It's like an atlas on here . Brilliant ideaOn the way up North stop at the Marshland Alpaca campsite just south of Hull. £20 a night without hookup (£24 with I think) and you get to help feed the Alpacas in the morning.
I did it this morning...
Scotland/Ireland road trip.
- Thread starter The black mamba
- Start date
If you are stopping in The Lakes and interested in Campbell then a visit to the Lakeland Motor Museum is something I'd recommend.
A big big thankyou to everyone who replied on this thread, we are off this Saturday to The Glenmore campsite in the Cairngorms, Scotland (10.5 hours drive). As suggested we will stay in Aviemore for at least one week then wherever destiny takes us on the way home.
Really excited for our first proper road trip. If anyone is interested I will post the trip on here to help any future forum members.
I think I have everything we need, just need some luck with the weather and and some kind of sofa adaptor to put my kids on the outside of the van when they argue.
Thanks again all.
Really excited for our first proper road trip. If anyone is interested I will post the trip on here to help any future forum members.
I think I have everything we need, just need some luck with the weather and and some kind of sofa adaptor to put my kids on the outside of the van when they argue.
Thanks again all.
Darryl, thank you for so many great ideas. We are off this Saturday and will definitely do a couple of your suggestions.
The beach is always a favourite for my two and it's cheap.
Great! When at Gelnmore, there are lovely woodland walks and cycling. There is a Logging trail which runs parallel with the road, but set back, safe for kids when accompanied by you. The Cairngorm Mountain Railway is operating again, and worth a trip with your kids. The Tourist Information Office in Aviemore has lots of great info on what to do. The Glenmore Campsite has wonderful heated toilet and ablution blocks and a family room with a bath I understand. Do head to Landmark, and they accept Tesco Voucher if you have a club card.
On the way north,
The Hermitage is a nice woodland walk to a lovely victorian building where you can view the spectacular falls. Look out the the old tree trunk with hundreds of coins hammered into it, take a small hammer and coins to leave your own mark on the fallen tree trunk.
Pitlochry is nice for a few hours. We park at the Theatre and walk south along the West river bank. Then over the iron suspension bridge & up to the high street and a visit to Robertson's Of Pitlochry. At the south end are hundreds of toys like Bruder etc. You can buy a small toy for them to play with on the holiday. Then up the high street and back over the Dam. The visitors centre is good for learning about the river and hydro systems in Scotland and then down passing the Salmon Ladder, a series of basins all linked which the salmon can use to swim up past the dam.
In Aviemore is the Heritage Railway line where you can take the steam train out on thew Strathspey Railway. Family Heritage Railway Attraction in the Highlands of Scotland Homepage
Further north is Inverness, and you can visit Fort George, a working Army Fort. Then opposite the firth is Chanonry Point where people go to watch the Dolphins leap and feed on the passing shoals of fish.
If you like mountain biking to the SW is the road to Fort William and at Laggan Wolftrax a mountain bike centre. https://forestryandland.gov.scot/visit/laggan-wolftrax
As you are passing Newtonmore and Kingussie look out for Ruthven Baracks, on the right off the A9. Ruthven Barracks
Ruthven was built to house Redcoat English soldiers to keep the local clans at bay. Then further up the A9 towards Inverness is the Culloden Battle field, a popular site where the Jacobite Rising was quelled in 1745. https://www.nts.org.uk/visit/places/culloden
From the Campsite you can visit An Lochan Uaine, or The Green Loch. It is east of the campsite, past the Reindeer Visitor Centre.
Lastly, near Coylumbridge is Go Ape, where your kids can spend a couple of hours swinging between trees!
On the way north,
The Hermitage is a nice woodland walk to a lovely victorian building where you can view the spectacular falls. Look out the the old tree trunk with hundreds of coins hammered into it, take a small hammer and coins to leave your own mark on the fallen tree trunk.
Pitlochry is nice for a few hours. We park at the Theatre and walk south along the West river bank. Then over the iron suspension bridge & up to the high street and a visit to Robertson's Of Pitlochry. At the south end are hundreds of toys like Bruder etc. You can buy a small toy for them to play with on the holiday. Then up the high street and back over the Dam. The visitors centre is good for learning about the river and hydro systems in Scotland and then down passing the Salmon Ladder, a series of basins all linked which the salmon can use to swim up past the dam.
In Aviemore is the Heritage Railway line where you can take the steam train out on thew Strathspey Railway. Family Heritage Railway Attraction in the Highlands of Scotland Homepage
Further north is Inverness, and you can visit Fort George, a working Army Fort. Then opposite the firth is Chanonry Point where people go to watch the Dolphins leap and feed on the passing shoals of fish.
