Need to do things differently: annual week in Glasgow

[joeymaynard]

Hello....I hope some of you can help. Every year my family spends a week around Strathaven and Glasgow, visiting relatives. We've done loads of fun activities over the years, but as our children get older, we're finding that some of them don't quite work any more. For example, we used to spend a lot of time mooching around the Botanic Gardens and Kelvingrove, or in Strathaven Park. This time round, we found a good swimming pool (Hamilton Water Palace) and also Craignethan Castle, which was great - and free, as we're members). Can anyone recommend anything else, good for pre-teens? Our budget is extremely limited......

Have you been to the windfarm near Eaglesham? Its free and has a nice visitors centre, its got some exhibits that I think are done by Glasgow Science Centre. My primary school age dcs spent ages there. Its quite interesting walking round the windmills as well.

My kids also like Scotland St Museum and the People's Palace (which has a great playpark nearby). There is also the Transport Museum but I think its a bit boring and its always mobbed. They are all free.

Do they like outdoorsy stuff? Would they do walks like Ben Lomond (maybe age 8 to really enjoy it) or the Whangi (out on the rd to Drymen). A four year old could do that one. Or picnics at Loch Lomond? Milarochy Bay is lovely or Inchcailloch (the island), you do have to pay to get there though.

Do you bring bikes and/or scooters? If so I could suggest loads of places to go.

Thank you beatricequimby (love the name....). I will look into all of those. Yes, we do bring bikes and scooters - please do give me some ideas! Thank you very much!

OK - depends a bit on ages and how far you want to go. Victoria Park in Jordanhill is good for scooters, flat with lots of good paths and no cars. It also has the fossil grove (my kids think its interesting although I thought it was dead boring as a child). And the playpark is a bit more interesting for older kids, maybe up to 10ish.

Or you could go down to the coast to Largs or Troon with scooters and/or bikes.

With bikes you could get the train to Milngavie then cycle along the West Highland Way. Its all off road for miles.

Friends also cycle along the Forth & Clyde Canal and there are also some good routes around Loch Lomond. If you want to go further away, I love scooting/cycling around Loch Venacher, then going for an icecream in Callander.

Other parks that are more interesting for older kids might be Pollock Park (although does get mobbed with play schemes in the summer) and Mugdock Park. Also if you were prepared to go further out David Marshall Lodge at Aberfoyle is a good day out in decentish weather. Its in the Queen Elizabeth Forest in the Trossachs

If its wet, the Oxfam Second Hand bookshop in Byres Rd has a good childrens section including a vintage bit which sometimes has Chalet school books -unless you have got them all!

Also just remembered Summerlee Heritage Park in Coatbridge is free, massive and fab although it is being refurbished right now so check its all open. Has fab playpark, good for older kids, tram to go on, mine to go down and interesting miners cottages to look round and massive indoor bit with machinery stuff and social history.

There is also a good park in East Kilbride can't remember the name but its got a decent size indoor and outdoor animal area which is a pound to get in, quite a lot to see and a good play area, again good for older kids.