Planning a trip (our first) to Scotland in October. We'll be travelling w/ an infant and a 5 yo. Wondering if anyone has had a similiar experience and can suggest an itinerary for us. The only things we must do are Edinburgh and St. Andrews, otherwise we have 10 days to fill. Thanks for any and all insights.

CaraLegal- I think your whole family will really enjoy a day out to the Falkirk Wheel. I think it's busiest on a Sunday which makes it more fun. Here is my trip reprt which includes Scotland with photos:
http://tinyurl.com/cwarzw

Cara - This is the album with photos of Falkirk Wheel:
http://tinyurl.com/kq8g56

Cara, here is ONE suggestion- there are dozens and dozens. So if you don't like this just say and we'll adapt. But more guidance from you would behelpful.

Edinburgh- three days
Edinburgh itself is a mixture of a wonderful late mediaeval city with a planned Georgian New Town. The Castle is a must, followed by The Royal Mile -mediaeval route between the Castle and Holyrood- Palace and Park - Queen’s Scottish town house and big garden

Mary Kings Close is a street which, in the middle ages, was on ground level but when the great plague came to visit Scotland (and Edinburgh in particular) it hit the place hard. The worst section of the city was right in the heart of the 'Old Town', where the present City Chambers are nowadays. This street was known as Mary King’s Close (after an advocate’s daughter so the story goes) and the local authorities, the kind beings that they are, decided to seal both entrances of the street up with everyone still inside. This street was rediscovered many years later and now you can take a tour down there. WARNING - they tell you that because of the many people sealed alive down there that there are ghosts aplenty. Tours can be arranged from the Royal Mile There’s a new visitor centre which is meant to be very good.

The Museum of Childhood - on the Royal Mile

St Giles Cathedral - on the Mile. Scene of Jenny what’shername’s tantrum. Crown tower.

Gladstone’s Land, -mediaeval close off the High Street(the Mile)

John Knox’s House

Lady Stair’s Close and lots of shops, including Victoria Street just off the top of the mile

OK That’s the morning gone. Now (bearing in mind that you have a lot of Scotland to see, and you will be back in Edinburgh) you need to make up your mind whether or not you want to shop. Shops are on the whole, closed on Sundays. You need to lunch, and I despatch you back up the hill to the National Museum of Scotland (Chambers St) in Edinburgh. It opened in 1999 and is incredible, for the architecture as well as the exhibits. It has a couple of nice caffs, as well as the main restaurant in the roof.

In the afternoon, see The Meadows - huge park in the town centre and Greyfriars Bobby - statue of dog who sat at his master’s grave for decades. Then go across to Princes Street and see The Scott Monument -Gothic Sky rocket memorial to Queen’s Victoria’s favourite Scottish writer. When you’ve looked at it, and possibly climbed it, go and see, next door, The National Gallery and Royal Scottish Academy and the National Portrait Gallery.

Then after a quick wash and brush up sprint down to see the Royal Yacht Britannia, which is berthed at Leith, Edinburgh's port, and can be visited by the public (closes 5pm). Some of Edinburgh’s best restaurants are in Leith so have an early supper there then come back up and go to the two best places in Edinburgh for folk music which are 2 pubs (surprise!) .One is the Tron and the other is Sandy Bell's. Sandy Bell's also used to produce a news-sheet "Sandy Bell's Broadsheet" and I think they still do, which lists all the folky stuff going on all over Scotland.
(As far as Edinburgh is concerned, I can think of another pub which houses traditional/folk music. It's the Ensign Ewart which is situated near the entrance to the Castle - can't miss it.)

Edinburgh is famous for the pubs in Rose Street. If you have any energy left walk along the length of Rose Street (or just nip up for a look) whilst its busy in the late evening and just take in the atmosphere. Great pubs (not all in Rose Street) include the Café Royal, the Barony, Mathers, the Diggers (posh name the Athletic Arms), the Roseburn, Bert’s, and the Abbotsford..

Next morning get up early and climb Arthur's Seat. It IS a magnificent climb and, unless it is raining, well worth it for the views. It is a great open space in the city. The approx. 1/2 mile hike provides a commanding view of the city, castle, sea, and surrounding countryside over the whole of east central Scotland.

Then have a heart attack breakfast somewhere like Cafe Vittoria - neighbourhood Tally restaurant. Very down to earth. At the top of Leith Walk.

That leaves you the rest of the day to choose between:-
a walk through the New Town-planned grid Georgian -makes Bath pale by comparison. Finish up at Dean Village - working men’s planned village.
Calton Hill -Observatory
The Gallery of Modern Art
The Dean Gallery
The Georgian House
The City Art Centre
The Fruitmarket Gallery,
The Collective Gallery
The Printmakers’ Workshop
The Zoo;
Dynamic Earth (mixed reviews- haven’t been myself),
The Botanic Gardens.
And of course, it’s awash with places to walk, sporting facilities, cinemas, theatres, music venues, and stunning architecture.

