Feb half term - Ireland or Scotland

[teaandtoastwouldbenice]

I’d like to take my DC 12 and 14 to either Scotland or Ireland, they’ve never been and I’ve not been since childhood.

Edinburgh appeals to me but I also know my son would love to go to Loch Ness so maybe Inverness would be good? freezing I guess.

I’ve only been to Dublin in Ireland which I think kids would enjoy - they like a sightseeing and shopping and DD loves anything arty - DS is fine with a museum etc but not a whole day art based or he’ll be bored.

Very broad question but any suggestions for a fun few days?

Loads to do in Edinburgh

outside - Arthur seat, pentland hills and leven nature reserve all very close , as is the sea

loads of museums and stuff , Mary something close is good fun and camera obscura is next on my to do lousy

Yes I was drawn to it because I think there will be plenty to do and in the cold a lot of indoor options too

And lots of shops selling hats and thick coats :-)

You must come a magical place. So much to do. History is amazing. views to die for. Biggest indoor surfing on outskirts.

Not a great deal to do in and around Inverness in February, however, Edinburgh could be great (albeit cold!). An amazingly scenic place with plenty of museums and things to do in and around the city.

Settled it! The nessy can wait. I loved my time in Isle of Skye but less fun for DC I think. Thank you

Belfast?

Belfast?

Sorry @boulevardofbrokendreamss : great minds!!

I third Belfast!

Edinburgh is great for a city break with kids. Inverness doesn’t have much to offer as a city. I agree with PP that Belfast is better than Dublin for sightseeing.

Tell me about Belfast?

The science festival is usually on in and around Feb half term in Belfast and across NI.

Tourist attractions- titanic museum and HMS Caroline, Ulster museum and botanic gardens (small). Take a guided tour (or hire a car) to the North coast for giant's causeway, dunluce castle, best beaches in the world. Tbh North coast would get my vote and if you fly into Belfast international you are half way there. You may be able to fly into city of Derry but it has no public transport links and I don't know if it has hire cars.

I love NI but tbh you'll struggle for things to do for more than a couple of days unless you either hire a car or are very determined and patient for public transport.

I live near Edinburgh, over the bridge in Fife. you could always get the train from here to Inverness for one night or do one of the organised day trips to see loch Ness.
My kids are the same age and we regularly go to the museum on chambers st and they love camera obscura and dynamic earth . What are they into and I can recommend things to do. Would you be staying in the city centre or further out?

Oh don’t do a day trip from Edinburgh to Loch Ness, particularly in February, you’ll spend most of the day sitting on a bus, and a fair bit of it in the dark at that time of year!

Edinburgh is great and shouldn’t matter if you have bad weather, Inverness probably not the best idea in Feb just in case you have to cancel because of bad weather, and will be cold!

Prob will be warmer in Ireland, but likely to rain!
Cork is a lovely city to visit if you want a change from Dublin.
Belfast is also a good option. Interesting history and the titanic museum is there, good food.
The whole of Northern Ireland is a nice place for a holiday too though, giant’s causeway etc but wouldn’t be much fun in February so I might save Belfast & NI for a week in spring/summer.

I was planning a short trip, comprising titanic museum and day trip to giant’s
causeway. I then decided to turn this into a much longer break and go by ferry with the car.

we will do as per above, plus coastal walks and beaches - might work even in Feb half term for blustery walks, obviously not sun bathing. The city centre also has many museums and sights (gaol, murals) relating to the ‘troubles’. I am 50:50 on how much we will explore of that as, though I lived and breathed it as a kid, happily my own child hasn’t!

Belfast!

Inverness in February is either brilliant or driech, cold and closed depending on your expectations of the most northerly city in the UK....

We took an eleven year old on a trip to Ireland.

Spent one day dragging her round various ruined houses that used to belong to my grandmother's family in County Galway, had a trip to a Bird of Prey centre in the Burren, a drive around Connemara and a day in Dublin.

The Dead Animals museum in Dublin proved a surprising hit.

One good thing about Ireland is that the roads are fantastic and half empty so you can plan trips without factoring in queues and bad temper.

It worked fine but I do think you need to build in activities - Ireland is small and what l99ks like a big town on the map won't necessarily have a lot to do if you just turn up on spec.

@niknakw12id put dynamic earth on the list but hadn’t heard of camera obscura -that looks great thank you!

Belfast 100%