16 Days in Scotland in May with Our Two Boys
 

Hi! I don’t know how I’m going to wait until May for this trip… I’m already bursting with excitement : ) I’ve been dreaming for years of a trip to Scotland and it seems to be becoming a reality. And it is always with great anticipation when I come onto Fodors to post a first draft of a trip itinerary! It’s because I know just how much wonderful, vital information we always get back from Fodorites and how the trip is truly about to take shape!

A bit of background… We are from Toronto, Canada and my hubbie and I have always loved to travel; we now have 2 young-ish sons (aged almost 7 and 9) and have traveled with them on some wonderful adventures in the US and have done some very adventurous hiking - they always amaze us with what they will/can do! We’ll be traveling mid-May and will have 16 days in-country (with two additional travel days).

I’ve written out our itinerary (a very rough first draft) below. I’d love to hear back with any suggestions about things to do, what order to do things in, whether the itinerary is way too much (keeping in mind that we like to keep very busy!), how much time various stops will need, any advice about what kids our age would like to do most, etc. We all love to hike and are very much looking forward to that aspect of our trip… any advice about appropriate hikes would be much appreciated. But I realize that we always tend to focus on hikes, and so I'd really like to try to include other interesting activities -- plus, we are all very interested in castles, so that's a must! Anyways, any and all feedback is welcome — can’t wait!

One final thing… and this is a biggie for me. Our youngest son has a severe allergy to several tree nuts (primarily cashews and pistachios -- are these nuts that you see a lot on Scottish menus?). When we first discovered his allergy, I really thought it would halt our traveling, but I’ve since faced my fears and we are simply extremely diligent/cautious about what and where we eat. And so if anyone could answer a few questions for me (just-in-case-an-emergency-happens questions). Where are the reputable hospitals located? Is there an emergency service (e.g. 911/ambulance/air) available all over and how fast can it be? (we’ll have lots of epipens with us, but still need emergency services just in case). I'd love to hear from anyone who has traveled there with a nut allergy and can you share any information about restaurants, advice about where to go/avoid, etc. I would really appreciate it. 



Okay, without further ado, here’s the itinerary (sorry for the novel of an email -- I just always find that it's better to provide a lot of the background information up front)…! I know that I have a TON of research still to do (my favourite thing to do!), but I know that it's better to finalize our route before doing more specific research...

Here it is : )

Day 1: Depart for Scotland from Toronto

Day 2: Arrive in Glasgow at 9:35am
Train ride to Edinburgh (1h 20m) ~ Afternoon and evening in Edinburgh
Overnight in Edinburgh (where?)

Day 3: Day in Edinburgh
Visit the castle, Royal Mile, the sights
Overnight in Edinburgh (where?)

Day 4: Stirling/Loch Lomond/Trossachs
Pick up rental car when leaving Edinburgh (and return it in Glasgow?) ~ Stirling and Doane castles (Castle Campbell too?) ~ End up in Trossachs NP
Where to stay within Trossachs NP?

Day 5: Trossachs NP/Glencoe
Possible suggestions in Trossachs: Hike Conic Hill? Hike Loch Lomond itself? Devil’s Staircase hike? Ben A’An? ~ Drive in the late afternoon to Glencoe (could we see Kilchurn Castle enroute?).
Try to stay at Clachaig Inn, Glencoe

Day 6: Explore Glen Coe
Ideas: Glen Etive hike, Lost Valley
Overnight in Glencoe (Clachaig?).

Day 7: Explore Glencoe
Overnight in the Glencoe area (Clachaig?).

Day 8: Road to the Isles
Leave Glencoe for Road to the Isles - from Fort William to Mallaig
Bridge to Skye
Overnight on Skye (try to stay at Sligachan, as recommended by fodorites)

Day 9: Explore Skye
Possible ideas: Tallisker Distillery ~ Hiking possibilities: Old Man of Storr, Quirang, Fairy Glen
Overnight on Skye (Sligachan?)

Day 10: Explore Skye
We’d also really like to see Plockton (highly recommended by friends – maybe we should head here for the evening/night instead?)
Overnight on Skye (Sligachan) or in Plockton?

Day 11: Wester Ross/Northwest Coast
Visit Eilean Donan Castle ~ Head north along the coast to Ullapool area ~ Sights to see?
Where to overnight?

