There are road trips… and then there are the kind that stay with you forever.
Our two‑week journey around the Outer Hebrides in the van was exactly that — wild landscapes, white sand beaches that looked more Caribbean than Scotland, endless skies, and the kind of quiet that makes you properly breathe and reconnect.
If you’ve ever wondered whether the Outer Hebrides are worth the 5 hour ferry crossing in a campervan… this is your sign. They absolutely are.
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At the bottom of this blog is a downloadable full itinerary with links to all of the campsites we stayed at, prices and distances between stays.
Our real two‑week itinerary
I will start by saying, whilst our pics look insane we were particularly lucky with the weather. We had pretty much 2 weeks of beautiful sunshine which I know is not a consistent theme with Scotland! And it was still baltic on some days, so plenty thermal layers and waterproofs are an essential!
We went in April, which was risky from a weather situation but it was the only time we could all go and managed to really maximise school holidays (the Easter hols). Lots of people say May is a stunning time to go too. We didn’t have any midgie issues and saw every single sunrise and sunset whilst we were there.
We started in the South of England and took things relatively slowly, travelling north through Scotland before hopping across the islands and looping back home via Skye and the Lake District. Plenty of people do it the other way around; start at the top and work down… I don’t think it makes much difference, but stopping at Barra first was genuinely the stuff that dreams are made of! Don’t skip this one!!
Day 1 – Travel to Tebay Services (if you’re heading up from the South of England)
A long driving day to start the adventure, breaking the journey with an easy overnight stop in a large carpark campsite with facilities – plus you can go for locally sourced breakfast in their famous shop and restaurant in the morning – the perfect way to start the hols!
Day 2 – Loch Lomond
A peaceful night at Luss Campsite with beautiful lochside views — the perfect gentle start to Scotland. If you are able to, book a lochside pitch which gives you incredible views across the loch.
Day 3 – Ardfern Motorhome Park
A smaller, quieter stop that felt like properly arriving in the wild west coast landscape. We chose Ardfern for its clost proximity to Oban for the Ferry Port, and it had a little local pub for dinner about 15 mins walk away. Not to mention being right on Loch Craignish. But maybe avoid going for a paddle when the tide is out as it’s very muddy (yep, we I got stuck and needed hosing off…!).
When heading to Ardfern from Loch Lomond, TAKE THE LOW ROAD (the A83) via Loch Fyne and Inverary, and be sure to stop for a peek at the epic valley view at the “Rest and Be Thankful” – these are beautiful stops and we are planning on going back.
Day 4 – Oban → Barra ferry
I have a bit of a habit of getting overly emotional on journeys and this one tops it. We were of course lucky with the weather, but picture this; the most beautiful sunset as you approach the ferry port in Barra and there’s a coastal otter playing around in the surf next to you. Honestly one of the most exciting moments of the trip as we started our proper island adventure.
Days 5–6 – Barra
There just aren’t enough words to describe the beauty of Barra. One of my all time favourite places in the world. Wild whitesand beach walks, sea air, and immediate Hebridean calm. Slow pace. Staying right on the coast made this feel incredibly remote and special. Donald welcomed us to the beautiful Borve campsite with the real charm of Hebridean hospitality. We spent a whole day messing about on the beach and almost swimming in the crystal clear waters. Stunning.
Make sure you drive down to Vatersay which also has the most stunning bays and beaches. A lot of the classic “picture postcard” beaches you see are these ones.
Day 7 – Ferry to South Uist
South Uist was a little different in feel to Barra, I’m not sure I can quite put my finger on it, maybe it felt a little cooler from the locals? I can’t blame them as they must tire of the constant tourism particularly during the school hols. We are always respectful and polite and, of course, leave no trace. But I don’t think everyone is. This island is in keeping with the Hebrides in that it’s stunning and rugged. And we only spent one night here so feel I’m not fully qualified to have a proper opinion!
Days 8–10 – North Uist
Wild, peaceful, and wonderfully quiet. Long empty beaches, tiny single track roads with passing places, and the feeling of having discovered somewhere secret. Driving up to Balranald Campsite in North Uist from South Uist took just over an hour and it’s a stunning drive – BUT here is where we got it a bit wrong… We rushed. Because we were a bit tired. This is the absolute no go of exploring the Western Isles!
We didn’t take enough time to appreciate all that South and North Uist have to offer. We stopped at some gorgeous little shops with handmade jewellery and pottery, and home made food, but just felt like we needed to squirrel on and get to our next destination in North Uist.
