Lowland Motorhome Hire want to give you the Basic Facts for Arriving and Travelling by Motorhome in Scotland to help you get the most from your holiday!

Welcome

If arriving into Edinburgh Airport, you can jump on a bus or tram directly from outside the terminal building and travel straight into Edinburgh City Centre. We are a transfer away. Once in Edinburgh City Centre, jump on a bus or train to our village in Newtongrange. It is easy and there is a bus stop directly outside our office. We are approximately 8 miles from Edinburgh City Centre.

Handover

We give you a clear, concise handover of your motorhome. We also give you information and instructions to take on your holiday as we appreciate it is a lot of information to take in, if you have never used a motorhome before for a holiday.

Ready

We give you a full tank of diesel on your departure. All we ask is you bring it back with a full tank of diesel on your return. This means you do not have to worry about finding a fuel station as soon as you leave our premises.

Off you go…

When you leave our yard, most customers head straight for the nearest local supermarket. We have a 24-hour Tesco, McDonalds and fuel station within 1 mile of our location. You can fill up on the necessities you need, groceries, fruit and vegetables as well as grabbing a quick and easy bite to eat before you head off on your travels.

Campsites in and around Edinburgh

Edinburgh is one of the most welcoming big Cities for motorhomes. We have a wide variety of campsites in the vicinity. We have a campsite on our actual doorstep, it is less than a mile from our office. If you wish to travel a little closer to Edinburgh, you are spoilt for choice. We have a large popular campsite less than 7 miles away. Mortonhall is on the East side of the City and has an onsite restaurant or if you wish to travel into Edinburgh, it is a quick and easy short bus ride away. You can catch the bus at the end of the road. These campsites are a great base for travelling into Edinburgh for sightseeing without worrying about taking the motorhome as parking is very limited.

There is also another popular campsite Edinburgh Caravan and Motorhome Club, this is located in the West of the City. It is approx. 15 miles from our location.

However, there is an array of campsites, if you are in doubt, please just ask us.

These campsites have onsite facilities for showering, toilet, filling with water, emptying your chemical toilet and dropping/emptying your grey water (waste water from sink/shower etc.).

Cost of Travelling

As the value of the pound has dropped in the last few years, Scotland and the UK has become a budget friendly destination for a lot of European customers. Groceries are reasonable in Scotland and we have a wide variety of supermarkets and budget stores to choose. We have Aldi and Lidl stores in most larger towns as well as our local Scotmid, Tesco, Morrisons, Scotmid, and Asda supermarkets. These are very popular stores to shop in.

The standard pub lunch will cost you around £10, although we have many Weatherspoon, Harvesters, Beefeater restaurants that offer set meals for a much lower price.

The price of alcohol varies, as with other countries. A glass of wine can be as low as £3.50 in some bars and restaurants and up to £8 in others. Beer is the same, it ranges from £3.50 to £5 in most bars. Larger Cities can be sometimes more expensive as with most large cities throughout the EU.

Of course, as you will be holidaying with a motorhome from Lowland Motorhome Hire, you will be saving money on your accommodation and you have none of the usual constraints of hotel and package holidays. It is your time to travel, at your pace.

Weather

What can we say!

In Scotland you can often see all fours seasons in one day.

Be prepared for any weather. In the summer months we often see warmer weather, but it can still sometimes be rainy. Scotland would not be as gorgeous and green without the help of the rain. We often have dry, warm weather but I always tell people to be flexible in their travel plans and follow the good weather (if you can). One of the perks in a motorhome holiday. An umbrella is a often a good investment.

My Dad swears by the rain…it helps the whisky taste so good!

Food

Our customers on their return from their travels often comment on how ‘amazing’ our seafood is in Scotland. If you like seafood, you will love it in Scotland. The North of Scotland and on our Isles, seafood is a specialty in these parts of Scotland. They will have fresh seafood on their menus most days in their restaurants/hotels and bars.

We also used to be a nation on meat lover, so you will still see steaks on the menu in a lot of local restaurants.

In recent days, we have also branched out into ‘free from’ foods and vegan friendly options. There is a current a slight change in the way Scottish people eat. Although, haggis and black pudding as still a delicacy in many places and you must try our Scottish square ‘lorne’ sausage.

You will never be far away from a McDonalds, Burger King, Nandos or KFC. We are still a fast food nation! You will never be stuck for fast food.

Stay clear of the deep-fried mars bars!

Irn Bru is an orange fizzy drink that is loved in Scotland. Great hangover drink. Don’t knock it til you have tried it ha ha.

Fuel

Fuel in Scotland can be slightly more expensive than other European countries. We are only a small Island, but the travel is often on smaller roads. Always be prepared. You are on holiday, no need to rush.

The more remote the locations you go/visit, the higher the fuel costs.

Always fill up when you reach a half tank.

NEVER let the fuel run low.

In some of Scotland the garages are miles apart, so in remote places, there will not be as much choice.

Always keep your diesel topped up.

All our motorhomes run on diesel.

Roads and Motorways

Our location is perfectly placed close to the Edinburgh City Bypass A720, then straight onto the M8, M9 or M90 to the West or straight up to the Highlands. We also have the A1, A68 and A7 if heading down to Scottish Borders or England.

The Motorways and Bypass are in generally good condition. They can be extremely busy, so always leave plenty of time to travel. It always takes longer in Motorhome. Peak times are what we class as ‘rush hour’. Rush hour is usually from 6.30am to 9.30am and 4.30pm to 6.30pm.

Some of our roads are remote and often single tracked (especially in the North of Scotland and the Isles). There will be plenty of passing places, so always be prepared to stop and let someone through. Preempt the road ahead and use the passing places rather than must reverse the motorhome some distance.

The more rural you go, please be aware of animals on the road, weather changing and single-track roads. ALWAYS keep your fuel tank (Diesel) topped up.

Have fun, it all very exciting.

Speed Limits 

Knowing the speed limits is an essential part of driving in Scotland as essential as always driving on the left and giving way to the right. These are the MAXIMUM speed limits.

• In urban town areas, the limit is 30 mph (48 km/h) unless otherwise indicated.
• In recent years more towns/Cities in Scotland, have reduced this to 20 mph. We know for a fact Edinburgh City Centre is 20 mph throughout, this is to help in pedestrian built up areas.
• The national speed limit (sign is white circle with a black diagonal line through it), is usually 60 mph on single carriageways for cars, we always advise 50 mph (80 km/h) limit in the motorhome. Most of these roads have extremely sharp bends.
• 70 mph (112 km/h) is permitted on motorways. Most customers stay below this speed.

We have all the relevant information on our motorhome visor as a reminder.

Local councils can set their own speed limits and they should be clearly signed.

This is a rough basic guide for visitors to our country.

Stay safe, be prepared and have the most amazing holiday.