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I camped at Tarbet Ness lighthouse and had dolphins swim past, just a few metres away, in the morning when I was packing up.
Just for a laugh, glen Lyon
Actually has some good over night places and Ben lawyers is a decent walk.
Also, I plan on proposing to the gf up there, preferably up the top of a mountain/hill, somewhere with a spectacular view we’ll remember. Any suggestions?
You could take her up The Whangie.
Bear in mind the Kingshouse is a bawhair from the Glencoe car park, seems probable it's a nicer place to chill.
Anyway, hope it's a good trip!
You could take her up The Whangie.
Make sure you spend time on the Paps first in preparation.
Make sure you spend time on the Paps first in preparation.
Good advice that. I assume you are a married man? 🙂
Yes, don't forget the mhor play.
Bookmarking this thread for many reasons
I understand that (Sgorr nam) Fiannaidh is also a popular route
If you're there for New Year, Newtonmore has a great NYE do where people meet at opposite ends of the village with flaming torches that you can buy the march behind two pipers toward each other to meet at a bridge in the middle of the high street then cross it together for a fire and whisky party.
That'd put you in the Cairngorm area for some short bikes to sneak in in the morning (Laggan, both the trail centre and Laggan Brown off piste are nearby, and High Burnside for more Golfie style stuff if either are open). Aviemore isn't a nice place to be a tourist but there's plenty of munros to hike (I'd go for one of the Cairngorm summits if the weather is good, otherwise head south for Schiehallion or it's really bad Ben Vrackie behind Pitlochry is a lovely walk up a Corbett).
I suspect some of the big estate houses will be doing Christmas stuff then too. There's a nice low level walk to see wildcat statues in Newtonmore and the Highland Wildlife park is very cool - it is a safari park that focuses on animals that live on the tundra or snow so there'll be things you've never seen or heard of.
There'd be somewhere to hammock but that sounds shit to me so wouldn't know where to start.
I was expecting this thread to be about the risk of new covid rules derailing your plans. (I'm planning to go the Scotland for New Year too).
You may not have a problem at this time of year, but I went to Scotland in a campervan in August, and found it very difficult to park it anywhere except a campsite. I understand why and was happy to do that, but you may find a lot of places blocked off.
Isle of Mull. It's beautiful with some stunning hills. Some of the best place to park your van is on the west side of Ben More looking out to Eorsa island.
Also look at Arran and Skye. Torridon is also fantastic, there's a campsite in Shieldaig with a view of one of the nicest sunsets I've ever seen.
Oh yeah, best check out the latest restrictions in Scotland, I think they changed today 😬
No restrictions on anything OP is planning.
Seconded for Ben A'an, amazing views on a clear day. The Isle of Arran is beautiful, there's various hill/mountain terrain for walking, cracking views, great beaches and it's an island you can drive around in a day but spend a couple days exploring. Reached by ferry from Ardrossan on west coast south of Glasgow, takes about an hour. Islay / Jura are also gorgeous on the West Coast, very rugged and great beaches, will be quiet I think around that time out of season. Islay is distillery central. I was biking at Bike Glenlivet recently and a couple who were hillwalking had just got engaged just as I arrived on the bike at the summit of the big hill top of the red - Cairn Daimh I think? Awesome views from the trig point (I took a photo for them!), it's not too far from Aviemore. You could pretend to be doing a bike ride recce.. Good luck with the proposal, what a lovely thing to be planning, lucky girl!! 🙂
Leave the hammocks at home and sleep in the van. Go to Aviemore and park in the ski car park or better the other one which name I can't remember ! Walk up the hill to board while she drives down to Aviemore for a more sensible use of the day.
Or go to Fort Bill.
It’s only half hour more darkness than we’d get at home, and we’d be sat in a house anyway so we’ve decided we don’t care.
I'm in the Borders, you're proposing on going a lot further north.
No restrictions on anything OP is planning.
Except the restrictions may mean businesses don't open - and/or restrict numbers. Could make it tricky to find anything open or with space.
I can suggest a couple of hammocking locations near Aviemore where you can park the van and sleep beside it. PM me if you're interested.
It’s only half hour more darkness than we’d get at home, and we’d be sat in a house anyway so we’ve decided we don’t care.
At the end of the month sunrise in Inverness is 08:58 and sunset is 15:34. You've not said where you're coming from but London is SR 08:05 and SS 15:55. So if you're coming from south England then it's more like and hour and a half.
About 10 years ago I did similar. Hired a campervan, brought my partner to Scotland for a week just after Christmas. I told her it would be great - snowy walks, glorious views and fantastic Hogmanay parties.
The reality was it was wet/drizzly for the whole time. No views as the clouds were down to around 200m. Anything outdoors was rubbish and lots of wet kit in a camper just makes everything damp. Virtually all campsites are closed and this makes it very difficult to empty waste tanks and restock with fresh water. We eventually went to Rothiemurchus which was open. All visitor attractions are closed apart from the Highland Wildlife park (which is mostly outdoors so you get wet anyway).
For Hogmanay pretty much everywhere is ticket only and we couldn't find anywhere around us that had any tickets left so just sat in the van in Newtonmore until late evening when the street party happened. On the 1st and 2nd everything was closed except fuel stations.