I think at this point in the journey we struggled. We were a bit shattered from the adjustment of a family of 3 plus Labrador living in each others’ pockets and tripping over each other in a van permanently… And HAVING TOO MUCH STUFF WITH US to constantly unload and reload. The mood dipped, leaving behind the massive high of the initial island discovery, and the weather also turned a bit and became extremely windy (which is what anyone should expect out there!). Any normal routines we were used to were out of the window and long gone, and I think this stuff needs to be spoken about more because genuinely, roadtripping in a small van for 15 nights as a family and dog is not for the faint hearted!!! And it’s ok not to completely love every second of these trips. But of course I don’t have any pictures of us getting irritated with each other and disagreeing on who showers first!! 🙂
Anyway – within these few days we found our groove again (a few long blustery beach walks and dinner at a local-ish pub helped), and got back into the swing of things. Oh and here’s a quick pic of how we dried our towels during the days – important stuff…!
Balranald Campsite where we stayed has a really handy big vending machine with the most delicious Hebridean smoked salmon, local tipples and other home made bits and pieces – it’s an extremely modern way of serving traditional wares to campsite guests 24/7. Unfortunately I can’t find any pictures of this, but it’s a really clever concept that keeps campers fed and watered (whiskey’d).
Day 11 – Ferry to Harris
Crossing to Harris brought dramatic mountains and some of the most stunning beaches we’ve ever seen. We felt like we were home when we arrived in Harris; and we discovered a fantastic restaurant at the port
Days 12–14 – Harris
Ok I gave up trying to find only a few photos to use for Harris!! Harris and Lewis have so many places to explore, and are a great balance of mega rugged crazy landscape, insanely beautiful beaches, huge skies, with local businesses to visit and explore. For this reason and in writing this blog I’ve made an executive decision that this year our big Scottish roadtrip will take us back up to Harris and Lewis! And promise to report back with more of the wonderful stuff you can see around there. Do go to the Harris distillery and pick up a bottle of whiskey and Harris Gin; it is well worth the hefty pricetag. And I love the gorgeous bottles the gin comes in, and matching glasses they sell. And a dog collar from Harris Tweed is a must if you have a canine friend! If not, a handbag or hat will suffice…! And if you’re into golf you must have a round at the Isle of Harris Golf Club, you will never hit a ball from a more beautiful landscape!
Day 15 – Ferry to Skye
Back to the mainland via Skye…… Here’s an unpopular opinion: if you visit Skye for the first time after visiting the Hebrides you might find it a bit busy and commercial. Please don’t hate me for saying this; we felt really flat as we got into Skye realising the end of our trip was coming, so the poor island didn’t really stand a chance! We stayed one night here and hurried down to Glen Nevis for an explore up Ben Nevis in the cable car. Sorry, Skye, but we promise to be back with a fresher mindset!! We stayed one night here in a very busy campsite and moved on.
Day 16 – Fort William area
What was meant to be our second night in Skye moved us here… A stunning overnight riverside stop surrounded by mountains and a view of Ben Nevis, and walking distance to a pub for dinner and a wee dram before getting our heads down and very reluctantly heading back down South.
Days 17–18 – Lake District
Breaking the journey south with lakeside views, good food, an actual hotel with a bath (honestly the best bath I have EVER had) was a softer landing back into England. We are huge fans of the Lakes but where we stayed was absolutely heaving with people, a bit of a reality check after the stunning solitude of the Hebrides.
Day 19 – Travel home
Tired, sandy, windswept… and planning our next trip up there.
Favourite moments from the trip
- Morning coffee with absolutely nobody else around.
- Seeing every single sunrise and sunset.
- Beach walks where the only footprints were ours and the water was crystal clear.
- Watching seals bobbing in the water next to the ferry.
- Golden sunrises straight through the campervan door with a brew on the go.
- Realising we hadn’t checked our phones in hours. And sometimes had absolutely no signal.
Those are the moments you can’t plan – and the ones that make trips like this so special.
Campervan tips for the Outer Hebrides
1. Book ferries early – especially if you’re travelling in peak season with a van.
2. Be weather flexible – sunshine, wind, and rain can all happen in one day… and that’s part of the charm. Pack layers, rugged walking boots and definitely waterproofs!
3. Respect the islands – use official overnight spots where possible and leave everything exactly as you found it.
4. Stock up when you can – shops are small and distances are bigger than they look on the map.
Would we do it again?
If you’ve read the blog then you’ll be able to tell the answer to this!!! But hell yes!
The Outer Hebrides feel different from anywhere else in the UK. Wilder. Quieter. Slower. And even more peaceful than you expect.
If you’re dreaming about a campervan trip that genuinely helps you switch off… put this one at the top of your list.
Follow the journey
We’ve shared loads of moments from the trip over on my Instagram page – from beach park‑ups to ferry crossings and everything in between.
If you’re planning your own Outer Hebrides adventure, head over there for inspiration, tips, and honest campervan life along the way.
And if you’ve already been… tell us your favourite spot. We’re in the throes of planning the next trip there…
Oh and here’s the full downloadable itinerary:
The Touring Bulls 
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