With the ‘nights drawing in’ and the weather thinking about turning that wee bit more autumnal, it’s time to enjoy what I think really is the best season of the year. Autumn, and especially late September and October are fantastic months for classic adventures in a Big Tree Campervan.
Scotland is at its most gorgeous at this time of year, with amazing autumn colours, loads of berries, mushrooms and other wild food around... fewer people, and fewer midges as well! Add to this the superbly powerful heaters in all the Big Tree Campervans so you have a cosy base to come back to after a day’s adventure... and you can see why campervan hire in Scotland is such a fantastic idea in the autumn.
So, with school half terms looming and the chance to get away for a few a days or even a week long break, I’ve listed the first 4 of my ‘Top 8’ favourite things to do in these amazing months....
‘Hunt For Red October’.
You’ll be able to track down the most amazing autumn tree colours all over Scotland. Our favourite spots are local to us right here in Highland Perthshire - the eastern end of Loch Tummel (where the photo on the left was taken), the beech woods around Dunkeld & Birnam, and the hillsides above Aberfeldy must be three of the best spots for glorious October autumn colours. There are also lots of great places to wild camp with your campervan as well as some cool Perthshire campsites – just ask if you want us to point you in the right direction!
Autumn Hill Walks.
The heather is at its best in September, and with crisp autumn days, you can have some truly memorable days out on the hill. This photo was taken on An Groban, just above Gairloch, and it was a big big autumn adventure getting to the summit. You'll always need to be properly equipped, and bear in mind that it can get a wee bit chilly on the tops in October, but whether it's a stroll in the woods at valley level, or a bigger day out on the tops, September and October are definitely my favourite months!
Wild Food. With the right knowledge, there is so much wild food this time of year, literally ‘ripe for the picking’. The blackberries this year are amazing, but my favourite is the huge variety of mushrooms which last well into late October and mid November. Yes, you need to be very careful what you pick, but armed with a good identification book (we use Peter Jordan’s ‘Field Guide to Edible Mushrooms’), it’s easy to get to know half a dozen tasty species which you’re confident about picking. The ones in this photo are Brown Birch Boletus, Orange Birch Boletus, and Orange Peel Fungus. Back to the campervan, out with the frying pan, in with a dab of butter, and hey presto... the ultimate Big Tree Campervans mushrooms on toast!
Wild Swimming. Believe it or not the sea and most of the rivers and burns are at their warmest in autumn. They’ve had all summer to warm up, and it’s fantastic time to take the plunge. Ok, if you want to you can (like our kids) wimp out a bit and use a wetsuit, but even without it’s possible to have some memorable autumn swims.
So, chose your favourite sandy beach (for us it’s Big Sand near Gairloch), or look back a blog we did back in June on great wild swimming spots. Even if it does feel a little chilly, you can always head back to your Big Tree Campervan and simply switch the powerful heater on, and within a few minutes you’ll be toasty warm.
In the next blog I’ll share my other 4 ideas for autumn adventures.....
