Scottish adventure.

Best midge repellent?? We used smidge before and that seemed to work, but expensive.
Screenshot_20210715-152705_Facebook.jpg
 
We know Scotland like the back of our hands. The obvious route for a newbie is the NC500, but every man and his dog are doing that, now the route has a name. That has caused a negative local reaction. However there are not many roads in Scotland so alternatives or diversions can be difficult. The further north you go, the wilder it gets. Get past Inverness and you will leave behind most of the coaches. The best wilderness is Argyll to Sutherland. Fantastic coast and mountains. Wild camping is easy compared to southern England but not as easy as it used to be, due to the influx. We are in Chandler's Ford so we have the same haul north as you. We break the drive in half. Look for Shap on the M6, zoom into the area and look for a reservoir. Can't remember the name. It's a lovely overnighter or maybe two. If you can't find it, pm me.
 

There is a certain irony that folks are warning about littering by painting what's little more than legalised Graffiti on the ground....
Around a gulley that is exactly where the chalk paint will end up going

Data sheet for one of the leading brands...

Screenshot_20210716-130020_Drive.jpg

Obviously the data sheet is referring to someone knocking the tin over (AND there will have been precautions on hand such as bunds and spill kits etc)

However....
 
Thank you everyone for this great advice. We have done west scotland before but with a car and only 1 child at the time. We are looking forward to doing the east and north this time. We are both teachers so we are in no rush! Looking forward to finding some hidden gems. So any other tips would be brill x
Hi Dan
We love the North and East of Scotland so much we bought a cottage up here. So with heavy bias, the beach at Fraserburgh is gorgeous 😊
If you head this way need a place to stop look us up on www.facebook.com/glenbuchtystopover
Further north Golspie - Dunrobin Castle is lovely.
Have fun
Cie
 
We know Scotland like the back of our hands. The obvious route for a newbie is the NC500, but every man and his dog are doing that, now the route has a name. That has caused a negative local reaction. However there are not many roads in Scotland so alternatives or diversions can be difficult. The further north you go, the wilder it gets. Get past Inverness and you will leave behind most of the coaches. The best wilderness is Argyll to Sutherland. Fantastic coast and mountains. Wild camping is easy compared to southern England but not as easy as it used to be, due to the influx. We are in Chandler's Ford so we have the same haul north as you. We break the drive in half. Look for Shap on the M6, zoom into the area and look for a reservoir. Can't remember the name. It's a lovely overnighter or maybe two. If you can't find it, pm me.
Signs have now appeared at the reservoir parking area near Shap,prohibiting overnight stays in caravans or motorhomes.Shame cos it was a lovely spot for a quiet overnight
 
Hi Dan
We love the North and East of Scotland so much we bought a cottage up here. So with heavy bias, the beach at Fraserburgh is gorgeous 😊
If you head this way need a place to stop look us up on www.facebook.com/glenbuchtystopover
Further north Golspie - Dunrobin Castle is lovely.
Have fun
Cie
Thank you for this info! We are not sure where are travels will take us yet but we will keep you in mind if we head your way. thanks again x
 
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Very rare to get midges along the north east coast it will be much quieter as well. Macduff ( Aberdeenshire ) has a great aquarium which children love due to being able to "pet" some fish. If you are using sites the Banff Links has a great children's play park at the entrance ( open to all) and a safe lovely beach. If you don't want sites there are lots of places for overnight stays plus some new "aire" type stopovers.

Enjoy your visit.
 
I have been to Scotland several times and have never been bothered by mosquitoes. In northern Sweden you can sometimes talk about a lot of mosquitoes. If you swing your sandwich back and forth and it turns gray from mosquitoes, you get a protein added and a measure of how tight they are. My suggestion for a nice place to hike to is Sandwood Bay, my favorite!
 
Sa
I have been to Scotland several times and have never been bothered by mosquitoes. In northern Sweden you can sometimes talk about a lot of mosquitoes. If you swing your sandwich back and forth and it turns gray from mosquitoes, you get a protein added and a measure of how tight they are. My suggestion for a nice place to hike to is Sandwood Bay, my favorite!
Sandwood Bay is definitely worth making the effort.
 
There is a certain irony that folks are warning about littering by painting what's little more than legalised Graffiti on the ground....
Around a gulley that is exactly where the chalk paint will end up going

Data sheet for one of the leading brands...

View attachment 100005
Obviously the data sheet is referring to someone knocking the tin over (AND there will have been precautions on hand such as bunds and spill kits etc)

However....
It has to be safer than the glass bead filled thermoplastic yellow paint that was sprayed directly into that drain by the local authority! 🤣😉
 
There is a certain irony that folks are warning about littering by painting what's little more than legalised Graffiti on the ground....
Around a gulley that is exactly where the chalk paint will end up going

Data sheet for one of the leading brands...

View attachment 100005
Obviously the data sheet is referring to someone knocking the tin over (AND there will have been precautions on hand such as bunds and spill kits etc)

However....
It has to be safer than the glass bead filled thermoplastic yellow paint that was sprayed directly into that drain by the local authority! 🤣😉
 
From the same data safety sheet
15.2. Chemical safety assessment
No chemical safety assessment has been carried out.

I wouldn’t mind a can of this stuff, it’s basically chalk! I’d paint my brassica patch 🤣 it’s the right stuff to raise alkalinity in soil and bring it back from the acidic levels that tend to build up from repeated addition of animal manures. The older gardeners call it ‘sweetening the soil’.

You certainly can’t grow brassicas without it 😉
 
I live in Scotland and is is bigger than you think! You can spend too much time driving.

My recommendation is to stay in the south and look at Kirkcudbright, Arran and the Campbeltown peninsula. Oban too if time permits, then home via Glasgow and the M74.

That is a good mix. Ferries, beaches, scenery, walking and history.
 
I live in Scotland and is is bigger than you think! You can spend too much time driving.

My recommendation is to stay in the south and look at Kirkcudbright, Arran and the Campbeltown peninsula. Oban too if time permits, then home via Glasgow and the M74.

That is a good mix. Ferries, beaches, scenery, walking and history.

I tend to head straight up from Bedfordshire to Applecross in one hit. It's 577 miles and takes about 12 hours with a stop for breakfast.

After a few days in Applecross I usually have a slow drive back with single night stops to see the rest of Scotland and Northern England.
 

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