Day 12: Smoo Cave and Durness
Continue north to the tip, then head west to the cave. Explore.
Where to overnight?

Day 13: Drive south to Inverness/Loch Ness area
(Which route is recommended? If we head south right from Smoo Cave, maps suggests it’s less than a 3 hour drive, which sounds more feasible for our trip than trying to go around the entire northern coast. While it’s supposed to be beautiful, it may just be too much driving…?)
Possible ideas for this day once south: Urquhart Castle, boat cruise to spot “Nessie”
Overnight in Glen Affrich?

Day 14: Loch Ness area/Head East
Spend half day in the Loch Ness/Glen Affrich area (doing some of that listed above); depart for east coast (2.5h)
Evening and overnight in Aberdeen or Stonehaven?

Day 15: Dunnottar Castle/Glenrothes Distillery
Explore Dunnottar Castle (this castle visit has been requested by my hubbie – I know it’s a long way for just one day); Drum Castle; city of Aberdeen? ~ Drive to Aviemore
Overnight at Hilton Coylumbridge Resort (Aviemore) (reason for this resort is for the kids to enjoy the amenities)

Day 16: Hilton Coylumbridge/Son’s Birthday
Time at the resort, enjoying the pools etc ~ Any suggestions for fun things to do in the area?
Overnight at Coylumbridge resort.

Day 17: Gordon Castle Highland Games/Glasgow
Highland Games are high up on our list of "must-sees" and we're lucky because Gordon Castle holds theirs just before we leave Scotland! We just knew we had to fit it in, even if it makes for a rushed ending...
Need to leave the Games by 3pm at the latest; drive is at least 4h to Glasgow
Overnight in Glasgow (where?).

Day 18: Flight Home
Depart Glasgow at 1:00pm

Let the itinerary take shape!

Thanks so much in advance!
Jenn

first things first. >>>>Where are the reputable hospitals located? Is there an emergency service (e.g. 911/ambulance/air) available all over and how fast can it be?<<<<

Hospitals are in the major towns and cities -- the emergency # is 999. For medical emergencies that are non-life threatening the number is 111. You can also go to any surgery (doctor's office)


>>Overnight in Edinburgh (where?)<<

Budget?

>>Stirling and Doane castles (Castle Campbell too?)<< That would be Doune, and yes to Castle Campbell.


>>Where to stay within Trossachs NP?<<

Callander is a good central base - but I;d stay 2 nights because Castle Campbell, Stirling, Doune is a LOT of one day and there are other things you'll want to see (like Inchmahome) and there are lots of hiking possibilities.

>>(could we see Kilchurn Castle enroute?).<<

Possibly not -- there is/was an access dispute and last time I was through there it was off limits.

>>Try to stay at Clachaig Inn, Glencoe<<

Absolutely -- but I would say 2 nights would be enough so that is a place you could gain an extra night for the Trossachs.

>>Leave Glencoe for Road to the Isles - from Fort William to Mallaig
Bridge to Skye <<

This doesn't make sense -- if you take the road to the Isles you will end up at the ferry -- not the bridge. Take the ferry.

>>(try to stay at Sligachan, as recommended by fodorites)<<

Definitely try to get in here -- very central and good food on site.

>>We’d also really like to see Plockton (highly recommended by friends – maybe we should head here for the evening/night instead?)<<

No need to stay the night -- when leaving Skye via the bridge take the short detour to view Eilean Donan (no need to go inside) and then go back around through Plockton to head north.

>>sounds more feasible for our trip than trying to go around the entire northern coast. <<

The drive all the way around is ENORMOUS and needs a few days to enjoy at all.

>>Day 15: Dunnottar Castle/Glenrothes Distillery<<

You can really skip the distillery -- one is pretty much like every other. So tour one (like Talisker) and then taste all the others you want in every pub.

I would definitely change days 15 and 16 -- that is a heck of a slog. Instead of Aviemore -- check out this Hilton instead http://www3.hilton.com/en/hotels/uni...RGV/index.html

It is in Ballater right on the Dee and in the middle of the 'Castle Trail'.

<<So tour one (like Talisker) and then taste all the others you want in every pub.>>

Or every bloody liquor store.

