Visiting Scotland: A West Coast Wish List

*This is a collaborative guest post

If you have been following the blog for a while, you will know that our family adventures usually take place within a fairly comfortable radius of the South East. We are incredibly lucky to have places like the New Forest, the Surrey Hills, and the Berkshire countryside right on our doorstep. I love the ease of a quick weekend trip into London or a Sunday walk through the familiar green lanes of home. But if you are like me and find yourself looking at the map, wondering about spots that usually feel just a little bit out of reach, then Scotland has likely crossed your mind more than once.

Getting the Logistics Sorted

When you’re planning a trip like this from the South East, the biggest hurdle is usually the travel itself. Driving all the way up from Surrey or Berkshire is a massive undertaking, especially with a family in tow. The most sensible way to do it is often to fly or take the train and then pick up a vehicle once you’re there.

Glasgow is the natural starting point for the west, and the trip really only starts to feel “Highland” once you’ve got your own transport. Sorting a car hire in Glasgow right at the start is the most practical move. It means you aren’t stuck on a platform with a mountain of bags or trying to navigate bus routes that don’t quite go where you want them to. You can just load up the boot and head straight for the hills, which is where the real holiday begins.

Trading the M25 for the A82

The first thing you’ll notice when you leave the city limits is how much the road itself becomes part of the experience. In the West of Scotland, the roads are completely different. The A82, which takes you up toward Loch Lomond and Glen Coe, is world-famous for a reason.

One of the best things about having your own car on any trip, but especially one to Scotland, is the ability to just pull over. There are so many designated viewpoints along the lochside where you can jump out and just breathe in the air.

Places to Put on Your List

If you are putting together a wish list for a week away, there are a few spots that really offer that “big” landscape feeling.

The Trossachs: This is often called the “Highlands in miniature”. You’ve got Loch Katrine, where you can hire bikes or take a boat trip, and the views are spectacular without being too demanding for a casual day out.

The Kelpies: These are just off the M8 near Falkirk. They are absolutely massive 30-metre-high horse heads made of steel. It’s a brilliant stop for the kids to get out and stretch their legs, and their scale is something you really have to see in person to appreciate.

Stirling Castle: If you like history but find some of the London sites a bit too crowded, Stirling is a fantastic alternative. It sits high on a volcanic crag and has some of the best views over the battlefields of the Scottish Wars of Independence.

A Few Practical Bits for the Road

Driving in the Highlands isn’t difficult, but it is different to what we’re used to in the South East. The roads are often narrower, and you’ll find plenty of “passing places” on the single-track routes deeper into the glens. The local etiquette is to pull over to the left to let people pass. It’s all very polite and adds to the slower pace of the trip.

Then there’s the weather. We get plenty of rain in Surrey, but Scotland can give you four seasons in a single hour. The car really becomes your mobile base camp.

Reconnecting with the Wild

I think the real reason Scotland stays on the wish list for so many of us is just that massive sense of space. Everything up there feels a bit bigger and definitely more rugged than what we are used to back home in the suburbs. It is just nice to actually switch off the busy part of your brain for a bit and drive without hitting a roundabout every two minutes. So, whether it is for a half-term or a bigger summer trip, heading for the West Coast is worth the extra planning.