UKC

We’re travelling to catch a ferry to the Orkneys and need a place to pitch a tent to break the journey, probably somewhere between Inverness and Golspie. Any recommendations for a clean, friendly, simple tap and toilet campsite. Don’t really want to pay over the odds for a holiday park type site. 

Potentially open to suggestions of simple campsites off the A9 just south of Inverness if you know of anywhere nice. 
 

Thanks in advance. 

Good luck with that. I'd probably just find a quiet spot and wild camp.

That’s what we’d normally do, but at the moment with the popularity of campervans, NC500, ‘wild’ camping etc I’d rather find an official pitch. 

Probably not what you’re looking for, but it’s a lovely spot

https://www.parkdeanresorts.co.uk/location/scotland/grannies-heilan-hame/

You'll be able to find a spot that isn't busy, just pick a minor road off the A9 away from habitation. Are you going soon? It's not that busy yet anyway.

This is the problem with the campervan plague in Scotland. It's becoming increasingly unviable to just park up somewhere but most campsites are, as you say, high priced parks that look down their nose at any campervan costing less than 50k. There's a real lack of basic fields with a toilet, not very lucrative perhaps, for scumbags to stop in  

Where are you coming from? The Englands? The Lake Districts?

That's just wrong. Complete rubbish.

There is a campsite signposted just north of Brora, down a track towards the sea - hand written sign etc.  If it’s still there (not been down the road since last summer), it might be the kind of thing you are looking for.

Otherwise there are not many campsites on that stretch, other than Grannies Hielan Hame which is very much a holiday park but a lovely location and a small site just north of Tain, which is mostly static berths but you certainly used to be able to camp there.

And it’s “Orkney”.  “The Orkney’s” tends to elicit a collective wince when someone says it and we are usually too polite to say.

I totally understand that, we have been very wary of van camping in the highlands since restrictions have eased. However, for what it's worth, what we've seen so far has looked surprisingly quiet compared to how we expected things to be. Especially if you were going soon and mid week, I think you might find you are ok with responsible and discreet feral camping.

Just south of Inverness, there’s Achnahillin park, at Daviot, just off the A9.  They were only open for self-contained units last year (no loos/showers etc open), but they might be worth a shout to see what their opening plans are for this season

If you avoid the honeypots it's really not a problem.

The sign is still there but I've never seen any evidence of a campsite!

This place used to be nice, but it may have changed hands since I last stayed there as I don't recall the caravans in the past:

https://www.inver-caravan-park.co.uk/

Stayed there last October and it's a good spot.

I’ve never gone down the track to look as Im usually either trying to make Inverness before I stop for a break, or running north for the last boat!

I had thought it would probably just be a tap and portaloo type place but who knows

We stayed here on our trip to the Orkney ferry:

https://www.blackrockscotland.com/

It was clean and quiet (early July, 2016ish).

Jason

The site is the other side of the railway accessed via a arch through the railway embankment, too narrow for most camper vans, caravans and motor homes.   Since its the other side of the railway and down a bit you can’t see it. Gloriously basic, to the point of feeling unattended,  spread out with a few long term residents, whether it’s open in Covid and how you find out are two entirely different questions.  It’s the sort of place that if you arrived after dark you would struggle to find (even after driving under the bridge) and then maybe have difficulty spotting a pitch. Then in the morning will feel slightly self conscious if you have a fancy mountaineering tent and a shiny motor. Mr Durran  of this parish would love it.

The inver site would be easier to contact/book.

Thanks for the info

I went down there many years ago, drove round a bit and then headed off. I guess it would be ok for one night but we were looking for somewhere for a few days and to be honest I didn't particularly like the look of some of the other campers. Might have improved since then of course. Then again, perhaps not.

There's also a couple of places adjacent to Brora, here's one of them: https://www.facebook.com/SeaBreezesBrora/

There's a municipal campsite at Dornoch which is actually quite nice for a municipal site.

I guess the other option is to just keep on going until you get to Thurso and stay in the municipal site there. I stayed for a night and it was fine, very handy for the ferry IIRC.

Thanks for all of your helpful advice and I promise to never put an ‘s’ after Orkney ever again! 

No bother. Hope you have a lovely time and the weather warms up for you a bit.  

Make sure to report back if you find a site . If you just “camp “ Don’t report back, as the anti scampers will be out in force . Damed if you do , damed if you don’t .