If you or the old man are whisky fans, go to Royal Mile Whiskies in Edinburgh and figure out how to wrap up the good stuff to take home in your checked baggage. Unfortunately, they won't give out tastings to the boys, so you'll have to figure out another way to calm them down.

One day in Edinburgh -I'd give at least another one or have you been there before?

If you or the old man are whisky fans, go to the Scotch Whisky Experience right smack by Edinburgh Castle- board moving chairs fashioned out of old whisky barrels as they take you thru the history and making of Scotch whisky:

https://www.scotchwhiskyexperience.c...ur-experiences

kids will enjoy the ride if not the tasting room at the end.

And everyone may like the Camera Obscura right by the castle too:

http://www.camera-obscura.co.uk/ = lots for kids.

So three great family things clustered by the castle.

https://www.secret-scotland.com/Attr...ling-jail.html

The kids will also enjoy the tour thru Stirling's Old Town Jail:

http://www.stirlingghostwalk.com/bef.../old-town-jail

We took our 9 and 11 yo boys to Scotland last July and had an amazing time. For what it's worth:

I'd skip Stirling Castle. So different than what I remember from visit in 1997. To museum-like.

Boys LOVED Doune and Kilchurn castles! Put those before a visit to Stirling.

>>One day in Edinburgh -<< they have 1.5 days in Edinburgh -- not perfect but enough to see the Castle, Royal Mile and the major sites. Decisions/choices always have to be made -- I would not cut any of the other destinations to ride the cars in the Whisky Centre . . .

If you end up staying in Ullapool, I have a good hotel recommendation.

Re Stirling -- it is magnificent but in ways is similar to Edinburgh Castle so IF your time is short that is one thing you could cut (I personally would include it though)

And unfortunately Kilchurn (one of my very favorites) might not be possible -- but not to worry since there are countless other great castles.

I would potentially cut one day from Glencoe and add it to Edinburgh. We went a year ago and I wished we'd scheduled more time there.

If you only do one hike on Skye I'd do Quiraing. Storr was just an uphill slog without much change in scenery. The fairy pools are also cool but I would say more of a walk than a real hike. Also with kids you could do Kylerhea to go to the otter hide (a fairly short walk).

An easy but interesting hike by Aviemore is the route around Loch an Eilein. It's a super still, clear lake that has a small castle on an island in the middle.

One note on hiking, is I will say Scotland had the most poorly marked trails of any country I've ever been to (US, Switzerland, Spain, Brazil,++). When they say they recommend trail maps, they mean it. Forks in the trail are rarely marked, etc. The "bog factor" is also very real - bring waterproof boots. I still loved the hiking but just something to be aware of.

As usual, coming a bit late to this thread; maybe the following is already moot.

I understand your enthusiasm and I certainly don't want to throw cold water on anything, but some candid thoughts...

1. May. It's not summer, and it can quite be windy and wet, especially in the west. Of course it might not be, but it's a gamble. The problem with the west coast and Skye when it's like that is not only can it hamper or prevent things like walks, but it can also make the scenery vanish. "I hear the Old Man of Storr is just up there. Pity."

2. Smoo Cave. It's great but it's a mighty long schlep from Skye. And again, in early-mid May (I'd place you there around the 12th - 13th if my count is right) you might find yourselves leaning into the (wet) wind. Also in May there isn't much open along the northwest and north coast; Durness, bless its heart, is pretty bleak even on good days.

3. Highland games and zigzags. I looked up the dates for the Gordon Castle Highland Games and they take place on the 20th and 21st, Saturday and Sunday. Does your flight home leave on the 21st? The reason for asking is twofold: first, according to the schedule there aren’t any traditional competitions taking place on the Saturday (no caber tossing, rock flinging, etc.) There will be dog races and swing music and a food court, but the actual sporting events will be taking place on the Sunday. If that’s the day you’re flying home, you’re out of luck.

Now, if your flight is on Monday, then you could see some/most of the Sunday activities at Gordon Castle, but regardless, leaving in the afternoon and driving all the way to Glasgow, diagonally across the country, is – in my mind – a terrible idea on a weekend. Instead of driving back to Glasgow I’d look at dropping off the car in Inverness and taking the train to Glasgow. As a rule you won’t be hit with a one-way or drop-off fee on the car, and the train will be much quicker than driving. You could spend the night somewhere in Glasgow and have an easy fly-away day.

