Scotland is a pretty unforgettable place to visit – but even so, it can be hard to remember all the details of everything you experienced on your trip. Journalling is a great way to keep track of your travel experiences, especially if you want to look back in a few years. Here are some thought-provoking travel journal prompts to use on your next trip.

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There are many ways to immortalise your travel experiences. You can take photos, print them and turn them into a book. You can buy trinkets and souvenirs to decorate your home. You could even record videos or voice notes reflecting on your trip – that’s what I did when I first started travelling.

Journalling is another great way to keep track of your thoughts, impressions and experiences while travelling.

I remember my dad writing in his little travel journal every day during our trips – and he still does it well into his 70s. It helps him capture those special memories and bring them back in the future.

But just documenting where you went and what you did each day can feel repetitive, even boring. Hands up if you’ve ever started a travel journal (or any journal for that matter) and abandoned it again after a couple of days because it just felt tedious.

That’s where travel journal prompts come in handy. Prompts are writing instructions or questions. They are a great tool to get you writing, especially if you are intimidated by a blank page. They also encourage you to write about things you may not have otherwise written about.

Here are 8 travel journal prompts to use on your next trip to Scotland. But first…

Why should you journal in Scotland?

Travelling can be exhausting and maybe the last thing you want to add to your already full itinerary is another chore – like writing a daily journal. But hear me out – if you journal about your trip, you’ll be so grateful you did!

Journalling about your travel experiences can make those memories last a lot longer. The more detail you capture in your notes, the more you’ll be able to draw on them a few years later.

Can’t remember what you ate on Skye? Check your journal. Can’t remember your kayak guide’s name in Ullapool? Check your journal. Can’t remember which pub you went to with all that lovely live music in Edinburgh? Check your journal.

Your travel journal also turns into a souvenir from your trip. One that doesn’t hurt the bank, wasn’t made in China or catches dust on a shelf somewhere. If you feel creative, you can make it look pretty by doodling and drawing on it. Print out some photos after your trip and add them to your pages. Or keep some ticket stumps and stick them in too.

Finally, journalling is not just about documenting events from your trip – it’s also a chance to reflect on your feelings throughout your journey. By writing about your experiences, you may become aware of details you hadn’t noticed before, or start realising more consciously how travelling is affecting you and your perception of the world.

Journalling is a great tool to make your trip more transformational. Travelling is a life-changing experience, after all!

8 Travel Journal Prompts

Now, let’s get to the prompts.

How did you feel when you first arrived in Scotland?

➡️ Describe your emotional journey to Scotland.

➡️ Additional questions to consider: Was it a spontaneous trip, or a lifelong dream to visit? What was your journey like? Did the country live up to your expectations?

What has surprised you about Scotland so far?

➡️ Describe something you hadn’t expected to find in Scotland.

➡️ Additional questions to consider: What drew you here? Did you have a specific image in mind? Did reality look different in any way? Was there a moment that has left you speechless?

Summarise today in one word, one sentence or one paragraph.

➡️ Try not to focus so much on everything you did, but rather how you felt. Or pick a highlight from your day.

Have you met any new people in your time here? What were they like?

➡️ Describe a memorable person you met on your trip.

➡️ Additional questions to consider: What was their accent like? Did they tell you a story you’d like to remember in the future?

How is the landscape you saw today different from where you live?

➡️ Describe your home and what’s different about it.

➡️ Additional questions to consider: Which landscape do you prefer? What do you like about each – home and here? Do you have any questions about the landscapes in Scotland?

Describe any moments where you’ve felt at peace here in Scotland.

➡️ Use all your senses to answer this question. What did you see, smell, taste and hear in this moment? What did it feel like?

Describe a moment that took you out of your comfort zone.

➡️ Additional questions to consider: What did you do? What have you learnt about yourself? Would you do it again?

What are you most excited to tell your friends & family about?

➡️ Pick one or two or three (or more) highlights from your trip and write about them. How would you tell them to your friends and family?

➡️ Additional questions to consider: Who would you like to tell this story first? Why?

What else to put in your travel journal?

In addition to keeping track of what you do each day and your thoughts and reflections, here are some other things you may want to put in your travel journal.

  • Your travel goals: Make a list of places you’d like to see and things you want to experience. Keep track of what you actually managed and what has to wait until your next trip.
  • Doodles: Sometimes words just don’t cut it and you have to draw a little.
  • Pressed flowers or leaves: Did you pick a flower on your trip? Dry and press it in a book and add it to your journal.
  • Ticket stubs: Keep paper tickets you got in places like buses or castle tours. I also like to keep business cards of small independent businesses I find on my travels. Or even receipts, if it was a special meal or experience.
  • Your route on a map: Draw the route of your trip on a map.
  • Reflections on your trip overall: At the end of your trip, summarise your experiences and highlights.

A journal might just be the best travel companion and with these travel journal prompts you’ll fill it in no time!

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