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Discover what you need to know to travel to Scotland with children, an ideal destination for families without a doubt. Its landscapes, its history, the epic legends of each of its corners and, of course, its castles make it an attractive trip for family vacations.

Scotland has magic and for you to imbue yourself with it, we have prepared a great article for family trips based on our personal experience. Here we explain our route, the best tips for traveling with children to Scotland and a list of the 20 essential plans that you cannot miss if you decide to undertake this wonderful adventure. You dare?

We tell you everything from our own experience of our last 10 days trip with a rental motorhome through Scotland. a trip through Scotland by motorhome with our 7 and 10 year old children that we will never forget and that we will surely repeat!

And if you don't like the motorhome, don't worry, there are a thousand options. tours with great hotels for families through the best of Scotland with everything you need to enjoy and forget about planning and preparation, since with children we already know that we have everything but time!

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Let's get started, hold on tight behind the wheel, we're going to prepare this family trip!

Our 10-day route to see and do the 20 essentials of Scotland with children

This past October we were lucky enough to fulfill a dream. Travel to Scotland during 10 days with family.

Our trip began by flying from Barcelona to Glasgow and from there we picked up the rental motorhome that we reserved through Yescapa from an individual, which saved us €600 versus what a rental company there was asking us for. Yescapa is an AirB&B type platform but for motorhomes of which we have honestly been very happy with everything. The motorhome was 10, its owner was super attentive and the platform was agile and very easy to use.

In case you are interested I have written a post about How to rent a cheap motorhome through Yescapa : Tips and tricks that may interest you.

Summary of our route to travel to Scotland with children

So, we started our route in Glasgow and this is the 10-day route through Scotland with children that we did and that we propose:

• Day 1: Glasgow- Kelpies
• Day 2: Stirling-Stirling Castle- Hermitage Forest -Dunkeld
• Day 3: Tay River Rafting – Queen's Viewpoint- Faskally Enchanted Forest- Pitlochry
• Day 4: Highland Folk Museum- Highlands Wild Life Park- Aviemore -Cairgorm- Glenmore
• Day 5: Inverness- Lake Ness
• Day 6: Urqhuart Castle- Fort Augustus- Eilean Donan Castle
• Day 7: Isle of Skye
• Day 8: Viaduct de Glenfinnan train Harry Potter–Ben Nevis
• Day 9: Fort William-Glencoe
• Day 10: Glencoe Valley- Loch Lomond & Trossachs National Park – Glasgow

Map to travel to Scotland with children

Our choice of places to visit on our route was the result of planning work to maximize our time in the place, starting with the preparation of this map that we made with those places of interest in Scotland with children that we might like to visit.

I leave you the map, so that you can also choose other places and have a broad vision of everything that Scotland offers.

9 tips for traveling to Scotland as a family

In the suitcase: Take raincoats, Goretex hiking boots and waterproof pants and forget about umbrellas!

Scotland's weather is rain-sun-rain-sun and so changeable and unpredictable all day. Of the 10 days we stayed, it rained 9. Of the 9, only 1 was heavy rain.

Based on our experience, I recommend you to wear raincoats, one of those that are made into a small package and that you can put in your backpack or fasten around your waist. Without a doubt, it was the most used part of the trip.

The goretex mountain boots were also the protagonists of the trip and we did not need to use spare shoes thanks to them.

Finally, the waterproof pants, which are sold at a very good price at the Decathlon, were also very good for us, especially for the day of intense rain, although the latter, due to the use we gave it, you can do without.

What I don't recommend bringing are umbrellas, the air when it rains makes them useless in Scotland, and apart from that they limit your mobility with the children a lot.

Oh and if you forget here a chain of mountain clothing stores that saved our lives!

Anna was wearing Decathlon Goretex hiking boots but Arnau was wearing only sneakers that seemed to be waterproof. Only on the first day did Arnau end up with wet shoes and we had to use a few spare seconds that also got wet.

Good luck with The Mountain Warehouse, a chain of mountain clothing stores that I already knew when I lived in the North of England. Here we found some great goretex hiking boots that solved the whole trip for us and at a good price.

