Tips for the West Coast& Isle of Skye with Kids
Our family really benefited from tips from friends who had previously traveled to the West Coast and Isle of Skye. So, I would like to pay it forward with a few tips from our recent experience with our small children.
West Coast
Where to Go
Highland Cow (pronounced coo)
We stayed inland and took excursions to the Isle of Skye. There are a number of small villages that host tourists, including Plockton, Kyle of Lochalsh, Duirnish, and Dornie.
Where to Stay
There are many hotels and B&Bs to choose from if that’s your thing. However, you might want to consider a self-catering lodge. They come in 1, 2, or 3 bedroom. We really enjoyed our stay at Duirinish Holiday Lodges and highly recommend it. The lodge was well-maintained, rustic-feeling with all the modern conveniences (including a TV and DVD player with 300 DVDs for rent at 1GBP/night), and a very well-equipped kitchen. We saved a lot of money by making our breakfasts and dinners, and only eating our for lunch. I was also impressed with the friendly service at Plockton Hotel in Plockton.
*Do check that your lodging offers wireless internet access if that’s important to you. Duirinish Holiday Lodges did not offer internet access, but we were able to drive into Plockton ad get unlimited access for 1 GBP at Plockton Hotel.
Where to Eat
As I mentioned before, we stayed in a self-catering lodge, so we made our own breakfasts and dinners. We preferred to eat lunch out while we were on excursions. However, we did enjoy where we ate out, especially Plockton Hotel. They offered a great variety for reasonable prices (meaning under 10 GBP). I would also recommend the little holes in the wall- they can be happy surprises. Many places offered seasonal and Scottish fare, such as prawns, squab lobsters, and venison. If that’s not appealing to you, rest assured that most had American and kid-friendly options, such as burgers and chips (aka fries), too.
Where to Go
Everybody likes different stuff, and there’s quite a gap between what adults and little ones like. So, we tried to split the difference. For instance we had 2 full days on the West Coast, so we did one day more for us and one day more for the kids.
A trip to the Isle of Skye
Day 1: We did a 1.5 hour drive over the bridge to the Isle of Skye and onto Dunvegan Castle. You can cross over to Skye by ferry, train, or over the bridge. This was not exactly great fun for the kids, so we thought getting the car ride over with for them was wise. We made sure we had good snacks and a portable DVD player ready to go. They did great, and we all enjoyed touring the castle (though it is under restoration construction). In all honesty, I think the drive through the Isle of Skye was more worth the trip than the castle itself.
Day 2: We stayed inland and we loved our day! I would recommend it all:
Calum’s Seal Boat Tours in Plockton- Calum is a lifelong resident of Plockton and was a friendly and kind captain. He only charges you after you’ve spotted seals (the same goes for his dolphin tours), and the fares are very reasonable- 7 GBP for adults and 4.50 GBP for kids, though he waived any fees for our 2 and 3 year olds. Plus, Calum allowed both children to steer the boat and gave them suckers. They were won over immediately.
Craig Highland Farm in Plockton- just past the Duncraig Castle is this delightful farm. The backdrop is simply incredible and all the animals are friendly and ready to be fed. The family who lives there has a piggy bank set out for you to pay- 1.50GBP for adults and 1 GBP for kids. They also sell bags of feed for 20p. It’s a steal! The kids loved the animals (so did I, in fact!) and feeding them directly from their hands. We loved the scenery and soaked it all in. The highlight was seeing the peacock spread his feathers and prance around. Amazing.
{3 adults and 2 kids got in and with 3 bags of feed for 7 GBP. Worth every penny!}
Eilean Donan on a clearer, warmer day
This castle is in Dornie and is set on the beach with mountains overlooking. It is beautiful and you won’t be able to resist snapping picture after picture. This ruin was restored in the 30’s. For practical information, they are open until 5:30, though the coffee shop and gift shop close at 5 and 4:45 respectively and the last admission to the castle is at 5. They charge 5.50 GBP foe adults. We really enjoyed our tour there.
Inverness
Where to Stay
Days 3 & 4: On our way back to Aberdeen, we stopped for a night in Inverness. We stayed at Inverglen Guest House, a great B&B. It was clean, lovely, and the owners were very friendly. We enjoyed a cooked-to-order Scottish breakfast at a time of our choosing. I would highly recommend Inverglen Guest House to anyone looking for accomodations in Inverness.
Where to Go
Urqhart Castle
As for actual activities, just enjoying Loch Ness and visiting Urquhart Castle is well-worth your time. We loved Urquhart Castle and ended up buying membership for Historic Scotland, which covers many castles (though not all), including Urquhart, Stirling, Edinburgh, and Huntly- all on our agenda or certain repeats for our family.
Where to Eat
Our favorite meal (besides the gluttonous Scottish breakfast) was at Bella Italia, where we ordered a family deal for 30 GBP and got garlic bread, salad, lasagna, and pizza with 4 toppings. This easily fed all 5 of us, and I almost licked my plate. Individual plates were mostly under 10 GBP, which I think is a steal for dinner in the UK>
Possible itinerary for a 3 or 4 day trip, ending in Aberdeen
Day 1- full drive (4.5 hrs), stopping past Inverness at Urqhart Castle
Day 2- Isle of Skye (Dunvegan, Portree)
Day 3- West Coast towns or Armadale Castle, Museum, & Gardens or Applecross drive (3 hrs)
Day 4- drive back, stopping in Inverness for the night or a break and in Huntly for the castle and Dean’s Shortbread Factory- we LOVE this castle and shortbread factory. There is also a great cafe with a viewing gallery that overlooks the shortbread kitchen!
{One more tip: Just assume it’s going to rain and be cold. If it’s not, be happily surprised! We got half and half and still loved every minute!}
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Thanks for the great tips. Can’t wait to take our own trip. =)
Especially fun to read since I was with you! It was a really nice trip which we all enjoyed – great planning Em!!
Great information! I’ve been looking for something like this for a while now. Thanks!
well written blog. Im glad that I could find more info on this. thanks