Wild Camping Suggestions??

[FZSteely]

Hi guys,

I'm planning a 4 day wild camping trip to Scotland, in September. Does anyone have any suggestions as to destinations? I'm hoping to get right into the wilderness, find a loch all to myself, no sign of human life, freedom really. I'm sure you get the idea. Any suggestions would be welcome

Thanks.

[adeejaysdelight]

I am from the West coast mate, and I have been in the outdoors for much of my life. It depends what you are after. Are you taking your bike/car? Are you taking your vehicle off road? Or re you carrying your gear? September can be a good month for it as the midges will be dead by that time as it is too cold, however, it can be VERY cold at night, so prepare well. How far north are you planning to go? Remember, it takes less time to travel from Glasgow to London than it does to get from Glasgow to the north of Skye. Although the distance might not look much on a map, it will take you some time to travel. Let me know a bit more and I will point you in the right direction 

[mickvp]

As above, Im also from the West coast of Scotland - plenty of nooks and crannies about here, but it depends what your looking for, and how much hiking from the bike you want to do etc.

[FZSteely]

Thanks for the suggestions so far guys. Well first if all I will be taking my FZS600, the plan is to stay in a tent, I haven't wild camped before but I certainly have encountered a cold night or two camping, so I plan to pack plenty of warm clothing. Ideally I'd love to at least keep the bike in sight but happy to camp quite far from the roadside. The West Coast would be perfect maybe midway into Scotland maybe even venturing up as far as Pitt lochry (I apologies if I have Mis-spelt the name)

[noggythenog]

Can you hold a crap in for 4 days!!!

[FZSteely]

Ha ha, no but not intending on having a high fibre trip either 

[mickvp]

Can you hold a crap in for 4 days!!!

no need, just let rip then wipe your arse with an acorn, or some birch bark. works wonders:lol


theres some fairly secluded points up at loch long (just beyond arrochar) that are fairly good for camping. some of them right on the lochside. Loch long is a sea loch though so the water is salty. loch lomond also has a good few spots around it, although you should bear in mind that camping is (allegedly) banned on the east side at balmaha/rowardennan - although Ive camped there and its never been a problem.

[Hedgetrimmer]

How exactly do you want to feel while you're camping - REALLY wild, or perhaps just a little annoyed?
I noticed a few people camping or with camper vans down the Glen Etive road when I was last up that way. It's a quiet little road with a burn (water source, but I'd advise using a water filter or boil everything you consume). There are a number of small gravelly lay-bys along the first bit as you go down, or you might be able to go all the way down to the loch shore and find somewhere.

[mickvp]

^^ same story with Loch lomond, there are layby's right next to it (spaced every half mile - mile or so) around 90% of the west/north sides.

[noggythenog]

Mick ive stayed on loch long before, total stunning, i was in a plush lochside lodge though, went kayaking up the loch, really tranquil.


I also visited the worst resteraunt ive ever eaten in - the Jaco bite!!!, or Jaco shite as we call it!it was a total blast from the past & the english owners were completely off their heads & played dodgy 1940's music & looking around you could see that everyone that came in wanted to go back out but couldnt be rude enough to do it.it was so bad that it was good & it's now a running joke in my family


My dad tells me that its now been demolished thankfully

[mickvp]

Mick ive stayed on loch long before, total stunning, i was in a plush lochside lodge though, went kayaking up the loch, really tranquil.

that will be the lodges just past arrochar at ardgarten. Ive stayed in those too, they are very nice

[noggythenog]

Mick ive stayed on loch long before, total stunning, i was in a plush lochside lodge though, went kayaking up the loch, really tranquil.

that will be the lodges just past arrochar at ardgarten. Ive stayed in those too, they are very nice

Dornie lodges, massive glass fronts, quite modern, far supreme!!!,my folks go there every year the foccers but it's a bit far from wales for me.

[andybesy]

Great thread, I'm really interested in the discussion as I've been considering a bit of wild camping.

Reading I've done suggests you can camp most places, but not too close to the road.

Ideally I would want to have the fazer on camp site for security, but wouldn't want to go off-road with it.

Can you get away with camping roadside? Or are there places easy to find where you can camp with access for the bike?

Andy

[mickvp]

ah. thats a different loch long! thats the one near inverness, the loch long im referring to is about 15 miles outside helensburgh

[mickvp]

Great thread, I'm really interested in the discussion as I've been considering a bit of wild camping.

Reading I've done suggests you can camp most places, but not too close to the road.

Ideally I would want to have the fazer on camp site for security, but wouldn't want to go off-road with it.

Can you get away with camping roadside? Or are there places easy to find where you can camp with access for the bike?