If you like mountain biking to the SW is the road to Fort William and at Laggan Wolftrax a mountain bike centre. https://forestryandland.gov.scot/visit/laggan-wolftrax
As you are passing Newtonmore and Kingussie look out for Ruthven Baracks, on the right off the A9. Ruthven Barracks
Ruthven was built to house Redcoat English soldiers to keep the local clans at bay. Then further up the A9 towards Inverness is the Culloden Battle field, a popular site where the Jacobite Rising was quelled in 1745. https://www.nts.org.uk/visit/places/culloden
From the Campsite you can visit An Lochan Uaine, or The Green Loch. It is east of the campsite, past the Reindeer Visitor Centre.
Lastly, near Coylumbridge is Go Ape, where your kids can spend a couple of hours swinging between trees!
Dave, thanks a million for that. As a MacDonald (English ) Culloden Battle field is top of the agenda !
Great ideas and things to do no matter what the weather. Thanks again mate
Great ideas and things to do no matter what the weather. Thanks again mate
Oh, you'll be hading to NI via Glencoe then?
I'd second the Strathspey Line (the Afternoon Tea a couple of years back was excellent, and good value with kids) and also Pitlochry and the Dam's Visitor Centre (double check as last time I was there they are not open every day due to staf levels)
Also the Cairngorm Railway, only mountain funicular in the UK (Snowdon is a rack and pinion) and recently rescued from closure. Expensive but amazing views and unique, we managed to get the snow season in February.
If you like to get away then I can recommend a roadtrip to Rannoch Moor Station - a nice drive along the loch and then out on to the remote moor. I love the place. Good tearoom (may need to book as popular) and great walking across the moor. Follow the ash forest road towards Great Glen for an out and back, or more adventurous/experienced you can catch the train one stop up to Corrour Station and hike back. Can make a great zero expense day out in the area.
There is also The House Of Bruar - very fancy shopping but a good destination for a look around if wet and grab something to eat. The walk up from the car park to the Falls of Bruar is worth doing.
I also like a little known walk near Castle Menzies (also a good attraction, but beware it's not said how it's spelt if you ask for directions!)
forestryandland.gov.scot
Have a great time
Also the Cairngorm Railway, only mountain funicular in the UK (Snowdon is a rack and pinion) and recently rescued from closure. Expensive but amazing views and unique, we managed to get the snow season in February.
If you like to get away then I can recommend a roadtrip to Rannoch Moor Station - a nice drive along the loch and then out on to the remote moor. I love the place. Good tearoom (may need to book as popular) and great walking across the moor. Follow the ash forest road towards Great Glen for an out and back, or more adventurous/experienced you can catch the train one stop up to Corrour Station and hike back. Can make a great zero expense day out in the area.
There is also The House Of Bruar - very fancy shopping but a good destination for a look around if wet and grab something to eat. The walk up from the car park to the Falls of Bruar is worth doing.
I also like a little known walk near Castle Menzies (also a good attraction, but beware it's not said how it's spelt if you ask for directions!)
Weem - Forestry and Land Scotland
Forestry and Land Scotland is the Scottish Government agency responsible for managing Scotland's national forests and land.
forestryandland.gov.scot
Have a great time
A good trip is the cairngorm mountain railway, you just continue on the road past the Glenmore camp site all the way to the end. They have put a barrier up now into the car park so costs £3 parking on the way out (can use card / apple pay at the barrier, I think but best to check before leaving). I'm sure the railway is operational but again might be best to check. Definitely go see the reindeer, you can walk to the base station from the camp site and see some in the paddock but I really highly recommend the hill walk, you have to drive a few miles up the road to a car park then a guide will take you in a small group for a 20 min hike on the hill side where you can walk in the herd / feed etc Last time I was there last winter there was around 50 reindeer was amazing. I really hope you get some dry sunny weather.
On the way home you could stop off at Glen Nevis camp site for a night or two, walk the bottom loop of Ben Nevis (Just DON'T the loop anti-clockwise up heart-attack hill), the river walk, up to the top of the mountain (about 7-9 hours round trip) or half way up to visit the Loch. If you go the end of the road you came in you can park and the very end (Get up EARLY as it is very tight towards the end) and go for one of the best family hikes to see Steall falls, when you come out into the glen on a sunny day it is something out of Lord of the rings no joke. Oh and there's a steel cable bridge to scramble over to get to see the waterfall up close and personal, take a change of socks/shoes if you don;t want to cross the bridge and just wade across the stream.
Just some links below, but best you explore and find out stuff for yourself but at least gives you a starter for some things to do. I'm traveling the other way to England / Wales the same day haha.
