New For 2012!!

Posted by isla on Dec 21, 2011 in Our Blog | 0 comments

 For 2012 Caledonian Campers are introducing the 2 Berth Economy option to the fleet.

This shall consist of either a peugeot or transit.

This option will come fully equipped and will contain the same specifications as the 4 Berth option.

The economy 2 Berth campervan has been designed for those of you that wish to experience the freedom of travelling the UK and Scotland in a campervan but wish to do so without breaking the bank!

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Travel ideas!

Posted by isla on Dec 8, 2011 in Our Blog | 0 comments

1. ‘CalMac’ as they are known across Scotland (or to use their proper name ‘Caledonian MacBrayne’) are the biggest ferry operator in Scotland.
2. Their website http://www.calmac.co.uk/is great for planning your island hops, especially the really useful Route Map which we’ve shown above. If you’d prefer to talk to a real person, we’ve found the folk who run the ‘Enquiries and Reservations line (0800 066 5000) are really helpful and enthusiastic.
3. Think creatively about using CalMac routes to plan a really big adventures, eg a ferry from Mallaig to Armadale, then potter through Skye, and even then head off out to Harris on the Uig – Tarbert crossing, before coming back to the mainland at Ullapool.
4. There are lots of useful shorter crossing as well, for example if you want a probabaly much quieter way of getting to/from Mull, then the Lochaline – Fishnish route is great fun, and often much less frequented than the normal Oban to Craignure crosing.
5. Think carefully about the type of tickets you want to buy – if you’re going to making lots of crossings, it may be worth buying one of the ‘Island Rover’ tickets, or even a ’6 Journey’ ticket – there’s loads more information about ticket types on the CalMac website.
6. It’s worth making a reservation if you have to travel on a specific crossing in the summer months, especially at weekends ….
7. …. but you should also think a bit creatively about the time of crossing you want/need to take. For example, the we once tried to book on the 9.45am Kennacraig to Port Askaig crossing when planning a whisky tasting adventure on Islay, but that crossing was full…. so we simply got up earlier and had an almost deserted (and very beautiful) early morning crossing at 7.00am!
8. Some crossings are more expensive at peak times (eg the Oban to Mull) becasue you have to have a Full Fare ticket, so again, check out the ferry times with CalMac and think about and earlier or later crossing.
9. Our Campervans are 4.85m long, so they fit into the pricing category of ‘Motorhome Under 5m’, which is great news as it means they are the same price as a normal car!
10. If you have a camper with bike rack then your campervan will be over the 5m length… but here’s a simple idea which we’ve done several times: book an ‘Under 5m’ ticket, and when you get to the ferry port, take the bikes off the back, and put them and the bike rack into the campervan for the crossing. Ok, you may have to take the wheels off your bikes, and it will take a few minutes to assemble/re-assemble, but it’s worth the ££ savings!

Dining out in your camper

Posted by isla on Apr 16, 2011 in Our Blog | 0 comments

This is my guiding principle for cooking outdoors: if it takes you longer to wash up than it does to eat you’ve gone wrong somewhere. So here’s my advice for the ultimate meal out:

• Avoid dishes that take hours and hours. I don’t do this because I’m impatient, but because I might not have enough gas or firewood! There is nothing worse than running out half-way through a scrummy smelling hotpot. This generally means that you need to keep it simple.

• Fresh, I would argue, is best. Roadside stalls are absolutely brilliant places to find ingredients because the chances are it’ll be home grown. It might be a little muddy and misshapen but then, so what? This is the country! All you have to do is stop, take what you want and put a few quid in the honesty box.

• Try a little light foraging. I’m no expert but it gives me great pleasure to go out and find free nosh. You have to be brave and you have to be sensible, so take a guide book and don’t pick it if you aren’t 100% sure. If that means all you take back is blackberries, who cares? They will taste fab with a dollop of crème fraîche. And you’ll feel like a hunter-gatherer too.

• Have something up your sleeve. Couscous has always been my fallback position.  It will go with just about anything and can be used with fresh herbs, spices and dried fruit. And all you need is boiling water and a knob of butter to cook it. If you’ve picked up some fresh summer veg at a roadside stall you can make a great meal if you slice it, griddle it and mix it up with the couscous and some fresh mint and basil.

So how are you going to cook all those amazing fresh ingredients? Whilst you’ve got no oven in the outdoors you’ve actually got plenty of options for creating great food. Gas stoves, open fires, barbecues, even Dutch ovens or smokers aren’t that hard to master. And almost anything is possible.

For starters, you could try a portable hot smoker. They work over any heat source. A freshly caught (or bought) fish smoked for half an hour or so will taste like fish you’ve never tasted before. Try it. Otherwise take a shelf out of the oven at home and use it to cook over a fire. Chuck a big fat juicy steak from the local butcher on it, add a few griddled veg and some couscous and you’ve got an easy meal. Simple. Perfect. Delicious.

Spoilt for choice?

Posted by isla on Jan 23, 2011 in Our Blog | 0 comments

Caledonian Campers are taking the time in winter when things are a bit less hectic to decide on 2011 range of campers.

We are keeping the budget option for those on a tight budget, we don’t think it is fair that only those and such as those get to tour the highlands and islands in a camper or motorhome.  Why shouldn’t everyone get the opportunity to experience the wonders of the open road with the family and friends.

The VW T5 camper vans are our most reliable and comfortable campers. They are easy to drive and have a central heating system and hot water and of course all the usual things like cooker, sink, fridge/freezer.

Our new camper for 2011 is our 4 berth transit with a toilet and shower! We are very excited as there many people who like the touring but want the home from home feel.

Caledonian Campers

Posted by admin on Jan 2, 2011 in Our Blog | 1 comment

Are you thinking of buying a campervan and would like to test drive one first? Maybe you or a friend has a lifelong ambition of taking to the road in one of these beautiful VW campervans and seeing where the road takes you. Hiring from Caledonian Campers gives you the freedom to do just that. Imagine being able to stay in completely different locations every day of your holiday and being able to spontaneously change your plans and route at the drop of a hat! Go on be the envy of all your friends and family and start planning your trip of a lifetime.