Talk to me about nice parts of Scotland

[StripeyKnickersSpottySocks]

I've only been "over the border" once - skiing at Cairngorm.

We're looking to go somewhere for a week long family summer holiday. I'd like somewhere rural and have this image of a cottage in the middle of nowhere with loads of wildlife near by. Ideally somewhere we can walk and bike straight from the cottage.

But at the same time I'd like somewhere within a short drive of some sort of wet weather activities. I have a 7yo but not talking soft play areas. More castles/museum/petting farm typle places.

Any ideas of an area that would be good to visit.
TIA.

It's all nice. Take your pick, some of the best beaches are up here too

Around Loch ness is lovely. We went there for a weekend last year and are going back for a week this summer. Castles and lochs and monster museums and boat rides and fab scenery.

Dornoch peninsula - all areas in Sutherland (highlands). Perthshire is equally beautiful as is the East Neuk of Fife. I don't miss the rain though.

What about the Borders or East coast? Borders: beautiful countryside, lovely small towns. East Neuk: fishing villages, beautiful coastline, larger towns like St Andrews for wet weather.

We are just back from a week in Dumfries and Galloway. We stayed near Stranraer, on the coast but that whole area has loads to do. It is lovely and rural, there is a huge Forest Park, wildlife and nature reserves, castles, gardens, soft play, adventure play, farm parks, loads to do for the kids. It's the Southernmost part of Scotland so much less driving too!! We loved it and plan to go back again.

My DH is from Wester Ross too, near Gairloch. We visit there regularly. I have to say it is stunning but there is not so much for kids to do, especially if there is bad weather.

Dumfries and Galloway has everything you are after, and it takes less time to get there! Some glorious coastline, a wetlands centre, some stately homes, Mabie farm centre, and lots for kids in Dumfries.
Plenty of cottages in the middle of nowhere to rent too.

OOh, 2 mentions for Dumfriesshire - I'm usually the sole voice on these "where to stay in Scotland" threads

As a local I read your post and thought of Perthshire but Aviemore, Fort William, Inverness, Loch Ness and the borders are all nice.What about Peebles? Or the east coast - we have family in Arbroath, 20 minutes north of there you get fab beaches!!

Perth is probably the best central location though, esp with a wee one.

It is all fantastic.

If you want a terrific 'get away from it' holiday go where we did last year....The Skipness estate on the Kintyre peninsula. We had a cottage that was next to a ruined castle with a direct view of the sea and the Isle of Arran. There was lovely walks up behind the cottage. The Estate even does wonderful seafood in the summer. Some of their cottages come with a dingy.

It is near a viaage (5 min walk) and the post office will make up you food order and have it waiting for you.

Arran is also beautiful

as is all of the Great Glen.

St Andrews is fabbo but less wild

I would recommend Dumfries and Galloway, it has the advantage that you don't have to drive so far and it is quiet because most people heading for Scotland do further north. The weather is often good, very mild .Rockcliffe is lovely. It is on a big bay with Rough Island in the middle , you can walk to it at low tide. There is a caravan/camp site with caravans to rent. We had a holiday cottage.The nearest town is Dalbettie and there is a forest where you can hire bikes and do trails. Plenty of walking in the area.If you want a beach where the tide doesn't go right out then you can walk around to Castle Point Beach. On a clear day you can see across the Solway to the Lake District fells. It is all a bit like Enid Blyton or Swallows and Amazons!

Also, at st Andrews, there is a fab bakers who do lovely fudge doughnuts

Message withdrawn

FUDGIES!

ah yes saltire

and one of the finest ice cream shops i the world

Oh yes the ice creams. I loved the Irn bru one. There are also a couple of other good ice cream places, one in Innerleithen in the Borders, the neam of which escapes me,a nd one called Pelosis in Dumfriesshire

lucas in Mussleb' is fab too.

twinklemegan we are going to lochcarron in a few weeks - is it fab?

sorry for slight hijack.

We had a lovely holiday in a place called Rumbling Bridge in Kinross. It was a good base for loads of places - we got the train into Edinburgh one day, drove out to Loch Tay. I think we also went to Stirling and Callender. It depends on how far you want to drive really.

We've also stayed in the southeast, near Kelso - that's close enough to the east coast and you can pop back over the border into Northumberland which ha some lovely scenery and castles and stuff.

milk and honey ice-cream, mmm

and fudge doughnuts

and don't forget the chip shop at Anstruther (though it gets v v busy in the summer)

I love Perthshire.

Speyside is gorgeous, too.

The beaches at Nairn are lovely. And it is much less midgey there than on the west (though not so splendid landscape-wise).

Wow - Midlands to Perthshire in about 6 or 7 hours sounds fab. For some reason I had an idea that Scotland would be about 12 hours away! Think I will have to start looking for a specific cottage now. Thanks for all the advice, been very helpful.

Fanella - Lochcarron is really lovely. We really like it, hope you do too. We stayed in a cottage on the main street overlooking Loch Carron itself. Gorgeous position. Strome Castle is well worth seeing, and further up the loch there are remains of clearance villages that you really should see - amazing stuff. The woods up that way are gorgeous as well - so much moss and so many ferns and rhododendrons, really intense green colours - a real testament to the fabulous clean air. And you're close to the Torridon area there as well which is well worth an extended visit. Plockton is overrated IMO, but you may disagree. Have a great time!

Thanks Twinklemegan - that sounds really nice. We're hoping to do lots of walking so it sound ideal. I'm even more excited now!