The Ultimate Scottish Highlands Campervan Route

The Scottish Highlands cover more than 9,000 square miles of mountains, glens, lochs and coastline, and most of it rewards a slow campervan more than a fast one. You cannot see everything in a fortnight, so the trick is to pick a hub or two, travel in a loop, and let the weather decide the order of your days. This route is built around practicality as much as scenery.

A route that works

Start from Glasgow or Edinburgh and head north on the A82. Glencoe is the standout first stop — the mountains drop straight to the road, with car parks and pull-ins where an overnight stop is tolerated rather than encouraged. Carry on to Fort William, which is the best supply town on the west coast: supermarkets, fuel, gas, launderettes and a handful of campsites within walking distance of the high street.

From Fort William you have three classic loops:

1. Cross the Skye Bridge and spend two or three nights around Portree, the Quiraing and the west-coast beaches of Elgol.
2. Head inland through Glen Nevis and Loch Laggan towards Aviemore for Cairngorms walking.
3. Follow the A87 north to Kyle of Lochalsh, then the mountain road to Applecross for one of the most dramatic coastal drives in Britain.

Where to stay

Farm sites and small owner-run campsites are the backbone of Highland touring. Expect roughly £25 to £35 per night in summer for a pitch with electric hook-up, and noticeably less on basic field pitches without it. Book July and August well ahead: the popular sites around Fort William, Skye and the north coast fill up weeks in advance, and some take motorhomes up to 8 metres only on specific pitches.

The empty, wild stretches are the reward of the Highlands — but the loch-side campsite with a drying room is where you'll be glad you booked on a wet afternoon.

What you need to know

Fuel, gas and food are thin on the ground north of Inverness, so stock up before you leave the A9 corridor. Mobile signal drops out completely on much of the west coast, so download offline maps before you set off. Midges are a genuine force of nature from May to September — a head net and repellent are essential kit.

For the full loop round the top of Scotland, our North Coast 500 motorhome guide covers that route in detail. When you're ready to plan the trip, browse campervans for sale or motorhomes for sale for a van that suits single-track roads.