Loch Lomond with Kids – A Holiday Photo Journal
We spent last week in Scotland for a family wedding in Edinburgh. Since the wedding was at the end of the week, and we haven’t seen much of Scotland we decided to make a little holiday of it. We spent the start of the week staying on Loch Lomond and had a wonderful time. I knew it would be beautiful – and it really was – but was pleasantly surprised at how family friendly it was, and how many good restaurants and cafes there were.
Since we started travelling as a family I’m always so aware of which places we visit are family friendly…and which are not. As well as sharing a photo-diary of our time on Loch Lomond, I thought it would also be useful to share my tips on where to go, what to see and (most importantly to me) what to eat!
We based ourselves in the town of Luss which is right on the water’s edge. It’s popular with tourists and therefore busy. We had brilliant weather whilst we were there, and the water was very still – perfect for paddling! Luss is a lovely town to wander around – on the roads down to the waters edge are pretty cottages which used to house workers for nearby quarries. There are also lots of little beaches, and when we visited they were packed with families playing at the edge of the water, sunbathing, and soaking up the sun.
We took two day trips during our stay. One was to Balmaha – a water taxi ride away from Luss. This was my daughter’s first time on a boat, and at only 25 minutes each way was very do-able, and very fun for her. We could take our buggy on board too which made things very easy. In Balmaha we took a short walk around the town, stopped for coffee, and my daughter learned how to roll down the little hills in the park surrounding the Tom Weir Statue. There was also a lovely little playground with a climbing frame, slide and a maze made from bamboo plants close to the Visitors Centre Car Park. My little one had a great time running through the maze.
Our second trip was to the Glengoyne Distillery. We spent around an hour there and took one of their distillery tours. Although you can’t take buggies on the tour, babies and children are welcome and families with younger children carried them around in a sling. The tour includes a glass of whisky, but if you’re driving you can ask for a little container to take yours home in. There’s also an option to try whisky and chocolate pairings. Afterwards we had lunch in the village of Killearn, which is just a short drive away.
Our favourite places to eat…
Lunch at The Boat House Restaurant, Cameron House – beautiful views over the loch, and lovely food with lots of seafood on the menu. They are well prepared for young children with crayons and activity packs.
Dinner at The Loch Lomond Arms Hotel – lovely seasonal food, local beers and a good childrens menu. It was very busy for dinner, and so it’s a good idea to book ahead.
Homemade Ice Cream from the Luss Village Shop.
Coffee at St Mocha in Balmaha.
Lunch, coffee and cake at Three Sisters Bake in Killearn – it was really difficult to choose what to eat here, as everything looked so good! In the end we settled on the daily salads and daily quiche, and a picnic plate for my daughter – cheese, raising, houmous, toast and vegetable sticks. It was a feast, and the perfect stop after our tour of Glengoyne distillery.
Over to you
Are you planning a family getaway soon? If so you might like my tips for taking great photos on your family holiday.
