My Guide to the Scottish Highlands and the Isle of Skye

Always check Government websites for up to date advice before you travel.

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8 months since our first UK lockdown due to Covid-19, and it's no secret that normality is still a long way off. The pandemic has created new challenges for us all; mentally, physically and emotionally. Have no doubt, we are incredibly grateful for each other's company, our health and job security. But mentally, we have all struggled with the inability to escape. Some go to the gym, others eat out or visit the pub, but for us, travelling is our release.

We love this quote that has been floating (!) about recently: "We are all in the same storm, but we are not in the same boat."

https://www.damianbarr.com/latest/https/we-are-not-all-in-the-same-boat Illustration by Barbara Kelley

So in October 2020, before the tiers and lockdowns heightened, we saw a dip in Covid-19 cases and escaped to Scotland whilst we could. We know some people may frown on us travelling during a pandemic but we didn't come across any other people, always kept within government guidelines and honestly, we are so glad we did, because it was the best medicine for our minds.

Quirky Campers

Quirky Campers is a company in the UK and New Zealand which we have fallen in love with! Converters rent out their vans at reasonable prices - the only downside can be the hidden fees if you go over the mileage allowance, return the van late or don't leave it tidy, but read the T&Cs carefully and they are easily avoidable. For anyone like us not ready to commit to a van, not brave enough to convert one (seriously, how do they hook up the electrics?!) or if you don't have the money to buy one, they are the perfect solution:

https://www.quirkycampers.com/

Cost for 3 Nights in October:

• VW Crafter (big enough for 4): £540 (price included extras: towels, bedding, cleaning, welcome pack and additional hours)

Lewis asked for some extra goodies as it was my birthday, and we were both pleasantly surprised with the beautiful balloons - a lovely touch!

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The Van - The Wild Wan

Meet the Wild Wan. We haven't seen many van conversions, but this VW Crafter made by the Scott's was a gem and we are now slightly worried that we have set the bar too high with our first!

Disclaimer: Jo is tiny so it makes the van look like a mansion! it was still huge though. Lewis is 5ft11 and could comfortably stand up and walk around.

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/thewildwan/

Book here: https://www.quirkycampers.com/uk/campervan/184659/?wb-currency=GBP#gallery

The Wild Wan boasts a double bed and two singles, with space for a medium-large breed dog too. The fully stocked, copper-themed kitchen was a delight to use, with a 25L water tank hooked up to the sink's tap, a 2-burner gas hob and electric cool box - perfect for a few beers and a pint of milk.

Favourite Features: There are two extra features that made our stay in this van even more comfortable; a portable toilet and a diesel heater. We won't lie, Scotland was wet and freezing in October and we sometimes drove for hours without seeing any toilets, so both of these were a welcome addition! Having the heater on for just 10-15 minutes was enough to warm up the whole van and keep us toasty for the night or morning. Not to mention the awesome paint job...

Overall Rating:

5 moons!!!

We can't believe we are giving a 5/5 moon rating to our first van, but the Wild Wan and its hosts were amazing and we will never forget them. Now we have the van... on to the journey...

The Scottish Highlands - 4 days

Mountain or Valley

Castle

Wildlife (seals, stags or eagles)

Point of Interest

Approx. 750 miles

What to See

As usual, we tried to squeeze in more than we should have! We only had 4 days (3 nights in the van) and honestly wish we'd had more time to explore the National Parks... We guess we'll just have to go back again soon.

1. Livingston This is where we picked up The Wild Wan. The train journey was only 5-6 hours from London and the hosts kindly picked us up and dropped us off from Livingston train station. As it was a birthday surprise, I had no idea what we were doing until I saw the van!

2. Stirling A good place to stock up on supplies before heading north. Inverness and Perth were the only other built up towns on our journey.

3. Aviemore We got on so well with The Wild Wan hosts that we were a little short on time on our first afternoon. We wanted to explore Cairngorms National Park and heard that this was a good place to stop for a walk, but unfortunately it was dark when we got here (the joys of out of season trips!) so we drove on. Let us know if you visit and tell us what you think!

4. Ardtower Caravan Park After a long day of travelling and acclimatising to van life, we stopped off for an early night at Ardtower Caravan Park. A lot of seasoned campervanners will happily pull over in quiet streets or parks for the night, but as this was our first time, we felt much more comfortable in a camp site. This one, FYI, had the most amazing toilets and only cost £25 out of season! They also do glamping pods if anyone is interested... http://www.ardtower-caravanpark.com/

5. Mermaid of the North When we woke up in Inverness the next morning John O'Groats, the most northerly point of mainland Britain, seemed desperately within reach... but even from Inverness, it was a 5 hour roundtrip with no time for exploring. We agreed it was too far but wanted a glimpse of the east coast, so we compromised on Balintore to see the famed Mermaid of the North. And it was absolutely beautiful and one of my favourite stops. See our Instagram page for more pictures! www.instagram.com/tothemoonandbackpackers

5. The Mermaid of the North in Balintore

6. Urquhart Castle On the world-famous Loch Ness stands Urquhart Castle. Entry is a little steep at £9.60 (it's a tourist heavy area, so unfortunately expected...) but we thought it was worth it for the history and lookout points over the Loch (see pictures below).

