Scottish Mumsnetters - a week in Edinburgh by train from London - where else can we go?

[Wiifitmama]

I am hugely excited that we are coming to Scotland for a week in August. I have always wanted to visit Scotland and never have. We will be taking the train to Edinburgh and have a home exchange organised for a week there. However, I was wondering how feasible it is to take a trip to somewhere a little more remote? An island maybe? We will not have a car so need to take the train wherever we go. We could do a taxi ride at the other end so long as it is not much more than 20 minutes (car sick children).

Any suggestions and ideas very welcome!

North Berwick is nice and easy by train from Edinburgh?

Do you mean as a day trip, or overnight? Islands easily accessible from Edinburgh are in the west. You could probably manage a day trip to Bute or Cumbrae. Arran is lovely but you would probably want to stay over. There are also boat trips in the Forth to islands such as Inchcolm - you go from South Queensferry, and they're great fun.

Thank you! We could stay overnight but there are 5 of us so it could be expensive. A day trip would be better. Somewhere really full of nature. An island appeals most.

Most of the islands are off the west coast so you'd have to take the train through to Glasgow (about an hour due to line works in Glasgow) then a train to ardrossan (horrible place) or Largs - seaside town which would take just under an hour to catch the ferry to Arran, or bute about 30 min sail so at best it would take 2.5-3 hours to get to an island of all connections work.

You might be better taking the train from Edinburgh up or down the east coast, to Fife, Perth, the borders or further towards Aberdeen.

Edinburgh in August will have loads to offer as the festival will be on, plus you could do a day in Glasgow which is a very different city to Edinburgh and has lots to offer.

Is car hire not an option at all? Would open up lots of opportunity for scenery if it was possible.

Whoops meant to say, maybe consider a bus for a day trip. The bus station in Edinburgh is very central and there are companies who do day trips the first one that came up on google was rabbies.com & they offer day trips to St. Andrews & Fife or whisky tours or down to the borders. Might be a good hassle free option?

St Andrews is lovely and you could easily get train to leuchars then a bus or taxi in to St. Andrews. Not an island but lovely beaches

Train to Rannoch Moor, overnight in the Moor of Rannoch and catch a train back.

Rannoch Moor is stunning and the Moor of Rannoch Hotel is wonderful and the food incredible.

Rannoch Moor looks lovely but not appealing with 3 kids who would die if their wifi was cut off!

Car hire and bus journeys are out due to car sickness. We love trains though!

I saw that there were boat trips to little Islands in the Firth of Forth (or have I got that backwards!). Are they nice? It mentions wildlife and seals and birds.

Ah, without WiFi Rannoch might seem like the end of the world

If you timed it right then a train to Mallaig, lunch and the afternoon train back might work.

It is one of the most beautiful train journeys in the world.

Just do there inchcolm island trip. You'll have loads to do in Edinburgh. I think St. Andrews is the best longer-day trip, though more beachy than wildlife. You could have a nice walk in the Pentland hills (south edge of Edinburgh and accessible by bus) or up Arthur's seat.

Inchcolme is great but more historical than wildlife. The isle of May has birds and seals.
You can walk out to Crammond island along the causeway.

Boat trip from North Berwick to the birds on Bass rock,
Scottish sealife centre

Oh the Isle of May looks amazing!! Thanks! I agree there will be plenty to do in Edinburgh, but I wanted one day of real nature. My boys love the idea of visiting an island so I am really pleased to see we have a couple of options that we can do in a day.

I am so excited to go! Cant believe I have travelled the world and got to a ripe old age and never made it to Scotland before!

Edinburgh's brilliant. Where are you staying? Def also check out the festival programme

We are in Edinburgh now. Camera Obscurer was brilliant our DS was thoroughly entertained all afternoon. Castle ok Zoo was fabulous pandas, penguin parade and monkeys brilliant. Musuem of Edinburgh was also excellent

You can get to the Pentlands by bus, go after breakfast for what seems like a dead remote walk and get back by lunch...for wifi, lol.

www.pentlandhills.org/pentlandhills/site/index.php