🗺️ TRAVEL ROUTE — SCOTLAND, MULL, ORKNEY & SHETLAND (2025)

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Motorhome Trip No. 60 — 13 Aug to 11 Sept 2025 Total: 1,921 miles • 8 ferries • 9 islands visited

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1. NOTTINGHAM → TROUTBECK HEAD (13 Aug)

• Depart home after two weeks of prep

• A66 via Greystoke

• Overnight at Troutbeck Head CAMC, Cumbria

2. TROUTBECK → OBAN (14 Aug)

• Long scenic drive via Loch Lomond

• Lunch at Tarbet Hotel (Haggis pakora debut)

• Overnight at Highfields Holidays, Tralee Bay (Kiel Crofts)

3. OBAN → ISLE OF MULL (15 Aug)

• Ferry Oban → Craignure

• Drive to Ardtun to stay with Chris & Allyson

• Explore garden, polytunnel, new pond “Loch Langthorne”

4. MULL — Ardtun, Uisken, Lochbuie (16–18 Aug)

• Uisken Beach walk & craft chat

• Pub overlooking Iona

• Lochbuie walk to castle + Old Post Office café

• Relaxation day with friends

• Weather: stunning all four days

5. MULL → OBAN → INVERNESS-SHIRE → DUNNET BAY (19–20 Aug)

• Ferry Craignure → Oban

• Argyll coastal route north

• Lunch stop in Helmsdale

• Overnight at Culloden Moor CAMC

• Next day to Dunnet Bay CAMC + beach walk

6. SCRABSTER → ORKNEY (21 Aug)

• Ferry Scrabster → Stromness (NorthLink Hamnavoe)

• Pass close to Old Man of Hoy

• Overnight at Point of Ness Campsite, Stromness

• Explore narrow Stromness streets

7. ORKNEY — Skara Brae, Brodgar, Stenness (22 Aug)

• Visit Skara Brae, Skaill House, Ring of Brodgar, Standing Stones of Stenness

• Move to Kirkwall Ness Campsite (Pitch 16)

8. ORKNEY SOUTH ISLANDS — Italian Chapel, Burray, South Ronaldsay, Mull Head (23–25 Aug)

• Highland Park Distillery

• Italian Chapel (Lamb Holm)

• Burray fête

• St Margaret’s Hope

• Burwick viewpoint

• Walk at Mull Head & The Grotto

• Woolshed visit

• Cruise ship watching from campsite

9. ORKNEY EAST & NORTH — Birsay, Broch of Gurness, Orkney Brewery, Kirkwall (26–28 Aug)

• Birsay & Earl Patrick’s Palace

• Broch of Gurness + seal watching

• Orkney Brewery (Quoyloo)

• Kirkwall: Cathedral, museum, craft fair, Orkney Saga Centre

• Evening ferry from Hatston Quay → Shetland

10. SHETLAND ARRIVAL — Lerwick → Sumburgh → Scalloway (29 Aug)

• Arrive 7am on Hjaltland

• Sumburgh Head (deserted, dramatic)

• Jarlshof (rain stopped visit)

• Check-in at Scalloway/Tingwall Community Campsite (Pitch 2)

11. SHETLAND WEST — Bixter, Sandness, Walls, Stanydale (30–31 Aug)

• Original Cake Fridge (Bixter)

• Sandness (far west)

• Walls harbour (Foula ferry point)

• Stanydale Neolithic Temple

• Return to Scalloway

12. SOUTH SHETLAND & BRESSAY (1–2 Sept)

• Gulberswick Bay

• Ferry Lerwick → Bressay (7 mins)

• Explore Bressay: Laird’s House, Mail Shop, Noss viewpoints

• Return to Lerwick

• Overnight at Levenwick Community Campsite (Pitch 4)

• Visit Sandwick, Hoswick, Mousa ferry pier

• Jarlshof (full visit this time)

13. NORTHERN ISLES — Yell & Unst (3–4 Sept)

• Explore Lerwick: Bod of Gremista, Commercial Street, Peerie Café

• Ferry Toft → Yell (Ulsta)

• Overnight at Burravoe Community Campsite

• Drive east coast of Yell → Mid Yell → Gutcher

• Ferry Gutcher → Unst (Belmont)

• Haroldswick: Viking longhouse & longship

• Burrafirth & Papa Little views

• Return via Brae (fish & chips)

• Back to Scalloway Campsite

14. CHILL DAYS IN SCALLOWAY (5–7 Sept)

• Museum (Shetland Bus)

• Scalloway Castle (Earl Patrick’s grim legacy)

• Town walk

• Extreme winds (40–60 mph)

• Final nights on Shetland

15. SHETLAND → ABERDEEN → STONEHAVEN → FORFAR (8–9 Sept)

• Ferry Lerwick → Aberdeen (Hrossey) — very rough crossing

• Stonehaven: art deco pool, Waterfront Café

• Dunnottar Castle (too steep to complete)

• Forfar CAMC + Forfar Loch

16. FORFAR → NORTHUMBERLAND → HOME (10–11 Sept)

• Warkworth: lunch + castle

• Through Northumberland National Park

• Final CL stop near River Beamish

• Return home to Nottingham