[Closed] Scotland holiday advice. 2.5 days free.

Given that you’re camping, I assume outdoorsie stuff is good..... Aviemore has loads to do and is about 3 hours from St. Andrews.

funicular railway will get you to the top of a mountain view.

I wouldn’t too easily overlook the East Neuk villages, they seem to take ages to get to from most places. A picnic on the rocky shoreline of Crail is one of my favourite memories.

I think you’ll find Kayak hire down that way to, at the least there’s some in Elie.

Chocolate Shop in Pittenween has a nice wee cafe.

Oh, the Isle of May is a nice trip out as well, that runs from Anstruther.

What about lomond shores/balloch. About 2hrs from st andrews and 1hr from linlithgow. Bike and pedalo hire, boat trips up loch, bbq areas, mini beach, few shops, sealife aquarium, tree zone etc. My 9+11yr olds love it anyway.

Falkirk wheel is worth a look while you are there too, play areas for 2 year old and zorbing etc for 14 year old. August is Edinburgh festival time too so a wander up royal mile soaking it all up can be entertaining too.

Falkirk wheelie on the list as dispite having been to Falkirk over a dozen times we always seem to miss going to it.

Lomand is on the list of potential places already. I was worried it may be horriblly buddy in mid Aug?

East Neuk sounds interesting too.

I love avimore but been there a few times before. It's a possibility but lower down the list.

Tweed Valley?
Stay in the wigwams?

Possible. I could grab a afternoon on the bike too! What else is around there? Only been MTBing in the TV.

Edit. No wigwam stay unfortunately. Holiday will be expensive enough!

Lomond shores...hmmmm   as a local  I can recommend the Maid of the Loch and the winch house for kids and adults.    Looks like she will be running within a few years too.

The Shopping complex however is a shithole, but appeals to a certain market.

Id go to to Portavadie, Oban, anywhere in argyll, for a better experience.

Argyll. Now that look like a good place. Any tent camping sites available? Nothing too big but still with toilet and showers. So many seem to be caravan only.

L.Lomond will be busy in August, but depending exactly when in Aug many of the Scottish Schools will be back so midweek will be reasonably tolerable.  The East Neuk is not a bad shout if the weather is good, but on a drab day could be a challenge for a teenager (YMMV).

if you are bringing the MTB Linlithgow has a small set of trails which whilst no 7 stanes will entertain cyclists for 1/2 a day.  There are also more trails at Calendar Estates which could fill another half day or head to the pentlands for an hour to full day experience (either by bike or on foot).  I think there is hire available at Calendar trails - which are pretty close to the wheel.  If you fancy some real lightweight camping the pentlands could be a good little adventure for teenager without actually being too far from civilisation.

If you want to walk up hills without being too arduous don’t rule our Arthur’s seat.  There’s something fairly unusual about a hill like that in the middle of a city and the view from the top interests some people more than a picturesque landscape.

If your going to the Falkirk wheel then the Kelpies are only about 5 miles away and very spectacular standing at 30m high.

Stay east coast/central, you don't want to spend time travelling over the west, cairngorms is your obvious answer tbh.

Talk of balloch and falkirk is crazy talk and will lead to much dissapointment! 😆

talk of the west coast proper ie argle and oban the likes, while a good idea is also crazy talk if driving from st andrews.

Listen to what he said^

Stirling Castle and Wallace Monument too

I did a day trip to fort William DH last year and that was 7hr round trip driving so I know it can be a fair whack. Really want to make it to the west coast but every time we run out of time. The joys of having family all over the place your holidays are not your own!

Will the v&a be open in Dundee?

