Welcome to Scotland – FLS Opens Arms to Responsible Motorhome and Campervan Owners

The past two years have seen an incredible rise in staycations across the UK, particularly in Scotland, famous for its beautiful scenery, remote locations and rugged landscapes. A recent survey showed Scotland as second choice in the preferred domestic holiday region, losing out only to the South West as the top destination for spring 2022.

While the results also show that the domestic holiday market appears to be plateauing, there’s still clearly an appetite amongst UK residents to visit Scotland. The Scottish Highlands continue to be the most popular region and the North Coast 500 is an attractive route for visiting tourists.

To cater for the needs of the many motorhome and campervan visitors, Forestry and Land Scotland (FLS) are relaunching their Stay the Night initiative, first trialled in 2020.

Motorhome owners encouraged to Stay the Night

The initiative allows responsible motorhome and campervan owners to stop overnight in some of the FLS car parks. The scheme was created to meet the high demand for places to stay, largely due to the popularity of campervan and motorhomes after the first wave of the pandemic. It also helped to prevent an overrun of tourists at many of the favoured Scottish campsites and boosted local businesses, especially in the more rural areas.

Councils initially faced problems with the unprecedented number of tourists after lockdown, including littering, anti-social behaviour, illegal parking and camping and wildlife damage, which led to plans to help combat the issues. These involved investing in facilities, increasing the number of public toilets and providing more seasonal rangers. The Stay the Night initiative was part of the solution to offer more opportunities for motorhome owners who had their own facilities on board.

From April to October, self-contained motorhomes and campervans can, once again, stop over at one of the 39 car parks across Scotland, between the hours of 6pm and 10am.

Responsible camping

Every motorhome and campervan visitor should be mindful of touring responsibly across all campsites in Scotland. The FLS have a number of guidelines for users of the initiative, to ensure every visitor is considerate to others and all are able to enjoy the area:

• Park responsibly – If the car park is full, check out local, nearby Scottish campsites
• Distance – Leave four metres between vehicles to allow enough space for all users.
• Use your facilities – Only those with self-contained facilities are permitted so ensure you use your own toilet.
• Adhere to the times – Stay the Night is intended to allow visitors to stay for one night between 6pm and 10am as part of a longer touring break so it’s important to stick to the times.
• Take your litter with you – Leave your spot in a clean and tidy state, ensuring no rubbish is left behind.
• No fires or barbecues – These are not permitted at the car parking sites out of respect for others and the environment.
• Be respectful – Keep noise down, especially between the hours of 10pm and 7am to enable all visitors to enjoy their stay.
• Dogs – Keep dogs on leads or under control.

By being considerate to other visitors and the local community, motorhome and campervan owners can hopefully continue to enjoy the range of accessible stopover locations across Scotland for many years to come.

North Coast 500

A handful of FLS cap park locations are situated close to the North Coast 500 route. Dubbed Scotland’s ultimate road trip, the route explores some of the country’s most striking scenery, pretty coastal villages and dramatic mountain ranges.

Extremely popular amongst motorhome and campervan tourers, you can choose an itinerary to suit you. Most choose to spend around a week completing the route which meanders along the incredible coastline of North Scotland.

The Strathrory, Strome Viewpoint and Littlemill car parks are all ideal places to stay on the North Coast 500, offering awe-inspiring views, an abundance of wildlife nearby and lush, surrounding countryside. They’re a great option for those completing the North Coast 500, particularly as the trip lends itself to one-night stays, meaning you can discover an array of stunning locations within your time frame.

And with plenty of other conveniently placed campsites in Scotland, you can extend your road trip to explore even more of what this beautiful country has to offer.

Make sure you’re fully insured for your Scottish adventure with Comfort Insurance

Whether you’re embarking on the North Coast 500 or you’re simply making the most of Scotland’s dramatic landscapes and breath-taking views, make sure you’re properly covered for your motorhome trip across Scotland. The right insurance is vital but it’s even more important when you’re stopping in remote areas with limited facilities.

For motorhome and campervan insurance that’s sure to provide you with peace of mind, contact our experts at info@comfort-insurance.co.uk or call our friendly team on 0208 984 0666.