LDK

We are thinking of going to Scotland at the end of August (I know...this is kind of a last minute trip) with our 6 1/2 year old. I have been doing a lot of reading and I am having trouble narrowing down where to go. If it were just my husband and myself we would do more of a driving around the country trip but that would not be good for our daughter. Therefore, I realize we will not see everything. So my questions are:

1) Where to go? Please help me narrow down. Edinburgh for sure. Then do we go to Glasgow, Oban, Dundee, and/or Inverness??? Are any of these day trips from one point? I am at a loss.

2) Once you are in the towns, do you need a car?

3) Should we rent a car or just take the train from town to town?

We love natural beauty but also want to minimize the driving because we do not want our daughter on the ipad.

The thought was to fly in and out of Edinburgh but if you have other suggestions that would be GREATLY appreciated.

Thank you so much for your insight!

bilboburgler

August, check out the Edinburgh festival dates to avoid as the place is crowded

Midges in the highlands http://www.scotlandinaweek.com/midges-in-scotland.html

In town do you need a car, no. But it does depend on your carrying capacity I'd google up the train network for Scotland and see which bits will be easily accessible

I'd look at the other way around, which is why are you coming? Much as I love the place some of the smaller towns get a bit meh after Edinburgh and Glasgow. But the countryside is to die for.

I always go on about Orkney which is another world away from the Scotland mainland, full of ancient sites, wildlife, cake and nice people with a fine arts movement. But the western isles can be good too.

BigRuss

<< Where to go? Please help me narrow down. Edinburgh for sure. Then do we go to Glasgow, Oban, Dundee, and/or Inverness??? Are any of these day trips from one point? I am at a loss.>>

The easiest way to get good answers to your questions is: WHAT ARE YOU INTERESTED IN? Natural beauty is kind of a catch-all and there are various types in Scotland.

That said: why Dundee? I've not seen a poster on this board interested in Dundee. Just because it's a city (large town, really) doesn't make it a tourist destination. Do you just want to take a train from Edinburgh over Scotland's famous rail bridges (Firth of Forth, Tay)?

At least both Inverness and Aberdeen are useful as gateways to their respective areas even though they're not that attractive to visit. As you surmised, Inverness itself is not worth your time, but the area (Cawdor Castle, Dunrobin Castle, Clava Cairns, Culloden Battlefield, getting tourist trapped at Loch Ness, etc) can be.

Glasgow is about 90 minutes or less from Edinburgh by train. No need to stay in both.

Scotland's "natural beauty" is not in its towns (especially not Dundee), it's in its back trails, coasts and castles. Rent a car.

BigRuss

Ach, didn't clock that you're going end of August - good luck with finding accommodation in Edinburgh. Best get on that immediately before you do anything else.

Here's why: http://www.edinburghfestivalcity.com/

RM67

I would base yourself elsewhere if you are going in August and just do day trips into Edinburgh. The cost of accomodation is nothing short of criminal during the festival period. You could stay in Glasgow for which you'd not need a car, or choose a more rural location with car hire, but also one with or close to a railway station for getting into the cities.

I think Oban is actually quite a good call for one of your adventures as its not going to be so trying as a drive right up to the north west proper (ie Skye or Applecross). Maybe Mull would work for you for part of the time too.

LDK

The train idea over the famous rail bridges might be a nice way to see the countryside.

I mentioned Dundee only because my sister stayed there for 2 weeks when she was in college and enjoyed it.

Thank you to all of you for your suggestions. They are quite appreciated as I have not visited Scotland and no one I know has in the recent past.

If there are anymore suggestions such as number of nights to stay in each place, let me know, please keep them coming.

I would say that we are more interested in exploring the cities and culture then visiting all of the castles. And of course the beautiful scenery.

bvlenci

There are several wildlife boat trips you can take from Oban. We were there last summer, and spent our one full day on a trip through Mull to Iona; some of the nature tours sounded wonderful, but we couldn't do everything.

Iona was spectacular, and I don't throw adjectives around lightly, but getting there is a bit of a long haul. We took the ferry to Mull as foot passengers and take a bus across the island to get the ferry to Iona. You could drive across Mull, but there's not much advantage over the bus if you're on a day trip, because I would recommend spending as much of the day as possible on Iona, where you can't take the car. Plus the ferry is much more expensive with a car.

I have a feeling that one of the wildlife tours might be more fun for a child. I don't know if the puffins are around in August, but they're just too cute! (I saw some off the coast of Maine years ago.)

When I was a child, I was an insatiable reader, probably the only child whose book bag was checked every morning for concealed books, and who had to sit next to the teacher to make sure she wasn't reading on the sly. My parents forbid me to take books on family vacations, because I would have read all day in Yosemite. Nowadays, I think parents might consider banning the iPad, or at least limiting the hours it could be used.

bvlenci

I think staying in Glasgow is a good idea, given the festival. Anyway, we really loved Glasgow, more so than Edinburgh.

janisj

>>Glasgow?<< Maybe for a couple of days

>>Oban?<< Probably not unless you decide to visit Mull

>>Dundee?<< Better than it used to be but definitely not a must on a short trip to Scotland

>>Inverness?<< No -- unless you decide to travel around by train. But you will do much better driving and not staying IN Inverness

There are wild life boasts out os LOTS of places. Just a few:

Anstruther for the Isle of May. http://www.isleofmayferry.com http://www.isleofmayboattrips.co.uk

The Back Isle for dolphins in the Moray Firth http://www.moraydolphins.co.uk (plus several others)

On Mull http://www.staffatours.com/boat-tour...wildlife-tour/
http://www.isle-of-mull.net/trips-and-tours/boat-trips/

On Skye http://www.isleofskye.com/activities/boat-trips

You really do need to get a guidebook or two because you have very little time and need to be VERY selective where you go/what you do.

ESW

What sort of things does the 6 1/2 year old like doing? What things are going to take her away from the ipad? You need to break your days up into lots of shorter activities with not too much driving in between.

Does she like exploring ruined castles - there's lots in Scotland.

Does she like going on a boat - I'm thinking here of a trip to Lochleven Castle in the middle of Loch Leven
http://www.undiscoveredscotland.co.u...chlevencastle/

or Inchmahome Priory in Lake of Monteith...
http://www.undiscoveredscotland.co.u...ory/index.html

There's a trip on the Falkirk wheel.
http://www.undiscoveredscotland.co.u.../falkirkwheel/

Avoid the larger towns and stick to smaller towns. Depending when you are coming in August, Edinburgh may be a no no as many places will already be booked up because of the festival. Think about staying outside Einburgh and doing a day tip in by train.

Think abut getting a good guide book with lots of pictures - DK Eyewitnes Scotland is good
http://www.amazon.co.uk/DK-Eyewitnes...dp_ob_title_bk
and involve your daughter in choosing where you go.

BritishCaicos

http://www.mullcampervans.co.uk/big-bertha.html

Look no further : great fun for a six year old. Scottish access law allow overnight stays in any sensible location.

ESW

Depending on where you are planning to go, this could be a bit big on many Scottish Roads especially in August when they are likely to be busy.

BritishCaicos

ESW

The camper is based on Mull and the road are very quiet even in August.

In fact most Scottish roads other than the M74 , M8 and the area around Loch Lomond are fairly quiet even in August.