Where to go in Scotland?

[carmen66]

Hi, we are thinking about going to Scotland in July with an 8 year old.. I have looked at Isle of Sky but the reviews aren't good ..
Where can we stay in Scotland? I was thinking of renting a cottage for a week , we would prefer somewhere that has things to see & do an extra bonus would be near a beach.. Recommendations greatly appreciated :)

I love Arran. We usually stay in Lamlash. Everything on Arran is geared up for the holiday market. Some people love that - others don't.

I also love the Glencoe area. Breathtaking. Again, plenty to do and see.

Perthshire is beautiful or Fife.

How about North Berwick in East Lothian? Lovely seaside town, with beautiful beaches, parks, Scottish Seabird Centre and Berwick Law to climb and see the whale's jawbones at the top! Plus boat trips around the Bass Rock. Regular train to Edinburgh, with the Castle, Palace, Museum of CHildhood, Scott Monument etc

What was wrong with the reviews about Skye?

Beautiful beaches in the north west. Check out a little place called Achmelvich. Or gairloch as a village with a long beach. A bit further south and more accessible is the island of mull.

Would also recommend the moray coast. (Chance of) Slightly better weather if you are going midsummer.

If you wants loads to do then closer to a city might be easier eg Perthshire but its not near a beache. Also, don't ignore aviemore area. It's not the prettiest town but so much for DCs.

I second the Moray Coast! Search for cottages in Findochty, Portknockie & Cullen. They're all in walking distance anyway, so it doesn't really matter which. Breathtaking coastline!

Skye is stunning!

Skye is fab, taken the kids there at Easter for years. Or Harris if you want to really get away from it. Check out Mol Ban on Google. Lovely house, been four times and we've seen a gang of seals (8 most days) in the bay at the end of the garden each time we've been. Gairloch is fab and there's a nice coffee and bookshop and a sort of surf/toy/camping shop to spend pocket money in if it's raining!!
I live in Perthshire...it is lovely. Depends what you want to do. If you stay north of Perth it's only an hour and a half to get to Aviemore for days out and there is loads to do there - activity wise. The centre is not great so stay somewhere prettier and travel in to do stuff. There's a good mountain bike track outside Dalwhinnie...not sure if you can hire there though.. Wolftrax.
Come back with house options on Skye or Perthshire if you want...if I can give advice on accom and locality I will. We've stayed in Argyle Cottage in Uig a few times, lovely house but no direct access to sea, unlike MolBan on Harris where it's at the end of the garden. Stayed in a boathouse at Halistra on Skye this year - wasn't nearly as nice as looked on web.
Beautiful house... Glencarnie House near Nethy Bridge for Aviemore. Hard to get this as it gets loads of repeat visitors. Absolutely perfect.

Findhorn is beautiful?

Elie, or anywhere in the East Neuk of Fife. Elie has a fabulous beach and the East Neuk is lovely. An hour from Edinburgh for the Zoo etc and an hour or so to Blair Drummond Safari Park.

Aviemore. Hands down.

How can you say, Skye, the reviews are bad? The place is huge, with multiple accommodation providers, loads of different things to see. Weird.

Best place is Morar / Arisaig for amazing beaches, steam train, boat trips to the islands, wildlife etc.

The East Neuk of Fife is just gorgeous. Lovely white painted cottages, beautiful beaches, wildlife galore (including seals and dolphins). And, it's the driest part of Scotland (though that doesn't mean dawn to dusk sunshine ) Properties are expensive though and can be viciously so if there is a b ig golf tournament on at St Andrews! West Wemyss and Lundin Links cheaper than Elie or Crail or Anstruther.

Further along the Fife coast towards the bridge there is Burntisland, Kinghorn and Aberdour; again glorious beaches but holiday properties are scarce. I know because my family are in Fife and we always struggle to find somewhere to rent. There is a massive caravan site between Burntisland and Kinghorn overlooking Pettycur Bay, if static caravans float your boat. We stay there sometimes as it's cheap and cheerful.

Argyll and Bute was lovely too, we were near Tighnabruaich. Gorgeous beaches and empty of most people, and cheap as chips even in high season. Lots of driving required though.

Anywhere around Fort William, but lots of rain and midges.

Portpatrick and surrounding area in Dumfries and Galloway is lovely too. Portpatrick is really pretty. But again, it's a drive and half to get there.

South of Edinburgh is good too, lovely beaches at Longniddry, Aberlady, Yellowcraigs.

Ach, getting homesick just thinking about it all.

I'm surprised at the reviews of Skye; it is fantastic, mountains springing out of the sea, fantastic wildlife, loads of history...but yes, it rains and the midges are utter bastards.