David Honeyman found himself planting roots at a young age, having helped bring his son into the world when he was just 21 years old. While he doesn’t regret it, having a little lad to look after kept him from being able to sow his wild oats in his youth.

“Due to having my son when I did, I never had the chance to travel,” writes Honeyman in an email exchange with Celtic Life International. “I was living with him in Dundee, until he decided to move out and stand on his own two feet.”

Honeyman, now an empty-nester, came to something of a crossroad.

“I had money in the bank; I could either put it into a large deposit on a mortgage, or I could buy a van to live in and travel.”

Honeyman chose the path less trodden and became a Scottish man in a van.

“As the famous Scottish proverb goes ‘Be happy whilst yer livin’, for yer a long time deid.’”

He keeps himself afloat by doing remote work piloting remotely-operated underwater vehicles for the energy sector. “The rest of the year, I am able to afford myself to travel without the need to work remotely.”

He also happened upon a side hustle to fund his adventures.

Upon deciding to share his exploits on the road exploring his national back yard online through social media, Honeyman became “The Scottish Man in a Van,” with followers joining him on his sojourn from all over the world.

“After I decided to share my story online two years ago, I have accumulated just under 500,000 followers/subscribers, which is crazy,” says Honeyman, who has posted across platforms such as Instagram, TikTok, and YouTube since he began his van life in 2022.

“It was certainly not something I set out to do; I only started sharing my journey online so family at home and abroad in Australia and Canada could see what I got up to. It just blew up – my travels seem to resonate with people.

“My followers come from all over the world, but mostly from the UK, Ireland, the USA, Canada, Australia, Germany, and other European countries. The feedback I’ve gotten from them has been very positive.

“I think the risk I’ve taken to follow my dream is something many people want to achieve for themselves. Luckily, I have an amazing canvas in Scotland to share with the world, which helps.”

Honeyman’s travels have gone farther afield than just Scotland, mind you. He and his van (aptly monikered “Skye”) have trekked across the UK and parts of Europe, too. But Scotland remains closest to his heart.

“When the sun is shining in Scotland, it’s difficult to beat. The people make it what it is. The character, humour, and a warm welcome for all. The history and the culture that is still kept alive in many of the remote places I visit. People say it’s like going back in time in some of these places – I hope it stays that way for generations to come.”

Honeyman, meanwhile, is looking forward. He already has the rest of his 2025 itinerary well-planned.

“I plan to go back to mainland Europe in the van later in the year, possibly back to Switzerland, or the Dolomites in Italy. I loved my time there.”

He sees no reason to slow down on the horizon.

“My rewards are unlimited, really. Freedom to roam wherever I please – I get a different back garden view every day – waking up next to a beautiful loch or beach in Scotland or watching a sunset in some incredible locations. Rewards, like most things in life, are what you make of them.

“My son is doing great, he’s financially secure, and I love adventuring and discovering new places. My family is hugely supportive, they love watching my journey with the rest of the world. I do think many of my friends are slightly jealous. They’ve got young children and wives now. I had my son when I was 21 while they were all travelling. Well, now it’s my turn.”

@scottishmaninavan