One year planning a summer trip to England and Scotland, our kids definitely wanted to visit Loch Ness to search for Nessie, the mythical creature in the lake.
From London, we took the overnight Caledonian Sleeper, boarded the train in the evening, and woke up in Inverness. We had two connecting rooms, the boys had their own compartment.
On return train trip from Scotland to London, in the long summer days, the sun doesn’t set until 9:00pm. The ride through green, green fields, Moray Firth disappearing in the distance, a golden light suffusing the sky, it was magical.
Tip: Scotland in summer is a wonderful combination of sunny skies, which can quickly fill with clouds; after a short rain shower, sun comes out again.
Inverness – Loch Ness
Take a two hour cruise on Loch Ness. We diligently kept our eyes open, scanning the ruffled waves of the lake, but Nessie didn’t make an appearance. On the lake it can get “a wee bit windy,” be sure to bring jackets.
Take time to explore Urquhart Castle on your own. Our kids zipped up and down the ramparts, peered out through windows, making our way to the top for a view the surrounding panorama of Loch Ness. All the while, a bagpiper was piping a classic Scottish tune.
The Loch Ness Experience in Drumnadrochit is a fascinating exhibition about different legends of Nessie and scientific research to get to the bottom of this mystery. The lake, very long, very cold, and very deep, has been studied by expeditions in small submarines, people have taken movies and underwater photos, and analyzed DNA data from lake. The search for Nessie continues …
More fun things to do with kids around Inverness.
Fort William & Around
The town of Fort William, easily accessible by train or car, is centrally located for exploring magnificent Highlands scenery in all directions.
For a great day trip, take The Jacobite steam train, familiar in Harry Potter movies – kids can ride the train to Hogwarts!
From Fort William, the train passes over the Glenfinnan viaduct, runs along the lakes to the town of Mallaig on the coast.
Here’s the schedule.
Tip: In summer, you’ll need a reservation for The Jacobite steam train. If the steam train is fully booked on day you want to ride, regular ScotRail train line from Fort William to Mallaig runs on the same track (and is cheaper).
The day we hiked to Steall Falls was a gift.
The day might have been gray and misty, cloudy, raining here and there. But it was bright sun, we set out with a picnic lunch and were set for the day.
Starting at the Lower Falls car parking, the hike is 3.7 miles (6 km) round trip. One section of the path is high above the river, there are no guard rails. The trail is wide, and well-maintained, but rocky in spots, hike is best with older kids.
Stay on the trail, closed toed shoes are essential, no flip flops, and take care if the rocks are wet.
After hiking up to Steall Falls, we continued our hike, following the trail down through Glen Nevis, bright with green fields and wildflowers, Highland cattle and sheep grazing. For younger kids, or if you only have a short time to hike in Glen Nevis, take the Riverside Walk from the Visitor Centre.
We’d love to return to Fort William area and explore more.
Check out Travel for Kids list of Fort William family hotels & vacation rentals.
Smoked Salmon Pate and Oatcakes
We had delicious smoked salmon pate and oatcakes at a Fort William restaurant. After returning home, time to whip up a batch of pate.
8 oz. 225g smoked salmon, sliced into pieces
3 ½ tbsp 50g softened butter
1 tbsp olive oil
1 tbsp lemon juice (more to taste)
4 tsp crème fraiche or heavy cream
Box of Walkers Highland oatcakes 9.9 oz. 280g.
In small food processor blend olive oil and butter until smooth.
Add lemon juice and crème fraiche until blended.
Add smoked salmon and pinch of salt, blend until desired texture.
Serve smoked salmon pate on oatcakes.
Store pate refrigerated in air-tight container for up to 4 days. Take out of refrigerator about 15 minutes before serving.
Adapted from The Wee Larder by Angie Milne angiemilne.com
The trail beckons …
Travel for Kids
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