As a Fifer speaking after two hours the East Nuke will be boring, smelly harbours big queues at the chippy and mediocre cafes. I'd suggest the chain walk at Elie/Earlsferry or one of the Lomonds probably East at Falkland or South Queensferry boat trip under the bridges or a train trip to Edinburgh from Leuchars going over the Forth Bridge and loads to do in Edinburgh compared to the nuek

Tentsmuir - ( next bit of coast north of St Andrews) is worth a walk - at low tide you can walk literally miles off shore!  Maybe go to the Trossachs  its not adding stupid amounts of driving and pick the right spots its really very nice.  Ben Ledi for a small mountain with great views.  Callender and the bracklin falls  Brig O turk and rob roy and allthat stuff

Ben Ledi a small mountain ? 116ft short of a Munro and I'd say a tough walk carrying a two year old or not used to hills, view not too bad if its a good day

I’d suggest the chain walk at Elie/Earlsferry or one of the Lomonds probably East at Falkland or South Queensferry boat trip under the bridges or a train trip to Edinburgh from Leuchars going over the Forth Bridge and loads to do in Edinburgh compared to the nuek

As a fifer also... This.

Chain walk for sure.

Loch leven and castle can be tacked onto the lomonds. And glespie glen or whatever its called in falkland is also a nice add on and can be tied in with the west lomond.

Tentsmuir is very much my neck of the woods and definitely a bit spesh and not busy. Get to the north end and you can see all the seals if tides are right.

The eastern side of the Cairngorms - Glenshee, Braemar, Glen Clova etc. Nearer than Aviemore, and less busy. Plenty of options for walks, with proper mountains if you want. And castles.

Talk of balloch and falkirk is crazy talk and will lead to much dissapointment!

I agree about balloch.  And if I was going to LL that would not be my chosen spot, although it seems to entertain many so I may be poorly representative.  Falkirk itself also has little to offer but is hardly “West” but if you are in Linlithgow it’s about 15 minutes away.  Whilst the town itself is definitely no holiday destination the wheel and the kelpies do a great job of entertaining the “centre parks types” (people who don’t know how to go outdoors without it being organised for them).  Both are impressive to see briefly and can be enjoyed for free, although the centreparks type will manage to spend plenty on the associated extras!  Perhaps significantly both will work well on a dreich day like today when other ideas may be less appealing.

I certainly agree about travelling all the way to Argyle though, unless the aim is to holiday inside the car!  That said it would be much higher up if the starting and finishing points were better!  Although I’d give Oban itself a miss - it’s the falkirk of Argyl!

I’m not sure the cairngorms is that much more accessible from St Andrews is it?  Once you get there you have an interesting mix of ages to entertain.  Depending on the interest of those involved the V&A might be a good shout if it is open but even the Discovery and Verdant works can entertain people who like history and museums or boats.

edit - just read CraigW comment yes that side would be easier, but is perhaps? Less 14 + 2 yr old friendly combination

The mix of ages is a challenge. Loving the suggestions.

I am keen on things like Ben ledi and the Earls Ferry chain walk but I don't think mummy will think much of baby in career on that chain walk. May have to do some split shifts!

V&A not open until September unfortunately but a good idea for next year.

P.s good heads up on Oban!

I'm assuming if you are camping in Linlithgow you will be up at Beecraigs!

If you are then they have a couple of decent short XC loops and a jump park type thing. Also nestled in the legendary Bathgate Alps, so loads of road cycling with some leg sapping climbs.

There is a Bronze Age burial site at Cairnpapple that will kept people interested for about 10 minutes but it has one of the best views in Central Scotland from Bass Rock in the East to Goat Fell in the West.

The Korean War Memorial is well worth a visit as well including the walk up Witch Craig, one of my favourite places for walking the dogs. Added bonus of a Knights of St John refuge stone at the top as well.

Another vote for the chain walk.

If the Falkirk Wheel appeals, you can hire a canal boat at Linlithgow and drive to and through the wheel.  £180 for the boat hire and it comfortably takes 10 - you drive.  Spendy but not if you can round up some more people to share the cost. http://www.lucs.org.uk/

Also, have a look at the Historic Scotland web site.  They run jousting events at Linlithgow Palace a couple of times a year which are great fun

EDIT - V&A Dundee scheduled to open 15 Sept.  First exhibition will be the Golden Age of the Liners