Are roads in Cornwall & Scotland too narrow for large motorhomes?

If you’ve got a large motorhome and you’re planning a trip around Cornwall, or thinking of heading up to Scotland, you might be wondering if you can actually drive down all of the roads and lanes you’d want to, without getting into difficulties. The short answer is likely yes, although with a little caution and a few caveats! There are many roads in both areas where the width, topography and local infrastructure could pose a few challenges. Below we take a look at some incidents that have occurred in the past, and then look at how you can avoid any similar trouble in these locations.

So what makes some of the roads a bit problematic for large motorhomes? Well, a lot of country lanes and village roads in the less built-up areas can have tight bends, and also hedges, walls or buildings that are close to the road’s edge. In the Scottish Highlands, in particular, there are many narrow, single-track roads which can hinder your ability to allow others to pass, especially if there are limited passing places.

We’ve found a couple of incidents relating to Cornwall which highlight these issues concerning narrow roads. In 2023, a motorhome became stuck in Padstow, on Mill Road, after following directions from a sat nav. This road is very narrow in places, is in a residential area, and is clearly not suited to larger vehicles! Onlookers said that the driver was ‘in bits’ and that the eventual return back up the road that had to occur subsequently damaged the clutch of the hired motorhome.

Another motorhome was stuck for hours in 2024 when trying to get to Hemmick Beach, with both sides of the vehicle so tightly wedged against hedges on either side, on what looked to be a very narrow lane. 

Other incidents seem to have been exacerbated by the narrow lanes, rather than caused by them. A motorhome got stuck in some scaffolding in St Ives in 2016, in one of the town’s narrowest streets - it was so wedged in that the scaffolding had to be removed and a police officer had to reverse the motorhome out!

It’s interesting as it seems that all three incidents have been blamed in some way on sat navs taking people who are new to the area on routes that are unsuitable, sending drivers into narrow lanes that can’t cope with large vehicles… although I don’t think we can entirely blame the technology, as you have to ask if the people driving stopped to think about whether they could fit through or not! 

In Scotland there have been similar complaints from locals, after roads and bridges have been blocked by motorhomes that have got stuck. Many rural and highland roads are single-track with passing places and, for motorhome drivers perhaps used to wider roads, these B-roads and similar lanes can feel a bit tight. 

Allowing another vehicle to pass sometimes requires pulling into small passing places, sometimes on steep gradients or blind corners, and navigating these often slows you down and demands real concentration. The 516-mile circular route around The North Coast 500 is famous for its scenery - and for its road stress! There have been reports from motorhome hire companies and also drivers that have flagged up issues such as traffic congestion, inexperienced drivers getting stuck and narrow sections to be aware of where driver confidence is tested. 

So are the roads too narrow? Well, some probably are, to be fair. It really depends on the size of your motorhome (that includes the length, width and also height), and your familiarity with driving large vehicles - as some people might be able to navigate through, with more confidence. People seem to be getting stuck because they are choosing routes that are unsuitable, and some of that probably comes down to poor planning, lack of knowledge of the area and the risks, whether the route is well signed to say what type of vehicles it is suitable for, and also the time of day, the traffic and the weather. 

Many of the major A and B roads in both Cornwall and Scotland are usually fine for motorhomes, but once you branch off toward more remote villages, the coast or the more scenic routes, the roads can narrow rapidly. It’s also worth bearing in mind that when these roads were built, they probably didn’t have large vehicles in mind when planning the widths, all those years ago!

Some tips if you’re going to be driving a large motorhome in these areas

To avoid getting stuck (and stressed!), or even incurring damage to your motorhome or the one you’re hiring (ouch), these tips will help you…

Plan your route carefully

Use route planning apps, and also try to get advice from locals and also motorhome forums - we saw a lot of information on the latter in terms of where people had got stuck! Don’t blindly trust your sat nav, either - as we’ve seen above this could get you into trouble. 

Know your vehicle’s dimensions

Be clear on your width, length and height (for low bridges and trees), and your turning radius. Many bridges and narrow roads will tell you the maximum dimensions they can accommodate.

Avoid tight lanes in towns and villages

This is especially needed in summer when the extra traffic and tourism add pressure. Also, don’t ignore any narrow-road restrictions.

Travel slowly, and use your mirrors well

On narrow or bendy roads, look ahead and anticipate and passing vehicles and look out for tight bends.Use passing places and pull in regularly when on single-track roads where needed. Hogging the road is never a good idea!

Watch signage and warnings

if signs say ‘unsuitable for large vehicles’ or ‘restricted width’, pay attention! It’s better to take an alternative routes and add on a few minutes rather than get stuck.

When in doubt, stop and ask!

Some good places for this might be at a petrol station or a visitor centre. You can also ask the locals - they will know best! And they will probably know the best detour, too.

Hopefully that’s been helpful! The roads in Cornwall and Scotland are not universally ‘too narrow’ for large motorhomes, but you could get into trouble on a few if you don’t think about things in advance and stay alert.

If you plan ahead, and know your vehicle, you can still enjoy some of the UK’s most beautiful scenery in comfort - and with limited stress…