Ask Lemmy

I don't know where you're coming from (either geographically or in life experience) but I go on holiday several times a year to Scotland. I started out sleeping in the back of my car and loved it so much I bought a camper van after a few years. Sometimes I go alone in the van and sometimes I go with family and use hostels or B&Bs.

Download a map of the whole of Scotland on your phone, pick a general area and go there. Drive until you reach somewhwre that looks nice. This won't take long at all. Get out the car and walk in any direction. There probably won't be any man made structures (including fences) other than the road. Walk until you are tired. Turn around. Read a book for a bit, then move on. Near the end of the day, get out your map and head for the nearest town to find somewhere to stay. Depending on the time of year, this could be a bit frustrating and take a couple of visits to hotels but I've only ever failed to find somewhere once. Next morning, visit a supermarket and buy all your food for that day. Repeat until you miss home. You are entitled to walk almost everywhere in Scotland as long as you are responsible and respectful.

If that kind of experience is what you're after, I'd suggest:

Galloway Forest Park. If you like forests (obviously). Very easy to stay in the forest then just dip out to a town and go back in. Lots of planned footpaths there, or just follow a forestry track (obey all signs if there are forestry works ongoing). I spent about nine days here last year, based near New Galloway and Newton Stewart.

The Cairngorms. Big mountain range with lots of stunning valleys. The main places I have been are up the A9 (main road from south to north) based around Pitlochry. You can turn off onto the A924 and there's loads of lay-bys if you're in a van, but it's mostly just a desolate heath up there so maybe not great for camping. Very beautiful. Be careful if you choose to walk and wear waterproof boots because it can be easy to sink into the undergrowth. Ask me how I know... Probably best to stick to walking along the road here honestly. Very nice drive at night with the snow poles reflecting and showing the way.

Also Cairngorms: Braemar is a more touristy place, but with good reason. As you drive in towards Braemar you go through a valley with a river to the left. Stop anywhere along here and just hike up the mountains on either side. Well worth it when you get to the top. The river is a good place for a wash if you're into that. There are paths up the mountains but I don't know where they start, I only found on when I got to the top. Be careful on the road though, lots of people driving dangerously because it's a fast wide road. Better to walk on the river bank away from the road.

Also also Cairngorms: Muir of Dinnet is a nature reserve with several planned walks, some of which have interesting educational signs. You can see the landscape which was shaped by the last ice age which I found fascinating. There's a beautiful boggy patch with a lot of flowers in if you're at the right time of year. Also a forest walk where I went off the path and explored up a river. Very much recommend. You can stay for one night in the car park and there's a toilet and drinking water there.

Far north, NC500. I don't remember this much because it was one of my first trips. The main thing is there's not much to do there in terms of tourist attractions and not many places to stay. The whole place was empty. I feel like I'd enjoy it a lot more now if I went back, but I always get distracted by something else on the way and never make it that far north.

Isle of Skye: Stunning and beautiful but also quite expensive. The Old Man of Storr was the standout in my memory, it seemed like you could get a view of most of the island from up there. Also, if you take the ferry over to Mallaig, the viaduct the train takes in Harry Potter is nearby. Very impressive building but a lot of people there.