Why choose to tour Scotland?
Because I wanted wide open spaces, wild coasts, grandiose landscapes with mountains, lakes, cliffs, islands ... Also because I also wanted to discover a culture steeped in legends and stories, a heritage rich and varied… Because I had always heard that it is a real experience to go to Scottish pubs, to drink and dance with them… For all these reasons, in August 2015, it was decided: we were leaving for a road trip in Scotland.
When to go for a 15-day tour in Scotland?
Obviously, we do not choose Scotland for the sun! It is important to remember that going to Scotland is to take sweaters, hats and rubber boots!
Scotland has a temperate oceanic climate. I had read that the summers there are generally cool (15 to 20 ° on average) and humid and that the winters are very harsh and even harsher in the north of the country. In theory, the period from May to September is the most favorable period for visit Scotland. We actually went in August and over 15 days we had rain every day except the last one (in Glasgow). Without wanting to scare you, we even had temperatures around 8 ° C in the Highlands.
So after my experience from 2015 I would say that in fact there are only 2 seasons in Ecosse : the very cold season (from November to March) and the bearable cold season (from April to October). And that Scotland must arouse a lot of passion, affection and fascination for tourists to face all of its precipitation!
What transport for a 15-day tour in Scotland?
After comparing quite a few organized tours, self-drive tours and other themed tours to combine or personalize, I couldn't find the right alternative that would allow me to visit all the places I had pre-selected (see below). below) and which would also allow me to contact the Scottish people to share with them their culture and their gastronomy.
I concluded that the car is the only way to visit even the most remote corners of Scotland and the most convenient for eating and sleeping wherever you want.
Un road trip in Scotland, it is freedom yes but it is also an experience!
Indeed, in Scotland we drive on the left and it is quite surprising especially when we approach the first roundabouts which disturb our automatisms and our habits ...
The advantage in Scotland is that even the craziest motorists learn by force to be careful and to drive slowly.
Indeed, the higher you go in the Highlands, the more the road network deteriorates. The country roads (fortunately little used) quickly turn into small winding paths very narrow. In fact, they are so narrow that only one car can drive them. Yes, but these are two-way streets! It is therefore to be able to allow cars to pass each other that the Scots have planned Passing places. These are spaces on the side of the road that allow you to stop to let the car pass in front. Know that these sidings are also useful in front of a flock of sheep ...
Also know that in Scotland, it is better to anticipate and fill up with gasoline as soon as you have the opportunity. Indeed, gas stations are quite rare in some parts of Scotland, so it is better to plan.
What budget for a 15-day tour in Scotland?
AIE Aie Aie ! It is the subject that annoys.
When we went in 2015 the pound sterling was strong and as the prices were also hefty our budget, despite the cold, got very hot and melted very quickly!
Everything was expensive there: gasoline, food, restaurants and even whiskey. The Scottish national drink is taxed at almost 70% in Scotland. We therefore paid more expensive bottles of whiskey in Scotland than in France. But it was too stupid to visit a distillery and not bring back a souvenir ...
As visit Scotland is expensive, here is how we managed to limit costs and be able to do the tour of Scotland in 15 days with a small budget :
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- Take your own vehicle for its road trip in Scotland even if you have to travel more than 3 km and take a ferry, it is still more advantageous than taking a plane and renting a car there. Don't forget your GPS!
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- Go by car with 2 couples to share the transport costs. So by taking a single car, we halve the costs of the motorway, gasoline, parking and as a bonus we have a good time!
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- Find some cheap places to eat (I will tell you about some good little restaurants later), go nibble in pubs, stop for fish and chips by the side of the road or have a good, hearty breakfast to eat light afterwards ...
- Find some cheap places to sleep : see below my selection of Bed and breakfast and bycheap hotels for my 15 day tour in Scotland.
Tour of Scotland in 15 days – 15 must-see places
What to see in Scotland ? Which castles to visit in Scotland ? What distilleries to visit in Speyside ? Where are the most beautiful landscapes in Scotland ? What are the must-sees in Scotland ? I asked myself all these questions in order to determine the 15 must-see places on my 15-day tour in Scotland.
Here are 15 essentials that I had defined to develop my 15 day itinerary in Scotland :
- Edinburgh
- Wild Coast of East Neuk
- St Andrews
- Castles around Aberdeen
- Spey Valley (Speyside) and its distillerys
- Elgin
- Inverness
- torridon
- Loch Ness lake
- Plockton
- Sky Island
- Glen Coe Valley
- Oban
- Loch Lomond
- Glasgow
Tour of Scotland in 15 days - My 15 essentials in photos
Spey Valley (Speyside) and its distilleries
If you want to discover my road itinerary
with the interactive map of my circuit
RV on the article: