Tag: castles

Sun, Sea and Sand on Holiday

When it was just the two of us, my husband and I used to love city breaks, but for our first proper holiday with the kids, we decided to have a different type of adventure in a caravan for a few nights on the East Coast of Scotland (we’ll save our more exotic destinations for when the girls are old enough to remember them). It was very reminiscent of camping and caravan holidays from my own childhood, and my husband’s too, before the era of cheap flights abroad. We’d toyed with an island break, but opted for somewhere that wouldn’t mean too long stuck in the car for the little ones but further away than we would travel for a daytrip.

East Beach, Dunbar

My husband and I always like to explore on holiday, but with kids in tow we found a good balance between using the amenities at the caravan park like the playpark and swimming pool (which was a first for our 8 month old daughter but she was perfectly content floating in her inflatable seat), and travelling a bit further afield to visit beaches around East Lothian and the Borders. We were incredibly lucky with the weather and only had one evening stuck inside the caravan playing games of Animal Snap and Little Bug Bingo, reading stories and watching cartoons while the rain hammered on the roof.

Yellowcraig beach

The caravan park turned out to be a great base for exploring the area, and we found some lovely beaches from East Beach at Dunbar, and Yellowcraig with views of Bass Rock and Fidra Lighthouse in East Lothian to Coldingham Bay in the Borders that we enjoyed so much I’m hoping we can return some day.

Coldingham Bay

Our oldest daughter was in her element exploring rock pools with her dad, splashing in the sea and digging in the sand; while our youngest daughter is a bit more cautious than her sister but happy enough digging her hands and feet in the sand and letting us dip her toes in the sea.

Beach babes

We ended our holiday with a wander around Dirleton Castle, originally built in the 1200s and remarkably still in tact. A few sections had been closed off to the public but still lots to explore for those willing to brave the remnants of medieval staircases, and there was a playpark just outside the castle walls too.

Dirleton Castle

We squeezed a lot of fun in the sun, sea and sand into our first family holiday, and I’ll treasure the memories we’ve made together. Back at home on the rainy West Coast again, we’re happy to be reunited with our cat Mara, settling back into our routines and surrounded by all the comforts of home. Have a lovely week. X

Capturing Castles at Mugdock Country Park

Situated 10 miles North of Glasgow and just a short drive for us, we’ve only visited Mugdock Country Park a handful of times, but I can see it becoming one of our regular jaunts because it’s such a fun place to wander and explore.

We’ve generally avoided parks and crowded places during the pandemic, and Mugdock Country Park seems to be popular with young families, dog walkers and cyclists, as well as people walking the West Highland Way, which cuts across the park, yet the only crowded area was the visitor centre where the toilets, cafe and children’s play park are all located, while the paths and walks around the grounds allowed plenty of space to keep a safe distance from others.

We followed the path from the Visitor Centre past the ruins of Craigend Castle through the woods, around Mugdock Loch before having a ramble about – and a little picnic – in the Mugdock Castle ruins before returning to the visitor centre and car park. It was a lovely family day out giving us a chance to stretch our legs and clear our heads while we explored.

With national and local restrictions around socialising in place and so much uncertainty hanging over the rest of the year, I’m so grateful that we’re still able to get out for little adventures around our beautiful country. Take care, and have a lovely week. X