Before going, look at the Harry Potter saga, Brave and some tales of the Loch Ness monster

There is nothing better than soaking up what we will later see live and direct. Children love to have a little knowledge and then recognize in their own experience what they have learned. The travel experience becomes more intense, I assure you.

To introduce our children to Scottish culture and history we watched Brave set in Scotland, read stories and watched videos about Scotland on Youtube made for children. The story of the Loch Ness monster cannot be missing, within these.

The daddies also watched Braveheart and Outlander, without them, and then we told them a little history about Scotland.

Finally, we saw the Harry Potter saga shot in many places in Scotland that we later visited.

Passports and queues at the airport with children

With the Brexit of the United Kingdom and from 2022 to enter Scotland we will need to carry the valid passports of all family members.

Therefore remember in time to make or renew passports.

For children, both to do it for the first time, and to renew the passport, you will need both parents or guardians to go with your child, take a photograph and bring the family book, in addition to bringing the amount in cash of what it costs.

Also, if you renew it you must bring the last expired passport, don't forget it!

European health card, mobile roaming and driving license

Although Great Britain has left the European Union, it has maintained as before certain aspects such as the use of the European health card, roaming as if it were a country of the European Union or the use of the driving license of European countries as valid and your vehicle insurance.

So, you should not worry about the use of your mobile, it will be like going to France, at most the data will limit you a little depending on which company you have.

Nor should you worry if you go with your car insurance or your driver's license, they will be valid the same as in Spain.

And for health you can take the European health card and they will attend you in the emergency room of any hospital. Although here, you should know some important things. Public health in Great Britain is not like in Spain, it is minimal. That is why if you have to use the European health card, we know from friends that you are going to have to make a significant copayment, depending on what you go for and that part of that copayment will not be returned to you by the Spanish health system when you return, and the one that is returned to you they will do it at 2 years as we know from experience.

To avoid a bad drink, we with the children contracted travel insurance with Iati, which for the price of 10 days, the 4 of us, was worth being calm. Luckily we didn't have to use it, but on other occasions we did, we know that with a simple call everything is very easy with Iati.

If you plan to hire travel insurance in this link you will get a 5% discount at the end:

   

Currency and currency exchange, discover how to save a little on your trip

The pound sterling is a different currency to the euro and that causes some inconvenience to the traveler.

Currency exchanges must always be looked at with a magnifying glass. Due to the associated commissions, they are a source of great income for banks.

The first recommendation in this regard to save is that whenever you pay or withdraw money there you choose the pound sterling as the payment method (it will give you a choice between euro or pound), in this way it will always work out better for you.

The second recommendation is that before traveling to the United Kingdom and Scotland you take a good look at the conditions that your card has in 3 aspects:

• The commissions that apply to you for withdrawing money from ATMs.
• The commissions that apply to the currency exchange in card payment transactions.
• The currency exchange Euros - Pound sterling at how much they have it on the same day.

Looking at these three things well you can save a lot of money at the end of the trip.

To get the best change, I recommend 2 cards that after much comparison are the best for currency exchange and worldwide:

• The smart account card of Evo Banco, formerly Nova Caixa Galicia. A card with absolutely 0 commissions and worldwide in money withdrawals and currency exchange. It's what we carry. Since I left for Erasmus in the United Kingdom when I was 20 years old, I have had it and used it and once after another I verified that they did not charge me a single euro in commissions and that the currency exchange rate is the same as the official internet rate.
• The Revolut card, which some of our close friends use and have always recommended to us, although we have not tried it yet. A card that is easily activated in minutes from the internet and that supports unlimited top-ups. The bad thing that we see is that you can only withdraw 200 euros per month at ATMs maximum without commission.

In summer sun cream and anti-mosquitoes, for other times it is not necessary

Many people told us to bring mosquito repellents, but, on the other hand, when we went in October, we didn't find a single one. If you are going to travel to Scotland with children at least, think about it.

Of course, for all the friends who warned us, if you go in summer, do not forget sun cream or anti-mosquito products. Scotland is full of lakes and water from the rains and with the heat they appear.

They do not let minors pass in many Pubs

Be careful with the pubs. They are ideal places to go with children to eat typical and homemade food in Scotland, but some are forbidden to minors.

