Travelers stories

It is summer time and for me there is nothing better than loading up the car with my camping gear and heading to a beautiful location,  where I can escape the rat race and for me there is no better county  to go camping  in than Scotland.

For me I like to camp in places which offer outstanding natural beauty and I must stay in  a camp site which has first rate facilities. I’m not one of those back to basics campers that will pitch their tent in the middle of nowhere and dig a hole to use as a toilet. NO THANKS, when you have a family on tow that is just too complicated. I love heading out into the beautiful Scottish countryside to enjoy the natural beauty that my country provides.

I just cant stand those back to basics camp sites which have second rate facilities, as much as I enjoyed the Carry on Camping film, I don’t want to be part of it. I’m living in the 21st century and I demand up to date facilities when I go camping.

Scotland is one of the most beautiful countries in the world and has 100’s of campsites which are situated in beautiful locations, sadly many of them are stuck in the dark ages and the toilet, shower and laundry facilities are a disgrace, I wouldn’t let my dog use many of them, let alone my family!

Here are 5 of my personal Favorite Scottish Camping Locations, which I fell in love with:

1. Grantown on Spey Caravan Park, Seafield Avenue, Grantown on Spey, Highlands, Scotland: A campsite set in a great location, surrounded by wonderful scenery, great toilet and shower facilities. The icing on the cake is that there is only a short walk into the town.

2. Milarrochy Bay Caravan & Campsite, Balmaha, Near Drymen, Glasgow, Scotland: An amazing location on the east shores of Loch Lomond, excellent toilet and shower facilities, great walks and a small beach to relax at. There is only a short walk to Balmaha if you want to escape the camp site.

3. Ballater Caravan Park, Anderson Road Ballater, Aberdeenshire, Scotland: Modern facilities, level pitches and a great location on the outskirts of village with a short walk of 300m to shops, hotels and services.

4. Auchnahillin Caravan Camping Park, Daviot EastInverness-shire, Scotland: Great location, excellent kitchen and shower facilities, a great base for exploring the Highlands.

5. Faichemard Farm Caravan and Camping Site, Invergarry,Highland, Scotland: EXCLUSIVELY FOR ADULTS (18+) site, great if you want a child free camping experience, the facilities are maybe not the most modern in the world, but they are adequate.If you want peace and quiet, fresh air and beautiful surroundings this is the place be.

Camping is a great way for a family, or a couple to bond and spend some quality time together, having fun and enjoying themselves. Pack up your camping gear and go and explore the natural beauty that Scotland has to offer. Camping in Scotland is a fun filled adventure which will enhance your life.

If anybody knows of any more high quality Scottish Camping sites let me know, they must be in an area of outstanding natural beauty and have fantastic facilities?

Further Reading:

1. 10 Must Visit Places In Scotland That Everyone Should Visit

2. 5 Not Quite so Well known, Scottish Places, You Must Visit!

3. 5 Amazing Scottish Beaches That You Must Visit!

4. 11 Amazing Historic Scottish Sites That You Must Visit

5. Great Edinburgh Pubs for Chilling out and Relaxing In

Bookmark It

Hide Sites

Scotland is a country which offers travelers, tourists, holiday makers or whatever term you want to use, an abundance of wonderful places to visit. Some places are better known and more  popular than others and as result attract all the attention.

The five not so well known Scottish places, which  I have listed are maybe not well known, but they are all fantastic places, which are worthy of your attention, effort and time.

Nigg Bay & The Balnagask Headland: Aberdeen, a 2.5km walk around Aberdeen’s Balnagask headland gives an insight into the processes that formed the coastal landscape. With breathtaking views, the area is also abundant in a variety of wildlife.

You will take in spectacular views of Aberdeen harbour, lighthouses, an old fort, and rugged coastline, a pretty shingle beach and much more. At the Balnagask end there is a nice wee pub overlooking the harbour, waiting for you to quench your thirst.

