Carry On Camping

May 18 2008 By Avril Cadden

Mail Travel Scotland Is Best Seen By Motorhome

The word camping creates fear in our house. We're still recovering from a trip last summer during one of Scotland's wettest weekends.

My sister-in-law Sharon fell over in the dark and slipped in the mud, landing head-first on her tent, while ours leaked and my husband Stephen and I ended up sleeping in the car.

But I tentatively broached the subject again and won the family round by promising there would not be a canvas in sight - this time we would be hitting the great outdoors in a motorhome.

I was amazed at how spacious our motorhome, which could sleep up to six people, was and how many home comforts it offered.

I loved the freedom of being able to go where we wanted, when we wanted, without having to rough it.

We had a proper cooker, fridge and dining area, TV, DVD, comfy beds and, best of all, a socket for a hairdryer - a luxury after camping trips where I ended up looking like Worzel Gummidge.

We set off from Glasgow up the coast to Loch Lomond and Glencoe with my twins, 11-year-old Nicholas and Christopher, watching Wayne's World and singing along to Bohemian Rhapsody as they enjoyed the scenery of the West Highland Way.

Soon we arrived at our first campsite, the award-winning Glen Nevis at Fort William. It was very clean, well maintained, safe and our motorhome was in a prime location, nestled under the hills with fantastic views all around.

It was cheap too. We paid just £17 for an overnight stay and electrical hook-up.

We set off for Skye the next day and took in endless beautiful scenery.

Sadly, it clouded over when we got there and rained constantly. Skye's glory was totally hidden and we didn't fancy the campsite we found.

We drove back to Morvich campsite near Inverinate, Kintail, a five-star facility with spotless showers, toilets and a secluded, scenic location.

Morvich is an excellent spot for hill walkers and Munro baggers and is close to great walking routes.

One of the most famous is the Five Sisters, a trek that will take you between eight and 10 hours.

Legend has it a local chief had seven daughters and two were betrothed to two Irish brothers, who promised to return with their five brothers to marry the remaining sisters. To preserve their beauty while they waited, a witch doctor from Kintail turned them into beautiful mountains - but the brothers never returned so the girls couldn't be transformed back.

Also nearby are the dramatic Falls Of Glomach, a 370ft waterfall that is one of Britain's highest.

We took a cycle out to the stunning Eilean Donan Castle, used as a location in films such as Highlander and James Bond movie The World Is Not Enough.

The stunning castle is the seat of the Clan Macrae and is surrounded by dramatic mountain ranges that give way to glistening lochs which stretch for miles.

We cycled to the nearby village of Dornie and on to the Carr Brae viewpoint. It was an ambitious cycle due to the endless steep inclines but the effort was worth it for the incredible views over Loch Long and the Elchaig Valley.

On the ride back we stopped in Kintail and enjoyed massive plates of fish at the Jac-o-Bite restaurant.

I also loved having a browse at the gorgeous local wares and gifts in the quirky Kintail Crafts shop.

Back at the camp it was time for a well-deserved glass of wine as we watched the sun set behind the hills.

All that fresh air and exercise meant we all enjoyed one of the best sleeps ever and all too soon it was time to get up and head home.

Despite initial fears, a motorhome is a fantastic way to see the country. It may be camping for softies but we can't wait to get back out on the open roads and explore more of the Highlands.

MAILFILE

We hired a motorhome from Open Road Scotland. For information call 0141 632 8940 or visit www.openroadscotland.com Rental prices for May are £140 for one day, £395 for three days and £795 for one week. A week's hire in June costs £895. The firm also offer bike hire.

For details on Glen Nevis campsite, call 01397 702 191 or visit www.glen-nevis.co.uk For information on the Caravan club, visit www.caravanclub.co.uk

You can call Morvich campsite in Kintail on 01599 511354

Find out about Eilean Donan at www.eileandonancastle.com

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