On The Bonnie Banks o’ Loch Lomond Vicky Kaderbhai tours Scotland by camper van, from Loch Ness to Edinburgh with a few places in between, and her dogs enjoy the journey almost as much as she does.
Loch Lomond
When trying to decide where we were going to go in Scotland, we realised early on that by admitting we were never going to get to do everything this beautiful country had to offer in one go; that helped us to shorten the list. Deciding that the dogs would be coming with us also helped narrow the field. Making sure that everywhere we visited was as dog friendly as possible was important and led us to choosing countryside settings over cities. We avoided the headache of trawling through accommodation making sure they would allow dogs so decided to hire a camper van. It was clear to us early on that pretty much every campsite and caravan park we hoped to visit was dog friendly, so the next step was finding ourselves a camper van suitable for myself, my husband and our two dogs, Buddy a Golden Retriever X and Rory, a Cavalier King Charles Spaniel. Our goal is to own a camper van but for now hiring would have to do. Having read some reviews, we decided to go with Quirky Campers, a website that advertises them for hire. Most of their vehicles have been converted into mobile homes by enthusiasts, each with its own unique personality. There are plenty of options to play with, obviously being dog friendly was right at the top of our list of requirements. We came across Atlas, a freshly converted camper which can sleep up to two adults and one child. Not only was it dog friendly and looked like it could fit all four of us comfortably but it also had a log fire. We decided that might be necessary for any cooler nights we might encounter. Turns out we were right. We ended up using it a couple of times to warm up the camper before we went to bed. Another great benefit of Atlas was that it had solar panels. These were so effective at charging all our devices that we didn’t have to use an electric plot once at any of the campsites.
Balmoral
We set out for Scotland at the end of July and our first stop was at the Cashel Campsite on Loch Lomond, situated in the Trossachs National Park in the south. The camp site is in such a beautiful location and offered us an uninterrupted view of the loch from our pitch. We tied the dogs up next to camper, so they could have a chance to explore their new little patch while we set about getting everything ready for the night. But they didn’t stay outside for long when we realised that they were proving to be a popular snack for the midges and mozzies. We were at the Cashel Campsite for two nights and it seemed to be the evenings when the uninvited visitors were about. During the day, we were able to walk down by the loch and even go for a swim with the dogs. The weather was so beautiful that we all lay in the sun afterwards to dry off. Not far from the campsite is the small village of Dryman, well catered for by pubs, local shops, cafes, a doctor’s surgery (that you can register at as a tourist to be treated, as I did) and a pharmacy. The weather was sublime but maybe a bit much for the dogs so we ducked inside The Clachan, a pub first established in 1734, for a cool down and a meal. The staff were warm and inviting, setting a bowl of water down for the dogs before we’d even got settled and the food was delicious. I highly recommend the triple cooked chips as a starter or just as a snack on their own.
Lochness
Our next stop was at Loch Ness. It might seem like a bit of a cliche to go all the way to Scotland and visit Loch Ness, but it felt like it just had to be done. The loch itself is beautiful and doesn’t need the draw of Nessie to lure you in, with the volume of water being more than that of all the lakes in England and Wales combined, it is a spectacular sight. From where we were staying at Loch Ness Bay Camping, you can take in part of the loch from a walk ks down over the water. We also had a great view of Urquhart Castle. Dogs aren’t allowed in the castle grounds but we were told by one of the attendants that the best views of the ruins really were from above. We headed into Drumnadrochit for something to eat, which I wouldn’t recommend doing in the height of summer if you have dogs that aren’t fans of big crowds or you don’t like having to step into the road to avoid people. Everywhere we went was packed with people, even in the late afternoon, so this might be one for later or earlier in the year. Or maybe set your alarm earlier if you want to avoid the crowds. Balmoral Castle cropped up on our route through the Cairngorms and we decided to pull in at the last minute, not really expecting to be able to go in with the dogs. When we visited it was really dog friendly and the only place dogs were not allowed was the gift shop. Even the ballroom was dog friendly as long as you can carry your dog. A rule which led to the rather ridiculous spectacle of my husband carrying our nearly 30kg Golden Retriever cross in his arms like a baby through the exhibition, much to the amusement of the staff and other guests. I found our 7kg Cavalier much easier to handle. I have read since that things have changed; dogs are no longer allowed in the indoor areas. But, who knows, things may change again. Even so, the majority of the tour takes place outside, as the castle is still home to the king and access is denied even when he’s not there. So the fact that we spent the whole time outside was great for the dogs, as they got to explore the kitchen garden, the flower beds, massive lawn and stream. The latter was suggested to us by one of the people who work there, as it turns out those that have dogs are allowed to bring them to the castle and keep them in the kennels on the grounds and take them for walks around the stream on their breaks. Balmoral Castle is open to visitors between April and July each year. It was a great stop on our journey in genuinely beautiful and peaceful surroundings. There’s a cafe with indoor and outdoor seating for you and your pooches to chill out at the beginning or end of your visit.
Balmoral Castle
As I mentioned before, a city stop hadn’t really been on our agenda due to the fact that we had the dogs with us. We didn’t think it would be as fun for them as visiting the lochs. But as our time in Scotland started to come to an end, we realised that we’d be driving close to Edinburgh so decided on a last-minute detour. We parked a little way out of the city and got the train in. It was an early start to the day so our first port of call was breakfast and we found a great little cafe attached to a hotel where we got some croissants and juice while the dogs made friends with the guests coming down for breakfast. After that we were booked onto a free city tour with City Explorer Tours. The tour was dog friendly and the guide was delighted to have them along, especially when we made it to the cemetery and learnt all about the story of Greyfriars Bobby, a Skye Terrier who became known in the19th century for spending 14 years guarding the grave of his owner John Gray until his own death in 1872. We went on quite a hot day and there weren’t many shaded places to put the dogs along the way, so we made sure to keep offering them water and they had a great time. With so little time left on our trip we had to say goodbye to Edinburgh. We took the train back to the camper van, ready for our final stop. Dogs are allowed on trains, Buddy had to remain on the floor but I was able to keep Rory on my lap; she’s so small there’s always the fear she’s going to be trod on or pose a trip hazard for others.
Edinburgh
Our final night was spent in Northumberland National Park, obviously not in Scotland but a special place to spend the night. Situated within the Northumberland National Park is Kielder Campsite), one of the few designated dark sky areas in the UK. Our hope was to have a clear enough night that we would be able to see the Milky Way. Weirdly enough for Britain, the weather was so good that it might work against us, it had been so hot that we were told that the show might not be so good due to a heat haze. Still, we set our alarm for one in the morning and got up to have a look. As predicted the heat from earlier in the day did cause a bit of disruption but the view was still nothing like I had ever seen in the UK. A bonus of getting up at that time, was that the dogs got to have a good sniff in the dark. All four of us enjoyed our trip. It was great to be able to take the dogs to such vast areas of stunning natural beauty and let them off the lead to explore. As mentioned earlier, Balmoral Castle isn’t open all year round and the same goes for some of the campsites, so be sure to check their websites for up-to-date information.
Loch Lomond
FACT FILE
Quirkly Campervans
Camper Vans for hire from various locations
CONTACT Via website
PRICE Camper Van hire from £10 per night ‘Atlas’ as hired for trip, cost £114 per night, sleeps two adults and two dogs
WEBSITE quirkycampers.com
