View Gallery

8-day west coast & Skye

Eight days along Loch Lomond, Loch Fyne, Oban and Glencoe before the Mallaig ferry to Skye. Keep Trotternish for the full island day, then make the separate mainland transfer to Glencoe before handback.

Trip code :WT-CODE 6014

Curated by Wee Coo Campers · A self-drive route to make your own.

Réserver
  • Overview

  • Day-by-day itinerary

  • Photos

Best for
A varied west coast journey with a Skye day
Driving
Several transfer days
When to go
Spring–autumn; confirm seasonal touring dates
Ferries
Vehicle sailing reservation needed

Why this trip: Lochs, Oban, Glencoe and Skye offer a broad west-coast introduction over eight hire days.

The trade-off: There is one full Skye day; choose the six-day Skye route for more island time, or extend this trip.

Your trip at a glance

DayStart → endDriving
Day 1Renfrew → Luss45–75 min driving25–35 miles
Day 2Luss → Inveraray1.5–2 h driving50–65 miles
Day 3Inveraray → North Ledaig, near Oban1.5–2 h driving50–65 miles
Day 4North Ledaig, near Oban → Glencoe1–1.5 h driving40–55 miles
Day 5Glencoe → Portree3–4 h driving110–125 miles · ferry
Day 6Portree → Portree2–3 h driving50–65 miles
Day 7Portree → Glencoe3–4 h driving125–140 miles
Day 8Glencoe → Renfrew2–2.5 h driving85–95 miles
Map & stops

Pink: overnight · Green: sights · Orange: food · Blue: useful stops

Stops

Choose a day to see its road journey. Tap a shared overnight pin for all its nights. Ferry crossings are gaps between the road sections.

Daily directions
  1. Day 1 · Loch Lomond Directions ↗
  2. Day 2 · Inveraray Directions ↗
  3. Day 3 · Oban Directions ↗
  4. Day 4 · Glencoe Directions ↗
  5. Day 5 · Glenfinnan and Mallaig To the ferry From the ferry
  6. Day 6 · Portree and Trotternish Directions ↗
  7. Day 7 · Glencoe Directions ↗
  8. Day 8 · Return to Renfrew Directions ↗

Get to know the places on this route

Loch Lomond guide →Glencoe guide →Isle of Skye guide →Argyll & Oban guide →

Your day-by-day plan

Your day-by-day plan

Day 1

Loch Lomond

Day 1Loch Lomond25–35 miles · 45–75 min driving

Renfrew → Luss

Loch Lomond
© Dr Peter Chadha and Dr Aviral Vasta

Things to do

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.

Eat & drink

The Village Rest, Luss: our food stop in the village.

Practical details

Café and bistro in Luss: the natural meal stop for the village evening.

Sleep

Luss Caravan & Camp Site: Luss.

Practical details

The choice for a lochside night with Luss nearby.

Facilities: Toilets, showers and laundry; electric hook-up on selected pitches.

Alternative: Lomond Woods Holiday Park. Balloch is about 10 miles south: move the evening and next start accordingly.

Directions ↗

Day 2

Inveraray

Day 2Inveraray50–65 miles · 1.5–2 h driving

Luss → Inveraray

Things to do

Walk the harbourfront and choose one heritage visit. This is a useful first west-coast night after the afternoon handover, rather than pushing straight to the far end of Kintyre.

Eat & drink

Brambles Café, Inveraray: a town-centre meal or coffee stop.

Practical details

Town-centre food and coffee during the Inveraray harbour and heritage stop. Have the meal here before the drive to your Loch Fyne pitch.

Sleep

Argyll Caravan Park: Inveraray.

Practical details

An Inveraray base for the Loch Fyne stage, before continuing south towards Kilmartin.

Facilities: Gravel vehicle pitches, two toilet/shower blocks, washing-up and laundry. The chemical disposal point accepts eco products; blue chemicals are prohibited.

