Living in Scotland, I was lucky to get one of the best driving jobs there is – taking lorries to the Outer Hebrides and the most remote parts of the Scottish Highlands. My partner and I often discuss revisiting (once our campervan renovation is finished) some of my favourite places I used to park my lorry overnight. Unfortunately, from what I see online, this might not be as pleasant as we think.
A growing anti-campervan sentiment
As someone who used to visit the Scottish Islands regularly, and a member of several local online groups, I see a growing anti-campervan sentiment. Locals call motorhomers who park in scenic places “freeloaders” and openly discuss harassing them by blasting their horns while driving past at night or letting the air out of their tyres. According to some locals, tourists should only stop overnight in hotels or camping parks provided by local businesses.
The rise of tourism on the Scottish Islands
I do understand that, with the growing popularity of the Scottish Islands, over-tourism can be a problem – we have seen that happening on Skye and the North Coast 500 for many years now. But what locals seem unable to understand, is that people buy or build a campervan because they want freedom. I am not building a self-contained live-in vehicle just to cram it between a dozen caravans on an entrepreneurial farmer’s field, or to deal with other people’s parties, dogs and children, and pay for expensive services I don’t actually need. And contrary to a myth perpetuated by these groups, sleeping in a vehicle is not illegal, assuming you don’t roll out the canopy, or create a small garden with a wind breaker, BBQ and camping furniture. This is not considered camping and doesn’t fall within the scope of camping regulations. You are perfectly entitled to sleep in your vehicle, whether it’s a car, lorry or motorhome, if parked according to the Highway Code. The law has to be like that, otherwise you wouldn’t be allowed to stop for a power nap when tired. Locals might not like it, but this is how it is.
Considerate camping
Of course, common politeness requires us to park with consideration for others, and unless there is no other option, I would never park my vehicle in such a way as to block someone’s view or prevent sunlight from reaching their windows. When travelling with my truck I am even mindful of the noise my night heater is making. But islanders who rant about “tourists coming here in their motorhomes and parking wherever they want” are no different to my weirdo neighbour from the time I lived in Glasgow, who claimed he was the only one allowed to park his car in front of his flat on a public street. You may have a home there, but you don’t own the whole island, and everyone is allowed to use the public roads. You may be lucky enough to enjoy its beauty full time, but others have the right to experience it too. Even on the smaller islands, or on overcrowded Skye, I was always able to find a legal and scenic spot to park up for the night in my 26-tonne lorry, so I could walk on the beach or relax doing something else. So, surely a few campervans parked in the same way should not bother anyone?
Motorhomers are usually self-sufficient
The argument of “freeloading” is also misguided. I regularly see posts about motorhomers bringing their food from the mainland and not shopping locally. I also see regular rants about tourists buying too much in the islands’ co-ops, leaving less food for the locals. Make up your minds, people! Personally, knowing how demanding the logistics of travelling to the islands can be, and how overstretched CalMac is, I’d be glad to know that some tourists are bringing their own groceries and therefore taking pressure off the local shops and saving money they could then spend eating out, buying souvenirs, local products and crafts.
Spending money in the local economy
One could get the impression that many locals seem to see visitors solely as cash cows or highly overestimate their financial means. When travelling I am happy to spend money locally, but my budget is limited. If required to park my campervan in a local caravan park, paying for services I do not want or need, I might not be able to afford a dinner in a local restaurant. So, the local economy does not benefit from the fact that I am not permitted to park “for free”. At the same time, my experience will be much less enjoyable, and it is likely I won’t be able have a quiet night and to enjoy my freedom, as caravan sites often require booking weeks in advance. And as my wallet is not made of rubber, I would rather spend money having a meal in a local restaurant and then to sleep in my campervan parked somewhere dark, quiet and out of sight, rather than eating a Pot Noodle on a crowded, overpriced caravan site.
Campervans “spoil the view”
The final argument I hear is about aesthetics. I read that campervans parked here and there are “spoiling the view”. As a regular visitor to the Outer Hebrides since 2007, I find this argument to be hypocritical and I can name several places where old vans, trucks and farm machinery are left to rot for years. Even though I haven’t visited the Hebrides since 2021, I can bet most are still there. If you are not troubled by the sight of your neighbour’s old van, that failed its MOT in 2002 and is rotting amongst a pile of old wooden pallets, covered with nettles and parked directly across the road from your living room window, then please don’t complain about a sleek modern campervan parked in a remote scenic spot for a couple of nights.
Keyboard warriors and the badly behaved minority
Over the many years I frequented the Hebrides, both for work and often as a (wild camping) tourist, I almost always felt welcome and was met with the kindness of locals. I truly believe that those who conspire on Facebook groups on how best to harass the tourists are simply a loud minority. I also had many pleasant encounters with occupants of campervans, parked up for the night next to my truck. I accept there are irresponsible visitors in campervans who dump the contents of their chemical toilets into roadside ditches, but I’m certain they are not representative of the whole motorhome community.
Let’s all behave and respect each other
So please, let’s all behave. Over-tourism is, of course, a problem for the local population, but it can also spoil someone’s dream holiday, having spent hard-earned money to visit a place they have always dreamt about. Not everybody likes it, but there is little we can do. The world is changing – not always for the better – so the least we can do is treat each other with respect. In the age of new wars happening everywhere, the last thing we need is to open a new front between tourists and locals.
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