So learning the specific details of your calendar is a priority; it could possibly change your whole plan. Or, who knows, maybe the whole thing could be shifted back a week (probably a change fee for the air tickets but it might be tolerable) which could make for a very different itinerary.

I’m just going to throw out a couple of ideas as teasers or as ideas for you to research and discuss. First, think about swapping Mull, Iona and Staffa for Skye. Look up Fingal’s Cave as a stand-in for Smoo, and Duart Castle for Eilean Donan. Look up the Tobermory or Oban distilleries in lieu of Talisker.

Then, if you still wanted to visit the northwest (Smoo Cave etc.) think about a long but quite interesting day trip from Inverness or somewhere nearby. Here’s a loop I did out of Inverness a couple of years ago - http://goo.gl/maps/0B0tx - commemorated in this mini trip report - http://www.fodors.com/community/euro...n-scotland.cfm . If you weren’t interested in Croick and the Clearances, you could omit that side-trip and add Smoo Cave, something like this: https://goo.gl/maps/fJYaxkS1QPP2 and travel through some of the loneliest, and to me, some of the loveliest, country in Scotland. It’s a long day but a very rewarding one.

Just some thoughts…

Thank you all for these great responses - it's already making a huge difference in my thinking about our itinerary!

It's funny because we originally had 2 nights in the Trossachs and 2 in Glencoe and I made a last-minute change... and then janisj, you liked it the original way : ) And thanks for the suggestion about the Hilton in Ballater - I'm checking it out.

I know that we're booking this trip quite late (some of my hubby's work travel plans changed and so this one became possible for this year), but I was hoping that May was low enough season that we'd be okay on lodging. It seems that both the Clachaig Inn and the Sligachan are booked : ( The Clachaig has a room for one of our nights, but not both. I'm assuming that it's not worth it to take it for one night and then move for the other... Any other suggestions for lodging in the Glencoe area? As for Skye, we're looking into renting a cottage of some sort. We have a few options for the location of cottage - there's one in Kyleakin, one in Satran at the head of Loch Harport, and one on the Waternish Peninsula. Or should we book a hotel in Portree?

We absolutely will take out the second distillery - don't have to twist my arm : )

As for the Edinburgh suggestions, I know, 1.5 days in Edinburgh doesn't seem like a ton... we just have so many other things that we want to do! I do know that the city probably warrants at least a week!

mku4440 - great to hear that your two boys loved Scotland! Ours are getting pretty darn excited as we get into planning! I will keep the tip about Stirling Castle as the itinerary takes shape here...

historytraveller - we definitely may stay in Ullapool (does everyone think that is a good place to stay for that night on our way up the coast?). Please pass along that hotel rec.

GemmaRose - awesome tips about hiking - thanks so much! Really practical stuff. I'd love to hear more about any hikes that people recommend!

Gardyloo - please don't worry about "raining on our parade" : ) These practical reality checks are why these forums are so awesome. I know that it's May and the weather isn't going to be great. We had hoped to go in June, but again, the hubby's work travel got in the way and so May it is. I'm hoping that it all works out (we've spent a lot of time on the west coast in North America and so we know exactly how easily you can get wet/foggy/soggy weather). The problem is that these are places that I've been dreaming of forever and I'm just not sure that I can forego seeing them for fear of the weather. I know that may sound ridiculous. I've given the Mull-over-Skye option some real consideration, but I just don't think I can leave my trip to Scotland without seeing Skye. I know there's been a lot of debate about this on here!

Smoo Cave has a real draw for us (it's a long, personal story!) and so we just figure that if it's a 3-4 hour drive, it's totally worth it. But I know that it may be dreary. We did a cross-Canada trip once and the northern section of Northwest Territories can be that same type of bleak... so I know what we might arrive to. Which I guess is why we are going to go, but not spend too much time up there : )

As for the Highland Games, thanks for giving all that so much thought! Sorry that I wasn't clearer. Yes, our flight out is on the 22nd and so we would be able to be there for the "true games" on the 22nd. I had actually contacted Gordon Castle, so that I understood what activities were on each day... It's definitely the 21st that we're interested in (which is too bad, because it's our son's 10th birthday on the 20th and it would have been a cool way to celebrate).

