A campervan is the best accommodation for a Scottish ski trip. No £200/night hotel. No morning drive on icy roads. Park at the resort and wake up slopeside. Here is the guide.
The Verdict
Glencoe is the most van-friendly resort — they welcome overnight parking. Cairngorm is the best mountain for skiing. Take your van, park at the resort, and avoid the £200 B&B.
Cairngorm Mountain
- Parking: Main car park, £5/day (winter rate). Large, well-ploughed. No height barrier.
- Overnight: Not officially allowed but tolerated. Park at the far end, away from the main entrance. Be discreet — arrive late, leave early. There are usually 5-10 vans overnight on a ski weekend.
- Winter access: The ski road (B970 to Cairngorm) is normally ploughed but carry snow tyres or chains. Conditions change fast — check the Cairngorm snow report before going up.
- Amenities: Toilets in the main building (day use). No electric hookup. No fresh water. Fuel in Aviemore (10 miles).
- Best for: Reliable snow, big mountain terrain, the funicular.
Glencoe Mountain
- Parking: Large gravel car park. Free on weekdays, £5 weekends. Can get icy — 4x4 recommended.
- Overnight: Very van-friendly. Glencoe explicitly allows campervan overnight parking in the car park. There is a dedicated section at the far end. £10/night (pay at the ticket machine — they added this in 2023 after demand).
- Winter access: The road from Glencoe village is twisting and can be treacherous. Snow gates close the A82 near Rannoch Moor in severe weather. Check Traffic Scotland before heading up.
- Amenities: Toilets and basic café (open 9-4). No showers. The clubhouse has WiFi.
- Best for: Extreme terrain, quieter slopes (less crowded than Cairngorm), snowboard park.
Nevis Range
- Parking: Large car park at the gondola base station. £5/day. Height barrier at the gondola station car park (2.4m — OK for most vans).
- Overnight: Nevis Range does not officially allow overnight van parking. Park in Fort William (5 miles) and drive up. Morrisons Fort William car park is van-friendly overnight.
- Winter access: The A82 is the main route. Well-maintained but check for closures. The gondola runs even in wind (impressive engineering).
- Best for: The gondola access (UK's only mountain gondola), skiing above the tree line.
Glenshee
- Parking: Large car park. Free. No barriers. Popular with vans.
- Overnight: Unofficially tolerated. The car park fills with vans on weekends. £0 overnight. No facilities.
- Winter access: The A93 from Blairgowrie is the main route. The Snow Gate at the Spittal of Glenshee closes in severe weather. Alternative: A93 from Braemar.
- Best for: Budget option, family-friendly slopes, less extreme terrain.
Lecht
- Parking: Free, large car park. Very basic.
- Overnight: Fine. No hassle. Very quiet overnight.
- Winter access: The A939 from Tomintoul can be challenging — one of the highest roads in Scotland. Carry chains.
- Best for: Beginners, families, cheapest lift passes (£30 vs £55 at Cairngorm).
Essential Winter Gear
- Snow tyres (mandatory in my book — the A9 and A82 are no joke in January)
- A good sleeping bag rated to -10°C (your diesel heater is great, but what if it fails?)
- Winter screen cover (saves 30 minutes of scraping)
- A shovel (you will park in snow)
- Jump leads or a power bank (cold batteries die)
