roadtrip: Scottish Highlands & the Isle of Skye

Been long in the making these few next posts. I guess the whole pandemic (and how long it turned out to be in the end), moving countries (yes, we moved to France) and getting pregnant (uh-huh) finally got in the way. These posts have been saved as drafts fo… a year and a half now? Better late than never, though. VERY good memories too.

So, our Scottish road trip - wow. Scotland surprised us with its oh-so-very Scandinavian landscape, especially the Isle of Skye. It was even more enjoyable since we reworked the trunk of our car to a sleeping area so we could stop anywhere we wanted (or could, since there are some places in Scotland where camping is restricted). Wonderful.

We wanted to see a bit of everything and this is how we planned our trip. Driving north all the way from London, we started in the southern part of Scotland (Glasgow) and did our circle heading further north on the west side, to the east side of the country. We managed to visit most of the sights we wanted to and had time for in a week while skipping Edinburgh (which I still highly recommend, we visited it for a weekend the year before!). The only thing I regret is that we didn’t have time to drive further north from the Isle of Skye, i.e. to Ullapool or even further. Next time! This itinerary is still great and highly recommended if you have a week in that part of the world.

Driving in Scotland is very easy, especially if you’re already used to driving in the UK (Thomas is, I’m definitely not :D) and prices are quite the same as everywhere else too (read: still expensive for Europe, but definitely cheaper than London or Paris). One practical thing to keep in mind is that while free camping is allowed in Scotland in general, there are specially protected areas where you need a permit or a spot on a dedicated camping site (Loch Lomond for example) so it’s always better to research before and well in advance, especially if you’re travelling well in advance.

Loch Lomond

Our first stop and one that already stole our hearts. Loch Lomond is everything we imagined Scotland would be - the green slopes surrounding the blue water of the lake are breathtaking. We arrived around lunchtime and went for a short hike in the afternoon and I would highly recommend it too (we did this one). Walking up one of the hills will give you the best views of the area. On the way back we walked along the shore of the lake and there were plenty of charming beaches and spots to chill - sadly we didn’t have time for that but next time I would most definitely plan more time there.

We slept in our car but finding a spot to park was quite difficult - as I already mentioned, Loch Lomond is a protected area and unfortunately we didn’t manage to get a camping permit or a spot on one of the campings. We drove a bit more west and stopped in the middle of the fields - not bad!

Glencoe

Next direction: the Highlands with the first stop being Glen Coe, a village, but mostly a valley known for its beauty and many hiking opportunities (for James Bond fans, also known as one of the locations of Skyfall). Even just driving through the highlands was enough to be in complete awe with this place and we stopped many times along the way just to enjoy the view and take photos. We went for a walk in the valley but unfortunately did not venture on any longer hike. Next time!

The same dime we kept on driving and stopped at the feet of Ben Nevis - the highest mountain in Scotland and the British Isles (1,345 metres above sea level). Another missed hike opportunity and another one we’d gladly come back for. There is a lodge with a restaurant and outdoor seating at the beginning of the trail where we stopped for lunch and would recommend it too.

The last stop on our way to the west shore was Glenfinnan with the historic viaduct known from the Harry Potter movies.

Camusdarach Beach

That evening we stopped at the Camusdarach Beach for the night, which was absolutely perfect for car-camping. It was beautiful and we got to sleep directly by the beach. We weren’t as secluded as we were the night before as there were a few other campers there, but we didn’t mind at all and would still recommend for anyone to make a stop there. There were even public toilets on the site (and very clean ones too!). Would definitely come back on our next trip.

Isle of Skye

Camusdarach was a perfect stop for the night since the morning after we were taking the ferry to the Isle of Skye from the nearby town of Mallaig. We booked our tickets in advance and I’d highly recommend it, especially if you’re planning to travel in high season to ensure your spot (if you don’t manage to, you can always drive to the Isle and access it by the bridge a bit more north, which is what we did on our way back. You can check the timetable and book your slot on this website here.

Isle of Skye - oh my god. It was one of those places that really stole my heart and for the couple of days we were there, I’d only speak of that. I felt like I was back in my beloved Iceland with the gloomy weather and very Scandi-like landscapes, dramatic cliffs and ocean views. We spent only 2,5 days in there but could easily spend a week and even that wouldn’t be enough. I’ve written a dedicated post about what we did there and where we stayed, which you can check here.

Eilean Donan Castle

Leaving Isle of Skye and heading East, the first obligatory stop is the Eilean Donan Castle. Its surroundings are absolutely mind-blowing and you can pass a nice moment there just soaking up the view.

North Coast Route 500

The NC500 is a famous, and very scenic, route along the north coast of Scotland. Normally starting and ending in Inverness, it takes you along both shores of Northern Scotland and part of it through the Highlands too - this is the part we drove from the Isle of Skye to Inverness / Loch Ness area. It was beautiful and made us regret even more we didn’t have time to drive further north this time.

Loch Ness

Little Maja’s dream to eat haggis by Loch Ness is officially fulfilled. It looked like a very popular area for the Scots to enjoy on the weekend so it’d be advisable to book accommodation in advance. We were planning to sleep in our car but were surprised by the weather getting close to 0*C at night so we were forced to find something last-minute.

We did not spot the monster but honestly, with this dramatic setting, we wouldn’t be surprised to!

Cairngorms National Park

A lot of people told us there was “nothing interesting there” but I wouldn’t agree - the area of Cairngorms is as beautiful as the rest of Scotland. There are plenty of hikes you can choose from (we did this one) and if you’re more lucky with the weather than we were - enjoy a wonderful day strolling through the pricing forests of the area.

This is where our one-week road trip around Scotland has ended and we headed south back to London. It was a major tick off of our bucket list and one that left us longing for more. Longer stay in the western part of the Highlands, the Isle of Skye, and driving the whole NC500 are only a few reasons we will most definitely be back one day!