UKC

I have 2 Weeks off in August and am planning to take the kids camping in the North of Scotland.
We have had many holidays up in the far North and have so far avoided the use of a tent but this year I want to camp 1 week on the east coast and 1 week on the west. The kids are up for it, only requirement for the camp sites are running water and toilets, a local shop and an even more local pub if thats possible!
The only campsite I would rule out at the moment is that horribly expensive and overcrowded excuse for a campsite near Glenmore in the Cairngorms, (on the right hand side of the ski lift road as you approach the turn off for Glenmore Lodge or thereabouts)
Let the suggestions begin!!

In reply to Gone for good:

On the west coast, Applecross sound like it fits the bill

In reply to Gone for good:
My advice won't be don't! I've given up camping in Scotland in summer due to a certain small flying creature but i guess if you spend a lot of time in Scotland you're fully aware of that issue. If you go pick a campsite that's nice and exposed to the wind and sun. The one near Ardnamurchan point is gorgeous with a pub and shop not too far away. the one in torridon is free and has hot showers, but is often waterlogged.

In reply to Gone for good:

The campsites at Scourie Bay and Durness are both in beautiful spots. And both have handy pubs.

Agree that you should beware the midges, though!

In reply to Ramblin dave:

+1 to both of those. Durness especially is quite exposed on the cliff top and more likely to catch a breeze to keep the midges at least tolerable.

I'd avoid Torridon like the plague, even in May the midges can be unbearable. The only way we could manage to eat was by eating while walking along the road - we stuck it for 2 nights then fled to the Ling Hut.

I haven;t camped in Scotland in August for about 20 years, since a weekend on Arran where in the morning the mesh on the tent inner was completely black with midges.

In reply to Simon Caldwell:

I think the west coast is much of a muchness for midgies.

I always reckon as long as you plan to eat in a pub mostly the midgies don't spoil things too much. It could be a tad annoying with kids tho - if you intend to spend much time on the campsite in the later afternoon / evening.

In reply to Gone for good:

I can thoroughly recommend the Sands campsite outside Gairloch.

You can camp almost on the beach and amongst the dunes so the problem with midges is mightily reduced due to the sea breeze.

I stayed a couple of times climbing around the area and I love the place.


http://www.sandsholidaycentre.co.uk/findus.html

OM

In reply to CurlyStevo:


Agreed. But the Torridon site is very sheltered, and slightly boggy, providing perfect conditions for midges.

In reply to Gone for good:

As others have said - Torridon is horrendous for midgies - soft boggy ground and plenty to tree cover to keep the breeze off, I'd definitely avoid!

The Campsite by An Fuaran at altandu is good - more aimed at camper vans than tents but the tent pitches are fine. Good pub, but not the best for shops (small one nearby but ullapool is the nearest big shop). Fantastic location though.

Scourie is deffo a good one on the west, spar shop in the village and a decent pub. The pub on the site isn't great but the hotel public bar is good (and does fine pub grub!).

Ullapool / ardmair too - though I prefer ardmair. Both are costal and normally have a breeze to keep the midgies at bay!

Gairloch is an excellent family campsite, loads for kids to do onsite, on the coast again so normally breezy to keep the horrors off bar / café onsite (excellent bacon butties in the morning as well!).

East coast - Cullen maybe? Shops, toilets and right on the coast (nice beach in Cullen it's self and good costal walks - even some excellent cragging at Logie head nearby). Ice Cream shop and Chipper are both excellent too!

Lots of nice / picturesque old fishing villages and the like to look around, nature reserve not too far away either.

Cheers,

Stuart

In reply to StuDoig:

Cullen no longer takes tents, Sandend down the road does, but no shop or pub, though you could walk back to Cullen along the coast

Other options for kids is on the East Dornoch.

In reply to Onion magnet:




It's a lovely place - great location, good shop. lovely beach. I do remember being midged to buggery in the evening on the beach, but that's the west coast.

I was going to recommend the Melvaig Inn just up the road from Sands as a really good pub for food, but I've just found it's closed - bit of shame.

In reply to tony:

That's really sad about the Melvaig Inn, it was a fascinatingly eclectic place!

