Best National Trust experiences (in Scotland) please?

[ifoundmytribe]

Bit the bullet and took out annual membership today.

DC are 8 and 6 and into castles, so Edinburgh is first on the list. We're Central Belt but willing to explore more, especially during the summer holidays.

I was surprised how reasonable the membership was so would like to make the most of it.

We love Culzean castle and go there loads. They have a huge fort style play park, nice beach and lovely woods. They do the Cadbury's Easter egg hunt each Easter so that would be a nice time to visit for the first time.
Is Edinburgh castle NT? We've always paid a fortune when we visit despite having NT membership.

Oh, crap, it's Historic Scotland for free entry to Edinburgh. Bugger. Must read small print!

Culzean is fab
Brodick Castle,good excuse to visit Arran
Pollock house Glasgow
Falkland Palace
Cultists
That's my top 5

Cultists??

National Museum of Rural Life (just outside East Kilbride)
House of the Binns (Tam Dayells House / Estate in Linlithgow)
Robert Burns Museum (Ayr) also agree Culzean is fab

Wiki has a complete list with hotlinks.

Never been persuaded to become a Member because so many places aren't part of it.

Bannockburn. Not castles but my 3 enjoyed the war game particularly my youngest as she got to be queen against her brothers.

Culzean is fab and I also second Falkland Palace.

Bannockburn, Culloden and Glen Coe are v interesting if you're more into the battle side of things.

They also have good museums - Burns Museum and the Georgian House or Gladstone's land in Edinburgh.

I think "Cultists" = Culloden

Yep Culloden is wonderful. In a bleak, beautiful, moving, time shifting sort of way.

Culzean is great, and the age your kids are, they will love the playpark. Falkland also really interesting.
Pretty sure that with membership you can get in to National trust properties in England - Cragside and Wallington are in Northumberland and are both great days out, so could be worth a day trip.

we didn't love any of the buildings - just not cultured enough i think

liked culzean castle for the outdoors and crarae gardens (past inveraray) is fab. geilston gardens (which is near us) isn't as exciting as crarae but they have put in an adventure playground area which would suit the ages of your kids.

Mine love Bannockburn and have spent hours in there. Culzean castle is great and has a wee beach which is lovely when it's hot as quieter than other nearby ones. They have revamped the adventure area too. As others have said quite a few do easter egg hunts so a good way of getting to know them.

There are lots of good places mentioned already. I’d add Culross, Newhailes (especially for the kids with the new park) and the Museum of Rural Life.

Was inspired by this to search for National Trust places. It came up in Gaelic - can't understand a word!

Its too late now but you get more castles with Historic Scotland than with NTS.
NTS good ones with kids are culzean, newhailes playpark, hill of tarvitt, Falkland.
The Aberdeenshire ones might be good I’m not sure as I haven’t been.
Lots are much more “stately home” than castle though I’m afraid.

I live in Aberdeenshire and there are many fab NT castles here. Crathes (most beautiful gardens) and Fyvie are my favourites but the others are pretty stunning too.

Historic Scotland does seem to have more. Linlithgow Palace is gorgeous. And Stirling Castle.