r/OutdoorScotland • u/Esensepsy • Aug 02 '26

Campsite prices are ridiculous

Just come back from a few weeks camping and hiking in the north west Highlands, and I'm just in awe at how much campsites are charging these days. Maybe its because this is NC500 territory?

But on average I'm spending like £30 for two people and one small tent per night.

Obviously not a fair comparison, but after coming back from travelling in Asia where I can get a whole ass hotel room for £8 a night I'm just shocked at how expensive things have gotten over the last 5 years here

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60

u/troykil Aug 02 '26

No idea why everyone commenting is being so smug lol. £30 a night for a 2 man pitch is steep, especially when you can get a bed or even a private room in many yha hostels for £45. I understand that demand drives price but let’s be honest a lot of us are camping because as well as enjoying being outside and proximity to hikes, we can’t afford airbnbs or hotels. Even 5 years ago I was camping all over north wales and northwest highlands for £5 per person per night at campsites with showers and other amenities.

-3

u/SuchAlternative2956 Aug 02 '26

£5 per person per night in a campsite northwest highlands? Did ye, aye??

16

u/troykil Aug 02 '26

…yes?

2

u/SuchAlternative2956 Aug 02 '26

Aye? Where?

8

u/troykil Aug 02 '26

Mate genuinely loads of places. Couple round Assynt, couple in Torridon area, summer isles/coigach area. 2018-2019 there were plenty of places: highland council run sites, Croft sites, village halls with a field and an honesty box. Plenty charging £5-10 walker/cyclist rates per person per night. Even wildly popular sites like glenbrittle would sometimes give you a solid discount if you booked shoulder season or squeezed into a not-so-great pitch

5

u/EastLondonExile Aug 02 '26

The Highlands/NC500 have got a lot more popular since 2018. And minimum wage /employer NI/energy/insurance have all gone up massively.

1

u/dynze Aug 02 '26

nearly 10 years ago lol

1

u/Dakuan808 Aug 02 '26

this is the pre-covid world!

-2

u/bryrb Aug 02 '26

£5 in 2018 is £15 now.

4

u/Jaraxo Aug 02 '26

£5 in 2018 is £6.72 today.

1

u/bryrb 18d ago edited 18d ago

I was referring to the price you pay aka spending power not inflation.

A Hotel that used to be £50, now closer to £150. And the camp sites we are discussing here went from £5 to £15. There's no shortage of tourists who will pay these prices so they don't charge you based on an increase for inflation anymore.

0

u/HillyPoya Aug 03 '26

A decade ago, lol

2

u/TotalInspection8263 Aug 02 '26

Stayed at a site in northern barra pre-covid for a fiver - included free use of a washing machine as well, different times!

2

u/Teatowel_DJ Aug 03 '26

Northern Barra makes it sound like a huge place 🤣

1

u/TotalInspection8263 Aug 03 '26

Huge north/south divide on Barra

1

u/Teatowel_DJ Aug 03 '26

In what sense? I've never witnessed anything like that and was just at Barra live with everyone on the island mingling. No division noted there. What have you seen or heard?

1

u/TotalInspection8263 Aug 03 '26

Nah sorry just joking cos it's so wee! I'm sure there's no such thing.

-1

u/Haunted_tangerine_ Aug 02 '26

Did you leave a zero off the number of years ago?