Scotland...but where??

[maggiebroon]

I'm looking for suggestions for a week in a nice village/small town with beautiful scenery, good baker, butcher etc, close to a beach or loch, with cycle hire nearby and stuff for dcs to do (ages 3&5). Would like to be able to take a day trip into Glasgow so thinking west coast but open to ideas!

Millport?
Loch Lomond?
Pitlochry (bit further from Glasgow)
Culzean
Ayr

Not Ayr!
Everywhere on the west coast is a bit far for a day trip to Glasgow but you can't go wrong with Oban area.

I wonder if castle Douglas area in dumfries and Galloway would suit you. No real option to get to Glasgow, but good beaches and great biking at 7 stanes. loads for kids too. Other good place for lochs and bikes is aviemore, but again No Glasgow!

East Neuk. Fab, fab place.

Elie, East Neuk of Fife. If you ditch Glasgow.

Day trip to Glasgow is your problem, how long/ far are you willing to drive for your day trip?

Glasgow is fine from Fife. My OH does it every day.

Yep East Neuk - Elie absolutely gorgeous. Would move there in a heartbeat if I could and if my dream house there hadn't just been sold! Sob!

Wasn't meaning Ayr itself but there are some lovely places down near Brig O Doon?

Mull is gorgeous, Tobermory is a lovely town.
Too far from Glasgow, but Glasgow isn't all that.

St Andrews? About an hour from Glasgow, with beautiful beaches and loads to do in the town itself.

Most pretty places would be a pretty big trip to Glasgow from the sort of place you'd like to visit.

Do you know what you'd want to do in Glasgow? There's loads to do, so could you split your time between a few days somewhere remote and then spend a night in an Glasgow? This might be easier.

Loch Lomond area is lovely. On the other side of the country my family (down south) often visit Loch Tay as there are holiday cottages near Killin of quite a good standard. Not great for Glasgow though (about 1.5hrs).

Largs is quite nice & Clyde Muirshiel regional park is nearby as well as the RSPB bird sanctuary at Lochwinnoch if you have kids.

Not sure you'd find everything you need in the Ayrshire resorts. Ardrossan, Saltcoats & Ayr are a bit limited. Largs may be better, but haven't investigated.

FWIW I am from Ayrshire, but don't live there, although my family still do.

Agree with the others - tricky to find what you want within hour of Glasgow.

Perthshire is lovely - Crieff is a nice wee town, as is Callender. Loch Earn isn't far, or Loch Tay. It's a beautiful area with loads to do.

Or East Neuk, as others have said, which is glorious. Lots of sweet little cottages overlooking the North Sea - the beach at Elie is very popular, and the St Andrew's East Sands beach is pretty too.

Does it have to be Glasgow? Thinking of Edinburgh - and Portobello.

Dumpylump- how fast do you drive ? I'd allow 2 hrs from St. Andrews to Glasgow, Edinburgh is about an hour and fifteen depending on time of day.

St Andrews is lovely even at this time of year and there are extensive sandy beaches, plenty to see and do.

Day trip to Glasgow? What is this madness?

Base your holiday in Fife, and visit Edinburgh.

St. Andrews is a sizeable town, with awesome shopping and cafes etc, beaches, an aquarium, stunning botanic gardens and it's close to Craigton Country Park which makes a fab family day out. Wall to wall golf too if that's of any interest.

Glasgow?

Day trip?

Wanders off, muttering....

St Andrews or a smaller place like the beautiful Crail.
I love Crail

Forgive my spelling, it's Craigtoun Country Park. Check out the trip advisor reviews.

Kirkudbright might fit the bill, lovely foodie, arty place but maybe an hour and a half from Glasgow?

Meant to add, for the kids there's the cocoa bean company where they can make their own chocolate, cream of Galloway ice cream farm, wildlife park... All big hits with my kids!

Great suggestions everyone, thanks We did Elie last year and loved it so much I thought we could re-create it on the west coast as we've never been. I stumbled upon a nice cottage beside loch fyne near inverary during my frantic googling and booked it as it was ridiculously cheap. Anyone have any experience of this area?

Argyll is lovely, Inverary is nice with a jail to visit! We had a very nice lunch in the George Hotel there. Loch Fyne ace for seafood lovers.

We went pre dc so no knowledge of family attractions. The scenery is stunning.

Bit less than two hours, but maybe more than one! I do go to Edinburgh from St Andrews much more frequently, and probably just assumed that the travelling time was about the same, sorry!

Forrest holidays at Callander is lovely and commutable to Glasgow, but lots of attractions in the area.

I see you have found something though - inverary is nice.

Luss on Loch Lomond was very close to Glasgow if I remember rightly. The traffic is much better up there anyway much more civilised.