Explorer Pass, free tickets and buy some tickets in advance, planning a little for the schedules

If once you review the plans that I propose below, you decide to visit two castles that I am telling you about, or more, it is worth getting the family Explorer Pass to travel to Scotland with children

The Explorer Pass has been changing in recent years, before there were 14 and 7 days, and now, depending on the time of year, they sell it for more or less days or they don't sell it at all.

So go directly to the official website of Historic Environment of Scotland and see what options you have depending on when you go: https://www.historicenvironment.scot/visit-a-place/travel-trade/explorer-pass/

We traveled in October, they only sold the 7 consecutive days and there was no family option, it cost 35 pounds for adults and 21 for children from 5 to 15, children under 5 tickets are free in the public historical places of Scotland.

The truth is that in the end, we amortized it, but just barely. This is because many places we visited, which are very emblematic, were private and were not among the 70 places that enter with the Explorer Pass. So if you doubt, perhaps for what you can save you will not need it.

On the other hand, plan your visits well. The schedules are not as extensive as in Spain at 17:XNUMX p.m. many of the attractions and places of interest close.

TIP: Especially if Do you want to get on the Harry Potter train? Reserve it in advance, it is what runs out sooner just like the Easiest rafting in the Tay for children aged 8 and up. And finally, if your little ones are total Harry Potter fans, book the Harry Potter Castle tour, We couldn't go because there were no more tickets left!

Finally, if you are going to travel to Scotland with children, take advantage of the free visit to some more than interesting museums such as the Folklore of the Highlands.

Motorhome or bed and breakfast, a whole family adventure!

Traveling to Scotland with children in a rental motorhome

Without a doubt, for us, visiting Scotland in a rental motorhome with children was a great experience. An adventure that the children loved and made it much easier for us by carrying the house on our backs. That it was raining, everyone inside, that the sun was coming out, outside.

So without a doubt I recommend renting a motorhome in Scotland, which you can do like us through the Yescapa platform between individuals. Where we saved 600 euros on another motorhome from a professional.

By the way, to travel by motorhome in Scotland you must be clear about one premise. Staying overnight is mostly prohibited in almost all public and private car parks, so you must have the chip that you should plan the trip well beforehand and go to motorhome areas and campsites, especially to sleep in Scotland with a motorhome. You can read all about the regulations and our experience in Scotland in a motorhome here.

Traveling to Scotland with children from Bed & Breakfast + rental car

The second option, which will be more or less the same price and which children also love is to go to Bed & Breakfast and rent a car thereí. Go on the road trip every day, or every two, at a different Bed & Breakfast. Another adventure, where every day you discover small Scottish cottages with impressive breakfasts, your children will surely love it.

From here you can see a lot of Bed & Breakfast in Scotland and book them comfortably.

The 20 essential things to see and do in Scotland with children

1 Discover the magic of Kelpies

the kelpies are located in The Helix, a park located on the outskirts of Falkirk that aims to connect several communities in the area and transform the union of the Forth and Clyde canals into the River Forth. The Kelpies It is made up of two steel sculptures of horse heads, 30 meters high and weighing 300 tons. They were designed by Andy Scott and inspired by the clydesdale, the mythical Scottish draft horses. It is a tribute to the work horses that, for centuries, moved the Scottish economy and since its inauguration, in 2014, they already represent an icon of the country.

They owe their name to the Scottish term Kelpie that designates a water spirit capable of changing its form and that usually appears in the form of a horse. It lives in the lochs and ponds of Scotland and a well-known story of a Kelpie It is the Loch Ness.

The visit is completely free, as it is an open-air park, and accessible 24 hours a day. The area invites you to take a peaceful walk by the water and have a hot chocolate while contemplating the magnificent landscape.

One last piece of advice, don't forget to walk along the park's trails that surround the Kelpies, they are full of animals with information panels and the setting is beautiful!

If you go in a motorhome or camper, you can also spend the night in the parking lot, without services, of the Kelpies for 7,5 pounds. 

2 Counting unicorns at Stirling Castle, an essential plan in Scotland with children

El Stirling Castle It is a fortress from the 19th century. XIII, expanded between the 14th and 17th centuries, located in Stirling and one of the largest and most relevant castles both historically and architecturally, as well as the setting for well-known movies like Braveheart. It was built on top of a peak of volcanic origin and 3 of its sides are surrounded by steep cliffs.

