Highland Campervans

What a busy year!

2011-08-07T10:17:00.002Z

Was updating the website when I suddenly saw it's been several months since I put a blog on the site - how has it been so long? Well where to start? After a racing start to the year with a new apprentice in our workshop, we successfully gained NCC Approved Workshop Status in Spring 2011. That has been followed by the development of a new accessories shop which will officially launch on 3rd September 2011 (although you're welcome to pop in any time before then as we are actually open). The hire fleet has been as busy as ever, but 2011 has seen a huge increase our sales dept, with a growing number of customers able to turn the dream of owning a campervan into a reality plus we also now offer a marketing service to private owners looking for help in selling their motorhomes. There are lots of extra photos and information on our Facebook page, plus Stephen tweets his 'job of the day' on Twitter (@HighlandCamper). Will try to update the blog again soon, but please have a wander around our website and you should see lots of development and changes as the year progresses... No off to help plan the official shop opening and the staff BBQ afterwards (I promised everyone a celebration for their help and support effort in gaining NCC AWS and they're holding me to it!)

2010-12-22T12:22:00.001Z

Press release: Early Christmas Present for Inverness Business Highland Campervans had an early Christmas present this year when planning permission and a £25,000 loan from Highland Opportunity Fund, both arrived the week before Christmas. The company, based on the A96, had applied for planning permission to convert the old dairy farm at Kerrowaird into a dedicated workshop and sales showroom for servicing motorhomes and caravans. Steve Bunn, Workshop manager and co-founder said “I do have a workshop already but it’s just not big enough for the larger motorhomes and caravans which I need to have full access to. The low interest-loan from Highland Opportunity is also fantastic news and will enable us to purchase a vehicle lift to give me improved access when servicing vans”. Highland Campers is a great example of a successful Inverness business which started in a recession but has gone from strength to strength, recently identifying a gap in the market for motorhome servicing. The company is fast gaining a reputation as the motorhome specialists for the Highlands and specifically looks after the internal habitation units of motorhomes and caravans. The updated premises will include a larger workshop, a shop with parts and supplies, plus a new office unit for campervan & motorhome sales and the hire fleet. The company is also looking for an apprentice to start work in the New Year. Interested applicants should look at the business website www.HighlandCamperans.com for details on the apprenticeship which will involve learning a multitude of skills from joinery to electrics. Catherine Bunn, co-founder said “It’s a very exciting time for us at the moment. We are hoping to get everything ready before the spring when there is high demand to get the vehicles serviced in time for summer – we are encouraging all of our customers this year to beat the rush and book their vehicles in for servicing during the winter months - it’s especially important for any vehicles with possible frost damage”. If anyone needs any advice on winterising vehicles, just get in touch with the Highland Campers office.

10 things we love about Autumn in a Highland Campervan

2010-09-09T15:44:00.004Z

Autumn is coming - you can sense it in the air and see it in the sky. At the Highland Campervans office we're getting excited - for Autumn is a time when the staff get to take some extra days off and head out into the Highlands and these are the reasons why: 1 - The changing colours of the autumn leaves - Glen Affric has to be a must-head destination. 2 - The crisp fresh air and the morning dew - waking up in the campervan and peering out to see the world waking with you - unlike summer when the birds are singing at 5am... 3 - Quieter, peaceful roads with less traffic - Tourists are good for business, but there's nothing quite like driving along a road and truly not meeting anyone else at all... except maybe a Highland coo! 4 - The morning har's - park up high on a hill and look down onto the sea, rivers & glens shrouded in a silky mist. 5 - Hear the call of the Red Deer rut - peaking in late September/October the call of the red deer stags fighting for the females is one of natures best autumn treats. 6 - Salmon leaping - October and November see the salmon heading back to their breeding grounds to spawn. There are loads of great salmon rivers in the Highlands and early morning or evening is the best time to catch the greatest fish aerobatics. 7 - Food festivals - harvest time is here and so are the food festivals - the 'Living Food' festival at Cawdor Castle is a tasty treat for all the family... 8 - It's the end of the midge season - hurrah! Not that they got much to eat anyway when we were tucked up in the campervans! 9 - Climbing mountains in the cool fresh air without the scorching summer sun on your back. 10. Sit and watch in awe at the light levels - with the sun rising & setting lower in the sky Autumn brings an amazing spectacle of light. Catch it on camera with a photography workshop.

