Family's 'lucky escape' after motorhome 'blown down hill' on popular tourist route by storm

A family touring Scotland’s North Coast 500 route are said to be “lucky to be alive” after their motorhome was reportedly blown down a hill as Storm Kathleen swept in across the country.

The family of four and two dogs were still inside when the rented vehicle rolled over several times at a layby on the A896 near Shieldaig in Wester Ross on Sunday 7 April.

The family, from Oxfordshire, reportedly managed to escape the wreckage with severe bruising.

Peter Schmidt, owner of Luna Motorhome Hire, said he was shocked when he saw pictures of the scene and his firm’s van.

He told Sky News the family were “lucky to be alive”, adding: “That was my initial thought, ‘how on earth have they survived that?’

“You think to yourself, ‘how have they managed to crawl away from that without being seriously hurt or dead?’

“It was quite worrying for them.”

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The incident came as Storm Kathleen brought disruption to travel across the UK and Ireland last weekend with winds of more than 70mph.

Mr Schmidt said the family, who do not wish to be named, called to report the motorhome was a “write-off”.

He said: “You don’t believe it initially because people’s version of written-off is completely different to my version of written-off.”

But then, after ensuring everyone was safe, he saw the pictures.

Mr Schmidt said the incident has temporarily affected his business while the firm awaits a decision from the insurer on whether it was “negligence or not”.

He said: “There’s obviously parking on the edge of a hill/cliff. It could be seen as, you know, negligence.

“I don’t think that they will look at that. I think they will just take it for what it is.”

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The North Coast 500 – known as the NC500 – is a 516-mile scenic route that starts and ends at Inverness Castle in the Highlands.

It is one of Scotland’s most beautiful road trips with its coastal scenery and rugged mountains.

The route, which was launched in 2015, has experienced a surge in visitor numbers over the past few years following the COVID pandemic as adventurers turn to “staycations”.

Its official website warns rural driving can be a “challenge” to those who are “not used to single track roads, often with narrow bends and deer and livestock roaming around”.

Mr Schmidt said his firm does offer safety tips to drivers, but this recent incident has sparked the introduction of new motorhome guidelines that will be emailed to every customer two days before they get behind the wheel.

He said it’s all “about the planning”, including studying the route and the weather ahead of any potential trip.

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Mr Schmidt said the NC500 roads are “tricky”, adding: “If you are going to do it, maybe try it in a smaller motorhome initially if you can.

“If you’re thinking about doing a long road trip, give yourself plenty of time.

“Try and do it over 10 days or two weeks. Don’t rush that journey. You should be enjoying it and not trying to race between one place and the next.

“Be mindful and read up about it. You wouldn’t go to America and do a long road trip and not read up about it. So, they should be doing the same with the NC500.”

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