A TRIP TO SCOTLAND - PLANNING, TIPS + ARRIVAL

Are you planning a trip to the northernmost country of the UK? Then you've come to the right place. In this blog post you'll find everything you need to know while planning a trip to Scotland. If you need further advise, dont hesistate to ask me in person.

How to get to Scotland?

There are several ways to reach the northernmost part of the island. The quickest option is definitely a flight. Both Edinburgh and Glasgow are ideal places to start your trip.

If you are travelling from Europe you will see that Ryanair offers cheap connections from all countries almost every day. Mine was less than €80 including luggage + priority entry. The flights from America usually have a stopover in London or Dublin.

If you are travelling by car, remember that Scotland is in the north of the UK. And the UK is an island. Spontaneous travel is therefore out of the question, especially if you want to save money on booking a ferry or the Eurotunnel. The following connections are possible by car from the mainland:

1. Ijmuiden - Newcastle: about 17 hours, here you arrive in Newcastle, which is close to the Scottish border, so the onward journey is relatively short

2. Calais - Dover: around 1.5 hours, the ferry ride is quite short, but you still have to go across England (700 km) to reach Scotland. The big advantage here is that the ferries run several times a day and there are various providers

3. Rotterdam - Hull: around 11 hours, the journey here is a little longer than the first option. Time-wise it comes out to the same

4. Eurotunnel, Cosquelles - Folkstone: 35 minutes, despite the short crossing, the journey through England is still long. But it's a great option if you're not seaworthy or have a dog with you

Another alternative would be to take the train . From Cologne, this takes around 17 hours and is not for those on a budget. If you still want to use public transport, you should definitely look at the long-distance bus connections. In terms of pricing, they are all affordable, but unfortunately they take ages and can mean a journey lasting up to 40 hours. Tip: Look for trips with Flixbus .

Transport in Scotland

• Travel with your own car/van : Scotland is perfect for a road trip, even with your own van or car. If you don't mind sleeping in the car, you can save a few euros, as accommodation here is above the European average.

  
  

• My recommendation for anyone arriving by plane: rent a car! The cheapest options start at €20/day including insurance. In my opinion, it's unbeatable, especially if you can share the costs with others. You get from A to B quickly and are flexible in your plan.

  
  

• Public transport. Yes, it is possible to reach many of the larger cities in Scotland by bus and train. During my trip I met many travelers who chose this option. Just remember that this will not be the cheapest option and many of the more remote places can only be reached by car.

All about the traffic

Scotland is part of the UK and so the traffic drives on the left. But this shouldn't put you off a road trip here. As soon as you get out of the cities, the traffic really dies down and the initial stress disappears. Edinburgh and Glasgow are by far the biggest cities in Scotland and if you manage to get out of here, everything else will seem easy to you. To avoid having to change gears with your left hand, an automatic transmission might help; these are commonplace these days anyway. If you're not sure, just ask at the car rental company.

The fuel is quite expensive compared to Europe. In November 2024, petrol cost 1.65￡/l (1.99€/liter).

The distances usually look shorter on the map than they actually are. You can assume that you will need an average of 1 minute to travel 1 km, and even longer in rural areas.

Best time to travel

Scotland is a place to visit all year round. You have peak seasons and off-seasons, all of them have their advantages and disadvantages. And of course, it all depends on where you plan to go.

December - February: In winter, some accommodation and facilities may be closed. There is generally not much going on and the country is particularly quiet and peaceful. The mountains turn into snow-capped peaks and the days are extremely short compared to the summer months. Temperatures can drop to below zero, so be sure to wrap up warm. Tip: Now is the perfect time for a city trip to Edinburgh or Glasgow.

March - May: Before winter turns into summer, spring has time to put on its show. All over the country you can see how nature is changing and the best thing about it is that the high season has not yet started. Nevertheless, the days are already longer and are ideal for hiking or cycling tours, and even without any mosquitoes, which are fully active again in summer at the latest.

June - August: The summer months are perfect for outdoor activities and sightseeing, but also come with higher visitor numbers and prices. This is the perfect time for multi-day hikes through the Highlands. Tip: How about the West Highland Way or one of the 282 Munro's ?

September - November: In my opinion, the best time for a trip to Scotland. It is already low season and autumn is in full swing. The grass turns orange and the weather gives the country a very special atmosphere. It is truly unique! Tip: the last two weeks of October are best for peaking colours.

What to pack?

Depending on what time of year you travel to Scotland, it can get pretty wild. Even in summer, it's not uncommon to experience all four seasons in one day, so the best option is to layer up. Practicality is often more important than anything else, so besides your usual clothes, don't forget the following things:

• a windproof rain jacket + pants: don't underestimate the wind. You'll thank me when the first gusts almost blow you over without warning

  
  

• Headband or hat : nothing is worse than earache on a hike. And there is really room for that in every pack

  
  

• Mosquito spray + mosquito net: protects you from the Highland Midges, which can be particularly annoying in summer

  
  

• Waterproof shoes: the trails in Scotland are very muddy and rarely dry in the summer months

  
  

• Travel adapter: You will need a suitable adapter throughout the UK. Remember this, otherwise you will have to get one on site

  
  

• Road-Trip Playlist: Don’t forget to download some good tunes for your road trip. Check out my Spotify Road Trip Vibes playlist.

Good to know

Here are a few tips that I would like to give you that will make your trip to Scotland easier.

Tip 1: With the Met Office app you can perfectly track the weather in Scotland. This way you always have an overview. Locals recommended it to me and I've used it almost every day.

Tip 2: It's best to book your accommodation in advance. Especially in high season, most AirBnBs and hotels are quickly fully booked. Even the campsites are sometimes at maximum capacity. This way you can also save a little money.

Tip 3: Less is often more. On my last trip through Scotland, I was mainly interested in slowing down a bit and exploring the individual places a little more intensively. Some hikes take a whole day, so don't rush from place to place, but always plan a little more time than you think. This will help as a weather buffer, it would be a shame if you had to leave without having seen everything you had planned just because it was raining non stop.

Tip 4: Stock up on some food + snacks at the start of your road trip. You can find cheap supermarkets (Lidl, Aldi etc.) around Glasgow + Edinburgh, but as you travel further north the prices will increase. But don't worry, there are supermarkets here too, although not as much choice!

Tip 5: Plan extra days for Edinburgh and Glasgow. I usually recommend skipping the bigger cities. But Edinburgh is definitely worth it! You will rarely find such a beautiful city anywhere in the world.

For more insights: Check out my Scotland Story Highlight on Instagram!