I know that that last leg (with the trip to the east) seems a bit weird. And we just weren't sure how to make it work, given the Highland Games situation.

But actually, we haven't booked our airfare yet - and so all of your suggestions really could have a big impact. We had decided on our flights (the ones I listed above) a while ago because we found direct flights (which we love of course) and we thought the timing sounded really good. But now, even though our actual flying dates are set in stone, we're actually starting to re-think the actual flights...

A question: how would we get from the Glasgow Airport to Edinburgh? We can't seem to find train info to get us to Edinburgh Airport? Or would we have to take a train into downtown Edinburgh? And then where would we get our car a few days later? Would we have to go to the airport or is there a better/more convenient location?

All of this to say... that we're now thinking of maybe taking non-direct flights (with a few hours of stopover in London each way) to get us better flights. We could fly directly to Edinburgh (arriving at 2:30pm on that Day 2) and then we could even fly out of Aberdeen (which would save that drive down to Glasgow), leaving at 11:30am on that Day 18. What do you guys think? Is the savings in driving time worth the time in stopovers?

Thanks again for all your help! I just love all of you for your dedication to travel and to helping others...

Jenn

Getting from Glasgow airport to Edinburgh is frankly a pain. You'd need to take a bus to Queen Street Station in central Glasgow, then ride the train to Edinburgh. There's also a one-stop bus service. There are no train connections to either EDI or GLA, although there's a tram that now runs from Edinburgh airport to the middle of things.

So for your flying plan, frankly I'd look at flying into EDI and out of ABZ. It would simplify things hugely, and there are lots of easy connection options in both directions - Iceland, Dublin, Amsterdam... From EDI take a cab or the tram into town, but pick up the car back at the airport when it's time to head out on the road.

I totally get the idea of staying true to your aims, and far be it from me to suggest otherwise. By all means visit Skye and look for Viking treasure in Smoo Cave. But do me a favo(u)r and add a drive down Glen Etive (and back) en route to Glen Coe, and if you drive north from Skye to Durness, stop at Inverewe Gardens if there's time at all, just so you can say you saw palm trees in Scotland. (There are some along the water in Plockton, too.)

But also be open to on-the-fly modifications based on weather or circumstances. As North Americans you may well have a different sense of what constitutes a "long day on the road" than the locals, and by mid-May you'll be getting some long daylight hours (probably 5 AM to 9:30 PM plus gloaming) so you can keep on truckin'. And you're probably not going to encounter overbooked lodging situations in too many places if you need to wing it.

Happy planning!

Bookmarking. Thanks for all the info, everyone

Thanks gardyloo! Funny, I was going to ask out about daylight hours, but then figured I probably shouldn't be lazy and should just look it up! I hadn't yet - so I'm thrilled to see the 5am - 9:30pm range, that's fantastic! We're not usually the earliest of risers (although we can be while traveling if need be), but we definitely do like to keep moving! As my sons just said, "Mom, we're the only people we know who spent 18 days in Hawaii and didn't really just sit on the beach once!" : ) We're so lucky that they put up with and enjoy our adventures!

Glen Etive is absolutely on the docket. We saw a hike there that we really want to do and so we'll spend some time.

I'd like to book our flights by tomorrow if possible, so any further opinions are appreciated. Gardyloo, thanks for explaining the troubles getting from GLA to EDI. Actually, when I originally found those flights, I figured that we'd explore Edinburgh at the end of the trip, before heading back to Glasgow for our flight home - but then the Gordon Castle Highland Games option presented itself and changed the end of the trip (meaning that I put exploring Edinburgh at the beginning of the trip instead). And then, I'd read about a 50min train ride, and so for some reason, I'd thought it was simple. Now that I know it's not, I think the stopovers sound preferable!

I'm hoping that posters have some opinions on where we should stay on Skye. janisj, I know you've mentioned that staying central is ideal, but unfortunately we just don't have that option available to us, and I'm not sure where else would be best.

I'm busy researching away. Hope to hear back from more of you soon, and I'll send out a revised itinerary for comment.

Thanks!
Jenn

Nut problem; firstly nuts are not a big part of the trad Scottish diet.