Spring is in the air!

2010-03-24T20:39:00.003Z

Finally... at long last after what has seemed like an eternity of winter, the threat of spring is in the air! Don't get me wrong, the views from a campervan in winter are fantastic and with the webasto heaters our campervanners keep toasty warm - the hard bit of winter is for the Highland Campervans staff trying to wash the vans when it's -8C and the car shampoo bubbles are freezing to the vans before they can be rinsed off.! Ah well, it made it an interesting winter with challenges to overcome, but we are looking forward to the warm and light spring/summer evenings. For anyone looking at buying a campervan this summer our advice if you haven't already booked one is to hold off now from the pre-summer rush and do your research to get the campervan that is truly right for you. It may take a little while longer but when you have the right vehicle that contains just what you need at the quality that you want it, then you'll never regret waiting a couple of extra months. Another great option if you're not sure whether the campervan lifestyle will suit you is to have a try before you buy. Working with Wellhouse Leisure we can offer 'try before you buy' special weekends so please get in touch if it interests you. Hope to see you in Scotland this summer!

Glasgow SECC - 4-7 Feb 2010

2010-01-04T10:18:00.002Z

We will be exhibiting on Stand E10 at the Scottish Caravan & Outdoor Leisure Show at the Glasgow SECC from Thursday 4th to Sunday 7th February 2010 in conjunction with Wellhouse Leisure. Please come along and visit us if you are attending the show.

Scottish Thistle Award Winners 2009!

2010-01-04T10:13:00.003Z

Highland Campervans is delighted to have won a Scottish Thistle Award in October 2009 . Organised by VisitScotland, these prestigious awards recognise Scottish businesses which showcase business excellence and quality. Catherine Bunn for Highland Campervans scooped the 'Young Tourism Entrepreneur' award. We were also shortlisted in 2008 so to win in 2009 was fantastic.

Highland Campervans in the News!

2009-07-19T10:18:00.002Z

Well it's been an enormously exciting year and I hope you've had a chance to look at some of our news articles online. First I was shortlisted for Young Tourism Entrepreneur of the Year Award by VisitScotland (the official Scottish tourist board agency) and that was a great honour - with drinks receptions on the Royal Yacht Britannia and a glittering award ceremony in Edinburgh. I was pipped to the post in the end by another outstanding business. I took on board the judges top tips though and have been focusing on developing certain aspects of the business to help it grow stronger so it was a great business experience all round. We've also had a lot of media coverage about the businesses success during the economic downturn - but it all required a lot of hard work from everyone involved. There are now two other members of staff helping ensure Highland Campervans vehicles are hired out in a spotless condition, so if Elaine or Stephanie answer the phone please don't be surprised. I even became a cover girl for the Executive magazine so if you want a laugh and to see pictures of me freezing in the winter snow - have a peek at the article, available via our website. Finally, Easter this year saw our move to new business premises on the A96, just 2 minutes from Inverness Airport. It's given us a fantastic base from which to expand the business and we've now ventured into caravan and camping equipment hire. There was some major excitement this weekend though when flash floods raced through the fields above the house and carried our driveway and parking area down onto the A96 - along with a load of soil from the fields. 250 tonnes of debris had to be removed from the main road and it was closed for 12hrs during the clean-up, so if you want to see a great video of racing floodwater just check out our 'In the News' web page and you can look at the articles there. So, it's back to work now and time to don muddy wellies and continue with the clean-up. We at least have a driveway now after emergency repairs but the garage was flooded and still needs sorting out so best get going. Hope to see you here at some point!

What a season!

2008-06-10T09:18:00.002Z

Somehow, the year appears to be flying by and it's been a while since I put a post on this blog. If like me, you've been making the most of the fantastic weather, you'll feel like autumn is only just around the corner, but let's hope the sunshine holds out and we have a great summer season. Highland Campervans has been busy this year already, we jiggled our campervans around over the winter months and the new style Adventure Van has been going down a storm. With plans afoot to increase the fleet again at the end of the year it's a busy time in the office. We've also been training up a new member of staff to ensure that when we expand, we can still provide the high level of customer service and quality vehicles that our customers have come to expect. So, I'd best be back to work then as there's a campervan due back any minute with customers needing an airport drop-off and then it will be time to get down to the elbow-grease of a good clean to get it turned around ready for the next entrepid explorers!

The Perfect Gift!

