The road less​ travelled: Forget the NC500, lesser-known routes are waiting to be explored by campervan

The road snakes out ahead, rising and falling, twisting and turning for endless, timeless miles. One minute we pass through a canopy of native forest, the next a wide expanse of golden sand opens up, giving way to a mirror-like sea.

Soon, the road carves a giant semi-circle into a cliff, leaving us peering nervously to the valley below. As the road rises once more, the sun dips behind a hill, silhouetting a stag on the summit like something out of a Visit Scotland advert.

We have been driving for nearly four hours through this dreamscape of Munros, lochs and forests, but the last time we passed a car was an hour and a half ago – and it is quite simply glorious.

We weave and bob along the empty roads, cruising from the high vantage point of a VW California campervan my family of four have hired from Roadsurfer, the world’s leading motorhome and campervan company.

© Shutterstock

The camper eats up the miles with ease and the extra driving height and comfort of the seat make the hours in the cockpit a joy – which, coming from someone who doesn’t always enjoy driving, is saying something.

You’d be forgiven for associating a thrilling Scottish road trip with the now-famous North Coast 500, but our journey across a lesser-known part of the country merely shows that the NC500 isn’t particularly unique. These roads, these scenes are scattered all over Scotland, just waiting to be discovered.

In fact, it is precisely because of the NC500’s popularity that we are determined to take the road less travelled.

Our journey has taken us along the tourist trail through Callander and Crianlarich to Glencoe but from there we take a right at Ballachulish and board the Corran Ferry, a small car ferry that crosses Loch Linnhe to Ardgour.

From Ardgour we travel on narrow roads out to the Ardnamurchan peninsula and the Ardnamurchan campsite.

It is here that the VW California can fully stretch out and reveal all its party pieces. The van is a marvel of modern engineering, with every inch of space used to maximum effect. The camper has everything; a gas cooker, sink, outside shower, a table for dining, an electric heater for comfort during the night, tonnes of storage and of course two double beds (the pop-up roof bed is immediately claimed by the kids).

© Shutterstock / Lukassek

We crank up the heating and cosy in for the night. Our pitch facing the windswept Sound of Mull makes for a fantastic bedtime panorama.

The next morning, we travel back down the road a mile to Kilchoan, a tiny hamlet that is the most westerly village in mainland Britain. We aim to return here later but for now we are straight onto another boat, the Kilchoan Ferry that runs between here and Tobermory on Mull. Tobermory is rammed with tourists, but thanks to taking the campervan (return ticket a bargain at £17.20), we can grab coffee, do a quick bit of souvenir shopping and then head out into Mull proper.

Calgary Bay is a well-known beach but, seeing as how we are all about avoiding the tourist hotspots, we pick out Port na Ba beach, just along the coast.

Parking is pretty much non-existent here but a helpful local tells us we can squeeze the camper in next to his house. From there it’s about a 1km walk to the beach. But, oh my, it is worth it.

Port na Ba is a picture postcard of golden sand, blue-green water and rocky cliffs and we slip into wetsuits for a swim on our private deserted beach.

Back in Kilchoan, we opt to go for a little bit of comfort and have dinner at Kilchoan House Hotel, which is alive with locals who, like us, have just come off the ferry. The laughter and joking over good food and a few drams carry on well into the wee hours.

The versatility of the campervan means the options for the journey are limitless in this wild, untamed corner of Scotland but we head for Ardnamurchan Lighthouse, the most westerly point on the British mainland.

The road out to the lighthouse is completely empty so we are slightly perplexed when we arrive at a single traffic light, with the road ahead disappearing around a giant rock.

We soon realise the reason as we slowly creep round the rock, the narrow road hugging the cliff with a vertiginous drop into the North Atlantic Ocean on one side. No room for passing places here.

© Thomas Hawkins

Highlighting the remoteness of this place, we need to retrace our steps for 20 minutes before we turn off and drive for another 20 minutes to get to our next destination, Sanna Beach.

From the car park, all we can see is a wide plain of short grass that instantly puts us in mind of a links golf course. We zigzag through a labyrinth of sand dunes and soon an arcing disc of white sand and turquoise sea is all at once right in front of us.

The kids spend ages catching crab, their leggings hitched up, wading in and out of the rocky pools. The only other person we see is a man whose dog is sprinting into the infinite sand ahead of him. It feels like we have found something special. A hidden road trip full of amazing wildlife, great food and breathtaking beauty. The best bit, however, is that these places are everywhere, you just have to hit the road and find them.

All that is left for us is the long drive back home – and I can’t wait to enjoy it.

Factfile

Roadsurfer offers more than 10,000 fully equipped motorhomes, campervans and RVs across the UK, Europe and North America. Enjoy flexible booking, unlimited mileage and the freedom to explore, your way. Visit roadsurfer.com for more information.

Special offer

From now until the end of August, Sunday Post readers get an exclusive discount of 10% off the cost of a Roadsurfer rental. Visit roadsurfer.com/uk and enter the code RSFTHESUNDAYPOST at the checkout page.