What VisitScotland says about using your phone
VisitScotland's FAQ says that most accommodation providers offer Wi-Fi, though you should check before booking, as do many cafés and visitor attractions. It says you should also be able to access roaming data from your phone, with charges varying, and that a mobile should switch onto a UK network while you are in Scotland, though charges for calls and data vary, so you should check with your own provider before the holiday.
That is general advice rather than a price list. For a visitor from outside the UK, a home plan's roaming terms, a travel eSIM that names the United Kingdom or a UK prepaid SIM bought on arrival are the usual options. None of these sources gives a coverage map.
Highland signal: intermittent or non-existent
Mountaineering Scotland's advice on calling for mountain rescue says that mobile phone reception in the Highlands can often be intermittent or non-existent, and that if you need help but cannot make voice calls there may be enough signal to send a text. It says that if there is no coverage at your location, you should consider whether it might be worth moving to a place where there is, and to conserve battery by having all the details to hand before phoning.
VisitScotland's outdoor safety tips add that weather can change within minutes in coastal, hill and Highland areas, that you should tell someone your route and when you plan to return, and that a walking pack should include your phone and a charger. Those are reasons to plan a day in the hills as if you will have no signal.
Register for the 999 text service before you need it
Mountaineering Scotland says you can contact the 999 emergency services by text from your mobile only if you have already registered with the emergency SMS service, and that registering means texting the word register to 999, getting a reply and following the instructions, which takes about two minutes. It tells people to register now and not to wait for an emergency.
The page is written for UK mobile users, and we did not find a statement on whether a foreign SIM can register or use the service, so check with your operator. For mountain rescue it says to call 999 or 112 and ask for Police and Mountain Rescue, with the location, ideally a six-figure grid reference and a named feature, the number of casualties and your contact numbers ready.
Using a phone for navigation: charge, protect, download
Mountaineering Scotland says that in 2022 it surveyed over 4,000 hill walkers, that 87 per cent said they had used a phone or GPS to navigate, and that of those, over 40 per cent had experienced it stopping working in some way. It adds that mountain rescue teams respond to many call-outs because of GPS or smartphone failure, inappropriate route choice or an inability to use the technology effectively.
Its advice is to charge to 100 per cent before starting, to protect the phone in a waterproof case and keep it close to your body, and to download all the maps you may need, including surrounding areas, so you do not rely on mobile data, using a topographic map such as OS or Harvey rather than any digital map. It stresses that reading a map matters more than following an arrow on a screen.
The ETA, and who does not need one
VisitScotland says people travelling to the UK without a visa need an Electronic Travel Authorisation, linked electronically to the passport, for up to six months for tourism, visiting family and friends, business or study, and that you do not need one if you have a British or Irish passport, permission to live, work or study in the UK, a visa to enter the UK or a British overseas territories passport. It says many people can visit for up to six months without a visa, including those from the EU, the USA, Canada and Australia.
The UK government's page says an ETA costs 20 pounds, warns that other websites may charge more and that you should avoid sites imitating government services, and notes that an ETA does not guarantee entry. Apply on the official site, and keep the confirmation on your phone.
Emergency numbers
VisitScotland gives 999 as the emergency number and says to dial 111 to speak to NHS 24 for urgent health advice out of hours, and Mountaineering Scotland says 999 or 112 will reach the emergency services. The UK dialling code is +44. Our Scotland plan page covers data before you arrive.
Networks our Scotland plans use
These are the operators named on our plans for Scotland, taken from the plan data, so the list follows the catalogue.
- EE5G