Roadtrip in Scotland with friends
Our route:
First bivouac: St Valérie en Caux
2: Redditch
3: Edinburgh
4: Fife
5: Perth
6: Stirling
7: Inverness
8: Invergarry 9: Isle of Skye
10: Pooley Bridge
11: Redditch
During our first stopover, we are stopping at Saint Valérie en Caux, a few kilometers from our port of departure, Dieppe, for the United Kingdom.
During our trip across England, we chose to camp in Redditch, a town where we have many memories with the Waller family. We parked the campervan at a private residence on Bromsgrove Road, where we received a warm welcome and had a great night despite some battery issues.
On the third day of our trip, we finally arrived in Scotland, in Edinburgh to be precise, where we had booked two nights at Mortonhall Caravan & Camping Park, located a 20-minute bus ride from the city center. Unfortunately, that Pentecost weekend, the campsite was fully booked for the third night, even though we had made our reservation a month in advance.
During our walk exploring the site, we see the first Highland cows.
We'll only be spending one day in Edinburgh. The bus drops us off in the city center, and we decide to start with the Royal Botanic Garden, where the rhododendrons are in bloom. They won't be the last we see on this trip.
Late this morning, we head towards the old town as we have booked our castle tour for 4 pm. Before that, we stroll through the lively old town and visit St. Giles' Cathedral. Upon arrival, we are greeted by Bach's Toccata and Fugue in D minor – a real treat!
After this moment of musical delight, we head towards the castle and, on the way, visit a shop where tartan reigns supreme, a sure sign that we are indeed in Scotland. Next, we begin our tour of the castle, or rather the citadel, perched atop an extinct volcano. It is a true citadel that has been the scene of numerous battles between the Scots and the English.
After our (too) brief stay in Edinburgh, we hit the road again, heading towards the Fife peninsula, about 20 km to the north as the crow flies. Our base camp will be in Leven, at Woodland Gardens Caravan & Camping. We'll spend three nights there exploring the area. The campsite owners were truly exceptional in their hospitality.
Before heading to the campsite, we first explored the charming medieval village of Falkland. The visit to the castle, which was one of the Stuarts' favorite hunting grounds, proved very enriching thanks to the guides dressed in period costumes. They revealed to us, among other things, that it is the only royal castle whose chapel is dedicated to Catholic worship.
In the afternoon, we headed to Lochleven Castle, where we had booked a tour, and took a boat to the small island. It was in this 14th-century castle that Queen Mary Stuart was imprisoned in 1567-1568. She was forced to abdicate in favor of her one-year-old son, James VI. She also suffered a miscarriage of twins there, but escaped in a very dramatic fashion.
After a restful night, we boarded the bus to explore some coastal villages. We started with Anstruther, a charming fishing port where we visited the Scottish Fisheries Museum. This remarkably well-designed museum tells the story of how the village has shaped its history. Next, we continued on to Crail, whose small fishing port is one of the most photographed in Scotland, and we couldn't resist.
On this third day on the Fife peninsula, we will spend the day in St Andrews. This town is renowned for several reasons. It was for a long time the religious center of Scotland, and we have the opportunity to walk among the ruins of the cathedral dating from the 12th and 13th centuries.
It was also in St Andrews that the first Scottish university was founded, and where William and Kate met. Furthermore, St Andrews claims, in contrast to Edinburgh, the creation of the first golf course. In fact, there are numerous golf courses in St Andrews, including within the town itself.
We left the Fife peninsula to explore Perth and its surroundings. This city, which was the capital of Scotland for three centuries, suffered greatly during the Jacobite Wars. Today, in the heart of the city, we were surprised by the number of shops that were closed or for sale—a consequence of Brexit? The main purpose of our stop in Perth was primarily to visit the magnificent castle and its gardens: Scone Palace.
This castle, still inhabited by the Earls of Mansfield, houses exceptional works of art and high-quality furniture. As for the garden, it so captivated us that we visited it twice.
Today we're going to Stirling, where Jean-Pierre and Angela will join us tomorrow. On the way, we're visiting Doune Castle, where several scenes from Monty Python and the Holy Grail were filmed, as well as scenes from the Outlander series. We'll be camping at Witches Craig Caravan & Camping Park.
It's our first day of grey skies since arriving in Scotland. That doesn't stop us from exploring Stirling Castle. Built in the 12th century, this castle is one of the most impressive in Scotland and withstood no fewer than eight sieges during the first half of the 14th century. The buildings we're visiting today date mainly from the 15th and 16th centuries. Many of the rooms are very well presented. In the afternoon, we explore the old jail, where an actor-guide plays the roles of guard, prisoner, and warden, which is quite entertaining...