2007-11-04T22:19:00.000Z

After several enquiries about whether we can provide gift vouchers, we've decided to launch the Highland Campervan Gift Experience. We think it's a perfect alternative gift idea for any occasion and we hope it will inspire a few more people to try the campervan experience. So if you think you'd like one, why not drop a few hints to your nearest and dearest! If you're feeling generous, this might even make your Christmas shopping a little bit easier...

What a summer!

2007-10-18T10:31:00.000Z

Well, we've had an excellent first season here at Highland Campervans and what a great way to start the business. We're not quite sure how it's suddenly October but since we hit the ground running in June with back-to-back bookings it's not surprising that the year has flown. Business for campervan rentals is getting a bit quieter now which gives us a chance to catch up with the paperwork and make some plans for next year, but there are still a lot of hardy souls out there wanting to take advantage of the clear Autumn skies and fantastic sunsets that this season provides. With the cabin heating in the vans there's no need to be cold so lets keep exploring through the winter when there's less traffic on the roads... We're off for a well-earned family holiday for a week now and yes, we will be taking one of the campervans with us for instant drinks and hot food no matter where we go. I think it will all depend on the weather and we'll just chase the sunshine and park-up wherever takes our fancy! Now that has got to be the relaxing kind of holiday that having a campervan is all about!

The seasons are a changin'

2007-08-22T09:45:00.000Z

The days of a predictable summer seem to have gone from the British landscape what with all the wind and rain the country seems to have had. Luckily for us up North, we seem to have escaped the worst of the wind, rain and floods although at times I suppose we have had our share. The campervans have stood up well to the varying weather though and with tents blown down around them in recent West Coast gales, our happy campervanners have looked out at the scene of destruction and thought themsleves lucky that this year they upgraded to a campervan! When the summer rush is over and people have had time to relect on their holidays, we'll be asking some of our customers to share their campervanning experiences and what their highlights have been. I'll be back with some updated info soon. Happy camping!

And we're off!

2007-06-05T10:50:00.000Z

Well, to be fair, our first customers are off, disappearing from the city sights to visit the West Coast and island hop to Skye and the Western Isles! It's been a busy month getting the final preparations completed but the vans are looking great and hopefully we've got everything covered. Our New Zealand testers have promised to give the Grand Tourer a proper welcome to Scotland so with a Scottish music CD for them to listen to as they drive, we hope they have a wonderful holiday!

Camping with a baby made easy!

2007-04-06T15:23:00.000Z

We took our son for his first camping trip last weekend to the 'Deerstalker' Adventure Race in the Scottish Borders. We had a great time and as I sat feeding my 13 week old baby, both of us still wrapped up in our sleeping bags, I decided that I was living the dream of how I envisioned family camping to be. A cup of tea in one hand, a contented baby in the other and a lovely warm campervan from where I could open the curtains and look out upon the folks scurrying around crawling into tents, whilst I sat up in my comfy bed... And the great thing about camping is that Stephen loves to take charge of the cooking and tea-making, so I truely get to relax. Now this is what camping with a baby is all about!

We're up and running!

2007-03-28T10:16:00.000Z

Finally, after months of work and searches for the right vehicles, we're now up and running and ready to rent our vans! We're really pleased with the vehicles we've got as they're perfect for using in Scotland, whether it's touring, adventure races or a mixure of activities that you're doing. We hope you think they're good too, but if you've got any suggestion please let us know!

Sunday Times Travel Article... Speyside...

2007-01-22T23:50:00.001Z

Everyone knows about the beauty of the Scottish Highlands, but what about the other direction? Just over the border in Morayshire lies the delightful Spey Valley, often referred to as the 'heart of the whisky country'... It's only a 40 min journey by Campervan from Inverness and has plenty of attractions to fill either a weeks holiday or a one-day whizz around the distilleries. Luckily for me, I don't have to explain all about it as Vincent Crump from the Sunday Times has kindly written an article on the area just this week! Have a look at the link below and read about Speyside yourself! http://www.highlandcampervans.com/SundayTimesSpeyside.pdf p.s. Many thanks to Simon for emailing me the link to the article!

Our new blog!

2007-01-22T21:05:00.001Z

Hello there! Got an idea you want to share with us or been on a fantastic trip you could recommend to others? Our new blog space will give you the chance to add your views or comments to the Highland Campervan website. And it will give me the chance to let you know what I'm up to! I'll post again soon!