Burn O ‘Vat: Near Dinnet, Aberdeenshire, Situated on low-lying ground, Muir of Dinnet National Nature Reserve (NNR) consists of extensive Birchwood, wetlands and heather moor. In its centre are two large lochs, Davan and Kinord, which provide a winter home for thousands of geese. To the west, you can find the hidden Vat, a spectacular geological feature famed for concealing the 18th Century outlaw, Gilderoy Macgregor.

There are many fine circular walks through the NNR, passing by such features as abandoned settlements and an ancient Celtic cross. There is an excellent visitor centre at the Burn O’Vat, to help you make the most of your visit.

Craigievar Castle: 6 miles south of Alford. This is an almost fairytale like looking castle which exemplifies Scottish baronial architecture. This great tower stands much like it did when it was built in 1626 by William Forbes.

Craigievar Castle is one of the best preserved tower houses in Scotland and is a great castle to visit and to take the tour of.

Cruden Bay Beach: Cruden Bay, a beautiful 2 mile arc of pink sands that form the bay of Cruden. Access to the superb beach is via a white wooden foot bridge, across the water of Cruden.

There is so much more to Cruden Bay than just the beach, it is a pretty enough village, with a golf course ranked in the top 100 in the world, the internationally know castle Slains Castle, which provided Bram Stoker with the inspiration to write Dracula is a short distance away.

Loch Muick: Lochnagar, This is a very popular walk round Loch Muick, in the shadow of Lochnagar. It is in an area where it is quite common to see large wild red deer.

Most of the walk is on fairly flat ground and part of it may be suitable for the disabled.It follows a route close to the Loch side with good views of the hills all around. After reaching a royal lodge there is a short wooded section. The walk then continues round the western end of the loch and goes past a sandy beach and a cascading stream, before rising slightly on the south-eastern side as it makes its way back to the start.

For those of you that are visiting Scotland and in particular using the Granite City Aberdeen as a holiday base, each of these great places are within about an hour’s drive of Aberdeen.  For those of you thinking about or are heading to Aberdeen, here is my must read article,  Aberdeen, Why Not Visit the Granite City?

I don’t think any country in the world can match Scotland for natural beauty, history and unpredictable weather, but for the truly adventurous that is one of the joys of travel.

Bookmark It

Hide Sites

Scotland is a Country of outstanding natural beauty; it has amazing hills, mountains, rivers and countryside that will quite literally take your breath away. It has also got an amazing number of beautiful beaches that in my opinion will equal anything in the world.

Admittedly in Scotland we don’t get the regular warm and sunny weather that many other countries receive. But never the less they are still fantastic beaches where you can have a fantastic time, no matter what the weather is like, as long as it isn’t raining!

For me beaches aren’t just for lazing around in the sun, getting a sun tan or sunburnt! I find them great places for relaxing, just sitting watching the waves, or going for walks, or even indulging in more strenuous activities such as beach games with the kid!

I have put together a list of 5 of my favourite beaches in Scotland:

Balmedie Beach: Balmedie, near Aberdeen. A huge expanse of beautiful golden sands and sand dunes, which stretches for over 23km.

Lunan Bay: Montrose: Is a broad east facing 10km beach of beautiful sand backed by dunes and framed by cliffs to the North and South.

Sanna Bay: Sanna, The Ardnamurchan Peninsula. Located at the most westerly point of Great Britain, it is one of the most isolated beaches in Britain with amazing white sands, dunes and rocks which will truly captivate anybody.

Sandwood Bay: Blairmore, Sutherland. One of Scotland’s best beaches, what makes it even more special is that you have to walk over an hour to reach it, an amazing stretch o 1.6km of golden sands and dunes, there is also an impressive sea stack called Am Buchaille

Scarista Beach: Harris, Western Isles. A fantastic stretch of fine golden sands, which stretches for almost 10km and it never, gets crowed.

Scottish beaches have a unique feel to them that you will not find anywhere else in the world; they are calming and have a definite sense of magic about them. I may have listed 5 but I could have listed many, many more, go explore for yourself the numerous great beaches that Scotland has to offer.

For some more great Scottish places to go and visit, 10 Must Visit Places In Scotland That Everyone Should Visit

Bookmark It

Hide Sites