Scotland Castle Tours from Edinburgh
A 7 day self drive tour of Scottish castles
A 7 day self drive tour of Scottish castles
As driven by George, Bella & Mabel the dog
If you are looking for tried and tested Scotland castle tours from Edinburgh, have a look at the one devised by two of our recent customers. You can see their personal recommendations for the best castles to visit near Edinburgh (well within 3 days drive!), campsites they tried and places to eat.
George, Bella and Mabel the dog, started in Edinburgh with a visit to the world famous Edinburgh Castle. Standing on the site of an Iron Age fort, Edinburgh Castle is one of the oldest fortified palaces in Europe. The Castle has a commanding position as it sits on top of Castle Rock in the centre of Edinburgh. You can happily spend the day here exploring centuries’ worth of royal and military history. But our intrepid castle explorers had to tear themselves at the sound of the One O Clock gun to catch the train to Inverkeithing. We picked them up from here and took them to our base in Rosyth to meet Flora, their campervan for the next 6 nights. We waved them off to continue their tour of Scotland’s castles that afternoon.
As told by George & Bella
We spent a night in Edinburgh and took a trip to Edinburgh Castle which we recommend. It is a brilliant castle to visit with incredible 360 degree views across the City and beyond. Don’t forget that if you are there at 1pm the boom of the One O Clock gun will make you jump!
We got the train from Waverley to the stop nearest the Big Sky Campers base where Rob met us and picked us up to collect Flora. When we picked up our campervan, along with all the stuff we expected – bedding, towels, etc, we were given a seat belt strap to connect to our dog’s lead or harness, a metal stake to use at campsites and a water and and food bowl. This was brilliant for us as we came by public transport so didn’t have to bring a ton of stuff for the dog, on top of all our gear.
Leaving Big Sky Campers we headed to Dunkeld where we had a late lunch at the Tay Bank Inn. It’s a great spot with a big beer garden right on the riverfront. They also play live music here every Wednesday. Just time for a quick stop at Castle Menzies for a stroll and another beer on the shore of Loch Tay and then onto Killin where we went to see the Falls of Dochart. First night’s camping was at Red Squirrel, where we bbq’d as they have wee fire pits.
Had coffee in Fort William and walked around Old Inverlochy Castle. Drove along Locy Lochy to the ruins of Invergarry Castle, which we loved. Then along to Loch Ness and found the ruins of Red Castle which was spectacular and overlooking the Beauly Firth. Late lunch in Flora and then drove over to the Badrallach campsite. Took a while as we got held up by sheep!
Headed to the other side of Little Loch Broom and visited the gorge and waterfalls which are just along the A832 . On towards Applecross, stopping off at Gruinard Bay for a walk. Then, through Laide which has a great petrol station and shop for supplies. Stopped in Gairloch and walked on the empty beaches, not a person in sight. We then kept to the coastal road until we got to Applecross, where we wild camped in a beautiful spot. A little tip for others on this route – the butcher in Gairloch – amazing meat, game, burgers, sausages and wonderful pastries as well as fresh veg and delicious desserts.
Carried on to Applecross and up and over the Bealach na Ba . Stopped at Kishorn Seaford Bar for lunch…amazing (but not cheap). From there to Skye where we went to Kyleakin and to Castile Maol (another beautiful ruin). We’d recommend staying at Glenbrittle campsite – it’s easily the best one on Skye. We had really good fish and chips in Portree and stocked up on Gin and Whisky from the Isle of Skye Distillers.
The next morning we drove to the top of the island and visited Duntulm Castle – stunning views again and hot chocolate after (it snowed). From there to Dunvegan Castle, stopped for lunch and went for a walk, gathered wood for fire. Obligatory visit to the Fairy Pools.
Left Skye and stumbled on Moyle campsite and it was beautiful. Honesty box and electric hook up just for a couple of vehicles. Built a wee fire and bbq’d. The facilities were perfect for such a remote location, good showers and it was great being able to bbq and have the fire – we loved it.
Heading off the route for a while we travelled South, hugging the shore of Loch Linnhe and eventually reached the view point across to Castle Stalker, which sits on a land mass in the Loch. Book ahead to visit as there is one tour a day for 12 people. You are taken across on a wee boat and can take in the rich history of the castle and witness the amazing restoration lovingly done by family and friends.
Driving back – stopped at Daingrean settlement along Loch Garry (great wild camping spot) and then stopped off at the Eagle Barge at Laggan Locks. For a final stop we went to Falkland Palace in Fife. Certainly not a ruin, but a beautiful Renaissance palace which has been well maintained by the National Trust. Falkland is a really pretty village with quirky shops and nice pubs and cafes too. The park land is great for dog walks and if you want to buy some organic produce then call in at Pillars of Hercules. This offers quite basic but very peaceful farm camping and makes a great spot for a final night of peace and solitude in the countryside before a return to Edinburgh.
Scotland
If you are a castle enthusiast looking for self drive Scotland castle tours from Edinburgh, do it in style with one of our top of the range VW T6.1 Highline campers. Big Sky Campers are here to help you every step of the way. We can advise you on your route, make sure you have the right vehicle and kit for your needs and will offer any help we can. We also offer a bespoke itinerary planning service, please ask for details. If you have any questions please get in touch via our website. You can also book directly on our site.
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