For supper there are great restaurants all over the place. If it's atmosphere you like try The Witchery. The prices are a little steep, but the food is good and it's right beside the castle. (as far as atmosphere, the name says it all)

Other great restaurants include Stac Polly, T Café Hub, Browns, Le Sept, Est Est Est, Bann’s, Henderson’s, the Kalpna, Viva Mexico, Shamiana.

More as before; nothing to add really; except, seeing as it’s a weekday, you might want to visit the Parliament. Visitors welcome. And you should buy the local fortnightly listings magazine, The List, to check out what else is going on. Before you leave, visit Valvona & Crolla, the best Italian deli in Britain, and pack a picnic for tomorrow

Day 4- Fife-Leave Edinburgh, cross the Forth Road Bridge- see the rail bridge on your right half a mile east- one of the wonders of the modern world. Stop at Kinross and go out to Loch Leven castle where Mary Queen of Scots was incarcerated. Go on to Vane Farm on the other side of the loch (bird reserve, cafeteria for lunch) Cross over to the Fife Coast) at about Leven and drive from there along the coast through Lundin Links, Lower Largo (the home of Alexander Selkirk, the model for Robinson Crusoe) Pittenween, Anstruther, and Crail to St Andrews. Lots of lovely harbours, and beaches and golf courses, St Andrews has the West beach where they filmed the opening sequence of “Chariots of Fire”), the Old Course (where Golf was invented), the Golf Museum, the Cathedral ruins, the oldest University in Scotland and the best ice cream shop in the east of Scotland. You may also want to see Culross and Falkland in Fife.

Day 5-Cross the Tay Road Bridge (Parallel to the road bridge again you will see the railway bridge, which is not quite so famous as the one which went before it and which fell into the river under the weight of a train in a storm in the 19th century- you can still see some of the piles sticking out of the water) into Dundee and do Discovery Point where Scott's ship Discovery is. Apart from that and perhaps the Unicorn, Dundee is the armpit of the Universe, so get the hell out as soon as possible. After a quick detour to Glamis come up the coast road to Stonehaven and stop at Dunnottar Castle, just south of the town for a run about. This is where the (Scottish) Crown Jewels- known as the Honours of Scotland-you should have seen them in Edinburgh Castle-were hidden. In Aberdeen, things to see and do include Satrosphere, the Maritime Museum, Codona's (a permanent funfair at the beach) cinemas, leisure centre etc etc. Take a walk around old Aberdeen and the University area in the evening. The city is known as the Granite City because….rumour has it…that we, the inhabitants, are exposed to more radiation than people anywhere else in the world because it has relatively high trace elements in granite. The buildings are very grand in late Victorian neo-gothic style. Have dinner at Silver Darlings, if you like fish, and Simpson’s if you don’t.

Day 6-. Next day, go out the A93 to Crathie Castle and gardens, then cut over past Craigievar castle, supposed to be the model for the Disney cartoon castle emblem, and down into Donside at Alford. Then drive up to Lumsden, and Rhynie, then cross the Cabrach to Dufftown, where you will find Glenfiddich distillery- not the best whisky in the world but probably the best tour. Other local distilleries include Glenlivet and Cardhu. Do one distillery; not 2 or 3. Go on to Tomintoul and stop in this pretty village. Buy your whisky in the specialist shop here, rather than in Edinburgh. There is also a very good wood carvers shop here. Go on over the hill and aim for the Heather Brae in Nethy Bridge. It has a nice homely restaurant. Then go into the Forest at Abernethy or Rothiemurchus. Other things to do in the area include the Highland Wildlife Park, and the Landmark Centre. Go down to Kingussie and see the Wade barracks at Ruthven. Posher for dinner is the Cross at Kingussie. It also has rooms but I’ve not stayed and know nothing about them.

