On Location: A Scottish Road Trip
A 10-day Road Trip Exploring the Beauty of Scotland.
By Erin Washington
Day 1: Edinburgh to St. Andrews
My husband and I decided to be adventurous and rent an RV for the week to explore rather than our typical choice of a hotel stay. Neither of us has taken a trip like this as an adult so it was an exciting opportunity for us that we couldn’t pass up. Our first stop was St. Andrews on the west coast, a quaint seaside town famous for its Old Course (the home of golf) and its university. My first job out of graduate school was working for a company that organizes golf vacations to the UK and Ireland. It was exciting for me to see all the golfers there, knowing just how special it was for them to be playing on the most famous golf course in the world. After a quick pit stop in St. Andrews we made our way to our first campsite. This was a totally new experience for us - communal bathrooms, parking up right next to strangers, plugging in our home so that we would have electricity. It was surprisingly easy and comfortable.
Day 2 - 3: St. Andrews to Cairngorms via Dunnottar Castle
The next day we continued on to Dunnottar Castle. Dramatically located on a cliff, it is surrounded by a rugged coast and dark waters that was the inspiration for the castle in the movie Brave. The remote location felt like we had stepped back in time, all we could hear was the water gently crashing on the shore and seagulls loudly talking back and forth. We then made our way to Cairngorms National Park, the largest national park in the British Isles, where we took a hike through a vast valley of golden wheat on a beautifully sunny day.
St. Andrews Old Course; Dunnottar Castle; Cairngorms National Park
Day 4 - 5: Cairngorms to Isle of Skye
After leaving Cairngorms, we made our way up through Inverness (no Nessie sightings) and over to the Isle of Skye, which unfortunately was hidden in the mist thanks to a huge storm that lasted the entire day. We were able to see some sights on our way to and from, but have added it to the top of our list next time we visit Scotland.
Day 6: Isle of Skye to Isle of Mull (Almost!)
Day six of our trip was the most memorable. Storms behind us, we headed south towards the Isle of Mull in the Hebrides, stopping at the historically-noted valley, Glencoe, along the way. The drive to the Isle of Mull included two ferries. After departing the first ferry, we turned onto a two-lane road with a landscape so beautiful it made my eyes tear up. I have never seen anything quite like it. The hills were the greenest of greens and scattered with volcanic rocks that when the sun hit them, made them shine like mirrors. What made it even more special was that we were virtually the only car on the road. We were able to stop right in the middle and soak in every last inch. What we didn’t know at the time was that this short pit stop caused us to miss the last ferry to Mull by only three minutes. Luckily for us, we remembered that Scotland allows for wild camping. Wild camping allows you to park or pitch a tent anywhere that isn’t disruptive to residents, and sleep for the night. We found a quiet, grassy lot with views of sheep and the water and camped out - uninterrupted - for the night. Missing our ferry turned out to be a great experience and allowed us to do something we would have not done otherwise.
Day 7 - 9: Isle of Mull and Trossachs National Park
The next morning we hopped on the ferry for the Isle of Mull where we visited Tobermory, a small town on the north side of the island. The small, waterfront buildings are painted in bright, beautiful colors - so beautiful that it’s actually the location for a very popular children’s TV show in the UK - before venturing on to our last stop, Trossachs National Park. I had been there a couple times to visit Loch Lomond, but never to the side where my husband and I stayed. We camped at Loch Lubnaig, a peaceful, waterfront spot with sweeping views of the lake. It felt like a true campsite and was the perfect spot for our final stop before driving to Glasgow.
Stopping off for a picture en route to Mull; colorful Tobermory; Lighthouse view from the Ferry to Mull; Loch Lubnaig
Scotland is often dubbed the most beautiful country in the world, and after a week exploring it via car it is clear to see why. With mountains, lakes, hills, islands, castles, waterfalls, parks, and wildlife, it has everything you could ever want in a country. We constantly found ourselves pulling over to look at the scenes we were driving by. We were both in awe. Taking a moment to breathe in the air and appreciate the natural beauty around us was simply irresistible.
Photo Credit: Syllogi
Syllogi’s ‘On Location’ is a series of trip reports reflecting on our personal travels, as we research and experience the bounty the world has on offer.
