With travel restrictions easing a little, we have finally had a chance to get out to do some local nights away. We have put together a few tips and suggestions to help you get the most from your campervan hire holiday. Remember Scotland will be busy this summer so you really need to plan ahead.
Driving
Go slow, you will find yourself on lots of windy and single track roads. Give yourself lots of time to brake slowly, the motorhomes are over 3 tonnes and take longer to stop. Hard braking is also unpleasant as cupboard contents suddenly & noisily move.
There will invariably be cars behind you trying to get past, don’t get intimidated, you can always pull in every now and again to let them past.
Avoid travelling in convey, passing places are usually only big enough for one, and things can get tricky if you have to start reversing.
We find it quite tiring after driving on these kinds of roads, so plan your journey times , we suggest a maximum of two to three hours driving.
Remember every time you turn to think about the rear of the vehicle, you must pull out further than you would in your car otherwise you will curb tyres or hit parked vehicles and other obstacles.
Remember 4G coverage can be poor so know where you are going, we have provided a road atlas in the boot but maybe snapshot that map on your phone too.
Cooking
You will find everything you need to cook, but space is limited, and cooking a three-course meal from scratch will be challenging. It may be a good idea to bring some food you have already prepared with you for the first couple of nights that you can simply reheat. Pre-packed food has come on massively too now and loads of places do good healthy food that can just be popped in the oven. Ensure food and drink contents in the fridge are well packed in such as eggs and wine bottles – they will easily smash when driving if not.
Packing
Don’t overpack, space is limited especially with a family of five. The boots are big and have plenty of space to keep bags but try and limit what you bring inside the van otherwise things soon get messy. Keep organised & tidy inside.
Staying off campsites
If you are planning not to stay on a campsite, you will need to think about water, where are you going to fill up with fresh water ?. You will need to empty your toilet waste every couple of days. Whilst the campervans do have showers, you will soon get through the water so they will need to be short showers. Water heating and the fridge will be run off the gas if you aren’t on a site, so think about gas supplies. You will have one full 6.5 kg bottle plus what is left from the previous hire, or 2 full bottles if on a two-week rental. You may have to get more en route if you will be using lots. It is Flogas LPG propane, and you will need to swap your empty bottle for a full bottle. Expect to pay around £30 for a 6.5Kg bottle. If you are making a special journey to get some it’s best to phone first, there has been a shortage of bottles since lockdowns began.
Where to stay
If you are planning not to stay on a campsite, have an idea where you will park up. Lots of places don’t allow overnight parking and those that do may be full with like-minded people that have got there first. Do you have a contingency? You can drive for a long time without finding anywhere suitable. There are websites such as Park4the night that suggest places to overnight park, but again remember Scotland will be busy this year.
Activities
If you are doing day trips try and research the parking facilities before you go. We arrived at Schiellion recently at 9 am and the car park was already full and there is NOWHERE to park for miles nearby. If you arent going to stay on a campsite you could consider arriving later in the day if they have a car park and overnight stay in it if it’s allowed. Also worth checking if the location you are going to does have parking that is suitable for motorhomes. ( the length of all our motorhomes is 7,45 metres ) Remember to some cash too, lots of national trust car parks etc require you to pay for parking and only accept cash in the machines.
Motorhome holidays are amazing fun, but planning is necessary to help them run smoothly, especially this year when Scotland will be packed.