Day 7 - Inverness is not my favourite town to visit. It’s not got much to recommend itself except its setting. So, leave Nethy Bridge and drive down the Spey to Craigellachie then north to Elgin, and visit the castle. Very good shopping (but expensive) at Johnston’s of Elgin-cashmere a speciality. Then go on to Brodie and Cawdor castles. Brodie is a lovely little gem and has attached a place called Brodie Counytryfare, which is worth a shopping browse round. Cawdor is most famous for its Macbeth connection (“Hail Macbeth…”and all that). The you should stop at Culloden to see the battlefield which is very special. Nearby are the Clava Cairns, a prehistoric site of renown. You will have passed the fort built at Ardersier to keep the revolting Scots down. Spend about 10 minutes in Inverness itself. Acquaint yourself with the prophesies of the Brahan seer and then count the bridges (spooky). The cross the river and stop at the visitor centre on the far bank to orientate yourself. You can sometimes see the Moray firth dolphins from the gardens there. And the Red Kites on the Black Isle have CCTV links to the information centre. Then head off down Loch Ness. Stop at Castle Urquhart, and Drumnadrochit. Buy your Nessie tee-shirt here. If you haven’t seen the movie, make sure you do. At Invermoriston hang a right and go up Glen Moriston to Cluanie, then through Kintail in the shadow of the 5 sisters. Stop at Dornie to see Eilean Donan and then cross the bridge to Skye. My favourite place to stay on Skye is Hotel Eilean Iarmain.on the Sleat peninsula, about 16 miles from the bridge. It has a great restaurant and is also only a few miles from Lady Macdonald’s place (Kinloch Castle) which also does great food.

Day 8-. Skye is mostly about scenery, although it has its share of history too. Great things to do include seeing the Cuillin; taking a boat trip from Elgol to see the seals; wandering round Portree; visiting the Quiraing; visiting the Clan Macdonald Centre; seeing the fairy flag at Dunvegan; go to the Talisker distillery; take in the atmosphere at the Sligachan Hotel; go to the Colbost Folk Museum (mainly because it’s a black house; go to Flora Macdonald’s grave; hire bikes; go pony trekking; see eagles; climb mountains. Another great place to eat is the Three Chimneys, which you maybe want to do the middle night.

Day 9- on Monday morning we rise bright and early and meander down the Sleat peninsula in time to catch the ferry from Armadale to Mallaig. The aim is to drive down to Oban picking up the stuff north of Oban on the way. You pass Morar and Arisaig with their white sands then come east to Lochailort, then Glenfinnan., rather more famous in these parts as the place where Bonnie Brince Charlie raised his standard at the start of the ’45, than the location of a rather fine Victorian Viaduct used in the Harry Potter movies. Then on to Fort William, which is worth 10 minutes of anyone’s time.

Onward, ever onward, follow the road south to Ballachulish then take a side turn up Glencoe. I presume you know the story of the massacre and the Glen of Weeping. Stunning scenery and you can feel the atmosphere the whole time. A vast chunk is owned by the National Trust and there is a visitor centre, Cross Rannoch Moor to Tyndrum then on to Crianlarich and down to Lochearnhead. Then along Loch Earn, through Comrie. Drive south to Doune, where, apart from the castle, there is a brilliant Roman marching camp at a place called Ardoch. From there you go to Stirling and take in the castle, then, if you’re not castled out, you can head towards Edinburgh along the north side of the Forth, taking the short turn off to see Castle Campbell.

Sheila's itinerary is ambitious if the 5 yo is not a great traveler (the baby ought to be just starting past the potted plant stage), so keep that in mind.

Edinburgh is excellent and worth 4 nights or more. Be comfortable because there are a lot of hills in Edinburgh and they all go up.

I'd strongly suggest three hubs around which to base your day trips, especially because pack/unpack/pack/unpack/repeat every morning will become tiring with two small ones.

This is the whisky (no "E" in whisky in Scotland or Canada) store Sheila referred to in Tomintoul: http://www.whiskycastle.com/

w/ two little ones I personally wouldn't want to be moving about much. I don't mean not seeing things -- but not moving from one hotel/town/B&B to the next every night or two. Wherever you chose - you could do day trips over a very wide area and come back "home" each night.

I'd probably stay in Edinburgh 2 or 3 nights and then rent a cottage somewhere in Fife for the other week. You'd use that as a base to see everything from Stirling/the Trossachs to the west to St Andrews/the fishing villages to the east. And Glamis/Scone/Dunnottar/the Dee generally north/northwest.

Having a 2 or 3 bedroom cottage w/ garden, washer/dryer, etc would be a LOT easier w/ children than schlepping them from hotel to hotel for ten days.

OR - you could stay in Edinburgh 3 nights and visit St Andrews as a day trip from there.

Then rent a cottage over in the central/western side -- Near Loch Tay, or near Callander, or farther north. But the same concept. Use it as a base to tour around. All the "stiff" that a baby and 5 yo need/want makes renting a cottage just a lot easier all the way around IMO. The thought of 10 days w/ kiddies w/o a washing machine would make me crazy

And are the kids good car travellers? I have unpleasant childhood memories of day trips to the highlands being briskly curtailed by younger sister's car sickness brought on by all the twisty roads. Not a problem in the central lowlands (Glasgow/Edinburgh), but a real issue up further north.

Thank you, saving for 2010
P