Driving in Scotland

We had no problems with the roads or driving anyplace in Scotland. On that trip we were given a mini-van (not what we reserved), so it wasn’t a small vehicle. When driving the Isle of Skye the vehicle took up the entire lane. Thank goodness there were plenty of pull outs for when vehicles came from the opposite direction.

We didn't have any problems. We had a small, automatic vehicle and it worked out really well.

Just be aware of the rules of the road and understand the operation of Passing Points

Mixed results???

This section of the Undiscovered Scotland website might be of help with regards countryside driving

https://www.undiscoveredscotland.co.uk/usscotfax/travel/driving.html

and specifically this page within it which will advise about single track roads which you are sure to come across on your travels

https://www.undiscoveredscotland.co.uk/usfeatures/singletrack/index.html

I live in Scotland and cannot really comment on how easy it is to drive here because I've never driven anywhere other than the UK. It must be daunting to plan a holiday where you are going to drive on what for you is the "wrong" side of the road and you need to allow yourself plenty of time to get from A to B. Scotland's road are not straight, flat or wide and in some places need particular concentration to negotiate.

Don't follow your SatNav instructions blindly. Use Google street view to give you an idea of the roads you plan to drive and if you can't do that, ask on this forum and elsewhere for advice. There might be an easier route to take which is not obvious. Some years ago I met a lady who had driven the A939 and was almost in tears by the end of it. Her SatNav showed it as the most direct route to take to complete her journey and it was. Unfortunately the A939 was not the type of road she was used to driving in the country she lived in and negotiating it was traumatic for her. So doing research to avoid problems like that is going to be worth it. Traditional paper maps and road atlases are worth having as you drive around to give you a better sense of where you are.

In this crazy Covid world we are living in right now many more people are choosing to staycation at home in the UK and I have noticed more vehicles on country roads outwith the traditional holiday times. In the pre Covid world visitor numbers to Scotland (domestic and overseas) had increased mainly due to the Outlander Effect and the usually quieter times of spring and autumn were busier.

Now I see on travel forums and Facebook groups people writing about their plans to make up for lack of travel and cancelled holidays over the last two years. There will be traffic on the roads regardless but if you are a courteous driver and don't try to cover too much ground, I am sure you will have memorable trip.

In addition to Undiscovered Scotland, you can get some info on driving vacations from Secret Scotland. See https://www.secret-scotland.com/

Great advice from all - thank you

I love driving in Scotland. It love the small roads, I love that driving let's me explore Scotland beyond the railways. I love the independence it gives me. I have driven standard all my life so I don't worry about it when driving in the UK. I find that because the pedals are the same the issue is to stay focused on the left and having to shift actually helps me. Once you are outside the central belt the traffic is not bad. I say that as someone who grew up driving in the Chicago area and later had a car in the city. So I will admit that the city doesn't intimidate me. I like single track roads because mostly there is no one else on the road!

I guess my main question would be, do you like to drive in the US? Do you like finding a remote road and exploring it? When I moved to to California and the Bay Area I discovered the back roads in the Santa Cruz mountains. I loved it and spent several weekends that first summer just taking off and exploring. I do the same in Scotland.

Pam

This is specifically about Mull, but it has a good video to go with some simple tips. https://visitmullandiona.co.uk/guides/driving-on-mull/

If you are used to driving an automatic, rent an automatic. The basics are of course drive on the left, pass on the right. However I'd say have a quick look at a guide to traffic signs and road markings and learn what they mean. I have to explain to a young American couple in Tobermory that the reason there was no one in that space was it was marked with double yellow lines which means 'do not park here ever' in the UK but not obvious to other people.

On single track roads keep an eye to the passing places and be prepared to use them. They may be behind you. Also it is ok to pootle along at 45 mph/70 km/h but the local behind may want to do the rural limit which is 60 mph/100 km/h. Oh, yes, some people do drive those roads at the limit, so check the rear view mirror and use the passing places to let them pass.

However, most of Scotland outwith the cities is still a pleasure to drive and is not too bad even in tourist season compared to places elsewhere. Others have put up links which are well worth following up. The other thing is once you know where you are staying, have a look around on Google Street View. Most of Scotland is now on GSV and it can give a reasonable idea of what the roads are like, and what the roadsigns are like.