Motorhome Trip Scotland - Part 1: Lost Place Hartwood Hospital & Drone Flight over Dunnottar Castle
Welcome to our new series
Hello everyone – and a warm welcome to our new series! We're taking you on our very first trip to Scotland – with our camper van Wickie, lots of anticipation, and, as always, one or two surprises. Our goal: the legendary Highlands, lost places, wild coasts, and plenty of goosebumps.
Departure with obstacles: From Germany to Calais
Here we go – or rather: We should be going. Our plan is clear: Today we want to reach Calais to take the ferry to Dover tomorrow morning. But Germany is showing its best side: traffic jams as far as the eye can see. Whether we drive through the Ruhr area or Rhineland – nothing moves. Time pressure is mounting right at the start of our journey.
As soon as we leave Germany, it gets quieter. We pass through the Netherlands smoothly, not a single traffic jam. But then comes Antwerp – and with it a 45-minute delay. We manage that too, and by 11 p.m. we actually reach the port of Calais. We sleep directly in the port area, the alarm set for 4 a.m. Four hours of sleep – typical camper life.
The ferry to England: Thrills in the morning
At 4 a.m., the alarm clock rings. Two hours before departure, that has always been enough. But today everything is different. The first problem at check-in: Our booking number supposedly doesn't exist in the system. We are sent to the ferry office. There we have to wait while the system is restarted.
Luck in misfortune: Our booking is found – we continue. Through the French customs control – no problem. But then the English passport control. A whole 1.5 hours of waiting. When we finally get through, the ferry has long been gone. We are disappointed, tired, and at a loss.
But it turns out differently: Around 9 a.m., an employee appears and winks at us to follow him. We drive through the port area at 70 to 80 km/h. And indeed – we are allowed onto a ferry. Last ones on board. What a lucky moment!
Arrival in England: Traffic jam, traffic jam, and more traffic jam
On the ferry, all the stress finally falls away. We enjoy the crossing, drink a coffee, and breathe deeply. But even after the crossing, our luck doesn't last long. As soon as we drive off the ferry, the next chapter begins: traffic jams in England. Miles long. We barely make any progress.
Only late in the evening do we reach a parking space in New Mains, Scotland. Not a highlight, but sufficient. A quick meal – then straight to bed. Exhausted, but finally arrived. Welcome to Scotland!
The first goosebump moment: Hartwood Hospital
We start early the next morning. Our first destination: Hartwood Hospital. A lost place, like something out of a movie. Abandoned, fenced off, mysterious. The buildings stand still in the landscape, nature has reclaimed much of it.
Even on the approach, we feel that this place is special. Crows caw above us, the wind whistles through broken windows. The atmosphere is gloomy, quickly surreal.
We're not allowed in – the area is secured. But Kirsten grabs the telephoto lens, I send up the drone. What we capture is impressive: destroyed facades, collapsed roofs, a place where time has stood still. The footage looks like it's from a horror movie.
A place full of history: Hartwood Hospital and Psychiatry
Hartwood Hospital was built at the end of the 19th century and initially served as a general hospital with a focus on long-term care and geriatric medicine. Later, psychiatric patients were also treated here.
After a major restructuring of the healthcare system, the hospital was closed in the 2000s. Today the buildings stand empty – but full of history.
Right next door: The former Hartwood psychiatric hospital, once opened as Lanark District Asylum. When it opened in 1895, it was one of the largest psychiatric hospitals in Europe. With its own agriculture, workshops, even its own railway connection. Patients often lived their entire lives here – isolated, but cared for.
It was treated with the methods of the time: electroshock therapy, lobotomy, straitjackets, and occupational therapy. In the 1970s, the first patient protests began, demanding better conditions. Gradually, the system was reformed. Today, Hartwood is abandoned – but its history remains palpable.
Film set with goosebumps: Outlander & Co.
What many people don't know: the former Hartwood Hospital is a popular filming location. The impressive Victorian architecture, the long, winding corridors, the weathered sandstone walls – all of it attracts film crews.
Scenes from the hit series "Outlander" were filmed here. British true-crime documentaries and mystery series also use the site. And when you stand here, you immediately understand why.
The old doctor's house – silent witness to everyday life
Next to the main building stands the former doctor's house. Doctors once lived here, ready for their patients day and night. Today, the house is abandoned. The windows are blind, the roof caved in – but something here still feels alive. Perhaps memories. Perhaps more.
Hartwood Cemetery: Nameless Graves
An elderly man approaches us. He wants to show us something. Curiously, we follow him through tall grass. Soon we stand before the clinic's cemetery – an almost forgotten place.
Here rest 1,251 people. Patients and doctors. But only the doctors received gravestones. The patients lie beneath simple metal plaques, often several buried together.
The plaques bear numbers, sometimes names, birth and death dates. But everything feels anonymous, sober. No memorial. No flowers. Just rusty signs in the tall grass.
The man tells us stories about individual names. Suddenly, each number gets a face. We stand still – moved, sad, thoughtful.
Breakfast in the camper – and off we go
After this deeply touching experience, we fortify ourselves with a breakfast from the Omnia oven. Delicious and healthy. Time to move on – we want to go to the sea.
Dunnottar Castle: Drama, Legends, Drone Flights
Our destination: Stonehaven. There, Dunnottar Castle perches high on a rocky cliff. Majestic, dramatic – surrounded by the wild coast.
In 1651, the Scots hid their Crown Jewels here from Cromwell's army. The castle was besieged – but the jewels were smuggled out in a basket by a brave minister's wife.
When we arrive, the castle is closed. But that also has advantages: We are allowed to launch the drone. And what images we capture with it – breathtaking!
Pitch in Aberdeen: Dolphins and foxes
In the evening, we reach Aberdeen and find a pitch right by the sea. Scarcely arrived, Kirsten spots three dolphins with her camera swimming through the bay. A magical moment.
Shortly afterwards, two curious foxes roam around our motorhome – no shyness, no haste. Just nature, very close.
We end the day watching the waves with a glass of wine.
Outlook: More Scotland, More Magic
What a first day! From stress to lost places to magical nature moments – Scotland captivated us from the very first moment.
In the next part, we continue to the Isle of Skye, to seals, castles, and dramatic coastal roads.