Help me plan our Scottish road trip!!

[susannahmoodie]

Thinking already about next years holiday.

We are thinking of hiring a motor home and doing a Scottish road trip but need some help planning.

Travelling from NE England.


Initial plan is for 2 weeks. Want to include:

Edinburgh festival -prob only one day.

Kelpies

Falkirk wheel

Blair Drummond safari park

Gordon castle in Fochabers

Trip to see my bro in Rogart

Possibly stay with friends in Oban.

Are there Scottish gems we shouldn't Miss out on on the way?

We have already done:

Dumfries and Galloway
Shetland
Uist
Skye
Mull

So not fussed about islands, although I do like the sound of Arran and Tiree.

Also very familiar with most of the cities so don't mind missing them out either.

Have 2boys aged 5 and 3 by then.

Can anyone suggest must see locations/ possible itinerary and also possible sites??

[susannahmoodie]

We are actually having a separate holiday on mull at easer so we will be doing mull then!

[VinylScratch]

St Andrews is nice, good beaches for the kids and a nice wee town to have a wander round. The aquarium there is quite good, there are deals on groupon for it now and again which make it much cheaper than deep sea world.

[BuggersMuddle]

Gosh, so many options:

Arran

• visit Brodick Castle & the grounds are nice
  
• if overnight or lunch, Creelers is nice
  
• Do not expect much from Ardrossan (where you catch the ferry), although there is an Asda near the terminal
  
• Goat fell is probably out of the question unless your 5 year old climbs like a mountain goat.
  

Edinburgh:

• Far more to Edinburgh than the festival!
  
• Go up Arthur's Seat & have a picnic in Holyrood Park (you could visit the Palace of Holyrood House, but I suspect won't interest young kids!)
  
• Edinburgh Castle worth a visit (little ones will need some help I think, defo 3yr old)
  
• Camera Obscura on a nice day?
  
• I suspect yours are too young (little one anyway) for the museum of childhood, but worth considering in the future.
  
• Leith can be good fun and escape the festival. The Royal Yacht Britannia is down there and loads of lovely restaurants.
  

Loch Ness

• FGS don't do the Nessie experience. It's a complete waste of money.
  
• Green Wellie is a service station, effectively.
  

Not exactly on your way nor precisely off it - Invereray. It's pretty, there are some attractions and if you're into seafood the original Loch Fyne oyster bar is there. With little ones, I'd recommend booking.

[Roseformeplease]

Harry Potter train is the Jacobite Steam Train and goes from Fort William to Mallaig on the most incredible scenic route past the Silver Sands of Morar and over the Glenfinnsn viaduct. However, the same journey, on a normal train, is much cheaper! Book seats on the left side as you face the engine on the outward journey. Good fish and chips in Mallaig. Shearwater from Arisaig good for wildlife and a trip to Rum, Eigg or Muck. Cable car up Aonach Mor in Fort William is good for views.

[Highlandbird]

Harry potter train is from fort William to mallaig, I think it would be doable but I think you need to book quite far ahead in advance so maybe worth checking. Glenfinnan is where the big famous viaduct is, not too far from fort William

[goblinhat]

www.landmarkpark.co.uk/

Landmark Forest Adventure park in Aviemore- fantastic for kids, and lots to do in the local area,

[Silverturnip]

If you do Oban make sure you stop at the Oban Chocolate Shop, my DS loves it and it's quite good value for money and in school hols they have chocolate workshops which your older one may enjoy. Ig you're near fort William a trip on the cable car up Ben Nevis?

[susannahmoodie]

I know Edinburgh v well as I lived there for 4 years, I just thought it might be fun to wander round and soak up the festival atmosphere, and maybe go to a kids show?? But from the sounds of it this is a bad idea??

[WankerDeAsalWipe]

Blair Drummond isn't grim, it's a nice day out with plenty of room for the kids to run free - there is also Briarlands farm next door but there are loads of these types of places about - if you are doing Edinburgh, what about east Lothian? Gullane beach and east Links farm.

You could do a nice route up through the Borders - Innerleithen for an ice cream then Peebles and up to east lothian through Gullane etc, do the Edinburgh Festival, travel up through the east neuk as mentioned above - cross over and up through Aviemore for the Highland Folk Museum and maybe Landmark. Up to Fochabers/Nairn for the beach etc up to Rogart, across coast to Ullapool in the West and start coming down via Oban, visit Loch Katrine Steamer etc on the way down to Stirling (safari Park?) and then down for the kelpies /Falkirk Wheel and home.

[amarmai]

After Edinborough go over the Forth road bridge and follow the east coast road thru the fishing villages . You'll see lots of castle ruins . Don't miss Lower Largo with the Crusoe house and statue. Continue to St Andrew's , see the uni, the Cathedral and castle ruins and the Royal Golf Course. Keep on going and cross into Dundee over the Tay Bridge and head to Aberdeen. You get the idea! Come back by the west coast road and be delighted all over again. Have a lovely holiday!

[SenecaFalls]

Time St. Andrews for a Sunday so you can roam the Old Course at will.

[Bunbaker]

"but pretty much north of Aberdeen and west of the A9 the roads are shot to shit"

The A roads in the North West are what we have as country lanes round here, but with passing places. I wouldn't fancy driving a motor home on them.

Reading all the posts has made me want to go to Scotland again.

[susannahmoodie]

oh Rosemarkie sounds lovely!

[BikeRunSki]

Fish and chips on the harbour wall in Ullapool.

[mayaknew]

Blair Drummond is awesome !! The Safari Park bit is great plus there's a massive pirate themed play park , a little fair with some rides and an amazing sea lion show (the best bit!) we were just there at Easter that's the first I'd been in a few years ds was only just ready a for it . Loved it !

You could also do Loch Lomond Shores ? I love it there it's beautiful and there's a park too and also a Sea Life Centre (although I know if you've been to one you've been to them all)

[mayaknew]

Btw your trip sounds amazing I'm Scottish and I've never been to half the places on your list !

Maybe pick a mild day to go to the Falkirk Wheel , the day we went it was roasting and we had a picnic but had to eat it in the car because of the wasps there was thousands of them

[cdtaylornats]

I think the festival is amazingly good for kids, soak up the day and see one of the many kids shows. Let the youngsters see the castle lit up at night. Stirling castle is good as well.