Unique destinations that Scotland has to offer

Scotland is well known across the world as a great tourist destination to visit for a holiday, but the country offers so much more than the usual tourist destinations of Glasgow, Edinburgh and searching for Nessie.

Travelling around the countryside by caravan or motorhome enables you to visit the places off the beaten tourist path. With plenty of excellent campsites in Scotland you won’t be disappointed. Here, we take a look at some of the lesser known places to visit and explore.

Loch Affric

Scotland has over 30,000 freshwater Lochs to discover, and Loch Affric is just one of them. It is a stunning place to visit and take a hike. Nestled in Glen Affric the freshwater Loch has a circular walk which shows off all it it has to offer with mountain views of the surrounding peaks, such as Sgùrr na Lapaich and woodlands known as “Granny Pines”. It is these forest that is once believed to have sheltered Bonnie Prince Charlie. 

The Loch itself is a nature reserve and home to many rare species, and of course plenty of wild deer to spot. The entirely circular walk is about 12 miles so what better way to spend the day in the wilds of Scotland.

St Ninian’s Isle beach, Shetland

On a fine sunny day you could be mistaken for feeling you are in the Caribbean from the quality of the sandy beach and colour of the water. But perhaps not the temperature! 

The beach itself is a large sand causeway with the sea on either side connecting the mainland to St Ninian’s Isle.

Nowhere could be better for bracing walks along the sand, Instagram worthy photography, or perhaps, if you are brave enough, a spot of cold-water-therapy in the chilly waters.

Dunrobin Castle, North Highlands

Dunrobin Castle is a British castle with a difference. It has a classic French chateâu design dating back to the early 1300’s, and is the most northerly and largest of the great Scottish castles with 189 rooms. 

A trip to the castle offers plenty to do with a tour of the gardens and grounds, which have changed little since they were laid in 1850. In fact, the gardens were inspired by the Palace of Versailles in France.

A must see is the Falconry (the art of hunting with birds of prey) display which happens daily and includes Peregrine Falcons, Gyrfalcon and Harris hawks.

Moray Firth

The area is known for many things, including its reputation as one of the best places in Europe to view the resident Bottlenose Dolphins. There is believed to be around 130 in the area along with plenty of harbour seals, meaning this really is the place to enjoy what the natural world has to offer and not something you can see everyday.

Further out porpoises, minke whales, pilot whales and killer whales can sometimes be seen. On land there are many gorges with pine and broadleaf woodlands to explore and on the south side of the Moray Firth, the Culbin Forest is one of the UK’s largest sand dune systems.

The sight of wild dolphins leaping from the sea really is something you never forget.

Tobermory, Isle Mull

Traditionally a fishing village built in the 18th century, Tobermory is the main town on the Isle of Mull. Instantly recognisable for it’s brightly coloured buildings, it has a vibrant and friendly feel with plenty of shops, cafes and restaurants to enjoy.

For those of you that didn’t know Tobermory, the town is know to a generation of children and parents as ‘Balamory’, home to characters such as Edie McCredie, Miss Hoolie, and PC Plum amongst others. Running between 2002-2005, 252 episodes were made and the show is known across the globe.

Whether you are just looking for a new place to visit or to reminisce of your childhood, Tobermory is definitely a must if you are exploring the Isle of Mull.

Final thoughts

This is just a snapshot of what Scotland has to offer across the mainland and Isles. With landscapes you will not find elsewhere in the UK, or even the world, Scotland really is unique and offers plenty of places to stay in a caravan or motorhome, which really makes it possible to visit more of these secluded and beautiful places.

With over 30,000 lochs, miles of dramatic coastline, glens and mountains aplenty, what are you waiting for? Go explore, Scotland’s calling.