We set off this morning for Inverness. There are now two of us in campervans exploring the Scottish roads. We're stopping to visit Blair Castle. Upon arrival, we're greeted by the sound of bagpipes. This splendid castle has belonged to the Earls and Dukes of Atholl since the 13th century. The building was enlarged in the 16th century, a period during which Mary Stuart organized a dramatic hunt there, in which, in addition to 350 deer and 5 wolves, 3 servants were killed. Inside, 30 rooms are magnificently furnished and adorned with priceless objects.
We end the day with a walk near our campsite after trying to spot seals at Chanony Point, an estuary connected to Loch Ness.
We spent the day in Inverness, visiting a few shopping centres for supplies, and shops selling Scottish specialties, gloves, coats and lots of tartan.
Today, we're heading towards Inverness, where we're camping for the night. We're driving along Loch Ness to Fort Augustus, a distance of about 60 km. This village is home to five locks on the Caledonian Canal, which connects the Atlantic Ocean to the North Sea, passing through several lochs, including Loch Ness. In the early 19th century, 35 km of canal had to be dug by hand along the roughly 100 km stretch between Inverness and Fort Augustus, and 25 locks had to be installed. As for Loch Ness itself, we didn't see any monsters and couldn't stop due to the crowds and full parking lots. After Fort Augustus, we stopped at a lovely spot with a chapel, rhododendrons, and some ruins.
We spent the night at Faichemard Farm Touring, a lovely place surrounded by nature where the rain didn't stop us from having drinks outdoors…
On this 15th day of our road trip, we're heading towards the Isle of Skye, with a planned overnight stay in Balmacara, located a few kilometers before the bridge connecting Skye to the mainland. Along the way, we discover magnificent wild landscapes, numerous bodies of water, and we stop to visit Eilean Donan Castle. The seat of Clan MacRae, this castle, originally built in the 13th century, had to be rebuilt exactly as it was in 1932. The castle served as a backdrop for scenes in the film Highlander starring Christopher Lambert. A truly wonderful visit.
That day, we used the campervan to explore Attadale Gardens. It's a beautiful property surrounded by a splendid garden, although the weather didn't do justice to the colors of the many rhododendrons. We then continued on to the Carron restaurant, where we enjoyed a pleasant lunch indoors. In the afternoon, we continued exploring the beautiful Scottish countryside.
Today, we're heading to Portree, located in the center of the Isle of Skye, where we'll camp for three nights to explore the whole island. We're starting by driving along the southwest coast, on the Sleat Peninsula. We're getting used to the narrow roads and passing places—no problem! We're stopping in Armadale to visit the ruined castle, of which mainly the facade remains, as well as the beautiful grounds. We're finishing our visit with the museum of Clan Macdonald of Sleat, one of Skye's most powerful families.
Our destination today is the Trotternish Peninsula. We're following the route from the east to the west. The poor weather this morning prevents us from admiring the Old Man of Storr in all its glory. Coastal stops, such as the one at Lealt Falls, reveal a coastline where waterfalls plunge into a turquoise sea, surrounded by magnificent basalt columns. We discover an inn that seems lost in the middle of a loch, where we can sample Torabhaig, an excellent whisky from the Isle of Skye, and enjoy a good lunch. Finally, we take a steep road to the Quiraing Walk car park – well done, Angela! The beauty of the place was well worth the effort.
Today, we're exploring the west of the island. We're starting with Dunvegan Castle, home to the MacLeod clan since the 13th century. The grounds are magnificent, and the castle is definitely worth a visit; situated on the shores of Loch Dunvegan, its reflection in the dark waters is stunning. We then continue on to Neist Point, the westernmost point of the Isle of Skye. We'll spend the late afternoon visiting the village of Portree, a pretty and colorful fishing port.
The weather forecast for today is terrible, with rain, fog, and wind. We've decided to change our original plans and shorten our stay on the Isle of Skye. We're heading back and have decided to spend the night in the north of England, in the Lake District, specifically in Pooley Bridge. Our campsite is located on the edge of a pretty lake, and we're taking a walk to the charming village.
spade.
Our second stop in England on the way to Newhaven will be in Redditch again. We can't resist a quick break at 16th Hamilton Road, bringing back memories... Then it's off to Newhaven where we'll spend our last night before boarding the bus the next morning, surrounded by many classic cars heading to the 24 Hours of Le Mans, to finally return to Ilo.
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