Loch Lomond in October with active 6 year old?

[AngelaRaynersHair]

Would this be crazy? We normally do a cottage type holiday in England but live in SE England so it would be quite a journey up. I've found some excellent accommodation with an indoor pool which DC would love though. I know there are a few things near Loch Lomond such as the Sea Life Centre, but is October going to give us enough to do? (I assume wayyy to cold for things like paddle boarding). We are happy enough in all weathers wearing our waterproofs and boots etc, so it's more about whether the activities will be sufficient for our active child.

Thanks

Loch Lomond is somewhat limited to entertainment options for 6 year olds.

Luss has a fairy trail that could entertain for an hour or so. Feeding the ducks there could potentially kill some more time.

A (polite) fire on the beach in the evening, wrapped up warm, star spotting. Pleasant evening.

Loch Lomond shores has markets on some weekends with fairground rides etc, street food and usual market stalls.

Balloch Park is pretty for a nice walk. Ice cream shops close by (and a McDonalds if a happy meal counts as entertainment!)

Cameron House has live music and quiz nights. Not cheap though.

Walks and scenery aplenty. You could could collect leaves and flowers for doing flower/pressing or scrapbooks. Or frottage - where you put paper on top of surfaces and use a crayon to rub and take the pattern. Lots of nice walls, plaques, foliage etc that might entertain a 6 year old to take their own little bit of it home via the rubbings.

Haggis spotting? 😉

Its only half an hour from Glasgow where you've got the Science Centre, museums, soft play, activities at Braehead etc.

Loch Lomond is not a bad base if you're willing to travel a bit some days.

We spent a week in the Highlands of Scotland at the beginning of October last year and the weather was beautiful. It only rained one morning and we did lots of exploring . I would love to go back x

There'd be more to do in warmer months eg loch lomond shores has farmers markets, mini train, water sports, birds of prey, mini golf, sea life centre.

I don't think some of these activities run in October and there'll be rain and midges. I wouldn't recommend it. Luss is also more fun in the summer.

Also, the Englosh half term is much later than Scottish October holidays, aftwr which most seasonal activities wind down.

No midges in October @cigarsmokingwoman!

Our half term is a week earlier this year due to some administrative issues at the school, so we would coincide with Scottish half term.

no I wouldn’t expect midges is October surely?!

I assumed sea life centre and birds of prey still open in October. But of course too late for watersports.

Conic Hill is an achievable hike for a 6 year old, we did it with ours this year. Ardardan near helensburgh has Montys Farm park plus a lovely cafe in the main farm shop. Sea life centre is open all year i think. There is a nice nature reserve at Gartocharn (RSPB) which sometimes has trails or pond dipping for the kids.

@AphroditesSeashell Gotta say that I thought frottage was something rather more interesting.

Loch Lomond in October will be a huge treat and adventure for a 6 year old. You have all of the west of Scotland up to Oban available to you and central Scotland north of Perth. So much to see and do and the Heather and autumn colours will be at their height. It’s possible to spend a whole day just playing and relaxing on one of the many small beaches around the loch, paddling in the water, starting to learn about geology from the stones and rocks and maybe lighting a small fire later in the day.

Queen Elizabeth Forest Park is not too far away, with trails, bike riding, pony trekking and a hide in the visitor centre to look for red squirrels, roe and red deer and golden eagles. There’s a waterfall trail and a Go Ape site for high wire adventures.

Or head over to Oban and drive over the ‘bridge over the Atlantic’ to Seil or get a ferry to Easdale island where the world stone-skimming championships will just be over and you can teach your son this skill with the special stones from the quarries there. You could take a longer ferry trip to Mull, a most magical island, with abundant wildlife including white-tailed eagles, wonderful beaches and dolphins to see.

Stirling castle and the Wallace monument are worth a visit along with the splendid Bannockburn centre.

If there’s a spot of rain, head to Glasgow to the science centre or transport museum, each needing a full day to enjoy.

On car trips, show your son how to ‘read’ the landscape, where the tree line is, and to watch for wildlife in the hills, around the edges of lochs and in the sky.

Thank you @Honeysuckle16thus all sounds great. I think Oban and Mull will be a stretch too far in only a week but I feel like there will be loads to do around Loch Lomond, Stirling and Glasgow.

Take a trip to Inchcailloch. It’s a lovely island with a nice easy walk up to a view point and down to a lovely wee bay with beach ( and toilets). I don’t think the wee ferry from balmaha still runs in October but the water bus should be on which actually takes you straight to the beach but you’d still be able to walk round the island

Oban is actually perfectly doable within your week, @AngelaRaynersHair! It's a gorgeous town.

We did Loch Lomond for a week in August this week. Our DC are older (teenagers) now, but we popped to Oban for a wildlife boat trip and it was more than fine. We've also done the trip on the train from Fort William to Mallaig - this goes over the Glenfinnan viaduct - from Loch Lomond on a previous trip. Worth doing just to drive through Glenoe IMO!

We love the area, DC are desperate to go back again. We live right down South so it really is a trek, but worth it. If the weather is kind you can have a fine time.

Cameron House also has a cinema which is open to public. Small but it's cosy.

If you have a car Finlaystone is about half an hour from southern part of the Loch and great for that age. https://www.finlaystone.co.uk/

If you're on the Balmaha side Aberfoyle and Loch Ard are very doable.

Great post.
There will be no midges and the water is at a good temperature to swim or paddle board with a short wet suit.

Definitely check out the Duck bay hotel for food, was excellent and so much food on the seafood platter

Shouldn’t be midges in October.

For those who say things run in October - the English school holidays tend to be slightly later than Scottish ones so all the activities might have stopped by then

Thank you. Google maps says a 2/2.5 hr drive one-way from our accommodation to Oban - unless I’m missing something - so I don’t feel that’s particularly enjoyable with a young child, after we’ve already travelled up from south of England.

Personally I wouldn't drive it. There is a nice train ride though. But again perhaps not for a 6 year old.

I wouldn't spend a day of your week's holiday driving to Oban and back. The road is horrendous.

Thanks for this post, we're heading to a place near Loch Lomond in October half term and were looking for ideas, we have a 3 and 10 year old plus a dog. We did the Highlands last October half term and had a great time just exploring the outdoors. You could download the geocaching app and see if there are any around loch Lomond to find.

As PPs have said, Queen Elizabeth Forest Park is stunning and very accessible. A 6 year old would be too little for Go Ape but the park as a whole has lovely trails with great views. The three lochs forest drive at the back of the Forest Park is a good way to see more of the scenery and quite fun for kids (on a dirt road but doable in a normal car). forestryandland.gov.scot/visit/forest-parks/queen-elizabeth-forest-park/three-lochs-forest-drive

At Loch Katrine you can hire bikes and put them on a boat across to the other side of the loch then cycle the long way back. Doable for a 6 year old or they have those 'tagalong' attachments and also toddler trailers for the PP with a 3 year old.

Blair Drummond safari park near Stirling is a nice day out for that age group with animals, wooden play park, pedal boats etc.

There is a beautiful, scenic pumpkin patch in the hamlet of Arnprior in October but it needs booking. https://arnpriorfarm.com/see/pumpkins

Inchmahome Priory is on an island in the middle of the Lake of Menteith (Scotland's only lake I think!) and you get to it via a short boat trip. https://www.historicenvironment.scot/visit-a-place/places/inchmahome-priory/

For rainy days, I second Bannockburn visitor centre and the science museum in Glasgow, which is fantastically interactive for primary-aged children.

@TonyHallintheTardisthank you so much for all those ideas which are great. I’m feeling excited about it. My child actually loves Go Ape so that’s a bonus