Glamping in Scotland: The Nitty-Gritty on Sorting a Top Trip
Thinking of going glamping in Scotland? Excellent choice. It’s a treat to head to this cracking country on a hol, whether you’re intending to huddle up in a hotel or pitch a tent in the open air. But when your base is the sort of topnotch accommodation you can expect at a glampsite – a park that tends to be a step above the rest – well, that makes things a wee bit more special.
If you’re not sure which accommodation is best for you, the area to select or the sights to see, this guide to Scotland’s top glampsites and regions will have you on your way quicker than you can say ‘aye’.
Glamping in Scotland: from countryside cabins to spacious wigwams
Fancy shacking up at a shepherd’s hut in an ornamental garden? Bedding down in a bell tent on the shores of a lovely loch? Hiding out in a hut amid spectacular Highlands scenery? No problem – bagging a glampsite in Scotland with a twist is a breeze.
Some sites are set right by golf courses, so your swing doesn’t have to suffer while on a break, while others come with private barbecues in lush surrounds to make sorting supper as satisfying as eating it. Kitchenettes are often included in your glamping accommodation – which is fab if you prefer putting meals together indoors.
When you’re after somewhere simple to stay, consider a cute cabin or lodge. For more of an alternative option, we have Native American-style wigwams, futuristic geodomes with valley views and camping pods lining a canal. There’s even accommodation right by a floating gastropub if you fancy some sipping and sailing…
The amenities to eye up while planning a glamping trip to Scotland
Glamping in Scotland with private hot tub access is a great way to swank up your stay, plus some sites also have wellness centres with indoor pools, Jacuzzis, saunas and steam rooms to warm you up after wanders across grassy glens.
Toting the tiddlers along on a tour of the Land of the Brave? Keep an eye out for facilities like games rooms with the usual amenities – foosball and table tennis tables – as well as the not-so-usual (tenpin bowling, anyone??). Free wifi should reduce any moaning from bairns who tend to get bored.
Many parts of this northern nation are pretty rural, so it’s useful to check whether or not a site has a shop (or is near a supermarket) before you arrive without any essentials. And if you’re thinking you might want to avoid being stove-bound, some glampsites in Scotland provide extras welcome hampers stuffed with locally produced products.
Always need to be outdoors? Have a look for accommodation with adventure activities on site or nearby – there’s everything from archery to Segway tours available. If you’re planning to go glamping in Scotland with your dog, browse parks that permit pals of the four-legged variety.
Where to stay at a glampsite in Scotland
Not sure where to settle on your stint in Scotland? Start with the mighty mainland, a place of heather-covered mountains and windswept beaches. Bound around the Borders, making sure to get a glimpse of the graffiti in Glasgow, then lope to Loch Lomond and The Trossachs National Park for eye-poppingly pretty lake scenery that spills into oak woodlands full of red deer.
Keen hiker? Glamping in the Scottish Highlands is for you. This north western region centres around Loch Ness, while the south west is home to Ben Nevis, the tallest point in the UK, for some terrific trekking along the perimeters of shimmery lakes and up to massive peaks.
For a trip to one of Britain’s best cities, get yourself over the east coast city of Edinburgh – August is an ace time to visit Scotland’s capital as it’s when the world-famous Fringe Festival is on.
If you’ve already navigated much of the nation on past trips, head to Scottish glampsites in the furthest reaches of the country, like the Outer Hebrides, for a milder climate and to loll about on white-sand beaches edging clear-blue shores. The Inner Hebrides are a touch easier to reach thanks to the shorter ferry rides; some isles, like spectacular Skye, have access via bridge to make travelling breezier.
The further towards the top of Scotland you go, the more likely it is that the Northern Lights will make an appearance (particularly if touring in the cooler months).
Sightseeing spots to seek out while glamping in Scotland
Scotland’s stuffed with things to see and do. Why not attempt to solve a long-running mystery by scaling up to the medieval Urquhart Castle on the lookout for the legendary beast said to live in Loch Ness? If you reckon there’s no chance of the monster rearing its head, you might be more inclined to try and seek the dolphins in the Moray Firth near Inverness instead.
For Western Highlands glamping trips, wander to waterfalls in Glencoe valley or have a gander at the Glenfinnan Viaduct – Harry Potter buffs may recognise this multi-arch structure from the films.
Dundee and Glasgow are increasing their cultural sway, with many a museum to meander around. Don’t miss the design displays at the V&A in the former or Salvador Dali’s mind-boggling 'Christ of St John of the Cross' painting at Kelvingrove Art Gallery in the latter. Edinburgh, meanwhile, draws in cutting-edge types with its hip bars and boutiques as much as for its theatrical traditions and the historical sights in the centuries-old Royal Mile.
Those up for a challenge should take on the Great Glen Way, a long-distance path tracing the – you guessed it – Great Glen. Most adventurers complete this 125-kilometre course in five to seven days, or cycle it in two to three, but if you’ve not got the stamina, pick out a particularly pretty portion of it and spend a shorter time exploring instead.
On a wander in winter? The mountainous Cairngorms region has ski slopes galore (as well as plenty of shaggy horned cows (or coos, as they’re known in the local dialect…) to snap a pic of.
Once you’ve strutted around the stunning sights of Scotland, extend your trip around the UK with stays at glamping sites in Wales and England next.
