- Overview
- Day-by-day itinerary
- Photos
- Best for
- A coast-to-coast sampler for confident road-trip drivers
- Driving
- Substantial driving
- When to go
- Late spring–early autumn; seasonal pitches
- Ferries
- Mainland roads; no vehicle ferry
Why this trip: Separate Wick, Tongue and Durness nights break up the north coast before the western return.
The trade-off: This nine-day highlights circuit has substantial driving and omits Applecross; the fuller coast needs more days.
Your trip at a glance
9 hire days · 8 nights · approximately 805–945 miles
| Day | Drive & overnight | Driving |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Renfrew → Pitlochry Blair Castle Caravan Park, Blair Atholl Approx. 95–110 miles | 2–2.5 h |
| 2 | Blair Castle Caravan Park, Blair Atholl → Inverness Fortrose Bay Campsite, Fortrose Approx. 115–130 miles | 2.5–3 h |
| 3 | Fortrose Bay Campsite, Fortrose → Wick Wick River Campsite, Wick Approx. 110–130 miles | 3–4 h |
| 4 | Wick River Campsite, Wick → Tongue Tongue Hostel & Holiday Park, Tongue Approx. 80–100 miles | 3–4 h |
| 5 | Tongue Hostel & Holiday Park, Tongue → Durness Sango Sands Campsite, Durness Approx. 35–45 miles | 1.5–2 h |
| 6 | Sango Sands Campsite, Durness → Ullapool Ardmair Holiday Park, Ardmair, near Ullapool Approx. 70–85 miles | 2.5–3.5 h |
| 7 | Ardmair Holiday Park, Ardmair, near Ullapool → Lochcarron The Wee Campsite, Lochcarron Approx. 110–130 miles | 3.5–4.5 h |
| 8 | The Wee Campsite, Lochcarron → Glencoe Invercoe Highland Holidays, Glencoe Approx. 105–120 miles | 2.5–3.5 h |
| 9 | 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.
Map & stops
Pink: overnight · Green: sights · Orange: food · Blue: useful stops
Choose a day to see its road journey. Tap a shared overnight pin for all its nights.
Daily directions
- Day 1 · Pitlochry Directions ↗
- Day 2 · Inverness Directions ↗
- Day 3 · Wick Directions ↗
- Day 4 · Tongue Directions ↗
- Day 5 · Durness Directions ↗
- Day 6 · Ullapool Directions ↗
- Day 7 · Lochcarron Directions ↗
- Day 8 · Glencoe Directions ↗
- Day 9 · Return to Renfrew Directions ↗
Want a little more?
John o’ Groats and Dunnet Head are optional additions to the Wick–Tongue stage, adding roughly 30–40 miles and 60–90 minutes of driving together. This nine-day plan omits Applecross; add days for the fuller coastal circuit.
Get to know the places on this route
Open a day for its drive, food stop and overnight pitch. Mileage and times are estimates; ferry time is additional.
Your day-by-day plan
Day 1
Pitlochry
Day 1 · Pitlochry95–110 miles · 2–2.5 h driving
Renfrew → Blair Castle Caravan Park, Blair Atholl
Approx. 95–110 miles · allow 2–2.5 h driving
Day 2
Inverness
Day 2 · Inverness115–130 miles · 2.5–3 h driving
Blair Castle Caravan Park, Blair Atholl → Fortrose Bay Campsite, Fortrose
Approx. 115–130 miles · allow 2.5–3 h driving
Day 3
Wick
Day 3 · Wick110–130 miles · 3–4 h driving
Fortrose Bay Campsite, Fortrose → Wick River Campsite, Wick
Approx. 110–130 miles · allow 3–4 h driving
Day 4
Tongue
Day 4 · Tongue80–100 miles · 3–4 h driving
Wick River Campsite, Wick → Tongue Hostel & Holiday Park, Tongue
Approx. 80–100 miles · allow 3–4 h driving
Day 5
Durness
Day 5 · Durness35–45 miles · 1.5–2 h driving
Tongue Hostel & Holiday Park, Tongue → Sango Sands Campsite, Durness
Approx. 35–45 miles · allow 1.5–2 h driving
Things to do
Choose Smoo Cave’s accessible viewing area and Balnakeil Beach, leaving weather-dependent boat activity as a separate option.
Eat & drink
Smoo Cave Hotel — the Durness meal option.
Sleep
Sango Sands Campsite — Durness.
An overnight base for the Durness and Smoo Cave stage; leave room for the slower roads.
Facilities: In the full season: toilets, showers, laundry and waste disposal. Limited winter service has no open toilets or showers.
Pitch booking: Book ahead for an electric pitch and arrive before 17:00. Non-electric pitches operate first come, first served. This Wee Coo plan uses the full-facilities season.
Alternative: Tongue Hostel & Holiday Park. Back east at Tongue: revise the following west-coast day.
Day 6
Ullapool
Day 6 · Ullapool70–85 miles · 2.5–3.5 h driving
Sango Sands Campsite, Durness → Ardmair Holiday Park, Ardmair, near Ullapool
Approx. 70–85 miles · allow 2.5–3.5 h driving
Day 7
Lochcarron
Day 7 · Lochcarron110–130 miles · 3.5–4.5 h driving
Ardmair Holiday Park, Ardmair, near Ullapool → The Wee Campsite, Lochcarron
Approx. 110–130 miles · allow 3.5–4.5 h driving
Day 8
Glencoe
Day 8 · Glencoe105–120 miles · 2.5–3.5 h driving
The Wee Campsite, Lochcarron → Invercoe Highland Holidays, Glencoe
Approx. 105–120 miles · allow 2.5–3.5 h driving
Things to do
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.
Sleep
Invercoe Highland Holidays — Glencoe.
A lochside Glencoe base, with touring available all year.
Facilities: Electric hook-up, some hardstanding pitches and laundry.
Pitch booking: Reserve a campervan pitch directly. Published arrival window: 13:30–18:00; departure by 11:00.
Alternative: Glencoe Club Site. By the visitor centre; its touring season differs from Invercoe.
Day 9
Return to Renfrew
Day 9 · 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
More Wee Coo routes
Loch Lomond first weekend
One lochside night, a gentle walk and time to learn the van. Luss gives this first weekend a clear base close enough for an easy return to Renfrew.
3-day Scottish Borders history loop
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.
4-day Argyll & Oban coast
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.