This is where you discover that the unicorn is the national animal of Scotland.

The visit to the castle holds a surprise for you that, from the beginning, you can fit in as a joke; It's about counting the unicorns that decorate each of the castle's chambers.

In addition, during the visit, a very entertaining contest is held in Spanish, in which the boys and girls must answer questions and solve enigmas.

Finally, you should know that, during the tour, various actors and actresses explain the history of the castle with a certain humor and, even if it is in English, it is worth trying to follow the explanations.

3 Walk through the most magical forests of Scotland with children

The Hermitage, Dunkeld

Just 30 minutes from Pitlochry, there is a forest that seems straight out of a story. Its about forest Hermitage, located 5 km from the village of Dunkeld. It was between the years 1738 and 1830 that the dukes who inhabited the blair castle, at Pitlochry, they planted millions of conifers around Dunkeld, where they had a winter residence. A few centuries later, the gigantic trees create a dreamlike atmosphere in one of Scotland's most iconic forests.

The trail of Hermitage It starts very close to the car park and you can choose between three different circular routes: one of 2,5 km (1 hour), another of 6,5 km (2 hours) and, finally, one of 8 km (2 and a half hours). ).

Faskally, in Pitlochry

When autumn knocks on the door of Scotland, one of its forests is filled with magic and colour. the enchanted forest faskally, on the outskirts of Pitlochry, becomes a spectacle of light and music during an evening walk in the open air. The itinerary is circular, lasts approximately an hour and a half and is very well signposted. It is necessary to go warm and with good shoes.

During the tour, there are various food stalls and food trucks where you can order something warm, recover and enjoy the experience even more. Without a doubt, the best food truck for our children was the one with the marshmallows, the famous marshmallows. After buying them, we roast them over the campfire boy scout style.

It is super important to book tickets in advance, especially if you intend to visit on holidays or weekends. In that case, we recommend getting them several months in advance. We leave you the link of the official website https://www.enchantedforest.org.uk/tickets/

4 Go kayaking or rafting on the Tummel or Tay rivers on our trip to Scotland with children

The river Tay provides a wonderful opportunity for children to introduce them to rafting on the River Tay from the age of 8, in a unique natural environment, in the area of pitlochry. And for the most daring, the white waters of the river Bustle surprise with its technical channel, full of several whitewater rapids.

There are several adventure companies where you can hire the activities, they last about 3 hours and the minimum age is usually 8 years old.

One last piece of advice, go up to the viewpoint of the Queen to see the incredible views over the river and lake of Tummel. This family photo will stay with us for posterity.

5 Visit the Highland Folklore Museum, a must when traveling to Scotland with children

From April 1 to August 31 (daily from 10:00 a.m. to 17:00 p.m.) and from September 1 to October 28 (from 10:00 a.m. to 16:00 p.m.), you can experience what life was like in the Highlands between the 1700s and 1950s. This is a free, donation-based, open-air museum with some 35 historic buildings from the era and various volunteers who recreate the activities of those times, along with numerous animals such as the typical hairy cows of the Highlands or the breed of Scottish horses that look more like a unicorn than a horse.

It is very interesting, especially for the little ones in the family, and you can consult the details in the following link https://www.highlifehighland.com/highlandfolkmuseum/

6 Highland Wildlife Park Safari

In the town of kingcraig, you can venture on a safari with your own vehicle, lasting about 2-3 hours, and in which you can spot deer, bison and reindeer. In the same park there is the alternative of following a circuit on foot to discover other animals such as monkeys, two polar bears, tigers and lynx. If you are going to travel to Scotland with children you cannot miss this safari.

Pets are not allowed in the car park or in the park, with the exception of assistance dogs. You can get more information and purchase tickets on the following website https://www.highlandwildlifepark.org.uk/tickets/

7 If you travel to Scotland with children, do not miss the Cairngorm National Park

The mountain cairngorm It is part of the National Park, in the heart of the Highlands. It is one of the most beautiful mountains in Scotland and one of the most popular ski resorts in the UK. But the attraction of cairngorm It is not limited exclusively to winter, since it is also the favorite summer destination for lovers of outdoor activities.

