UKC

Looking for recommendations on a place to stay for an overnight on the long haul up from London to catch the ferry at Scrabster. It’s too far to do in a day, and we would want to catch the early ferry. Inverness looks like the furthest north we could by car/van and close enough that we can still get the ferry without leaving in the small hours. 

Just checking you know it’s approx 2 and a half hours drive from Inverness to Scrabster (more if you get stuck behind lorries and motorhomes), and you need to be at Scrabster 30 mins prior to ferry departure.

Thanks, not thought about the hgvs slowing things down. 

Haven't stayed in hostels in Inverness, but used both these places a few times:

sleeperzzz.com at Rogart - old train carriages, wee bit off route, but something different

Helmsdale hostel is on the A9, about 70 miles/1.5 hours North of Inverness, so would make catching the drive to catch the ferry fair bit shorter next morning.

Worth bearing in mind the A9 north of Inverness is much slower than the Perth-Inverness section, with few options to overtake if stuck behind slow moving traffic - we missed our ferry the first time we travelled up to Orkney!

thanks for the advice. It will be our first time that far north on the east side of Scotland, so its all a bit new. Will investigate the Helmsdale Hostel option.

We've stayed in Bazpackers Hostel, which was fine, and the new Travelodge, which was also fine.