There's only so much you can see when you tour the same country and spend your nights at the same caravan parks. Driving your motorhome or caravan up to the 'Land of the Brave' is a good way to enjoy a change of scenery, and you'll have loads of popular, must-see Scotland destinations to tick off your list. There's no shortage of castles, museums, Roman ruins, etc. You're probably also looking forward to 'dooning the water' on the Waverley, hunting for Nessie, eating seaweed, tasting an Arbroath smokie, going to the Fringe, visiting a whiskey distillery, wild camping, cycling, or boarding the Royal Scotsman. But if the adventurer in you yearns for some of the lesser-known
Scotland destinations, we have a list of six adrenalin-pumping activities you simply must try:
Go Dog Sledding
You don't need to go all the way to the Laplands for an arctic dog sledding experience. In fact, you could simply add Aviemore to your list of places to visit in Scotland to enjoy that adrenaline rush on a budget. The
Cairngorm Sleeddog Centre in Aviemore will put together a course, safari or even a 'Night Vizz Adventure' experience for you. It's the only one of its kind in the country, and it's only a 10-minute drive from the
Glenmore Campsite in the Cairngorm Mountains National Park.
Board a 1-Minute Flight
Where to go in Scotland for a record-breaking, once-in-a-lifetime experience, you ask? Fly from Westray to
Papa Westray on a Loganair Islander flight, and see just how much fun can be had aboard a plane in the space of two minutes. At the end of it all you'll have a certificate to show for it. The world's shortest scheduled flight in the world operates via Kirkwall. You need to first get to Orkney via ferry. You'll have a range of campsites to choose from both at Kirkwell and at the Orkney port. Book well in advance, because the 10-seater Islander is in high demand in the summertime.
Go Munro Bagging
To be a 'Munroist', you need to bag all 282 Munros. Let's rephrase that: if you reach all 282 summits in this mountain range, then you can call yourself a 'Compleatist'. Let's rephrase that one, as well: it's job done when you summit all 282 of these over 3,000-feet-high mountain peaks. But if you can find it in your heart to settle for less, then you're welcome to conquer the highest peak only, which is Ben Nevis. Be sure to plan your route and check with the Mountaineering Council of Scotland for advice, because it's one of those Scotland destinations that not all mountaineers are cut out for.
Join the Common Ridings
Whether you can ride a horse or not, the annual Return to the Ridings festival is the place to be this summer, if you're places to visit in Scotland. This equestrian festival sees people from across the world join forces and wear coloured ribbons to symbolically protect the thriving Anglo-Saxon border against the thieving Border Reivers. Find accommodation at the Riverside Caravan Park near Hawick, where the ceremony begins, and earn your spurs this summer.
Go Sand Yachting
There's no such thing as too much fun when you're land sailing; just ask the
Blown Away crew in St. Andrews. After all, it's not so much a matter of where to go in Scotland, but what to do. And here's a sport where you need no sailing experience and nothing other than basic steering skills to race your friends on sand. You get a bit of training before you sail away, and after two hours of twisting and turning ar mere inches above ground, you'll be given a certificate of completion. As for your friends, they'll be eating your dust – literally. You can make it up to them with a brew at the St. Andrews Holiday Park, though, don't worry.
Go Canyoning
If you can see yourself soaking wet and sliding through canyons, then you probably wouldn't mind canyoning through Scotland's spectacular ravines and gorges. Scramble to Killiecrankie for some cliff jumping and extreme gorge walking like you've never seen. Besides being one of the most exciting Scotland destinations and a tourist attraction in its own right, the Blair Castle Holiday Park will be happy to accommodate you and your family, as will tens of other caravan parks in the highlands.