6. Urquhart Castle and Loch Ness

7. Loch Ness No introduction needed... a must see! We were even lucky enough to see two fighter jets zoom overhead - apparently the Loch is so large and open that it is the ideal landmark for low altitude flying. We didn't have time for a boat ride but bird-watchers should definitely bring their binoculars; it's teeming with wildlife.

8. Fort Augustus The most southern point of Loch Ness, we drove through here on the way to the Isle of Skye.

9. Wild Stag Sighting! Wherever possible, don't take your eyes off of the skies, seas or tree line - wildlife is everywhere in the Scottish Highlands! We pulled over at laybys regularly with the Wild Wan, not only to get some photos, but to look out for wildlife. Autumn is rutting season for deer and we were lucky enough to see a handful of stags wandering about! We've marked them on our map in case you are interested.

10. The Valley *A Must See* This was easily our favourite stop, although we still can't find the name of this valley anywhere - if anyone knows, please message us! Photos of the valley are at the bottom of this section and our Instagram and we promise, they haven't been edited. Those colours are real! If you catch the valley at sunset, the already rusty colours of the mountains are bathed in the sun and turn a very impressive orange. We couldn't believe our eyes...

10. "The Valley"

11. Eilean Donan Castle A famous castle that Lewis wanted us to stop at... but we spent so much time in awe at the valley that we totally forgot! We saw it lit up on the drive back though - worth a see!

12. Skye Bridge The main entrance to the Isle of Skye. We don't advise driving a high top van over it during gale-force winds - scary!!

13. Camping Skye Another excellent campsite for an absolute bargain. The staff were very friendly and welcoming, 5* accommodation and service.

14. Fairy Pools Car Park As we woke up on our penultimate day, we realised that we had been really lucky with the weather so far and started to feel the full force of Scottish wind and rain! We persevered and headed to the spot Lewis was most excited about; the Fairy Pools. A magical series of waterfalls and woodland, they are the Isle of Skye's pride and joy. We drove to the top of the hill and saw an empty car park, quickly realising why as the van started to rock and trees were pulled up by the wind... roots and all. There was no way we were risking it so we swiftly drove back down... Have you been to the Fairy Pools? Send us your photos so we can see what we missed out on! tothemoonandbackpackers@gmail.com

15. Dunvegan Castle Dunvegan has everything you need for a lunchtime or evening stopover; cafes and restaurants with delicious Scottish dishes, a stroll along Loch Dunvegan and a trip to the incredible Dunvegan Castle, with stunning vistas overlooking the water. We strongly recommend The Dunvegan and their amazing hot chocolates!

16. The Standing Stones We won't lie... these were very disappointing! Apparently thought to be part of a Viking burial site, we really wouldn't recommend going out of your way to see these. They really are just two or three rocks on the ground in someone's front garden - at least it made us laugh!

17. Falls of Rha Another surprise we weren't expecting... just wow. If you can find it (it's hard to describe, look for the A87 and A855 junction, there is a car park to the left) there is a short trail down and then up some steps that lead you straight toward the waterfall - an amazing walk but not accessible for those with wheelchairs or prams.

17. The Falls of Rha

18. Sartle As we were short on time, we decided not to go around the Northern part of the Isle of Skye and cut across through Sartle. Man, are we glad we did. The road is narrow and winding (you certainly couldn't turn around in it, although we tried at one point!!) but in good condition. This road takes you through another valley and lends breath-taking views to those brave enough to venture down it... it we did it in a VW Crafter, you'll be fine!

19. Seal Spotting! Peartree has a good reputation for spotting seals, birds of prey and even dolphins. We stopped for a cup of tea overlooking the sea but unfortunately weren't lucky. Happy seal-spotting, let us know if you are successful, we would love to see pictures.

20. More Stags! Stags, highland cows and maybe even some golden eagles if you are lucky... you really start to embrace the Scottish Highlands here.

21. Fort William

22. & Ben Nevis At the base of Ben Nevis, this bustling town took us by surprise after being nestled in the Isle of Skye's hidden highlands. Full of history and adventure, we would have loved to spend more time here. However, sleeping at the bottom of Ben Nevis (the tallest peak in the UK) felt very humbling...

23. Glen Coe *A Must See!* This had to be our second favourite place to visit. 'Magical' is the only way to describe this natural paradise. Not only is there a beautiful view here overlooking the valley, but we were lucky enough to see not just one, but at least two golden eagles circling over our heads! We spotted them again as we left so pulled over and desperately tried to get a photo but by the time we stopped, it had gone. We got back in the van and moments later it flew right over the roof - we didn't imagine it, promise! Bird watchers and nature lovers should make this place a priority to visit.

23. Glen Coe

24. Loch Lomond In our last few hours in the Wild Wan, we felt a little deflated as we had just found out the news that we were going home to another lockdown. We expected the drive back to Livingston would be long and tortuous but then we drove through Loch Lomond and the Trossachs National Park. Again, we would have loved to spend more time exploring the beautiful nature here, but had to head back to return the van... (PS we did some otter spotting here as they are apparently a common sighting, no luck though!)

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Thank you for reading! We hope that you have found our Guide to the Scottish Highlands and Isle of Skye useful, as well as our tips for renting a campervan with Quirky Campers. Always check your Government's advice before you think of travelling during the pandemic; never break the rules of your local tier or lockdown. But, if you can travel, consider a staycation in the UK with a campervan - we would highly recommend it and will be doing it again soon!

Love, Jo @wherejowanders

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