In reply to tony:


The shop is good isn't it, the beers is cheaper than Gairloch itself and the fact that you can buy the local highland beef burgers from the cattle kept on site is awesome.
Fresh pastries too are a real luxury.

Mmmmm yum

I never found it that bad with the midges but then maybe I was lucky.

They do have those big indoor cooking areas that you can use which is a great idea for real bad weather or midge apocalypse.

I really miss the place , one of the best campsite's I've ever been to because of the location

OM

In reply to StuDoig:

Well when I stayed at ardmair campsite there were tonnes of midiges and that was only may. Unfortunately the wee beasties like dawn and dusk, and that coincides with the time of day the wind commonly drops.

In reply to CurlyStevo:

No campsite is immune, but I've stayed there quite a few times and never had major issues with them, if theres no wind at all pretty much every campsite in the west coast will be afflicted!

In reply to ScraggyGoat:

Ah hadn't realised Cullen doesn't do tents now.

to the OP:

Alternative east coast might also be Ballater - again a great general location, shop, toilet block and a wee playpark for kids.

In reply to Gone for good:

Clachtoll Campsite is a great location; no shop or pub nearby though.

http://www.clachtollbeachcampsite.co.uk/

In reply to Gone for good:

Some brilliant suggestions.
I think i might try the Redsands (sic) camp site in Gairloch. I stayed at Badachro for 2 Weeks many moons ago and loved the area. What about climbing prospects for a 13 year old son and 9 year old daughter in that region? I will do some research!
I am thinking of Dornoch on the East coast, there is a campsite just behind the sand dunes on the beach. From what I remember Dornoch was not a midge nightmare but Badachro was and I am hoping the proximity of the sea will keep them at arms length. Its either that or the 'skin so soft'and a midge hood!!
Feel free to drop in more suggestions!!

In reply to Gone for good:




I swear by this stuff. Smells fantastic .

http://www.woodland-ways.co.uk/buy-online-wilmas-nordic-summer-insect-repel...
You and your family will smell like bonfires, creosote and peat bogs.
Better than anything else I've tried.

My midge armour.



OM

In reply to Simon Caldwell:


if camping near Durness, don't miss a visit to HANDA Island for the seabirds, the puffins are great, and only 15 mins on the ferry. A wee trip to Cape Wrath worth doing too.At Durness try the Smoo Cave boat trip, or even along the coast for a wee day out to Orkney , they run coach trips.

Agree that if you get a breezy ( not too windy) spot at Durness campsite that will keep the midge at bay.

In reply to Gone for good:

Second the Sands at Gairloch, have spent many happy times there with the kids.

There is also a corking wee crag only 20 ish mins from the village ( if memory serves ) I think it's Gairloch crag.

Off to check guide books!

In reply to Jim C:

Yes, Handa Island is great, not sure the puffins will still be there in August (?) but even if not then it's worth a trip.

Cape Wrath - if planning a visit, check the timetable and tide times carefully. When I went, we had to wait for ages to go over due to the tides, which meant we only had 10 minutes at the Cape before the last bus back. The ferryman didn't mention this (if he had then he'd have had an empty boat), so do some independent research!

In reply to Gone for good:

Forgot to mention some of the local climbing around Gairloch.

I visited both of these and there not bad.

Raven's Crag, Gairloch

Aztec Tower

OM

In reply to Onion magnet:

Thanks for the info.

In reply to Simon Caldwell:

Visited Cape Wrath 2 years ago. A really enjoyable day out. Despite the remoteness of the headland myself and the kids found plenty to keep us occupied and fitted in a visit to Smoo caves in the early evening. There's a John Lennon memorial garden up that way as well if I recall correctly.

In reply to Gone for good:

I'd second Clachtoll. It's a lovely location, friendly, helpful owners and when I stayed there a couple of years back in July, there weren't many midges.

East Coast, I'd recommend the Station Campsite in Hopeman. Ask if you can camp in the walled garden area. It is right next to the beach and a play park, and Cummingston is about a mile along the road. No reported midges.

In reply to Simon Caldwell:


Or swim!
When the tide is out it is very narrow .

There is a good bothy there though, so you can get dropped off by the bus, and catch it back the next day or so ( but only if there is space )
There were some guys doing that when I was there