- Overview
- Day-by-day itinerary
- Photos
Why choose this route?
A broad Scottish sampler taking in the west coast, Skye, Wester Ross and the Cairngorms. Use the daily choices to keep one worthwhile outing in focus, with a practical Perthshire finish.
Loch Lomond — good for: Short approach from Renfrew; a lochside pitch and village food can make the first evening feel like a holiday. The compromise: Luss gets busy, and the A82 can be slow. This is a lively visitor village rather than a secluded Highland retreat.
Glencoe — good for: Big Highland scenery without an island crossing; strong low-level and indoor alternatives. The compromise: The roadside viewpoints fill up. Mountain walks need much more preparation than a short woodland circuit.
Your route at a glance
Pink markers show the itinerary’s day areas. Tap a marker for its name, or open the stops in Google Maps. Ferry crossings and road journeys need separate checks for your travel dates.
- Renfrew — collection / return
- Day 1: Loch Lomond
- Day 2: Glencoe
- Day 3: Oban
- Day 4: Glenfinnan and Mallaig
- Day 5: South Skye
- Day 6: Portree and Trotternish
- Day 7: Lochcarron
- Day 8: Ullapool
- Day 9: Inverness
- Day 10: Aviemore
- Day 11: Pitlochry
A glimpse of the places
Photo: Malcolm Lightbody · Unsplash. Resized for display.
Photo: Sketch the Sun (treesforanya) · CC0. Resized for display.
Photo: Caroline Legg · CC BY 2.0. Resized for display.
Your 12-day plan:
- Day 1: Loch Lomond
- Day 2: Glencoe
- Day 3: Oban
- Day 4: Glenfinnan and Mallaig
- Day 5: South Skye
- Day 6: Portree and Trotternish
- Day 7: Lochcarron
- Day 8: Ullapool
- Day 9: Inverness
- Day 10: Aviemore
- Day 11: Pitlochry
- Day 12: Return to Renfrew
11 nights away. Open the daily plan below for the food, activity and overnight choices.
Itineraries
Day 1
Loch Lomond
Collection: Allow for the 14:00 handover in Renfrew before starting this day. Choose an evening stop that fits the campsite’s check-in time.
Start with Luss’s cottages, pier and lochshore, rather than trying to cover both sides of the loch. Park in a signed visitor car park and leave the village lanes for walking.
Make it work: For the short weekend, Balloch Country Park gives you a final-morning walk close to the return journey.
Day 2
Glencoe
Follow the A82 across Rannoch Moor and stop at the Three Sisters viewpoint only when there is a safe space. Make Glencoe your base; the visitor centre is a useful alternative when hill weather is poor.
Make it work: Choose a low-level outing in poor weather. Glen Etive is a narrow dead-end detour, not a quick alternative through-route.
Day 3
Oban
Leave the van in an appropriate town car park and explore the harbour on foot. A waterfront lunch and one viewpoint are a better combination than squeezing in a distant island crossing.
Make it work: For a ferry next morning, choose the pitch and departure time together; mainland drive time comes after disembarkation.
Day 4
Glenfinnan and Mallaig
Make Glenfinnan’s viaduct and loch your main stop before following the Road to the Isles. Check train operation and timing directly if seeing a train is the reason for the stop.
Make it work: Book Mallaig–Armadale vehicle space with CalMac. Use the A87 bridge approach as the alternative, allowing for the extra drive.
Day 5
South Skye
Start with the south of the island or one open Cuillin-side walk. Keep the weather and road conditions in charge of your choice; save Trotternish for its own day.
Make it work: Carbost and Portree are separate legs; choose the café detour only when it fits the day.
Day 6
Portree and Trotternish
Choose one main Trotternish outing: the Storr or a Quiraing walk in suitable conditions. Leave time for parking and walking; complete the full loop only if you have the daylight.
Make it work: A noon return from Portree needs a very early departure. Prefer a mainland final night or add a day.
Day 7
Lochcarron
Use the mainland road option for this stage and consider Applecross only if the coastal detour suits conditions and your confidence. The mountain pass is not essential to enjoy the west coast.
Make it work: This is a long transfer day. If you want to stay in Applecross, extend the trip and book its pitch separately.
Day 8
Ullapool
Follow the west-coast road with one stop around Assynt, then make Ullapool’s harbour the evening focus. Resist combining several slow-road loops.
Make it work: Confirm seasonal service. Fill up and resupply before the next long transfer.
Day 9
Inverness
Stock up before the remote northern stages. If you choose Chanonry Point, allow time to park appropriately and walk from Rosemarkie or Fortrose rather than counting on space at the point.
Make it work: Dolphins are a possibility, not a guaranteed attraction at a fixed time.
Day 10
Aviemore
Choose Loch Morlich’s beach or an open Rothiemurchus woodland route as the main outing. Keeping one base gives you time outside the van instead of another evening transfer.
Make it work: October 2026 check: FLS reports wildfire-related closures affecting Ryvoan Pass / An Lochan Uaine. Do not follow older blog routes into closed areas.
Day 11
Pitlochry
Explore the town and woodland, or make Blair Castle’s grounds your main stop. Blair Atholl is a practical base for the next A9 leg.
Make it work: A whisky tour is an optional booking; the driver must remain alcohol-free.
Day 12
Return to Renfrew
Today is the return journey, with standard handback by 12 noon. Check live traffic, allow time to refuel and arrive at the agreed return point. Optional sightseeing and cafés come after the return only, unless a later handback has been agreed.
Food: Breakfast in the van before leaving your final pitch keeps the morning flexible. Sleeping: No overnight pitch is included for this final hire day; book an additional night if extending.