Aviemore Area
Ben Nevis Area
- Campsite — Glen Nevis Holidays
- Steall Falls and the Nevis Gorge
- NEPTUNE'S STAIRCASE: All You Need to Know BEFORE You Go (with Photos)
- Glenfinnan Visitor Guide - Accommodation, Things To Do & More
VisitScotland - Scotland's National Tourist Organisation
Get all the information you need for your trip to Scotland! Book accommodation, discover new places to visit, find amazing things to do and more!
What ever you get up too, have fun and all the best.
If you are still planning to try and do NI as well, have a look at my posts on the thread ‘Where have you been in your van today?’A good trip is the cairngorm mountain railway, you just continue on the road past the Glenmore camp site all the way to the end. They have put a barrier up now into the car park so costs £3 parking on the way out (can use card / apple pay at the barrier, I think but best to check before leaving). I'm sure the railway is operational but again might be best to check. Definitely go see the reindeer, you can walk to the base station from the camp site and see some in the paddock but I really highly recommend the hill walk, you have to drive a few miles up the road to a car park then a guide will take you in a small group for a 20 min hike on the hill side where you can walk in the herd / feed etc Last time I was there last winter there was around 50 reindeer was amazing. I really hope you get some dry sunny weather.
On the way home you could stop off at Glen Nevis camp site for a night or two, walk the bottom loop of Ben Nevis (Just DON'T the loop anti-clockwise up heart-attack hill), the river walk, up to the top of the mountain (about 7-9 hours round trip) or half way up to visit the Loch. If you go the end of the road you came in you can park and the very end (Get up EARLY as it is very tight towards the end) and go for one of the best family hikes to see Steall falls, when you come out into the glen on a sunny day it is something out of Lord of the rings no joke. Oh and there's a steel cable bridge to scramble over to get to see the waterfall up close and personal, take a change of socks/shoes if you don;t want to cross the bridge and just wade across the stream.
Just some links below, but best you explore and find out stuff for yourself but at least gives you a starter for some things to do. I'm traveling the other way to England / Wales the same day haha.
Aviemore Area
Ben Nevis Area
- Campsite — Glen Nevis Holidays
- Steall Falls and the Nevis Gorge
- NEPTUNE'S STAIRCASE: All You Need to Know BEFORE You Go (with Photos)
- Glenfinnan Visitor Guide - Accommodation, Things To Do & More
VisitScotland - Scotland's National Tourist Organisation
Get all the information you need for your trip to Scotland! Book accommodation, discover new places to visit, find amazing things to do and more!www.visitscotland.com
What ever you get up too, have fun and all the best.
Thank you so much, sounds amazing. We will definitely do some of those things, maybe not heart attack him though . I'll report back on your recommendations. Thanks again, oh and enjoy your trip the other way.A good trip is the cairngorm mountain railway, you just continue on the road past the Glenmore camp site all the way to the end. They have put a barrier up now into the car park so costs £3 parking on the way out (can use card / apple pay at the barrier, I think but best to check before leaving). I'm sure the railway is operational but again might be best to check. Definitely go see the reindeer, you can walk to the base station from the camp site and see some in the paddock but I really highly recommend the hill walk, you have to drive a few miles up the road to a car park then a guide will take you in a small group for a 20 min hike on the hill side where you can walk in the herd / feed etc Last time I was there last winter there was around 50 reindeer was amazing. I really hope you get some dry sunny weather.
On the way home you could stop off at Glen Nevis camp site for a night or two, walk the bottom loop of Ben Nevis (Just DON'T the loop anti-clockwise up heart-attack hill), the river walk, up to the top of the mountain (about 7-9 hours round trip) or half way up to visit the Loch. If you go the end of the road you came in you can park and the very end (Get up EARLY as it is very tight towards the end) and go for one of the best family hikes to see Steall falls, when you come out into the glen on a sunny day it is something out of Lord of the rings no joke. Oh and there's a steel cable bridge to scramble over to get to see the waterfall up close and personal, take a change of socks/shoes if you don;t want to cross the bridge and just wade across the stream.
Just some links below, but best you explore and find out stuff for yourself but at least gives you a starter for some things to do. I'm traveling the other way to England / Wales the same day haha.
Aviemore Area
Ben Nevis Area
- Campsite — Glen Nevis Holidays
- Steall Falls and the Nevis Gorge
- NEPTUNE'S STAIRCASE: All You Need to Know BEFORE You Go (with Photos)
- Glenfinnan Visitor Guide - Accommodation, Things To Do & More
VisitScotland - Scotland's National Tourist Organisation
Get all the information you need for your trip to Scotland! Book accommodation, discover new places to visit, find amazing things to do and more!
What ever you get up too, have fun and all the best.
I don't think we will now, so many great things to see thanks to everyone's suggestions. I think we will just try and see as much as we can from the advice on here. Maybe we will not come back at all !
Does anyone know if Northern Joy is single?
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