Top ten Scottish beaches to wake up to in a campervan

There's no need to venture abroad to experience beautiful coastal destinations as Scotland has plenty to offer. Here is a list of ten of the best Scottish touring and camping sites, located near beaches.
Picture: North Ledaig Caravan Club Site, www.caravanclub.co.ukPicture: North Ledaig Caravan Club Site, www.caravanclub.co.uk
Picture: North Ledaig Caravan Club Site, www.caravanclub.co.uk

Carradale beach, Kintyre

Carradale is a charming village that revels in its peace and tranquility. The picturesque and perfectly-formed harbour is dotted with fishing boats, and offers stunning views across the Sound of Arran.

Carradale Bay is a delightful stretch of sandy beach perfect for walks and ideal for those who love swimming in safe, shallow waters. To the East is Carradale Point, which is home to not only a nature reserve filled with only feral goats, but a splendid example of a 2000 year old fort.

Picture: take your campervan to a seaside location this summer, TSPLPicture: take your campervan to a seaside location this summer, TSPL
Picture: take your campervan to a seaside location this summer, TSPL
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Stay at Carradale Bay Caravan Site from £21.80 per night based on two adults per pitch, per night in a caravan or motorhome.

Yellowcraig beach, East Lothian

Yellowcraig beach enjoys spectacular views of the lighthouse on Fidra Island – and it was this very spot that became the inspiration for the Robert Louis Stevenson classic; Treasure Island.

A lovely location for family holidays, the beach is also great for nature-lovers as it offers a nature trail and a number of footpaths that weave their way through woodlands. The village also boasts an impressive castle complete with superb gardens. In fact, the castle gardens hold the World Record for the longest herbaceous border so they’re well worth a special visit.

Picture: take your campervan to a seaside location this summer, TSPLPicture: take your campervan to a seaside location this summer, TSPL
Picture: take your campervan to a seaside location this summer, TSPL

A stay at Yellowcraig is from £23.00 per night based on two adults per pitch, per night in a caravan or motorhome.

Luce Sands, Dumfries and Galloway

Located near the village of Sandhead to the west, the immaculate, seven-mile-long Luce Sands is without doubt the best beach in the area. Ideally suited to adventurous types, it’s great for kite flying and horse riding. The bay also offers an abundance of marine wildlife and has been designated a Special Area for Conservation.

New England Bay is priced from £18.60 per night based on two adults per pitch, per night in a caravan or motorhome.

Dunnet Head, Caithness

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Dunnet Head is a fantastic sheltered bay that stretches for more than two miles and is backed by rolling sand dunes, where Dunnet Bay Caravan Club Site sits giving visitors direct access to the beach.

Perfect for sunbathing and swimming, the bay also offers some quite dramatic surf when the winds are high and excellent wildlife-spotting opportunities as it’s a haven for many types of seabirds such as oystercatchers, eider ducks, curlew and ringed plover.

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Dunnet Bay is from £19.60 per night based on two adults per pitch, per night.

Ardmucknish Bay, Connel, Oban

The North Ledaig site is one of the best locations on Scotland’s west coast. This 30-acre park, which was awarded the David Bellamy Conservation Award, is situated on a 2 mile sand and shingle beach on Ardmucknish Bay. Here sailing, water sports and bathing can be enjoyed by all the family. Some pitches at the caravan site are almost on the water’s edge and all of them face the sea, offering panoramic views to the beautiful Isle of Mull. The site is ideal for children with an adventure playground on site.

From the camping site you can take a scenic walk on the deserted shoreline to watching wading birds, glimpse an otter or photograph the beautiful sunsets. Enjoy a nature walk on the 30-acre Ledaig Moss to see the birds and the rich wildlife that populates the ponds. Nearby Oban is a bustling fishing port and main ferry terminal for the Hebrides and Western Isles. Inland trips to Glencoe, Cruachan Power Station and the historic town of Inveraray are a must for visitors to this idyllic caravan site.

From £19.40 per pitch per night.

Ayr Craigie Gardens, South Ayrshire

This site is in the grounds of Craigie Estate with access close by to the River Ayr. It is within easy walking distance of the seaside town of Ayr with its long sandy beach and excellent shopping facilities. It is close to Ayr Racecourse and adjacent to the new campus for the University of the West of Scotland. There is a station nearby, offering easy access into the cities of Glasgow and Edinburgh. You can enjoy a bus trip from Ayr to Ireland at a very reasonable cost.

The Ayrshire countryside provided the inspiration for the National Bard of Scotland, Robbie Burns - the Burns Heritage Trail and the Burns Heritage Centre at Alloway is a must for visitors to Ayr Craigie Gardens Club Site. Culzean Castle and Country Park is easily accessible from the site and the boasts a dramatic clifftop setting.

From £14.60 per pitch per night based on two adults sharing.

Brora, Highlands

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Situated just north or Brora on the east coast of Sutherland, the Brora Club Site is set in a sheltered saucer of land with pretty views of the surrounding countryside and just 300 yards from a sandy beach. You can play golf directly from the caravan site and use the course as your pathway to the sea.

The site offers plenty of attractions for the whole family. Birdwatchers will be in their element - there are even Arctic Tern nesting just above the beach waterline. Those who enjoy water activities will have a choice of the loch or the sea for either swimming or fishing. The caravan park is an ideal place to unwind - you can lose track of time while watching birds, seals, dolphins and deer. The village of Brora is only a couple of miles away and has shops and a couple of dining options, and you can walk further down the coast to Golspie with additional eating and drinking establishments.

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From £16.10 per standard pitch per night based on two adults sharing.

Loch Linnhe, Bunree, Onich, Highlands

Bunree Club Site in Onich, just 10 miles from Fort William, is a fantastic Highland holiday destination and must be one of the loveliest areas in scenic terms - it is, quite literally, breathtaking. Your caravan can be parked almost at the water’s edge of Loch Linnhe, which is not a beach but offers stunning views that overlook the splendour of the mountains across from it. You may even be lucky enough to spot cormorants or sea otters from your pitch. Spend a day or two acclimatising to all this natural beauty at the caravan park before exploring further afield.

From £20.60 per pitch per night.

Crammond, Edinburgh

Camping in the capital is an ideal location for your holiday getaway in Scotland. The site, situated on the Firth of Forth, provides easy access to Edinburgh, Europe’s festival capital. You will be ideally located for the many attractions, both modern and historic, that this beautiful city has to offer.

The site is only a stone’s throw away from the waterfront where campers can walk along the promenade of Cramond and, only a short drive away, visitors can enjoy the popular coastal suburb of Portobello with its pubs, restaurants and shops.

From £18.70 per pitch per night.

Stonehaven Bay, Aberdeenshire

The historic town and harbour of Stonehaven, with its quaint shops and choice of restaurants over looking the bay, is just a short walk away along the promenade. An art deco open-air Olympic size swimming pool is within walking distance of the site, and there is a leisure centre in the adjacent village of Cowie with a covered pool amongst other facilities.

There are scenic beach walks to the cliffs of Dunnottar Castle, just 2 miles away, and a wide choice of footpaths and cycle routes amongst the attractive countryside nearby, and further afield is Aberdeen which has become a popular tourist destination.

From £18.60 per pitch per night.