Camping Standards
Camping
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There are hundreds of campsites around Scotland. They are mostly geared to caravans, and vary greatly in quality and level of facilities. The most expensive sites, which charge up to £10 to pitch a tent, are usually well-equipped. Sites are usually only open from April to October. If you plan to do a lot of camping, you should buy Scotland: Camping & Caravan Parks (£3.95), available from most tourist offices. It lists around 150 camping and caravan parks graded by the STB.
North Americans planning on camping should invest in an international camping carnet, which is available from home motoring organizations, or from Family Campers and RVers (FCRV), 4804 Transit Road, Building 2, Depew, NY 14043 (Tel. 1-800-2459755). It gives you discounts at member sites.
Self-catering (Click here for Travel Scotland Cottages and Apartments)
There is plenty of STB-approved self-catering accommodation available, ranging from remote farmhouse cottages to city-centre apartments. The minimum stay is usually one week in the summer peak season, or three days or less at other times of the year. Expect to pay at least £150 per week for a two-bedroom cottage in the winter, rising to £250 in the high season. Places in the city range from around £200 to over £700 per week. A good source of self-catering accommodation is the STB's guide (£5.95), which lists over 1,200 properties and is available from any tourist office.
The National Trust for Scotland owns many historic properties which are available for self-catering holidays. Prices start at around £250 per week in high season. Contact them at 5 Charlotte Square, Edinburgh EH2 4DU, Tel. 0131-2265922. For something a bit different, Highland Hideaways has a range of more individual self-catering properties, mainly in the Highlands and Islands. For a free brochure write to them at 5-7 Stafford Street, Oban, Argyll PA34 5NJ, Tel. 01631-526056.
Campus accommodation
Many Scottish universities open their halls of residence to visitors during the summer vacation (late June to September), and some also during the Easter and Christmas breaks. Many rooms are basic and small with shared bathrooms, but there are also more comfortable rooms with private bathrooms, twin and family units, and self-contained apartments and shared houses. Full board, half board, B&B and self-catering options are all available. Prices for bed and breakfast tend to be roughly the same as most B&Bs, but self-catering can cost as little as £50 per person per week. Local tourist offices have information, or contact the British Universities Accommodation Consortium, Tel. 0115-9504571, for a brochure. Details are given in this guide under the relevant travel section.