But, there will be nuts in bars

there will be nuts on planes

and, Italian icecream (big migration in the 1940s) and Indian food (which is normally Kashmeri and Bangladshi) often have nuts in them or used in the same kitchen.

Other than that you will bump into them in less likely restaurants such as Thai, but outside of Edin and Glas that is very very unlikely.

So, I'd not worry, and just recently an Indian restaurant owner in the UK has bene put in jail for failing to check that he had nuts in a dish. http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-england-36360111 so it is taken very seriously.

bilboburglar - thank you so much for taking the time to answer about the nut issue. It really is one that sometimes still gives me pause about traveling (particularly because we tend to travel to remote places). I had done a little bit of research before even thinking of Scotland and I'm so glad to hear you state that nuts aren't a big part of the traditional diet. My worry is/was that perhaps there would be a contamination with nuts in the baking of bread or the crusts of traditional pies? Here in North America, bakeries use tons of nuts and so everything is cross-contaminated and unsafe for those with nut allergies. I'm hoping that because we'll be visiting a lot of ma n' pa type places that cook everything from scratch that this won't be a huge issue...? I'm now going to read that article - interesting stuff!

Oh and a few more Qs re itinerary --

Any other suggestions about where to stay in Glencoe (given that the Clachaig is booked? Very sad about that...).

Plus has anyone stayed at the Smoo Cave Hotel in the north? It looks simple, but may be just fine for our needs. If not, any other suggestions for where to stay up there?

Even little bakeries will make cakes etc but nuts will be relativly low usage or none at all. That does not, stop cross contamination as I'm sure you will know, but there are not lots of nuts there compared with sugar and fat (which is very much part of the diet).

This may help http://www.taste-of-scotland.com/sco...eadsplate.html

>>I know that it's May and the weather isn't going to be great. We had hoped to go in June, but again, the hubby's work travel got in the way and so May it is. <<

Don't let that affect you one way or the other The weather can be better in June, or better in May or great in both - or stinking horrible in both.

>>And then where would we get our car a few days later? Would we have to go to the airport or is there a better/more convenient location? <<

By far the easiest place to collect a car is out at EDI -- w/ easy tram, or AirBus, or taxi connection (depending on where you are staying).

Since Sligachan is unavailable -- I'd probably stay in Portree since the biggest concentration of accommodations and services are there.

I wouldn't stay one night at the Clachaig if it meant having to pack an move for one night. Look in Ballchulish -- several B&Bs and rentals in the area.

There is an increasing consciousness about identifying nut-content on menus, even if it's often not much more than a CYA statement about not being able to guarantee that something hasn't been in contact with nuts. But cashews and pistachios aren't that common; I suppose you might need to double-check in Indian or Chinese restaurants whether they're hidden ingredients in something. And cakes, of course, of which there can be a lot in Scotland!

I think this is aimed at people needing regular rather than emergency treatment, but it might be of some use:
https://www.allergyuk.org/getting-he...lergy-services

To find local health services in Scotland:
https://www.nhsinform.scot/

We visited Scotland with our three kids (ages 6,11,13) last summer. I have a few family friendly ideas for you:

Edinburgh:
We stayed in this fabulous flat RIGHT BESIDE the castle. Would stay again in a heartbeat. So convenient and really comfortable.
https://www.holidaylettings.co.uk/re...905167?m=24699

Our top things to do:

Castle/Camera Obscura - Spend a morning at the castle. Be sure to see the crown jewels. We tagged along on one of the guided tours and it was really good. We had tea in the tea shop there to get out of the rain. Kids loved their first real afternoon tea with scones and tea sandwiches. In the afternoon we spent a really fun couple of hours at Camera Obscura. It really was amazing for all of us and a nice change of pace from the castle. Don't miss the actual camera obscura on the roof.

Arthur's Seat - we did this hike/walk. Fabulous views. Afterward we explored the grounds of Holyrood Palace and then wandered back home along the Royal Mile.

Ghost Bus Tour - we did this one evening and it was silly fun! Not overly scary but also not for kids who might scare easily. We took our 6 year old if that helps at all!

