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Wife and I are thinking about 3 weeks touring Scotland in September/October.
If it was just the two of us, and Covid wasn't a thing, we'd pack the car with bikes, surfboard, tent and head up. We'd start with an a vague plan, e.g. stopping with friends in Wigtown, head up through Trossachs, Plockton, Skye, Harris, Lewis, Ullapool, North Coast, Speyside, Cairngorms, Perthshire, Peebles, Northumberland and back home (SE England). Ish. And change it along the way based on fun had, weather, waves, people met and ideas had along the way, and the original idea being too ambitious.
But we've got a 2 year old and 6 month old, so the envelope for acceptable misery is tighter than it might be if it was just the two of us. And there's Covid.
We've got an offer of wife's parent's touring caravan. Never towed or stayed in caravan before. I've done little looking round and it seems that this year especially, we might be just as restricted with a caravan as if we'd be booking accommodation - we'd have to book where and when we'd stay or risk sleeping in a lay-by.
Or is this just the reality of caravaning at any time? I'd feel just about comfortable sleeping in a campervan in random places overnight (I do realise there's too many people doing this to make it problem free) but random stop caravaning seems a bit off - or is it no different?
Thinking that if the caravan only gets us cheaper accommodation rather than more flexibility, it's a cost/ faff/ comfort equation, and we might just as well spend a bit more for less faff and more comfort.
I'd be very grateful for any hints, tips, facts and the fruits of your collective experience! Cheers!
Two kids, a caravan, and Scotland in September/October. Good luck with that.
Some sites are open. Off-site stops are overwhelmed. Think of what you are going to do with waste and where you are going to fill up with water.
I'd either book sites so you know where you are going to be and can handle everything, or book a cottage for more space/drying room etc.
Having done 3 yrs motorhoming in Scotland precovid one of the major frustrations was that in some places it was so busy that it rather removed the ‘rock up anywhere as it suits’ plan, I’d be booking especially the places I really wanted to stop, I’d also go with the mindset of being prepared to hotel it/etc once rain/midge/gale/limited space fatigue set in.
No problem, many sites are closed on the west coast. Check out the caravan club cl network. I am currently staying near Nairn for nine nights, no electricity so just battery and gas for the total price of £45.
CL’s will not be full, you will need to use your own toilet at most but that is safer anyway.
Travel light for moving on as much as you are wanting to.
Some of the west coast route is hilly so power match of the car would be my main question
Thinking that if the caravan only gets us cheaper accommodation rather than more flexibility, it’s a cost/ faff/ comfort equation, and we might just as well spend a bit more for less faff and more comfort.
I think you're on to something here. Our experience of holidaying with little kids was that basically they don't care where they are - however they will respond to your state of physical and mental wellbeing. So doing whatever causes you the least stress is generally good. For us that was usually booking a decent self catering chalet or cottage which will be cheap ish when you're going.
Also at the age yours are long times in a car seat are not good, so avoiding frequent long drives is smart. I.e. drive somewhere are stay there.
Imagine one of the kids doing pukeyshitmageddon in the caravan then touring about in it for a fortnight. You want a washing machine.
There are plenty of sites and they won't be full at that time of year. Yes, it's advisable to book in advance but that can be as late as ringing up and saying "can we arrive tomorrow for 2 nights". A few years ago (5 or 6 I think) we did the last week in September at North Connel near Oban, then the first week of October at Morvich, up near the Skye bridge. It was super trip, we had fab weather and great sites. We've also done a ski trip in march where we stayed at Braemar, Aviemore, Fort William and Glencoe.
Be aware that for some sites you need to be a member of the appropriate club (Caravan And Motorhome Club or Camping and Caravanning Club), especialyly when it comes to the smaller 5-van sites, though some will allow non-members on and there are many independent sites. Having used both, we prefer CAMC sites as the facilities tend to be excellent and spotless. If you're borrowing a caravan then you can possibly borrow membership too, not sure exactly what the rules are
Make sure your licence covers you for towing and that you're happy setting up for hitching / towing / setting up at the other end
You've got some ferries on that proposed route (even in sept/oct you'll want to pre-book them this year). The caravan will cost you at least the same as the car again. That will erode your cost saving. Your mpg will probably be halved with the caravan (weight and aerodynamics). You have quite a lot of driving in that proposed route - so again thats going to erode the savings. A number of the areas you suggest are narrow roads - not necessarily so narrow you shouldn't take a caravan, but narrow enough that a beginner towing a van might suddenly find themselves in some stressful places - probably more so with a borrowed van.
