As soon as lockdown was lifted in May 2021 we headed out on the NC500 with the family for a quick escape. With us in the New Defender and the grandparents who were up from London in the Discovery 4 we ventured out to show off what the beautiful west coast of the Scottish Highlands has to offer.
It had snowed the week before so conditions were wee bit chilly to say the least, but we didn’t let this stop us. For our first stop we headed to one of our favourite campsites which we’ve been to before. Sands Caravan & Camping site is in Gairloch and ranks in our top 3 campsites.
We got into camp quite late as we stopped a lot en-route, but the folks loved driving up Bealach na Ba (Applecross pass) and once at the top we had to get out to take photos of the amazing scenery. We had planned an easy meal for our first night, but on arriving at Sands Campsite we spotted their food truck and restaurant and chose to go an even easier route and get takeaways.
Read below for our personal take on our experience at Sands Caravan and Camping. Don’t forget to read our review on our second night, we stayed at Clachtoll Beach Campsite and had a wonderful experience, we only wish we could have stayed longer.
THE CAMPSITE
As mentioned before this campsite is one of our favourites and is situated on the beautiful west coast. Whether you choose to camp on the hill with amazing views or take shelter in the tent field with a spot behind the sand dunes you’ll be pleased either way.
What we love most about this campsite is that there are no designated pitches. When you arrive with one of our Land Rovers and a rooftop tent you drive down to the left of their site and find a spot that suits you. Whether you choose to go to the furthest corner or stay closer to the facilities the choice is yours.
GREAT FACILITIES
When it comes to staying at a campsite the quality of the facilities is high up on the list of importance for me. Their 3 heated toilet and shower blocks are very spacious and certainly stand out from the rest and are always cleaned to a very high standard.
On-site you’ll also find a well-stocked shop with freshly baked goods in the morning – nothing like a coffee and croissant to start the day when camping.
KID FRIENDLY
What we love most about this campsite is that it is very kid-friendly. They have a lovely big playpark as well as a small pump track so take the kids bikes along. Our kids loved exploring the streams flowing throughout the campsite, but just be aware of this if you have little ones.
The beach is just over the dunes and the kids will love to explore the beach. On a previous trip over the summer our kids spent hours on the beach while we chilled in camp.
