Our trip around bonny Scotland in a cosy camper was VANtastic

MY WIFE and I have a notoriously “tense” relationship when either of us is driving so the prospect of a long weekend away in a campervan filled us with some trepidation.

It was always going to be a case of kill or cure.

However, if there is anything that can melt away tension then it has to be the magnificent rolling hills and sea views of the Scottish countryside.

Blessed by good weather, our TARDIS-like home on wheels energised us with the feeling we could do anything and go anywhere a spontaneity rarely afforded with two children under the age of five.

In truth, there was some military organisation needed before setting off but once the van was equipped and filled with diesel the world was our oyster.

The stunning peninsula of Ardnamurchan, the most westerly point of mainland Scotland, was our destination and we mapped out a circuitous route to get there in order to maximize our stunning scenery intake.

The higher vantage point from the cab of the VW Transporter van when trundling through Glencoe was a joy.

Glen Coe with the Aonach Eagach on the left (Getty Images)

And the kids also took full advantage of being able to see more by pointing out what felt like every ‘ba ba’ and ‘Hamish’ (that’s sheep and cows for those who don’t speak two-year-old).

We chased an explosive orange sunset across Ardnamurchan with the aim of parking up for the night at the idyllic Sanna Bay, allowing us wake up the next day and get straight out on to to its white sands.

However, this dream was somewhat torpedoed by the ‘no overnight camping’ sign at the beaches car park.

The nearby handwritten sign about dogs being shot if not kept under control near sheep reinforced the notion that you couldn’t really ignore this signpost.

But the beauty of being in the van was that we simply turned round, drove three miles and found a quiet roadside spot to pitch for the night.

Being north of 6ft I had my concerns about being cramped inside the van but it was surprisingly spacious.

The rear seats fold down into a good-sized bed and there is a fridge and a gas ring cooker.

The carefully-crafted conversion by East-Lothian firm Jerba means there’s nifty storage ideas all over the place and the big win is the roof popping up and the upstairs bed, which was big enough for me to sleep in (though getting up there in an elegant manner was a bit more of a challenge).

Once the kids were, finally, asleep the “living room” consisted of the van’s two front chairs swivelled round to face the beds.

It was snug but the in-van heater which runs off diesel but doesn’t need the engine switched on kept us cosy when the temperatures plunged at night.

The next morning the Sanna Bay dream was restarted and it was a joy to have what must be one of Scotland’s most idyllic beaches to ourselves.

Cooking sausages on a barbecue while the kids played in the rock pools had a Waltons-esque feel to it (well at least until the older one asked where the toilet was).

Having just parked up by the roadside the first night, it was agreed we should reintegrate with the world, i.e. my wife wanted a proper wash, on a campsite the next day.

We lucked in with the Ardnamurchan Campsite in Kilchoan that had better showers than our flat and, nestled into a rugged hillside, boasted stunning views across to Ben Hiant and the Isle of Mull.

Ardnamurchan (Getty Images)

Our treat of a proper meal at the nearby Kilchoan House Hotel was a disappointment, though, with a mediocre menu and less than joyful members of staff.

“We should just have had beans on the stove,” was my daughter’s sage summary.

The Ardnamurchan lighthouse is a must visit as you can climb its dizzying steps and get a fantastic view, as well as a real appreciation as to why it is needed.

After pottering around Ardnamurchan for a few days, complete with several unnecessary roadside cuppa stops just because we could, we decided on a whim to head over to Mull.

A trip on a ferry was exciting for the kids and again the freedom to just drive about without much of a plan was quite invigorating.

Tobermory was a hit with my Balamory-loving daughter though after a few days in the ‘wilds’ it felt a bit too much like a metropolis.

Back in the van we began the trek back to the Central Belt, collectively content but sad to be leaving our temporary home behind.

The ‘Cromarty’ camper van used was a VW T5 Transporter conversion by North Berwick firm Jerba who charge from £600 for one week’s rental but also have a range of vans to buy. www.jerbacampervans.co.uk