You can climb the 400 meter difference in altitude between the base station and the top station and use the funicular to descend. Normally, hiking is not allowed after the funicular ride, unless you are going on a guided tour or want to ski or mountain bike down. The funicular routes are every 20 minutes and the last one going up is at 16:16 p.m., while the one going down is at 30:XNUMX p.m. At the top station, there is a restaurant with panoramic views.

In the National Park there is also the Forest Park glenmore, where the set of ancient trees and the lakes with sandy beaches make it an idyllic destination. One of its lakes is Loch Morlich, known as the highest beach in Scotland, where you can practice water sports.

8 Boat tour from Inverness and the search for seals

Dolphin Spirit is an initiative that offers motorboat getaways around the Moray Fjord, being able to find dolphins or seals during the journey. There are two types of excursions: The Mischief, with a journey of 2h, and the The Spirit, 1 hour and 15 minutes long. You can get more information and purchase tickets at https://dolphinspirit.co.uk/

Also, you can see seals at two more points, and more likely than here:

• At Dunvegan Castle on the Isle of Skye where small boats go out to see the nearby seals
• In fort William where a boat departs to see them on an island in the lake.

If I tell you that we went to these three places and that we didn't see seals in any of them, would you believe it? Well, as you can hear, in Inverness at Dolphin Spirit we had no luck, in Dunvegan in October the little boats don't leave to see the seals anymore and in Fort William they closed just the day we went and that here are 365 days that the boats leave... One another anecdote to tell and something for which we must return to Scotland.

9 The magic of Leakey's Bookshop

If you feel that, for you, reading is a religion, you can not miss the opportunity to visit the largest second-hand bookstore in Scotland, Leakey's Bookshop, located in an old church in Iverness. In it, you will find classic volumes, old maps and you can have a drink and sit down to read and smell the long age of some of his books, through its pages.

10 Have you seen Nessie? Traveling to Scotland with children is looking for Nessie

3 km from Drumnadrochit, in front of Loch Ness, are the ruins of Urquhart Castle, the foundations of which date from the 1692th century, although it was not until the XNUMXth century that it took the form in which we know it. Currently, what we see are the ruins that were left after the fire that the English caused in XNUMX to prevent it from being taken over by the Jacobites. It is from this magnificent spot that you can soak up a splendid view of Loch Ness and have fun looking for Nessie.

Next to the castle ruins there is a parking lot and from there, an underground passage leads you to the visitor center, a souvenir shop and a cafeteria.

11 Eat like a Scotsman on your trip to Scotland with children

Don't end your Scottish experience without first having breakfast like a Scot, the typical plate of eggs with bacon or the porridge, based on milk, oats, seeds and fruit.

To eat, do not miss the fish & chips (also know as fish supper), The stovie (typical stew), the meatloaf or, for the most daring, the haggis (a sausage prepared with sheep viscera and that tastes like an onion blood sausage).

 12 From castle to castle and I shoot because it's my turn

the castle of Eilean Donan is a marvelous XNUMXth century fortress on the lake of Duich, connected, in turn, with the Atlantic through another lake (alsh lake). Its only access was by boat or through a narrow stone bridge, which connects the island with the shore of the lake, constituting a large defense site. It is an idyllic place and has its own legend, do you want to discover it? Do not miss it on your trip to Scotland with children.

On the other hand, you have the castle of Dunvegan (XNUMXth century), the Scottish castle that has been inhabited for the longest time and is located on the island of skye. Currently, you can visit it, take a boat ride and even stay in the nearby ranches. Inside, it houses three historical objects that have been passed down from generation to generation, go ahead and look for them! We give you clues: The Cup of Dunvegan, The Fairy Flag (fairy flag) and the Sir Rory Mor's horn.

https://www.dunvegancastle.com

And you can't forget Dunnottar Castle (40th-XNUMXth centuries), the most beautiful ruins in Scotland. This castle stands on top of a rocky outcrop on the spectacular cliffs of Stonehaven. It can be reached on foot in about XNUMX minutes from Stonehaven, through a dreamy narrow path between hills.

https://www.dunnottarcastle.co.uk/

The visit of many castles includes activities for children and there is the option of buying the family ticket pack that works out very well, that is if you do not have the explorer pass. Although for example the Eilean Donan does not enter the Explorer Pass, since it is private.