Pitch booking: Published pitch arrival is from 13:00, departure by noon. Arrange arrivals after 17:00 with the operator.

Alternative: Lochgilphead Caravan Park. Farther down the A83, so adjust the following stage.

Directions ↗

Day 3

Oban

Day 3Oban50–65 miles · 1.5–2 h driving

Inveraray → North Ledaig, near Oban

Oban harbour
© roger nightingale · CC BY-SA 2.0

Things to do

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.

Eat & drink

Food from Argyll at the Pier: especially useful around ferry travel.

Practical details

An Oban pier-side lunch during the waterfront walk. On ferry days, eat before vehicle check-in and keep the boarding time separate.

Sleep

North Ledaig Caravan Park: North Ledaig, near Oban.

Practical details

A coastal pitch north of Oban for the harbour or a following ferry. The site is outside town: arrange the evening journey back before dinner.

Facilities: Toilet facilities, laundry and an on-site shop; a bus stop outside connects with Oban.

Pitch booking: Non-members are welcome in designated areas: choose the correct guest/pitch category when reserving.

Alternative: Oban Holiday Park. On the south side of Oban; allow for crossing town to the ferry terminal.

Directions ↗

Day 4

Glencoe

Day 4Glencoe40–55 miles · 1–1.5 h driving

North Ledaig, near Oban → Glencoe

Glencoe
© Malcolm Lightbody

Things to do

Follow the A828 coast from the Oban area through Appin to Ballachulish and Glencoe. Walk the Glencoe Lochan trail after arrival; this approach does not pass through Tyndrum or across Rannoch Moor.

Eat & drink

Use the village café after the Lochan outing.

Crafts & Things

Practical details

Glencoe 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.

Practical details

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.

Directions ↗

Day 5

Glenfinnan and Mallaig

Day 5Glenfinnan and Mallaig110–125 miles · 3–4 h driving

Glencoe → PortreeVehicle 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.

Glenfinnan Monument & viaduct

Practical details

Arrive early and allow walking time; the visitor-centre car park is often busy.

Eat & drink

Glenfinnan Station Dining Car: baking and light lunches in a restored carriage.

Practical details

Coffee, baking and light lunch in a restored railway carriage. Pair it with the Glenfinnan walk before the onward Mallaig drive.

Sleep

Portree Campsite: Portree.

Practical details

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.

To the ferry · From the ferry

CalMac sailing & vehicle space ↗

Day 6

Portree and Trotternish

Day 6Portree and Trotternish50–65 miles · 2–3 h driving

Portree → Portree

Isle of Skye
© Sketch the Sun (treesforanya)

Things to do

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.

Eat & drink

Birch, Portree: coffee before the morning’s outing.

Practical details

Coffee on Bayfield Road before or after the northern outing.

Sleep

Portree Campsite: Portree.

Practical details

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.

Directions ↗

Day 7

Glencoe

Day 7Glencoe125–140 miles · 3–4 h driving

Portree → Glencoe

Glencoe
© Malcolm Lightbody

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 & Things

Practical details

Glencoe 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.

Practical details

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.

Directions ↗

Day 8

Return to Renfrew

Day 8Return to Renfrew85–95 miles · 2–2.5 h driving

Glencoe → Renfrew

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.

Eat & drink

Breakfast in the van before departure.

Sleep

No overnight: return day.

Directions ↗

More Wee Coo routes

Melrose Abbey
#WT-CODE 6003

3-day Scottish Borders history loop

3 Day(s) 2 Night(s)
Scottish Borders
4

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.

Explore
Loch Lomond
#WT-CODE 6001

Loch Lomond first weekend

2 Day(s) 1 Night(s)
Loch Lomond
No Size Limit

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.

Explore
Oban harbour
#WT-CODE 6004

4-day Argyll & Oban coast

4 Day(s) 3 Night(s)
Argyll & Oban
4

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.

Explore