Couple quit top jobs and sell ‘dream home’ to travel Scotland in a van

By Calum Loudon via SWNS

This couple sold their $206,000 'dream house' and quit their jobs to travel Scotland in a camper van with their dogs.

Victoria MacDonald, 28, and Scott Ross, 32, lived in a swanky, 12-room mansion, which even had a ballroom. But they found the pressure of their careers was bringing them down.

Victoria said: "It was a cracker of a house, it was historic.

"It had 12 rooms in total, including a double-roomed basement, and an old ballroom.”

The detached home, in Cruden Bay, Scotland, had belonged to the Colman's mustard dynasty, and they bought it for around $137,182 in June 2016.

Victoria MacDonald and Scott Ross' former home in Cruden Bay, Aberdeenshire.(Victoria MacDonald via SWNS)

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But knowing they didn't plan to have kids, and feeling increasingly dissatisfied professionally, the couple began thinking about making a change.

Victoria, who worked as a purchasing administrator, was suffering from depression, while Scott, who worked at a heliport company, had injured his back on the job in June 2016.

Not knowing where they wanted to move to next, the couple decided to inhabit a van.

They now run an online marketing travel company, working remotely with some of the most scenic views in Scotland.

"We came up with the idea of moving into a van and taking our work on the road,” Victoria said.

“So that's exactly what we did.”

The couple bought a Citroen Relay 2016 camper van for $17,833, and moved into a small farm in Muir of Ord, Scotland, for two months while the van was being fixed up.

They spent over $31,000 on their mobile home, installing a kitchen with a Swedish oven and a solar-powered shower.

"It was horrible. I've made no secret of the fact I did not enjoy the conversion process,” said Victoria.

"It took a couple of weeks planning, but no matter how much you plan for it, you don't find out how much is needed to be done until you're right in the thick of it."

Victoria MacDonald and Scott Ross who sold their home and are traveling round Scotland in a camper van with their dogs Callie and Corrie. (Katielee Arrowsmith via SWNS)

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But the hassle was worth it.

"I wake up every day to an unbelievable view out my window,” Victoria said.

Their dogs, Colle, an eight-month-old border collie mix and Callie, a seven-year-old Lab, sleep in the tiny bed with them.

Nearly five years ago, the couple were both signed off from work and decided to start a blog about their enthusiasm for travel.

"During our time away from work, we came up with the idea for the website and the blog, and just went for it,” Victoria said.

"Our friends were not surprised, and our family was the same, no one was massively surprised.

"We haven't done the nine-to-five life for years now."

Their hobby turned into a full-time job, and they now work with VisitScotland to promote tourism.

Foregoing materialism has given them a new lease on life and they describe their nomadic lifestyle as 'freeing.'

Victoria said: "It's amazing how much stuff you do not need.

"There's something about being so ingrained into nature."

They have both found that extra time outdoors is beneficial to their health.

"I was on antidepressants for four years and I've been off them since we started our new life,” said Victoria.

"Scott's back is getting stronger, due to the amount of exercise he is getting every day.”

"The two dogs are loving it as well, although they are constantly knackered since they are
outside all the time.

"We have not missed or regretted selling the house since we got on the road."