Scotland looks magnificent seen from the road

Robin leaves his preconceptions in the rear-view mirror and enjoys a campervan trip on a section of the North Coast 500

OK, I’m going to come clean. I used to hate campervans, motorhomes or whatever you want to call those big beasts that blocked my way on the A9. I took the moral high ground, too, as the author of Cool Camping: Scotland. Now, though, I love them.

I can still see why campervans get a bit of stick. A handful of inconsiderate drivers do ignore the common courtesy of pulling over to avoid queues, and park overnight in areas where signs clearly state they shouldn’t.

Provided you follow some simple rules and apply good old-fashioned common sense, I think a campervan holiday can be brilliant fun. They can be good for the towns and villages en route, too with an extra boost given to . local cafes, restaurants and shops.

I’m still a keen camper but there is something brilliantly convenient about having not only a bed with your set of wheels, but kitchen facilities, a toilet and a shower too. I love that when you arrive you just turn off the engine and can have a brew in your hand in minutes.

Armed with a campervan the next big choice is where to go. By far the most popular option for a road trip around Scotland these days is the North Coast 500 (NC500). This driving route – from Inverness around a swathe of the Highlands and back – is a great way to get in among 500 miles of epic Highland scenery.

If you want to tackle the whole route, I would recommend you take at least a week to cover the NC500. If you try to swish round quicker, you risk missing out many great places.

My favourite section is Wester Ross. This, for me, is the most spectacular region of the Scottish mainland.

It’s ideal campervan country as there are so many scenic spots to pull over at.

However, I have only one gripe with the route – some locals complain roads are already getting congested, as people seem to take it on at the same time.

I think that’s because, although having a route to follow is a great way to inspire people, creating an arbitrary, single trail means you miss out on so much else as traffic is focused on a limited area.

For example, in Wester Ross, if you stick strictly to the NC500, you miss out the southern half of the Assynt Peninsula – a stunning wildscape. The views are epic, both of the mainland and distant Skye, while in the foreground there is the sprinkling of Summer Isles.

With this in mind, a couple of weeks ago I set out on a campervan trip with my young family aboard. We only had four nights to play with so rather than trying to cover as much of the NC500 as possible, we decided to do our own thing.

Our first night was spent close to the Highland Campervans base, where we had gotten our vehicle from. The kids loved the wee playpark at the campsite just outside Nairn (www. campingandcaravanningclub.co.uk).

I liked waking up in the morning and enjoying a bacon roll from the local butcher with the smell of pine trees filling my nostrils.

Our second base was on the Black Isle and, again, we stayed at a Camping and Caravanning Club site, this time at Rosemarkie. We find their sites have clean facilities and handy wee shops.

Rosemarkie offers a lot more besides. Our pitch sat right above the sand-andshingle beach.

The highlight of our stay was witnessing a hulking dolphin flip itself in the air right in front of us while I enjoyed a wee dram in the gloaming.