Can we talk Scotland please?

[Thomcat]

So - if a girl, her fella and 3 little ones (1 aged, well she'll be 7 but with SN's so not very good at walking, a 3 year old and a 1 year old, were to holiday in Scotland next year (!) where should they go?

Camping not an option for us for a while so it'll be a cottage type affair.

I would appreciate your ideas on whereabouts in Scotland, (beautiful scenery but child friendly) and if you have any cottage recomendations that would be great too.

I live 2 minutes from here

They just opened last year and lok fab from the outside.

So you're technically in the Highlands, but also 40 minutes from Glasgow.

Everyone round here has midge munching machines or SKin-So-Soft by the vat, so midges aren't that much of an issue.

And I'll give you a cuppa if you're passing. My house is on my profile

oo bobs, you is so lucky

With all due respect to pointy, I feel obliged to point out (geddit) that Auchrannie has full disabled access, not that TC needs it, and a wonderful indoor swimming pool. And I would echo bobsmum's suggestion of Arran Aromatics Mull also has whalewatching trips and things like that. However, if you want to go to St Andrews then the earlier suggestion of Pitmilly is a good one, we've stayed there and there's a nice wee pool and a good play area (albeit one that is buffeted by gale force winds IME).

yes, but you don't want to be at the hotel the whole time do you?

(and I didn't like the look of those drab auchrannie lodges at all - went for good ole snoop while on hol - but I do realise they are v popular)

depends what you're after...the outer hebrides are beautiful but there's really not a lot to do with kids unless you like day after day of guddling on beaches (and there are amazing beaches)

St Andrews is great and there's tonnes to do nearby

We love Crieff Hydro and are going there for a week on Sat. Will stay in a cottage in the grounds and use all the facilites. A very lazy, easy holiday with children.

I live in Central Scotland and there are loads of great places for family days out around here.

Love that there's a reference to F&D on here! Coffee Cream Towers.... And how about hot buttered butteries from the bakery that used to be down near where the Byre Theatre was? (Was at school there)

I'm from East Coast and it's bloody gorgeous. East Neuk of Fife would be brilliant. Elie gorgeous - quite posh but LOADS of rock pools on the beach. My mum went on holiday there, I went there too and it was my great pleasure to take 1 yo DS1 the other year and see his nappy get sodden and sandy with his cousins on the beach. Go in summer to the east coast. You won't get bitten my midges.

We off to Aviemore in April. Oh joy. Too too homesick.

No, the lodges don't appeal to me either, and I agree you don't want to spend the whole time in the hotel-was just pointing out that there are some things to do when it rains. I found St Andrew's boring apart from a few of the shops, so it's just horses for courses

Kirkcubright and round about is lovely - the Solway Coast and Dumfires and Galloway

Lots to do and quite accessible (just over the border!). It has a very unbusy feel even in the summer.

specialmagiclady - how is Aviemore these days? it was very very tacky when I was last there about 10 years ago. Where do you stay? What do you do? Wondered about going there in Oct if we can't afford France (or can't face it!).

We were in Aviemore in October and I was pleasantly surprised at how much less tacky it is now- some very nice little cafes and so on. Rothiemurcus farm shop is great, and there's lots to do around there.

lol bobsmum

i remember st andrews as deathly dull and WINDY but i was stroppy teenager then
pointy .. you do a good selling job..

i need scottish cottage too this summer

really love the highlands, glen coe, loch fyne, skye, south west corner has amazing light and sutherland, though it was described as 'arse face of the moon' by kilted b&b host fae sutherland!

tbh if you stay away from where the majority of people live (central belt) its beautiful just breathtaking and .... wild

Awww - but what's Aviemore without Santa Claus Land - sob

I really like Aviemore, which is odd because that kind of place wouldn't normally be my cup of tea. But the scenery is breathtaking and the whole feel of the area is really quite cosmopolitan I think.

Just as well I started this thread now, it'll take me a year to research all the lovely places you have mentioned.

Thanks for your posts everyone. Lovely to read and feel your love for Scotland

Looks like you've got well and truly enuff great suggestions but just thought I'd add my bit! I live in the East Coast and yes Elie is gorgeous - a bit expensive to rent tho. Try Lower Largo just a few miles along the road from Elie which has lovely beach front properties to rent much cheaper than Elie - www.mackays-self-catering.co.uk/ have a beautiful beachfront property to rent - a refurbished netting factory, looks amazing and all one level I think.
Dunoon is lovely too - Hunters Quay has lodges and there's a pool and lots of kids activities if the weather is a bit ........ well, Scottish! Close to Glasgow too which has great museums and indoor things to entertain the kids on those dreich days!

Aviemore is fantastic. I went there first when I was about 11 and we stopped somewhere for coffee and there was snow outside and I think I fell in love with Scotland at that very minute.

Haven't been to Aviemore since I was 18 and worked in a hotel in Grantown-upon-Spey. We used to head to the go-karts in the centre when we were off work. Ah! The memories.

We're going to stay in a Timeshed that my parents bought in about 1986 and unbeknownst to me had never got rid of. Two small children and nae cash means we're heading up there for a blustery week. Actually can't wait and hoping to hang out in Rothiemurchus forest a bit. GUTTED to hear no S.Claus land tho'! I got a Strawberry Shortcake doll there once....