We did the run-up to this year's Orkney meet from Inverness via John O'Groats then Thurso for the ferry.
Our first time in the north of Scotland, so all brand new unexplored territory for us.
This was smack bang in the middle of June, taking us just over two weeks there and back home.
Return journey was from Thurso along to Tongue then turned southwards for an overnight stop off at Bonar Bridge (there's a long-time WC-er we know who now lives there).
Headed back down from Bonar with a quick detour to Cromarty on our friend's recommendation, which is lovely and well worth visiting.
Down the east side of Loch Ness, then a quick visit to the Falkirk Wheel (decided not to bother with it) and a look at the Kelpies (certainly worth a visit for a look-see) then onwards to park up for the night at a fairly remote and quiet POI to the south and east.
We passed very few motorhomes/campers on the roads the entire voyage - apart from JoG which was rammed nose to tail with the b*ggers. Honestly, once you've been to JoG why the heck would anyone ever want to go back?! There's no ferries there any more, so its not even a destination for travelling onwards to anywhere interesting by sea, and the main buildings, retail outlets etc. looked desolate (most units were empty, or in the process of being abandoned). Pretty depressing really.