We really liked Whiski for some Scotch tasting and dinner. Bought some great Scotch glasses as a souvenir that we use all the time. http://www.whiskibar.co.uk

Mum's was great for a casual meal of Scottish comfort food. Just a short walk from the Castle. Casual and it felt really local. Call ahead for a reservation. http://www.monstermashcafe.co.uk

Candy - My kids love to explore candy shops wherever we go and they absolutely LOVED this one. It's called Lickety Splits and its just off the Royal Mile. The owner had LOTS AND LOTS of Harry Potter stories to tell them. The shelves are lined with jars of Scottish candy. My teenage son found the sourest of all sours there! DEFINITELY worth a stop.
http://www.licketysplitsgallery.co.uk

Bus - book a double decker bus tour for the day you arrive. It's a great way to see the city. Edinburgh is small so it doesn't take long to get your bearings.

Skye:
We rented this beutiful converted mill in Portree. It was gorgeous and had a view of the bay. The wood stove was cozy on a cool afternoon too. One of our fave places we have ever stayed. We loved being able to walk into town. Portree has lots of great little places to eat and browse. I would try to stay a few nights.
https://www.homeaway.com/vacation-re...m_medium=email

Hikes: we are big hikers as well and did the Fairy Pools and Storr. We are somewhat limited with a six year old but did pretty well! There are lots of great hiking books you can buy in Portree - our rental place had a library of them. We also walked out to the lighthouse at Neist Point in a Scottish monsoon!!! All were gorgeous but you have to be prepared for all weather conditions. We were there in July and it was soaking wet most of the time with a bit of sun. You will need lots of layers and waterproof hiking shoes. Skye is one of the most breathtaking places I have been but if you aren't prepared for the weather, you will all be really unhappy.

Skye Weavers - we visited this workshop where we learned how the weaving is done on a loom powered by a bicycle. Super friendly and the kids got to jump on the bike. We bought a beautiful blanket too. We got a map with local galleries and spent an afternoon driving from one to the next. Our kids really liked this too - especially after a wet morning hiking.

Dunvegan Castle - great for a quick visit. The guides were really friendly and told our kids lots of great stories in each room of the castle. There was also a little treasure hunt to keep my little one entertained.

Coral Beach - We walked out to the Coral Beach after the castle. It is so stunning. Don't miss it! A white coral beach in Scotland! We all loved wandering, collecting shells, and walking through fields of cows! A great spot to take some family photos too. We were there for a couple of hours. https://www.isleofskye.com/skye-guid...ks/coral-beach

Enjoy - Scotland is AMAZING ith kids.

Wow Francewithfive, that is a lot of valuable information about what to do with kids! Can I just ask, are your kids boys, girls...? Thanks so much for taking the time to write all of those details for us. I'm going to look into them all as time allows!

Q as I'm continuing the planning: any opinions as to whether we need one or two nights in the Trossachs? I've been reading that the Trossachs are like "the Highlands in miniature", but given that we're going to be spending a heck of a lot of time in the highlands, maybe we don't need two nights there? I need to decide asap of course, because the timing of the rest of the trip depends on it!

I'm finding lodging exceedingly hard to find actually... almost everything is booked! But I'm still working away... I'm determined : )

Jenn

>>Trossachs are like "the Highlands in miniature",<<

That is just wrong -- the Trossachs are their own scenic region (and the oldest national park in Scotland)

It entirely depends on what you want to see and do. There are so many sites/sights in the Trossachs and nearby that you could stay a week and not see it all (over the years I've spent probably a total of 2 months in the area and haven't seen it <i>all</i>)

Sites in and near the Trossachs include Stirling Castle, Doune Castle, Inchmahome, Loch Lomond, Loch Katrine, Loch Earn, Loch Tay, many other lochs and waterfalls, Balquhiddar, Killin, Castle Campbell, Gleneagles, Fortingall etc etc.

One night will give you about 3/4 of one day so maybe able to visit two of the above . . .

Okay good - 2 nights it is : )

my kids are: boy 13, girl 11, girl 6

I would not cut any of the other destinations to ride the cars in the Whisky Centre . .>

Well I was not suggesting that at all- just throwing out options for folks to decide on their own and with kids the Whiskey Barrel Tour may be fun -as could the Camera Obscura - neither of which you ever even mention.

And adults can learn the basics of Scotch Whiskey in a experience that on Trip Advisor gets rather good reviews:

https://www.tripadvisor.com/Attracti..._Scotland.html

Another family friendly experience is the Royal Yacht Britannia docked in Edinburgh's port - at Leith:

http://www.royalyachtbritannia.co.uk/

http://www.royalyachtbritannia.co.uk/

>> basics of Scotch Whiskey<<

There ain't no such thing.

