If you have headed to the Scottish Highlands before or are currently planning to do so, I’d put good money on the fact that Glencoe is or was high up on the itinerary. It is one of the most popular destinations in Scotland and when you enter the glen for the first time, this fact makes perfect sense. It’s truly stunning and leaves you in awe along its entire route. I’ve driven and even hiked through it numerous times, but have always stayed some distance away in nearby Fort William. On this trip though my mate Jack and I would use The Red Squirrel Campsite in Glencoe. The location was amazing and the facilities on the site were some of the best we’ve come across. It’s a real gem of a place.
Location, Location, Location
That had to be used as a subheading, as The Red Squirrel Campsite in Glencoe is located in a stunning place. It is positioned around half a mile off of the A82 and so access is straight forward. No long twisting mountain roads need to be negotiated. It is still far enough way from it though that peace and quiet can still be enjoyed along with amazing views of all the surrounding mountains. I think the photos below shows just how incredible the location is.
The close proximity of the pub is a real treat too. It offers food, a great range of drinks and even live music if you arrive on the right night. Jack and I were treated to a proper country night when we visited along with some of the tastiest chips we’ve tasted in a while. Well worth the visit if you are fed up with cooking over an open fire or stove. Click here to read more about The Clachaig Inn. You may even decide to extend your stay in the area and spend a night at the inn.
Facilities On The Red Squirrel Campsite
Jack and I arrived at The Red Squirrel Campsite in Glencoe after three wild nights in the heart of The Cairngorms. Other than a roof over our heads at the bothies we stayed at, there were no other facilities whatsoever. Click here to read more about our adventure through knee deep snow and a night in an isolated hut 700 metres above sea level. Anything extra during this stay would be a bonus for us. Despite this, we were still pleasantly surprised by what the site offered.
The toilet and shower facilities were good as was the covered kitchen area. Hot water was readily available, which certainly came as a relief after a long winter’s hike around Glen Etive.
The reception area also sold cold drinks, bags of wood for open fires and several other camping items too should they be needed. Each were reasonably priced and we were certainly pleased they were there.
The greatest facility though had to be the food van. Some delicious options were available like the haggis burger ( sampled by myself ) as well as tea and coffee. Comfort food like this is welcome anytime of the year, but it goes down especially well when sleeping under canvas in late December!
Pitching Options
The Red Squirrel Campsite covers a large area and offers many options when it comes to pitch location. Some areas are open and grassy, which are certainly more sociable options. A larger group or those with vans might prefer this.
If you seek more solitude, this is still possible to find on the campsite. Several wooded areas can be found close to the river and we were able to find a spot that almost allowed us to forget we were even on a campsite. All that could be heard was the wind in the trees and the mountain water cascading down the river. Bliss!
Our Experience
Once we’d pitched our tents on the rock free ground, it was soon time to get the fire going. Winter nights sure are long up in Highland Scotland at the end of December. Fire areas are provided around the site and of course we respected this and stuck to them.
Jack did think about circling the fire with rocks; this is not advised with those that have come from a river. A bit of reading told us that these ones can actually explode due to the water contained within them. We never knew anything about that, but are glad we found out without experiencing it first hand. You’ve been warned!
Despite the cold, we were kept warm enough by the raging fire we finally achieved, multiple layers of clothing and of course a mix of beer and scotch. The world was put to rights with our conversation and it was an enjoyable evening in the end. It was still a relief though to retire to our tents and winter sleeping bags at just gone eleven.
The wind did pick up during the night and it did wake me several times. My trusty Oex Jackal II tent was as solid as always though and I never doubted its ability to survive the night. Click here to read my review of this brilliant tent.
By just after nine, we had both enjoyed breakfast and were heading off to enjoy an amazing day’s hiking in nearby Glen Etive. Leaving the tents pitched for our return was convenient too. It beats packing it away only to put it up again somewhere else later in the day. You can find out more about that hike and our stay at the campsite in the YouTube video at the end.
To Conclude…..
Hopefully, I have given you many reasons to visit The Red Squirrel Campsite in Glencoe. It’s one of those places that you can pass many times and not even know it’s there. If you’re after a site with an incredible location, fair price ( £15.00 per night for a tent ) and great facilities, then you really can’t go far wrong with a stay here. Have a great trip.