Andy

there are layby-s/offshoots from the road to the loch, so your not strictly on the road, police dont seem to mind, not  in the 40-50 times ive camped around loch long/loch lomond anyway. this for example:

https://maps.google.co.uk/maps?hl=en&ll=56.210729,-4.699693&spn=0.012793,0.042272&t=m&z=15&layer=c&cbll=56.210729,-4.699693&panoid=NSCM5SYaQ_P8K2cxBxpGFg&cbp=12,154.42,,0,9.14

just off the road, so ok to use

[noggythenog]

ah. thats a different loch long! thats the one near inverness, the loch long im referring to is about 15 miles outside helensburgh

Ha ha!!! Well one must be shorter than the other so one should be called loch longer


Sorry for messing up the thread

[Hedgetrimmer]

Glenshieldaig Forest, out towards Torridon has a real in-the-middle-of-nowhere feel. Very wild, rocky, bit barren. Challenging little road to get there, not far from Torridon village and loch, also near to Applecross on the west coast. I think I would top up with fuel before heading up there, nearest garage on Shiel Bridge to Kyle of Lochalsh road? Not sure about water sources out there, but could fill a couple of bottles before you go. Torridon village has a small grocery store. Ground is very rocky and uneven, so might be better to bivvy rather than tent, if you can rig up decent midgie protection. I very much doubt that anyone would disturb you on that road, didn't see much traffic even in the middle of the day.

[FZSteely]

Glenshieldaig Forest, out towards Torridon has a real in-the-middle-of-nowhere feel. Very wild, rocky, bit barren. Challenging little road to get there, not far from Torridon village and loch, also near to Applecross on the west coast. I think I would top up with fuel before heading up there, nearest garage on Shiel Bridge to Kyle of Lochalsh road? Not sure about water sources out there, but could fill a couple of bottles before you go. Torridon village has a small grocery store. Ground is very rocky and uneven, so might be better to bivvy rather than tent, if you can rig up decent midgie protection. I very much doubt that anyone would disturb you on that road, didn't see much traffic even in the middle of the day.

I love this idea, shame about the rockyness

[adeejaysdelight]

Loch Lomond is beautiful, but being the largest body of fresh water in the UK, it gets more visitors per annum than Alton Towers! So, for me anyway, its as wild as camping in Morrisons car park  . Not that you can't have fun there though... Loch Long has a great biking road running along side it, but again, its not exactly wild. And Pitlochry is a town. If you are after a truly "wild" experience, and by that I mean you will not talk to anyone for days, the Cairngorms is a good shout, as is the stretch between Fort William And the Isle of Skye. The further north you go from there, the more remote it gets. I toured Scotland on my 125 in 09'. I went all around the coast. Cape Wrath is stunning, but traveling there is going to be measured in days from your location. If you are after something a bit closer, try the brig-o-turk (https://maps.google.co.uk/maps?oe=&q=brig+o+turk&ie=UTF-8&hq=&hnear=0x4888f08ccb8be6db:0xe74d2962e1158f61,Brig+o'Turk,+Stirling&gl=uk&ei=tWICUrH8Jazd7QaL5IHYAQ&ved=0CKIBELYDMA4). There are wee loches dotted around it, and if you go off the road onto the track, and keep going, you will find yourself lost in the wilderness. Dumfries and Galloway forest park is another one pretty close to the boarder. No mountains though, but the best views of the night sky in the UK.

[mickvp]

cant sayi disagree with any of that ^^. good advice there

[adeejaysdelight]

Cheers Mick. If you are patient enough to sieve through the drivel, you will find a nugget of gold  .

[Hedgetrimmer]

Hi guys,

I'm planning a 4 day wild camping trip to Scotland, in September. Does anyone have any suggestions as to destinations? I'm hoping to get right into the wilderness, find a loch all to myself, no sign of human life, freedom really. I'm sure you get the idea. Any suggestions would be welcome

Thanks.

Do you know what? You can't do this on a bike, cos if you're camped near a road you're right next to a sign of human life. For the best wild camping experience, leave the bike at home and take to the hills on foot. If you've never done it before, it's a wonderful experience you'll never forget.

[slimwilly]

Not too far north,, or you have to watch out for Polar bears..


I went to Scotland once with my girlfreind,, i came back with a wife,,,,thats what Gretna Green can do to you,,thats true too


Have raced downhill mtb'sat Fortwilliam , that,s ace there. also Ae forest ,Dunfries,, and also lots of times to, umm , it will come to me in a minute,,ummm, oh bugger

[FZSteely]

Well I'm very grateful for all the ideas guys, I didn't expect such a rapid response. I think what I will so is take all these suggestions and discuss them with my mate who will be joining me. It does sound tricky to truly wild camp with a bike but I do think it will be a hell of a great time anyway. I'll take plenty of pics! 

[adeejaysdelight]

Steely, your bike will be safe. I stayed in Ullapool a few years back for 2 nights. Arrived at about 3/4pm and parked outside the B & B. Took the gear off the bike and headed in. Never touched the bike the whole time. When I was leaving, I cold not find my keys anywhere. Panic set in. I headed out to the bike to find they were in the seat lock  . Point is, nobody touched them. Good folks up in the heelins (Highlands to you I guess  ) You can leave your bike by the side of the road for days mate, no one will touch it. Just take the keys with you.