I just remember hours and hours of sitting in a damp van listening to the rain, waiting for it to get light for a few hours so we could sit in the van and watch the rain.
If the weather is good, it could be fun - last year it was cold and sunny for most of the Christmas holidays and walking was great. Biking is likely to be either muddy or icy and lots of trails are closed due to storm damage. Snowsports - it's anyone's guess. Several of the centres have opened this weekend for limited skiing, but it's looking warm for the next couple of weeks, so I suspect there will be nothing. Lots of Hogmanay events are cancelled due to Covid such as the Pitlochry street party on the 1st. By then, pubs, cafes and restaurants may also have more restrictions. And PLEASE think about where you will empty and fill your vans tanks.
Sorry if that sounds negative. Scotland is fabulous which is why I moved here, but you could be up for a really miserable experience. Good luck!
Will be nice to see the sun rise without having to be up at the crack of dawn then!
Not many Italians called Dawn. I'm here all week, try the steak!
I'm from the Highlands and would echo boriselbrus there - the weather could make or break it so in a van I'd leave it until have a good handle on the forecast, at this time of year it's dark most of the day, the sun is very low when it does come up, and everything will be shut for a few days, even more so this year. But if there is a nice high pressure system with frost then it could be nice and pretty. Been a while since we had a white xmas I thiiiink but the last few have either been very mild and wet or cold and frosty from memory. And if you are going up mountains in mid winter and aren't experienced in that then there's a whole load to be careful about there. Glen Affric can be nice in winter but you could get properly stuck there for a while if it snows.
Thanks so much everyone! Enough to keep us busy there, and some really awesome spots and advice
We’ll be calling it on the weather closer to the time, if it’s going to be terrible and the weather’s better down South we can go closer to home but if it’s going to be decent we’re keen
So we went in the end! Been one of the best holidays we’ve had together. Had amazing weather so far, just the one rainy day today which we planned for and just got a load of driving done and a nice chilled pub lunch
Didn’t take the bike or board in the end, weather is great for hiking but conditions not so good for either of those
We’ve been to the Lake District on the way up, Beinn Eighe (my fave so far, although very sketchy at the top of Leathad Buidhe with the path completely coated in ice, and also half the way down), Torridon, Skye and now Lomond
The GF is keen to chill a bit tomorrow and I’d fancy a nice fast solo hike up a big hill so I’m eyeing up Ben Lomond. Forecast seems decent, but could anyone more local suggest what conditions might be like up there? I was thinking it being fairly warm and being fairly South it’d be a good bet but at almost 1000m I realise it’s still potentially quite a different story up there
Obviously if I go for it I’ll assess as I go and turn around if it goes even slightly bad but would appreciate some local and/or more expert insight before deciding
https://www.mwis.org.uk/forecasts/scottish
That's where you'll get the forecast for the hills. Next few days sound "interesting" up there. 😆
Glad you are enjoying it!
Thanks, did see that but it only seems to cover the highlands and doesn’t mention ground conditions at all, just weather
Enjoying would be an understatement 🙂 we’ve been all over the world between us and the scenery here is some of the best, possibly my favourite
Your problem tomorrow looks like wind. There will be a bit of snow but should be soft as it's gonna be warm. Lomond path will be exposed to the SWesterly all the way so may not be very pleasant. I would try the cobbler I think as a bit more sheltered. Just be prepared that when you stick your head out of the coire it might be time to turn round and go home! The rough path to the left about 400m after the boulders will give a more sheltered climb.
Just to say I'm sooooo pleased you are having a great time! Scotland is fabulous and I'm currently stuck in Kent and can't wait to get home.
chrishc777
Free MemberThanks, did see that but it only seems to cover the highlands and doesn’t mention ground conditions at all, just weather
West Highlands covers Loch Lomond
West Highlands covers Loch Lomond
Ah thanks! Having just driven South for 5hrs I had assumed I wasn’t in the highlands anymore 🤣
So... Did you pop the question?
dufresneorama
Free MemberSo… Did you pop the question?
Unfortunately not, it’s a long story but I was picking the ring (family heirloom type situation) up from my my mum on the way up but she let me down last minute. Could have sourced one locally but for reasons I won’t go into it didn’t seem right.
To be fair we’re having an amazing time but there is a ‘mission’ element to the being outdoors, limited light, cold and adverse conditions etc. I’m thinking repeating this in summer and doing it then may make for a better scenario, and she is dead keen to see the place in summer (although I imagine the sensation of having the highlands to ourselves we’ve had the last week wouldn’t be quite there)
We’ve been together for 14 years, it can wait 6 months
Good stuff Chris, glad you've had such a great time.
If you want a quick up n down with fabulous views, Beinn Dubh is a wee steep, grassy cracker.
Starts at Luss primary school, nice wee spot for the good lady to wander about too (though most definitely not in summer!).
Glad you’re having a good trip up here. I haven’t actually liked at a forecast but the wind today just down the road in Ayrshire was a bit nuts - definitely check it out before you head out this morning.
I’m thinking repeating this in summer and doing it then may make for a better scenario,
Summer solstice sunset on top of a hill worked well for me 🙂