western isles

[karen]

have a week off end of august.
considering getting the ferry from oban then rtn via ullapool.

is a week sufficient for this - any recommendations for this. if it's tight then may do the wee isles instead

[scanner]

If you are going from Oban to Barra that ferry alone takes a whole day.

[dunslair]

We did this in a week, and it worked out just fine.... although it leaves you wanting more!!!

[Muzorewa]

The Western Isles part of THIS tour took only six days, so if you're working on a nine day week (with weekends) you should have enough time. As scanner says, the boat from Oban to Barra takes yonks especially if you go on the sailing that goes via Coll and Tiree. The sailing from Stornoway to Ullapool isn't quick either, you could do Harris to Skye like we did unless you particularly want to go into the Highlands.

[scanner]

And on the outer Isles there still isn't that many places to camp.

Wild camping does not go down well in some places - the Scottish right to wild camp does NOT apply if you are in any kind of vehicle.

[g8dhe]

Do you have a reference to that - about camping in vehicles ? I ask as the latest reg's issued;
http://www.lochlomond-trossachs.org/vis ... d-611.html

Seasonal Camping Restrictions for East Loch Lomond

Camping byelaws will restrict camping on the east side of Loch Lomond from the 1 March 2012. The camping byelaws will make it an offence to camp or sleep outdoors / in a vehicle overnight on the east side of Loch Lomond outside designated camping sites. The restrictions are seasonal and will last from the 1 March to the end of October.

Imply, that outside of that, camping includes staying in a vehicle overnight ?

[scanner]

Do you have a reference to that - about camping in vehicles ? I ask as the latest reg's issued;
http://www.lochlomond-trossachs.org/vis ... d-611.html

Seasonal Camping Restrictions for East Loch Lomond

Camping byelaws will restrict camping on the east side of Loch Lomond from the 1 March 2012. The camping byelaws will make it an offence to camp or sleep outdoors / in a vehicle overnight on the east side of Loch Lomond outside designated camping sites. The restrictions are seasonal and will last from the 1 March to the end of October.

Imply, that outside of that, camping includes staying in a vehicle overnight ?

That is specific legislation relating to the east shore of Loch Lomond and bans ANY form of camping outside of campsites in a particular area for a set period of the year.

Elsewhere (can't find it at the moment) there is explanation of what constitutes "Wild Camping" and it specifically excludes "camping" in or even with vehicles. It is really meant to be only cyclists and hikers.

Dandywarhol posted about it 2 or 3 years ago when the legislation was first enacted.

PS
Just found this
http://www.snh.gov.uk/docs/A309336.pdf
and in there it states under
7 Access rights do not extend to:.................

• any form of motorised recreation or passage (except by
people with a disability using a vehicle or vessel adapted for
their use);

[BongoBonkers]

My Wife grew up on Coll and we've spent a bit of time there and around the rest of Scotland. Wild bongoing definitely doesn't do gown well on Tiree as we found. This may or may not extend to the other islands but we were made aware via literature before arriving that we would be expected to almost 'prove' that we had accommodation reserved when arriving on Tiree. If you've ever spent any length of time in this part of the world you may find that people are most observant. Indeed, when chatting to the tourist people by the ferry terminal after arrival about accommodation it emerged that we had been 'clocked' already by them when driving off the ferry and they would have been keeping an eye out for us that night had we not come in to book a pitch! It did sour things a bit, as it was a lovely place. We paid a tenner to camp in an empty (no people at all of any kind) field that we just let ourselves into. We didn't object at all in the context of contributing to the local economy, it's just all a bit big brother.

Of course, this fits hand in glove with my other point. We find Scotland second only to France in it's plethora of wild camping spots and acceptance of the practice. We've never had a problem, even with our habit of lighting a camp fire whenever possible. We are almost obsessive with leaving as little evidence that we were ever there though (even no trace of a camp fire...). As usual, it's the actions of a minority (who don't camp considerately) that ruin it for all and result in super-strict policies like on Tiree....

To sum up our experience, use your common sense, be clean courteous and respectful, discreet when you should be and you won't go far wrong wild camping in Scotland. Good luck with the trip.

[g8dhe]

That does indeed sort of seem to say you can't (but in reading the rest of the document they seem to be applying it to (see 2.14) motorbiking, scrambling, off-road driving, powered boats etc.), so why then bring in a byelaw prohibiting that which is already prohibited ? Most confusing.
Other answers also miss out the the specific case of camping in a vehicle, but again these are opinions of others and not the reasoning of any court see http://www.go4awalk.com/ask/wildcampinginscotland.php
I guess as ever we wait for the courts to decide what the politicians who framed/agreed the Act actually mean

[Muzorewa]

Have to agree there, we saw discarded disposable barbecues in beautiful spots, why do people go to these places and then litter them?

We removed every trace of our camping and others' litter too in case people thought it was us. Be courteous and have a good holiday

[tallbongo]

have a week off end of august.
considering getting the ferry from oban then rtn via ullapool.

is a week sufficient for this - any recommendations for this. if it's tight then may do the wee isles instead

You can certainly get around Harris and Lewis in a week. It all depends on how much walking/sightseeing you want to do versus driving. We did this at the end of May in a fortnight, but we also went to the Uists. It's worth considering going over and back from Skye. Cheaper ferries and quicker crossings.

Enjoy!

[corrour]

Just come back after another 2 weeks up there with no probs at all. 6th visit now
We went Uig on Skye on a Hopscotch 14 to Uist
Bernaray to Leverborough
Tarbet on Harris to Uig
Alot Cheaper and better if the weather is rough
if you PM me i will send some pics and where to stay with no probs
The beaches are to die for and where else can you stop under a very big Lighthouse

John N Sue