Taking a campervan to Shetland

glinny

glinny

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Hi All
This is my first post on the forum although I've been a member for a year or two and found the location app really useful.
I have a Berlingo van which I use as my "tin tent", and I've taken it to Scotland and Orkney a couple of times. I'd like to go to Shetland in early June but the Northlink ferry website says "you MUST have island accommodation booked before travelling". I've searched everywhere and can't find any reference to Shetlands Islands Council discouraging or banning wild camping at the moment.
Any thoughts would be appreciated. :)
Pauline
 
I was not aware of this, and this article makes no mention of such accommodation being required. You can even hire a Motorhome on the islands,

Shetland Motorhome Hire

Bolts Car Hire Ltd has the largest fleet of hire cars in the Shetland Islands and are also pleased to offer motorhome hire perfect for families, couples or groups of friends wanting to explore the Shetland Islands.
www.shetlandmotorhomes.co.uk www.shetlandmotorhomes.co.uk
that would surely make a mockery of any such restriction. I have only ever read good things about wild camping in both the orkneys and shetlands.

www.shetlandvisitor.com

Camping & Caravanning | Shetland Visitor

www.shetlandvisitor.com www.shetlandvisitor.com
 
My thoughts exactly Fisherman.
The panic is over however because I just phoned Northlink and they said "Oh no, that doesn't apply to campervans".
So that's a relief, because Western Isles Council have actually said that they don't want campervans to go over without a campsite booking, and I thought it meant that Orkney and Shetland were taking the same view.
Now all I need is some better weather!
 
I had heard of Calmac themselves imposing restrictions but that was not to Shetland.
 
Scotia said:
I had heard of Calmac themselves imposing restrictions but that was not to Shetland.
Click to expand...
I was going to go to the Outer Hebrides last September but when I came to book the ferry a message flashed up from Calmac to say that Western Isles Council (Outer Hebrides) had asked them to ensure that anybody travelling there in motorhomes had booked campsite accommodation. They didn't want people parking up in places without facilities, no doubt because of the problems mainland Scotland had with irresponsible idiots who had no idea how to behave. So it wasn't Calmac who instigated it, it was Western Isles Council. Calmac are showing the same message on their website now.

Because of that I felt rather unwelcome in the Outer Hebrides so I paid a return visit to Orkney instead and had a lovely time. :)
 
Not wishing to hijack...
But what about Arran ?
We plan to go in June and then to Kintyre ?
 
C
jagmanx said:
Not wishing to hijack...
But what about Arran ?
We plan to go in June and then to Kintyre ?
Click to expand...
We are heading to Arran in July with our grandson. There are restrictions on board the ferry with regards to numbers. Also if it’s the same as last year you will be able to remain in your van for the 55 minute crossing. Arran has had some Covid but at very low rates. On arrival we head away from Brodick towards more rural locations. The campsites are all open and level 2 will be applied from tomorrow. You will love Arran. There are two chemical waste points at whiting bay and blackwaterfoot. There’s also a water tap in Brodick on the pois.

I would book your tickets right away, and if for some reason you can’t travel CalMac will allow you to change dates FOC.
 
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jagmanx said:
Not wishing to hijack...
But what about Arran ?
We plan to go in June and then to Kintyre ?
Click to expand...
For Arran it’s worth an early booking as there have been big problems with unserviceable Calmac ferries recently leading to movement between routes and difficulties with capacity. Link It looks in general like any tourists will be very welcome as bookings are very low this Summer. Link
 
mariesnowgoose said:
jagmanx said:
Not wishing to hijack...
But what about Arran ?
We plan to go in June and then to Kintyre ?
Click to expand...

Ask @Edina to shift the whole thread over to a better forum section?

Really useful info for anyone heading up there (y)
Click to expand...

If you go onto the Calmac online booking page and choose a destination and route, it will flash up a message relevant to that destination. Arran shows a message about the disruption to the ferries that 2cv has just mentioned. Mull shows a message about responsible camping and says that camping in a campervan etc without consent is not permitted. Not sure exactly what that means though, or in most cases who you are supposed to ask. :unsure:
 
Thanks to all.
Not willing to book anything until our Bangkok PCR tests are done and passed.
(Thus our return to UK confirmed......not sure what happens if one of us fails...But I did book directly with Lufthansa to try accommodate this)

We also have UK covid jabs to sort...
Will contact our surgery tomorrow.
We also have 10 days of isolation in Uk. Time then to organise the Ferries.
We can be flexible as no other travel bookable as yet
 
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Looked at booking ferry to mull and the following comes up -
CB6C7E1A-6449-4923-A78B-79CF3CC88AB6.png
 
We are also thinking of going up to Arran in the next few weeks. Never thought there would be any restrictions but I am aware there are ferry issues. We never stay on campsites on Arran. Just wild camp and use the facilities provided. I did post on the Arran Facebook page a while back testing the water as to if we would be welcome and got a fairly positive response.

I was wary after reading a lot of threads on FB about the NC500 route and the growing hostility in Scotland towards the massive influx of campers but it doesn't so far seem to have effected the islands that I can see.
 
barryd said:
We are also thinking of going up to Arran in the next few weeks. Never thought there would be any restrictions but I am aware there are ferry issues. We never stay on campsites on Arran. Just wild camp and use the facilities provided. I did post on the Arran Facebook page a while back testing the water as to if we would be welcome and got a fairly positive response.

I was wary after reading a lot of threads on FB about the NC500 route and the growing hostility in Scotland towards the massive influx of campers but it doesn't so far seem to have effected the islands that I can see.
Click to expand...
Curious about travel to the islands . Think many are , basically , covid free . This could easily change with an influx of visitors but the local economies may well rely on tourism . Bit of a dilemma .
 
alcam said:
Curious about travel to the islands . Think many are , basically , covid free . This could easily change with an influx of visitors but the local economies may well rely on tourism . Bit of a dilemma .
Click to expand...

I think from memory Arrans economy for example is 80% tourism. This was my worry too though. I think a lot of people in remote areas got a bit territorial throughout the pandemic and for good reason in many cases. I live in the second least populated region in England and last spring there was a lot of problems with yobbos in tourist hot spots in the dales and the locals were pretty livid about it. I did wonder if some of the islands might have the same attitude. Not that we are yobbos of course but motorhomers and campers have had a lot of bad feeling towards them in remote parts of Scotland during the pandemic because of the vast numbers and of course the bad apples that spoil it for everyone. So I am aware that its all a bit "Sensitive".

Having said all that I have visited 18 Scottish islands from Arran to Sheltand and many several times and its just different. The people are different and so is the general attitude. More laid back I would say but whether thats changed in the last year. Dunno. Will have to go and find out.
 
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