Just to mention that with children basing yourself in a flat or cottage for several days and taking drives 1-2 hours from there may work better than skipping around to new digs every couple days.

Your children are pretty young but 4 is going to limit choices (and may be pricy if you get pushed to 2 rooms) if you just look at inns and hotels. There are many vrbo.com type accommodations you might want to consider but there are usually minimum stay requirements.

A couple properties over from the Clachaig are 3 cottages called Glencoe cottages that worked out for us.

I think the Parliament in Edinburgh is a must see and it's free.

If you are flying Icelandair you might want to consider returning from Aberdeen instead of Glasgow.

Bookmarking for Francewithfive's Edinburgh kids suggestions. Thanks!

To be fair

"Whiski" and
"Whiskey"

are both products made outside UK, though I note that Taiwan is trying to claim to make a "Whisky".

>> basics of Scotch Whiskey<<

There ain't no such thing.>

um Scotch Whisky!

Ah yes, the age-old bickering about whisky vs whiskey : )

Thanks all for your continued responses!

We're going to start booking accommodations soon -- since things are selling out so darn fast!

For our time in Glencoe, we're thinking of staying in Onich - what do people think of that location (given that the Clachaig is full and lots of places are unavailable - including Glencoe cottages). We're looking at a chalet at Inchree in Onich. Is that a convenient location for the area? Any opinions about the lodging?

I don't know the accommodations (have stopped at the pub) but Onich is perfectly fine --

I think the accommodations seem super-basic, but adequate and the views look beautiful. We may just go for it! We could book a nice cottage (we've found a couple) but they are way farther away from the area, so I think location is likely most important...

Our budget for Edinburgh is under/around 150 GBP per night if possible. And we think we'd like to stay somewhere on the Royal Mile. Any suggestions? We've got 2 nights (so we won't meet the min stay for a lot of self-catering apartments).

We've decided that on our way north to Durness, we might stay one night at the Gairloch Highland Lodge. Seems like a good place to stay with great views... (and as we say, man, lodging is booked!). history traveller, if you read this, I'd love if you could pass along that hotel rec for Ullapool?

Thanks!
Jenn

Not on the Royal Mile but very close to Waverly Station, the tram and Princes Street this Travelodge is VERY convenient.

With advance purchase it will most like be well under your budget (but rates are very date specific)

https://www.travelodge.co.uk/hotels/...s-Street-hotel

For Ullapool I love The Arch Inn. I stayed there a couple of years ago ( 2015) while on a Rabbies tour. They had booked the hotel for me as they do all the bookings for their clients according to one's budget. It was my favorite place I stayed during by two plus weeks in the U.K. I usually stay at The Rubens at the Palace during the London portion of my trip and for several years now, I book the Balmoral when in Edinburgh. Now both the Rubens and the Balmoral are very nice so comparing them to The Arch Inn is a bit like comparing apples and oranges.


My room at The Arch Inn was a nice size, very well- appointed with comfortable furnishings. I had a wonderful sea view. In fact, it seemed I could almost jump from my window into the water. Almost. ;) The hotel has a nice bar and, probably, the best restaurant in Ullapool. Family friendly and casual. I know they have family rooms but don't know if those have a sea view. They offer an excellent breakfast with choices from a menu.

I'm doing another Rabbies tour that will spend one night in Ullapool ( a different tour from the previous one ) and have taken the liberty to book The Arch Inn to make sure I get to stay there. I think it's a great choice and loved it. Their website is www.thearchinn.co.uk

Thanks for responding historytraveler! Sounds lovely and I will look into it!

alwaysafrica, this is flat we rented on street off Royal Mile. Location was perfect for walking town. https://www.airbnb.com/rooms/1194366


And I asked my boys what they liked most about Edinburgh...they liked the street performers and they wanted me to tell you THIS was their favorite meal, LOL. http://www.oinkhogroast.co.uk/ (and by the way the CHEAPEST of the trip, about 24 pounds for 4 ppl). The whole pig is in a trough at the store window...head and all, and they pull the pork meat off for your sandwich. They loved that.