Make sure you really understand the rules for car and driver(s) with weight limits on the van. Your MIL/FIL are probably "old" enough to have pre-1997 licence rights and often those people can't get their head around the fact you might need to take a test; never mind the confusing bollox that is the braked v's unbraked minefield.
Finally, even with 3 weeks - you are trying to squeeze in a LOT. Which means you fall into the trap all the tourists doing the NC500 do. They spend an awful lot of the time in the car looking at views through the windscreen (kids will be bored), rather than actually enjoying what the place has to offer. I'd be inclined to pick 3 centres and spend a week in each (either with the c/van or cottage) rather than be moving every day or second day. You could add a night in Wigtown and Northumberland to break up the journey to/from home. The c/van would offer flexibility to make it 4x5 days which perhaps the cottages wont be so easy to find for, and certainly would make it more likely you can avoid Sat-Sat which is when roads are busiest and you are most likely to sit in queues... Trossachs, Plockton, Aviemore (not necessarily those exact locations) would potentially be more enjoyable then setting up and towing every day or even second day.
Or is this just the reality of caravaning at any time?
Not really. There are tons of caravan sites, as above. I don't know how many will be closed up there but you should be able to find them. There are lots of people still caravanning at that time of year.
I have done Scottish single-track roads with a caravan and it wasn't too bad - however I'm fairly experienced. What car are you using and what size of van?
Caravanning with kids is generally ace, they love it. Sites are generally safe enclosed spaces so they can run about without worrying (choose places without say open water for this reason), of course at that age they'll be within visual range but they still like the open space and lack of restrictions. And they generally love everyone sleeping together in your own little wendy house.
You do need a bit of practice with setting it up, so you can do it quickly. It's still not as convenient as simply stopping with a campervan, so I would stay places for 2/3 nights. But as above - simply driving around, as you seem to be envisaging, isn't that great when you've got little kids IMO. Likewise caravans aren't great for stopping in laybys. And that's not goign to be great with kids either because the areas in which they can play are likely to be more limited.
If I were you I'd pick a location or two, perhaps somewhere with accessible beaches and chill out on those. We did this on Fidden Farm on Mull (but it wasn't a great location for other reasons) but we'd also considered places like Arisaig. But you will need to be confident towing.
Towing's not hard exactly, but there's a fair bit you need to know.
Lots of good advice above, definitely practice before you head off, if only to find out what you're going to need to take with you.
North Connel and Morvich would definitely be on my list, both great places for slightly different reasons. I'm a big CAMC fan, you know exactly what you'll be arriving to and we've never yet been on a site that disappointed.
Don't over estimate your abilities with regard to achievable daily distances but you'll get that fairly early on and pre booking takes a huge weight off, especially with the wee ones on board.
Good luck, enjoy and be prepared to buy a caravan for yourselves.
Some very good advice above, little tip if you have never done anything before get the in laws to go through the whole set up on site routine, hooking up electrics, filling water barrel and connecting to van, fitting the waste water tank, levelling up with the steadies basically everything and record it all on your phone.
Have a tow before you go.
Def check weights and licence.
If all the above hasnt put you off, have some fun and enjoy, we are all due some downtime.
Thanks so much for all the replies.
Lots of thinking been going on and and we've ditched the caravan idea. The other thread today on van life v hotel life was a nice confirmation!
Taking the car up, with bikes on the back and a tent in the boot. Bookng accommodation at centres to allow to see what we need to see. Looking like Wigtown, Trossachs/Tay, Skye, (maybe a camping trip out to Harris/Lewis for a night or two if there's a wide enough weather window - do I take the surfboard on the offchance there's good waves on the day or two we might be there??!?! Glenlivet for Speyside and Cairngorms
Undecided: Maybe Moray coast, Perthshire/Tay could be combo'd with a place on the east of the Trossachs on the way up, or on the way back. Uncle is in Aberdeen and used to have a place on Loch Tay, he's keen for a meet up there.
Coming together!
Cheers for all the advice, all gone in the mix and all very much appreciated! Looking at stops on the way up and the way back to limit time in the car to max 2 x 2 hours on a moving day.
just a heads up but currently and could change, communal facilities in campsites are closed in Scotland. So no toilet/shower block if your in a tent
Yeah, got that too, ta. Any tenting would be a wild night on a beach in a small green tent.
just a heads up but currently and could change, communal facilities in campsites are closed in Scotland. So no toilet/shower block if your in a tent
Not all sites. Just check before you book.
Ed, gimme a shout if you're heading to Glenlivet as we're now living just up the road. Lots of lovely 'natural' riding in the area too.