7-day Scotland campervan route: west coast and Skye
A week-long version of the west-coast journey, with the route shortened by going straight from Loch Lomond to Oban. Book the Mallaig ferry and leave Skye before the final return morning.
Invercoe Highland Holidays, Glencoe → Return to Renfrew Renfrew Approx. 85–95 miles
2–2.5 h
Rounded planning allowances, not live navigation. Driving excludes walks, food stops, traffic and ferry sailing/check-in. Use each day’s directions for current routing. First-day travel starts after the 14:00 Renfrew handover; the final day is reserved for the noon return.
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.
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.
Day 3 · Glenfinnan and Mallaig150–170 miles · 4–5 h driving
North Ledaig Caravan Park, North Ledaig, near Oban → Portree Campsite, Portree Approx. 150–170 miles · allow 4–5 h driving Vehicle ferry: Mallaig → Armadale. Sailing, check-in and waiting time are additional.
Things to do
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.
Keep a Portree base for the Trotternish and western Skye outings. Torvaig’s exposed pitches can be windy; Dunvegan is a different base, not a next-door substitute.
Facilities: Hardstanding pitches with electric hook-up. Torvaig is above Portree on the Staffin Road; exposed pitches can feel windy.
Alternative:Kinloch Campsite. Dunvegan is around 25 miles west of Portree: use it as a different island base.
Leave the van at Portree tonight. Follow the Trotternish loop with the Storr as the main walk, then Kilt Rock and Staffin if weather and daylight suit. Save the Quiraing hike for a longer stay; the driving allowance excludes walking and parking.
Keep a Portree base for the Trotternish and western Skye outings. Torvaig’s exposed pitches can be windy; Dunvegan is a different base, not a next-door substitute.
Facilities: Hardstanding pitches with electric hook-up. Torvaig is above Portree on the Staffin Road; exposed pitches can feel windy.
Alternative:Kinloch Campsite. Dunvegan is around 25 miles west of Portree: use it as a different island base.
Day 5 · Carbost and Dunvegan65–85 miles · 2.5–3.5 h driving
Portree Campsite, Portree → Portree Campsite, Portree Approx. 65–85 miles · allow 2.5–3.5 h driving
Things to do
Make Carbost and Dunvegan the western-island day: coffee at Café Cùil, then Dunvegan Castle if you want an admission. Return to your Portree pitch. Neist Point is an optional extra, not part of this day’s mileage.
Eat & drink
Café Cùil, Carbost — a west-island detour, rather than a café beside Armadale.
Hebridean-inspired brunch and lunch worth building the western day around.
Keep a Portree base for the Trotternish and western Skye outings. Torvaig’s exposed pitches can be windy; Dunvegan is a different base, not a next-door substitute.
Facilities: Hardstanding pitches with electric hook-up. Torvaig is above Portree on the Staffin Road; exposed pitches can feel windy.
Alternative:Kinloch Campsite. Dunvegan is around 25 miles west of Portree: use it as a different island base.
Follow the mainland A87 and A82 via Fort William to Glencoe. Use Fort William for the food or fuel break and reach your booked pitch within its arrival window. Tyndrum and Rannoch Moor are on tomorrow’s southbound journey.
Eat & drink
Pack a picnic for the transfer. Glencoe village coffee fits an early arrival.
Crafts & ThingsGlencoe village coffee, home baking and a craft shop to browse after the Lochan walk. Useful for a short indoor stop when the rain arrives.
Day 7 · Return to Renfrew85–95 miles · 2–2.5 h driving
Invercoe Highland Holidays, Glencoe → Renfrew Approx. 85–95 miles · allow 2–2.5 h driving
Things to do
Breakfast at your final pitch, then return to Renfrew. Aim to arrive around 11:00, allowing time for traffic, refuelling and the standard noon handback.
Trade the busiest Highland roads for Melrose’s abbey, the Eildon Hills and Border towns. Pick one proper walk and leave time for a bakery stop and a riverside pitch.
Follow the A83 from Inveraray into Kilmartin’s ancient landscape, then finish with Oban’s harbour food. This mainland trip puts archaeology and small-town stops ahead of ferry logistics.