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Fort William – |
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 Old
Inverlochy Castle – Nice crumbly 13th century castle, that once
had four round towers 30 feet high, surrounded by water. It's a a great
place for kids to run around. |
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Take
a boat ride – From Fort William pier, take a boat cruise on Loch
Linnhe. Great views of Ben Nevis and the loch. April - October. |
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"Harry
Potter" steam train – A great day trip is to take the Jacobite"
Steam Train, filmed in the Harry Potter movies. From Fort William, the train
passes over the Glenfinnian viaduct, along the lochs, to Mallaig on the
coast. Click
here for the schedule. |
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Caledonian
Canal (Banavie, near Fort William) – My kids are fascinated by
locks, all those gates opening and closing, the water rising up or gushing
out. Stop at Neptune's Staircase to see 8 successive locks on the
Caledonian Canal, a 19th century engineering feat. It took 20 years to build
and finally connected one coast of Scotland to the other. |
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Ride
up the mountain (Nevis Range, north of Fort William) – Ride the
gondola to the top of Aonach Tor, for glorious views of Ben Nevis (the tallest
mountain in Britain). There are easy walking paths, fine for little kids,
to viewpoints of the glens and lochs. Skiing in winter. |
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"Road to the Isles" (Mallaig) – If you're headed
to the Isle of Skye, one route is to take the "Road to the Isles" from Fort
William to Mallaig, and the ferry from there to Skye. On the way, stop at Arisaig Bay to play on the "silver sands," or watch the sunset over
the water. For more information about walks in the area, check out
the Road
to the Isles Web site. In Mallaig, visit the Mallaig Marine World,
an aquarium that specializes in local Scottish coast marine life and the
local fishing industry. |
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Walks in Inchree Forest (Inchree) – Take a hike
to Inchree Waterfall, an easy walk across the hills to a waterfall on the
River Righ. Great views of Loch Linnhe too. |
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Glencoe – Loch Leven |
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The
Pass of Glencoe is synonymous with treachery, notably the slaughter of the
MacDonalds by King William's army in 1692. Today, take a hike through these
hills and hidden valleys. Hike to Coire Gabhail, one of these gorgeous
valleys where the MacDonalds hid their stolen cattle. You'll see waterfalls,
clear streams, and snow capped mountains on the way. |
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In Glencoe, the Glencoe Visitor Centre has exhibits about the
landscape, wildlife and people of this area, and stop into the Glencoe
and North Lorn Folk Museum to see a restored thatched cottage. Take
a walk on Lochan Trail – a scenic, easy trail goes around
the small lake. |
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Ballachulish – Anyone with a sweet tooth will want to stop into the Old
Ferry House, a Confectionary Factory, to try traditional Scottish
sweets, especially a hard fudge called "Islay Tablet." |
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When Jessup
and Emily's family inherits a crumbling castle on Lismore Island
in the middle of Loch Linnhe, the kids encounter the Boggart, a
gleeful spirit that flitters about, likes bacon and sausage, and
plays tricks before breakfast. (Chapter book)
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In
this exciting historical novel, Bonnie Prince Charlie gathers
the Highland clans to rise against English rule, and young Duncan
marches with the MacDonalds. Duncan joins in the great battle
of Culloden, but despite the crushing defeat, he survives to help
Prince Charlie escape through Glen Roy to Loch Lochy. A great
adventure, rich in Highland life. (Chapter book)
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(More children's
books on other Scotland pages) |
