If you’re looking for a real holiday, you can’t beat a relaxing motorhome escape. Go where you want, when you want; move on or stay in one place for a while; get up and go to bed when you’re ready; see the sights, get on your bike or chill out with a good book. It’s up to you!
You choose the views, the neighbours, the itinerary. You can take as much baggage and kit as you like without weight restrictions: surf-board, bike, kayak, walking boots and wet-weather gear – if you can safely fit it in or on the motorhome, you can take it. It won’t get damaged or lost in transit, either.
You have your home at your back, as it were, so you don’t have to settle for someone else’s meal times or menus. Stock up with the food and drink you like, cook it however you like it and eat it at a time that suits you. If you have particular dietary requirements, or your day-clock is different from other people’s, that’s a major plus of a motorhome vacation.
A travel holiday without the stress
You don’t have to catch a plane at stupid-o’clock at the beginning and end of your holiday, with all the stress and exhaustion airports involve. Just start driving when you’re ready and stop when you want to and (almost) wherever you like. You won’t find electricity or pump-out facilities at the top of a mountain but you can certainly guarantee the neighbours will be quiet.
If you get stuck in traffic, turn off and find something more interesting to do. Don’t feel you have to stick rigidly to a pre-planned itinerary, unless you’ve already paid for a stand in a busy campsite in the high season. (Even then, are a few pounds worth the stress of getting there?)
Scotland has plenty of serendipity to offer, and myriad places to try wild camping. You may find a ring of standing stones, an out-of-the-way art gallery or a beautiful loch that you might otherwise not have stumbled on. A good map is a great investment.
A relaxing motorhome holiday
Driving a big motorhome or camping car in Scotland can turn into hard work if you don’t take a few precautions. The key word here is “relaxing”: it’s a holiday, not a route-march, so take it gently. If you haven’t driven in Scotland before, you may have to slow down your ideas about how far you can travel in one day. You don’t have to see the whole country in one week – it’ll still be here next year!
Some of the roads are narrow even for cars to pass, let alone a motorhome, and they can be very winding and twisty, so don’t push yourself. Take plenty of time to stop and look at the view. Pulling in to the side of the road when it’s safe also lets the cars behind you get past, which will please their drivers.
Parking up in good time in the evening is also sensible. It gives you time to explore the layout of the campsite, if you’re in one, stretch your legs after a day sitting down, and cook your evening meal in daylight. If you’re travelling with children, it gives them a chance to let off steam before bedtime. Make sure you have effective midge-repellent if you’re in the Highlands and Islands: midges are at their most active at dusk.
Whether you go north, south, east or west, to beaches, mountains, monuments or golf courses, Scotland has something for you. In a campervan or motorhome you can see it at your own pace and on your own terms. You’ll never see everything, so there’s no point in rushing! For a truly relaxing motorhome holiday, just leave the “must see” lists behind and go where fate takes you.
And come back next year, and the year after, and…
