Motorhome or camper van for a Scotland road trip with 3 adults and a 7-year-old?

It's hard to say—it really depends on your itinerary and when you're going. For example, Skye in a motorhome isn’t very practical in the summer. It’s packed with tourists on single-track roads (you have to pull over at "passing places" spaced at regular intervals), so you’ll be maneuvering, reversing, etc.

It also depends on how much comfort you need. We travel with four in our Renault Trafic (two adults and two kids), and it parks anywhere—it’s about as long as a large car. We can drive through cities, etc. But on rainy days, it’s really cramped inside, and there’s no toilet or shower on board.

The pros of one are the cons of the other.

Are you planning to do a lot of hiking or head to remote spots? (Small roads aren’t great for motorhomes.) Or will you mostly stick to main routes and pre-booked campsites?

We see motorhomes all the time in the north and on the islands—way too many, actually. So it’s doable, but not necessarily enjoyable. Again, it really depends on your route and your needs.

Hi there, Thanks for your reply! I’m trying to plan the trip for late May or June. Someone recommended May to me.... We’ll only be going for a week, so we’ll probably stick to the main routes—I haven’t looked into it yet. My only concern was driving the motorhome....... We’re not really planning on doing any hikes, just enjoying the nature and peace and quiet. Would you have any itinerary suggestions for us? I was thinking of alternating between campsites for the night and sleeping in nature. Have a great day

Hi Anne,

We’ve been traveling in motorhomes since 1983!!! We have 7-meter-long motorhomes, 2.30 meters wide and almost 2.90 meters tall. We’ve done three trips to Scotland, including the Outer Hebrides, Shetland, and Orkney. Of course, we’ve visited Edinburgh and Glasgow, so we’ve driven all kinds of roads, including the narrow ones with "passing places." Never had any issues. The Scots are very courteous and make crossing easy for us. All this to say that a motorhome is ideal in Scotland. The bigger it is, the more space you’ll have when it rains. It drives like a car, just a bit slower—the only difference is the size. Driving on the left isn’t a problem once you’re in traffic.

Marie Paule

May is better—before the big tourist rush and, most importantly, before the midges. You’ll be happy camping!

In May, things start to pick up, but it’s not yet the summer crowds, so it’ll be less stressful. The issue in Scotland is the mix of tourists who aren’t all comfortable driving on the left, plus the ridiculous traffic in the middle of summer in very rural areas that aren’t at all equipped for the flow of vehicles and people.

As for the itinerary, it really depends on your tastes, expectations, and how many kilometers you want to cover. Are you the type to spend 2–3 hours visiting a castle? Do you want to get off the beaten path? Since I’m a big outdoor enthusiast, my travel routes are often very hiking-focused, but that might not be your thing.

For info, plan for 20–25% more than the travel times given by Google—maybe even a bit more in a camper van. Remember to factor in the time it takes in the evening to find a place to sleep if you haven’t booked ahead. Because of tourist abuses, more and more places are banning wild camping.

Thanks for your replies—they’re reassuring! I can’t wait to see the flight tickets show up on the booking site. For the itinerary, we love nature and quiet spots. We have two kids—7 and 16—so if we go for walks, the hikes shouldn’t be too long. :) I’ll also try to find activities they’d enjoy…

I’ll wait to book the tickets before finalizing the route. As for the camper van, I’ve got some leads thanks to the Goboony site. There are all sizes—I’m leaning toward a 6-meter one.

Nature-wise, Scotland has it all! The islands are stunning—Arran is very easy to access and not too big, but it’s a perfect microcosm of Scotland. Less touristy than others. Mull is great for wildlife, with lots of related activities (like 'safaris,' etc.). Skye is breathtaking but probably the most touristy. Aviemore is ideal for a mix of mountains, lakes, and plenty of attractions nearby (zoo, small amusement park, adventure/mountain activities like quad biking, etc.).

Glencoe is a must-see—the valley is gorgeous, and you can walk relatively flat sections of the West Highland Way. Castles are everywhere.

Any guidebook will tell you what to see. Scotland is quite rural, with only so many roads, so everyone tends to follow a similar route. In May, the nights are very short, so you’ll need a motorhome with proper blackout curtains—not just those flimsy side-pull ones that let in all the light—or you won’t get any sleep!

We discovered this in July, and personally, I wouldn’t have liked being in a motorhome on roads like the Applecross Peninsula or the Drumberg Loop—even though we’ve driven a motorhome before (but in New Zealand...). I’m a bit of a scaredy-cat! Even though the vast majority of people drive considerately and pull over at passing places, on single-track roads, the lanes are really narrow, there’s often no shoulder, and the roads twist and turn a lot.

Hi Ann, We traveled to Scotland in April 2024 with a motorhome that was 2.2 meters wide and 6 meters long, covering 2,000 km without any particular issues. The Scots are very fair-play on the road. Personally, I’d recommend a motorhome because the sleeping areas in camper vans are less comfortable, and as mentioned, when it rains, it’s a real hassle. Watch out for the midges—these little critters can turn a fantastic trip into a nightmare in no time.