13 Skye, Fairyland

fairy glen It is the valley of the fairies of the island of Skye and one of the most beautiful and magical natural landscapes in Scotland. The different geological formations activate your imagination and the highest point, a rock formation that resembles the ruins of a castle, is called castle ewen.

The natural pools Fairy Poolsat the foot of the mountain cuillin, make up one of the most popular hiking routes, due to the spectacular landscape and the beauty of the pools, where, if you dare, you can bathe and try the low temperature at which the fairies are soaked.

14 Do not skip tea time if you are traveling to Scotland with children

When you've been in Scotland for a few days, you'll talk about afternoon tea and it is that the habit of taking this afternoon snack, between 3 and 5 in the afternoon, spread rapidly among the aristocracy and the upper class of the United Kingdom. And if you prefer, you can replace the tea with a hot chocolate with Marshmallows, cheesecake, carrotcake or brownie.  

 15 Climb Ben Nevis

We encourage you to ascend a part or to the top of the Ben Nevis, the highest mountain in the United Kingdom (1340m), next to the town Fort-Williams. The tourist route can be done as a family, although you must bear in mind that there is quite a difference in altitude and that the weather can change suddenly, for which you have to be prepared. It takes about 3:30 hours to go up and a little less to go down, although with children the total duration can reach 10 hours.

16 Enjoy watching the Harry Potter train go by

The viaduct of glenfinnan is very close to Fort William, at the entrance to the Scottish Highlands, and is popular for having appeared in all 4 Harry Potter films. In fact, the Hogwarts Express exists, although with the name of A Jacobite, and passes through the viaduct daily from May to October.

It was in 1897 that work began on the viaduct with the aim of connecting the cities of Fort William y Mallaig, although it was not until 1901 that it began its activity. Its history of more than a century is undoubtedly a reason to stop at a viewpoint and observe such a great spectacle.

17 Traveling to Scotland with children is discovering the settings of Harry Potter

Scotland's natural magic served as the setting for the Harry Potter films and since you're here or planning to visit, why not discover each of those places? It can be a super stimulating activity on your trip to Scotland with children. 

Discover Loch Shiel, Glencoe, Glen Nevis and the Steall Falls, Black Rock Gorge, Loch Eilt, Loch Arkaig, Corrour Station on Rannoch Moor, Loch Etive and Loch Morar.

18 An essential when traveling to Scotland with children: City break to Edinburgh

Traveling to Scotland with children cannot be conceived without seeing its capital. Edinburgh is a charming city brimming with history. If you have been wanting more places related to Harry Potter, you can stop by the cafeteria Elephant House, which saw the birth of the character and his adventures.

Take the opportunity and visit the Royal Mile, St. Margarets Chapel, the pubs and restaurants of the Leith Walk, stroll through the Old Town, enjoy watching how the whiskey is distilled in the Scotch Whiskey Heritage Center, entertain yourself in Calton Hill and why not see Edinburgh from the top of Arthur's Seat.

19 A game to travel to Scotland with children: look for Wally, but in "hairy cows"

The Scottish hairy cows or the Highlands cow, a native breed of the area, are a great attraction for the little ones. The best thing is that they are the fewest to see in the Scottish fields, so seeing them will be like a game throughout the trip. A look for Wally of hairy cows.

Here I leave you some clues of where to see them, where we saw them:

• At the Highland Folk Museum
• At Romesdal Croft and at other points on the road on the Isle of Skye
• In a small restaurant near Arduaine Garden
• Trossachs Woolen Mill, a souvenir cafe in Callander

20 Try a bed & breakfast

Scotland has so many picturesque corners that it is always a good idea to savor the hospitality of the people in a special accommodation and enjoy the authentic Scottish breakfast with the feeling of being at home. If you are traveling to Scotland with children, try the warmth of these accommodations.

If you liked this proposal, improve it and enjoy it with your family! Then I hope you share it with us in comments!