Tips for driving in Scotland

Check out my useful tips for driving in Scotland. Some tips are essential for a successful road trip.

Renting a car

We landed in Edinburgh Airport for this first road trip in Scotland. As we value freedom we wanted to drive in Scotland and create our own itinerary. Therefore, we followed the signs to find our rental car agency. I’d recommend to book beforehand given the high demand.

Late arrival? No problem! Rest assured as most car rentals are open until midnight. We booked with Easirent via Rentalcar and picked up a nice Renault Capture (manual) for approximately 1085 euros. This covers the full insurance and the rental itself.

You can pay less using a credit card but keep in mind that many companies take between 1000 and 1500 euros authorisation which can be scary. If you have never heard the term ‘authorization’ it means that the money is temporarily withdrawn and will be released or refunded later on if the car is returned without damage.

The alternative is to pay for the full insurance with a debit card (check if this is possible with your rental). This way you are covered for almost everything (make sure to read what your cover includes!) and it saves you the heavy authorization on the credit card.

For Easirent and many other rentals, you’ll have to take a shuttle which will get you to the outskirts where the agency is actually located. When you pick up the vehicle don’t forget that you’re driving left in Scotland! We are quite used to it because we live in Ireland but it can be tricky at first.

How to drive in Scotland

Road quality

Scotland is wild, ,therefore many roads are very narrow and do not allow you to cross other vehicles. These roads are known as the Single Track Roads. Fortunately most of those roads have dedicated Passing Places allowing you to pull over. The Passing Places are clearly signalled and unmissable

Important tip: Scots will flash their lights when they’re pulling over to let you go. When pulling over, don’t forget to return the favour and flash your lights as well.

Driving in Scotland, some useful tips

Here are some tips to drive in Scotland.

Drive on the left side of the road even in roundabouts
Signs are very clear but everything is indicated in miles. If you want to know what it represents in kilometers you can always use one of Google converters
Speed limit signs are sometimes scarce. In order to avoid a fine, check the legislation in Scotland. A very complete article is available on the Tourist Office Website
Always keep an eye on your gas supply and use Google Maps to locate gas stations when needed

Dangers on the road

There is wild life in Scotland and we love it. However, keep an eye out for pheasants, deer, cows and other friendly animals
Scots are used to driving in narrow roads. They’ll tend to drive impatiently behind you if you are driving too slowly for their taste. To avoid stress and/or suddenly speeding up, I advise that you simply let them pass by pulling over in one of the many spots available.
Stay focused on the road despite the breathtaking scenery. It is hard to resist but many areas allow you to park – even in the middle of nowhere – and take pictures and/or switch drivers

Parking in Scotland

Prepare cash, especially coins as many car parks in lost areas do not accept credit cards or notes
Don’t forget to pay as they do check! We arrived 5 minutes late and a lovely fine was already waiting for us on the windshield.
Use public transport in big cities as car parks are overpriced. It is best to park at your hotel if it is free and continue your visit using public transport. Alternatively, you can also return the car and end your road trip with one of the big cities like Edinburgh or Glasgow.

I hope that my tips to drive in Scotland will help you get prepared. Don’t hesitate to post any questions in the comment section.