Renting a motorhome can be a cost effective way of trying one out. But picking one up can be inconvenient, because driving to pick one up can add hours to the journey before your holiday has even begun.

That is where peer-to-peer lending service Yescapa was an immediate hit with us.

As a family we were hoping to take a quick October break to the north of Scotland from our base in the central belt. A quick and easy cruise through the available vans on the company’s website showed a great selection nearby.

We finally decided on a 6-berth Roller Team Zefiro 675 for a bit of breathing room (as we were travelling in the colder, darker months). It was located near Edinburgh airport and Ted, the owner of the ‘van, couldn’t have been more helpful. It turns out he runs a motorhome rental business himself.

There followed a glorious few days following the weather forecast up in the middle of Scotland, choosing sites and booking ahead each day. A beautiful windless day saw us playing on the UK’s highest beach at Loch Morlich, soaking up the golden colours while the kids shovelled sand and even paddled in the – oh my goodness – breathtakingly cold water.

The efficient heating system in the Zefiro never let us down, even when ice formed on the outside. Starlit walks were the norm, heading up to campsite washrooms, followed by a fun headtorch stroll back through the site.

This continued on as we camped at Portsoy. Right outside the window was the beach, a beautiful backdrop for breakfast with the sun shining and a great base to go and get some off-season ice creams up in the town before exploring the harbour.

Findhorn, a beautifully peaceful village with endless beaches half an hour east of Inverness, was our next stop. Camping just outside the village, we wandered in to sit in one of our favourite eating spots in the country, the Bakehouse Café. I had to have one of their amazing almond croissants, and we sat outside and basked in the sun for over an hour.

It was a very reluctant family that stopped off in Aberfeldy before finishing our journey back to Edinburgh and a promise that we would be back. With dozens of ‘vans in our locality just waiting to be hired from Yescapa, we will no doubt be on the move again soon.

To find out more, visit www.yescapa.co.uk.