Scotland ideas?

[knottsberryfarm]

Hi All,

Thinking of planning a trip to Scotland next year. 2 adults , kids 12 and 15. Will be taking the ferry to Stranraer.

Have been Loch Lomond before and it was
Lovely so thinking maybe a few days there self catering. Would like to go up to Fort William and take the "Harry Potter" train. Then finish up in Edinburgh for a few days.

Any suggestions for accommodation or another driving route? Would be nice for kids to have access to a pool. Is there anywhere like Centre Parcs or Bluestone we could stop of at to tick that box?

Thanks,

Personally I dont find Fort William a place of great beauty. Oban is much nicer.

You could break the drive from Fort William to Edinburgh at Crieff and stay at the Hydro which has teen friendly activities and a pool.

You could try Piperdam, Dundee.

Alternatively the MacDonald Hotel at Holyrood has a pool. Walking distance to everything in central Edinburgh.

Another option is to base yourselves near the Commie Pool in Edinburgh and do day trips from there.

Tell us where is home and we will be better able to help you plan your trip.

I'd head to Inverness and hire a cruiser/go on organised trip down the Caledonia Canal. Options for kayaking, towpath cycling for the kids.

From Fort William, Harry Potter Train.

I'd also try to get to Aviemore - Landmark, Highland Wildlife Park etc

SO much to do in Scotland so you'll need to come back and do the East coast!!

@JamMakingWannaBe
We are coming from Ireland so the ferry brings us into Stranraer so that's our start and finish point.

Some good ideas here to look into thanks!

Stirling Castle is worth a visit. As is the Falkirk Wheel.

Erm, when did you last travel to Scotland? You may be in for a surprise if you expect to arrive at Stranraer.

If you're wanting to do the Harry Potter train then book well in advance. We booked before Christmas for the summer and we still couldn't get a carriage.

Skye is really beautiful. If you fancy glamping then have a look at Wigwam holidays- lots of pods in beautiful locations! You can do 2 nights with a fire pit etc

Erm, when did you last travel to Scotland? You may be in for a surprise if you expect to arrive at Stranraer**

1998 😂

Crieff hydro is probably the closest you’ll get to centre parcs in Scotland. Aviemore is a great base for families. If you’re driving to Edinburgh then make sure your accommodation has parking as it’s hard to come by and expensive.

This trip is more or less on your route
www.donthibernate.co.uk/summer-trip-to-the-west-coast-of-scotland/

Creiff hydro or Aviemore MacDonald resort are the closest to centre parks you might get.
I've heard good things about the Auchenrannie resort too but haven't been myself.

Mull of Kintyre is very beautiful.

I have to say that my kids didn't enjoy the Harry Potter train all that much.

It's a 2 hour journey each way, on old-style British Rail seating (unless you go First Class), and crucially, it's quite difficult to see the Glenfinnan Viaduct while you're actually travelling across it.

Could be just as magical and cheaper to find a good vantage point and watch it from a distance.

There’s a standard scotrail service that travels the same route from fort William to malliag if you wanted to save some money compared to the Jacobite steam train. In fact, you could use that train and walk the short distance from glenfinnian station to watch the Jacobite go over the viaduct.

Thanks everyone for the suggestions.

Plenty of research to do .

Can I ask - what kind of activities might you do?
Are you into walks - beaches, countryside?
More adventurous - climb a mountain, cycle, canoe etc?
Any attractions - castles, to art galleries or such like?
Shopping?

I am finding the 'usual' holiday routes are just clogged - the Harry Potter train and viaduct = thousands of people. Edinburgh, heaving, NC500 you cannot move, Fairy Pools just dozens of people instagramming it.

Yet there a hundreds of places to go that are just as beautiful and interesting - but perhaps have not had the Film/TV/Instagram/YouTube presence of a few honey pot spots.

I should point out that The Jacobite steam train is NOT a "Harry Potter train". It's not marketed as a Harry Potter train, there are no Harry Potter tie-ins or marketing, no activities or extras etc. It's been running since the 80s, and it's a scenic steam train journey that isn't aimed at kids.

It's well worth doing as the scenery is spectacular, I'd just encourage some expectation management. Mainly make sure you book a LONG way ahead, and note that in very hot and dry conditions, they can substitute a diesel locomotive due to the fire risk.

Agree with what others have said - Fort William isn't a nice place. It's good as a base for exploring the area, bit as a town it isn't amazingly nice.

If you want to escape the crowds a bit, get away from the Highlands and explore Dumfries & Galloway and the Borders instead. Plenty of fantastic places and scenery, but most people drive straight through them.

That's because it's not a bloody Harry Potter train! Honestly, I don't know quite what people are expecting. It isn't sold as a "Harry Potter Train", and never has been.

Also, the carriages used are the same as the ones in the film, so again, I don't know quite what people were expecting. They are just ordinary 1950s and 1960s coaches of the sort that were used on trains up and down the country.

OP I take it you've been to your username? I was there last month, had a great day!!0

It’s definitely worth bypassing Loch Lomond which is not nearly as beautiful as some of the lochs further up the West Coast. Inverarey on Loch Fyne is lovely. I would agree with others that Fort William is a bit of a dump. Oban is also a place which is past its best but has more of a buzz about it and you can do a Day trip on the ferry to Mull.
Drimsynie Holiday park has lots of activities and a swimming pool. I have never been myself so can’t give a personal recommendation.
If you are going to Edinburgh you could also get the train easily to North Berwick which has a beach, a sea life centre and is a lovely little place

Loch Lomond has a tendency to attract antisocial behaviour as well.

Controversial but I'd do Glasgow over Edinburgh 😁. I find Edinburgh a bit "fur coat and nae knickers". I'd also avoid Loch Lomond. It's so busy. I love Inverness... Great music scene. There is nothing like Centre Parcs in Scotland (unfortunately). Crieff Hydro is unfortunately in Crieff which is a bit meh.

'Fur coat, no knickers'. That tired, worn out old cliche, about Morningside. It tells no one anything about the city. It's as mixed and varied as anywhere else.

I've not heard it said about specifically Morningside. But it does seem to describe (albeit in a vaguely misogynistic way now that I think about it) what I feel whenever I visit Edinburgh. But if you're after specifics about Edinburgh , I went a couple of weeks ago to see an exhibition and I was really disappointed with how dirty and run down the centre of town was. It was mobbed, as usual, and I couldn't help thinking if I was a tourist I'd be so disappointed to have spent money going there. The shops are awful. Edinburgh sells itself on its prettiness and whilst the castle etc still provide a breathtaking backdrop, the current rubbish and dirt everywhere take away from that. Glasgow has always been a bit boggin but it never claimed to anything it isn't. I also think there's more to do in Glasgow and you might have a better chance of interacting with actual locals than you do in Edinburgh. I don't live in either city. I'm a fairly regular visitor to both. Glasgow has amazing green spaces -Pollok Park is one of my favourite places ever.

We don't need to agree. The wonderful thing about Scotland is you can get to Edinburgh from Glasgow and vice versa in 50 minutes by train. 😁

Do your research before booking the McDonald hotels. The whole chain is now very dowdy and expensive.