival rather than just a short run to find a stop over.

Cost offset by saving on fuel and a nights site fees. Ferries are like Taxis in that distance equates to cost.

 

[Caroline C]

Orkney is well worth a visit, and Rock Rose Distillery at Dunnet Head
is small and friendly and makes some lovely gin.

 

[clarinetbcn]

We toured in the north of Scotland for more than four weeks with our Cali, and still haven't seen 95 percent of the area. In hindsight we should have chosen some smaller Scottish regions, walk more and drive less. Half a day driving for fifty miles is very common on the single track roads.

Can recommend the north-west coast, fabulous landscape, deserted, you can wild camp at about every corner. But campsites are ok too. The now (in)famous RC500 route is very crowded with campers nowadays, mainly in the summer, with hired big ones, with people not used to camper life. We spoke to Scots that complained about littering by campers and refusing to give way on single track roads.

This was our route:

View attachment 54864

Some highlights for us were, at random:

- the parking at lighthouse Stoer Head (we had gale force nine there):

View attachment 54865



- camping Fortrose, with dolphins nearly every evening during the evening flood in the Moray Firth at the Chanonry lighthouse:

View attachment 54867


- the little parking at the Arctic Convoy Memorial, north of Cove (no midges in March, the more in summer!);
- campsite Port A Baigh, near Althandu, with a fish bar called Am Fuaran Bar (when we came in at Sunday they had no fish);
- camping Sango Sands at Durness (lovely walks).
- the parking in Sheigra near the cemetary with a nice small beach (a sign says now: no overnight camping);
- camping Applecross is rather crowded and noisy during festivals. The woods though are very nice for hiking.

- Camping Woodend, North of Lairg:

View attachment 54868

- Crail:

View attachment 54869


I have made a travel report for our German collegues at Caliboard.de, it's in German. Maybe I'll try to translate it into English, if there is interest for it.

Schottland linksdrehend, gegen den Uhrzeigersinn

Hi Freunde des gepflegten Reisens, Für holländische Freunde habe ich auf Niederländisch ein Reisebericht geschrieben über unsere tolle Cali-Reise in Schottland diesen Sommer. Bevor ich die Herausforderung einer deutschen Übersetzung à la Rudi Carrell angehe, möchte ich hier fragen: 1. wie lange (...

www.caliboard.de

Some more pics:

Glenn Coe, of course we had some fog:

View attachment 54870

View attachment 54871

Skye:

View attachment 54872


View attachment 54873


And homeward bound, waiting for the ferry in Newcastle:

View attachment 54874

Regards from Amsterdam,

Marc.

We forged on to both John O’Groats in the NE and Point Wrath in the NW by bicycle, both well worth the extra time and distance. Must come back for the Orkneys.

 

[MartG]

John O Groats nothing special, but carry on Eastwards to Duncansby Head, then take a walk South to see the sea stacks...

 

[briwy]

Counter clockwise. Go from pretty to jaw dropping life altering awesome.

Ben Nevis is beautiful, but I got physically elbowed off the path twice by a couple of jerks amid the crowd going up and down. Apparently on the average there are 5 days a year when the summit is not fogged in, and we got one of them. Amazing, but the summit was covered in organic trash. View attachment 54699

Much quieter way and more interesting I think than the main path is the way below if you're up for some hard work and a bit of scrambling. Ideally get a lift to the start point at the car park and then you can come back down by the main path. I did this about thirty years ago and got a beautiful day out.



Video her gives a good idea of what it's like although these foks came up to the ridge from the North past the CIC hut.

 

[Dottie]

National trust England and NT Scotland have a reciptical agreement so both cover all of UK. English Heritage gives free access to Heritage in year 2 and 50% year 1 So I would get a Scotish Herritage card if you re new it will cover all of UK year 2

Check this out...I think things may have changed....something like if you have a Scottish membership, this only allows free parking in England....so not sure about England to Scotland arrangement.
im not a member yet but will be joining this year, but was told that what used to be is no longer.....will be checking

 

[Meoncoast]

Check this out...I think things may have changed....something like if you have a Scottish membership, this only allows free parking in England....so not sure about England to Scotland arrangement.
I'm not a member yet but will be joining this year, but was told that what used to be is no longer.....will be checking

Has not changed for my current NTS memberships and how it works for me.

"Free or concessionary entry to National Trust organisations properties worldwide, including in England, Wales and Northern Ireland"

 

[Bellcrew]

Check this out...I think things may have changed....something like if you have a Scottish membership, this only allows free parking in England....so not sure about England to Scotland arrangement.
im not a member yet but will be joining this year, but was told that what used to be is no longer.....will be checking

We have been members of the Scottish National trust for three years, just a smile and welcome every time we visit the English sites, parking could be an issue at one or two parking only locations.

 

[Pro moochers]

Those are probably the midge epicentres...

they are, which is why I only visit in winter


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[Hotel California]

Today was marked on the calender to start loading in gear for our trip ...we where suppose to leave home tomorrow evening (2nd june) to Holland to catch the overnight ferry Ijmuiden-Newcastle staring a months trip arround Scotland and meeting up with some forummembers...
Got a voucher from DFDS to use before june next year so we start from scratch...
Cali is collecting dust and cobwebs in my garage since the 1st january when we headed of to the Belgian coast for a walk on the beach and lunch with seaview .
Did not even took of my wintertyres and putted on my nice in black resprayed steels with fresh all-seasons...maybe i just leave the winters on

 

[TripleBee]

I should have been in my last week in France now...

Waiting for july 15 and hoping the borders are opened...

 

[Deskman]

Today it would be our last day - ferry Harwich <-> Hoek van Holland, 4 weeks Scotland and Peak District. Now we are hoping for 3 weeks in October. But nothing is certain (except taxes and Brexit).