I also live in Midlothian and am also going to Gairloch (Sands Caravan and Camping)the 1st week in August.
I'm not in the least worried at the moment as the weather is only accurate a day before. Remember that in Scotland it may rain a lot, but usually only in short bursts.
For things to do, I've looked at the Sands website and it recommends a few walks and there's a link to a brilliant website with loads of good walks to do around Gairloch. Get those kids of yours on one of an appropriate distance to tire them out and no more worries about being bored as you sit with a glass of wine while they are all asleep! I'm going to take my wee lad on a couple of the 2 mile walks rain or shine.
We're booked in at Sands too.
We've left the booking and deposit there, just in case the weather decides to behave better (ha)...so might well see you there!
And can we just assume that taking the kids walking to tire them out is a given. All our holidays are based on taking the kids walking to tire them out.
We are just back from a week at Sands in Gairloch. Very mixed bag of weather, including some scary high winds that felled a few tents around us but rain was mainly heavy showers rather than persistent and when the clouds cleared and the sun came out it was glorious.
My kids are 7, 11 and 14 (nearly 15) and they had a fantastic time. The park is fab for all ages of kids, there is a football pitch that was always full of kids in all but the worst of the weather and then they congregated in the indoor shelter area to tell each other tall tales. There is also an indoor games room which was well utilised when weather was grim. In good weather the beach is superb but we enjoyed walks over the dunes and along the beach every day.
We are tied with having the puppy with us to only outdoor activities so somewhere close to amenities wouldn't have helped much for us but your situation may differ and closer to town/city may appeal more. There is a swimming pool just up the road in Poolewe but we haven't been to it. This trip the furthest we ventured was Gairloch for the butchers (excellent in both quality and value....5 x 1lb bags sausages for £5!!), small convenience stores and pharmacy.
We are honestly smitten with Sands. It is such a well organised and thought out site with a lovely laid back, friendly, family vibe. The kids made heaps of friends and we all had a fantastic week. We were gutted to leave especially while the sun was shining! Although a dry pack up was a bonus :) We are planning to return as soon as we can. I have never seen my middle boy reluctant to come home but he begged to stay another night!
I wouldn't pay much heed to the forecast until a few days before as it is so changeable. If you do head to Sands and there is any chance of high winds, think about where you pitch. The views in some spots are stunning but allow the wind to howl straight off the water. We followed many of the tips on the wind thread on here and stood firm and cosy.
If you fancy somewhere with more going on, maybe look at Bunchrew near Inverness? We haven't stayed there (yet) but it has decent reviews and Inveness is lovely with plenty avaliable for kids. Silver Sands at Lossiemouth has a beautiful beach if the weather does decide to remember it is summer. The site is more commercial so depends what style you prefer. Tent pitching is informal which is nice.
Several people at Sands mentioned The Loft near Elgin as being excellent as well.
I hope wherever you end up going, the weather is kind and you all have a great week :)
Wow Bee thanks for posting. I appreciate you relating your trip back in such glowing positive terms! I'm glad we kept our booking at Sands having read what you have to say - especially when you are in a similar boat with kids. We have three aged 6, 7 and nearly 14. I had forgotten about the games room at Sands.
I'm also going to check out the other places you have suggested - not for this trip but possibly future ones. Like you I'm not keen on commercial sites, but they're always worth a peek.
Bee, we were at Sands too, came home on Wednesday, totally agree with everything you say about it and Fay's comments about your post!
We were pitched near the playground, and judging by the wonderful happy sound of kids playing, and keeping me entertained hearing all their imaginative games going on, it is a kids' paradise!
Wish we had discovered it when our lot were little, but Fay, if you have a 13 year old they will still enjoy mucking about in the football pitch and play area, there were plenty that age there all the time.
It is not until they get to 16 or so that they lose interest a bit for a while at least, so you should be ok!
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I'm glad my post has helped you feel more enthusiastic :) I agree with tentaddict that it is a kids' paradise!
My friend and her three boys were camping with us for the first 3 nights and as a novice camper she was really taken with the place. She commented that it gave the kids a chance to have a Famous Five type childhood experience! Lol!
I think for anyone not keen on kids it would probably be a site to avoid although if you pitch higher up in amongst the dunes, like we did on our last trip there, it is more peaceful. It does fall quiet at night time though. Even on Friday night when it was beginning to get busy the site was quiet by 11.30pm.
We probably crossed paths at some point tentaddict. We were pitched on the field opposite the ehu area. First outing for our Madjai (large touareg style bell). I was mainly to be seen with cute lab puppy in tow attracting a fan club or yelling at my boys to be nice to one another!
My blue haired teen girl was mainly in the shelter area charging her phone so she could text her boyfriend. She was lucky to have reception as I had none for the whole week and highland wifi access was also not working for me. It was lovely to have a break from the tech for the trip but worth bearing in mind if contact with the outside world is important to you.
My husband is generally less enthusiastic about camping than I am but he loved our week there and is plotting when we can go back and scheming to build a bigger trailer to make the pack up easier (I have warned him I'll just take more stuff! Haha!)
Hopefully the forecast will change and Scotland will get chance to bask in some sunshine for at least a little while this summer!
Beach - yes in the rain. Can paddle at the edge and splash. Take flask to fill with hot chocolate and lots of lunch. If you have wet suits even better.
Picnic in the car - have to sit in the boot and parents stand (use umbrella or under the boot opening).
Swimming at local pool.
Budget amount £6 (or other amount) and ask them to design a dinner/lunch. Needs thinking time at site and about an hour or so at the supermarket. My Brownies love doing this for a picnic tea.
Film -on the tablet/touch pad (use the cigarette lighter and USB thing in the car to recharge it as we don't do EUH).
Making bug / worm hotels. Can use a bucket and hunt for interesting stuff. Then need food for them too. Mine love this in the garden at home. Need to remind them to replace all into the bushes to live by itself.
Dominoes - really easy but we all enjoy it (even 3 year old).
Treasure Hunt - need clues and can use a code (A=1, B=2 or something else as there are many)to hunt. Sweets in wrapped in kitchen foil are always good or just wait until the end for a prize. Takes about an hour or two to set up/design and probably 10 mins to do.
Fay, every year from a baby (first bits don't remember) family went to Glenmore in the Cairngorms for three weeks in April. Over the years, we had heatwaves, blizzards, rain, snow, wind,rain, heatwaves, flash floods, thunderstorms and quite a few good days interspersed. No EHU, so no heaters/tv/kindles/dvd players/mobiles etc. OK, really awful, we had card and board games; otherwise, wet or not, we went out - learned a lot of skills that I've passed on to my son and he's passed on to his friends. Had some very special experiences: finding a capercailzie nest and meeting a genuine wild cat with two kits - all because we'd gone out on rainy days. Just go prepared and go for it!
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Amazing family weekend with old steam engines, classic car displays, market stalls, and full catering and bar. And camping on site - Save £25 by booking in advance.
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