What a fantastic day we had exploring Edinburgh! I spent the day hopping on and off the sightseeing tour bus with the three boys. It was a great way to take in all the city’s iconic sights without the hassle of walking everywhere. From the Castle to the Royal Mile, and all the hidden gems in between – we really made the most of it! We all had a blast. Definitely a day to remember! #EdinburghAdventures #FamilyFun #SightseeingWithKids
On our way back home from The Lakes, we decided to take a little detour and visit Caerlaverock Castle in Dumfries—a place we’ve been wanting to see for ages. It’s a bit of a trek, so we hadn’t made the trip yet, but today felt like the perfect time to do it. And boy, it did not disappoint!
The castle is absolutely stunning—built in a triangular shape with a moat surrounding it, it looked like something straight out of a fairy tale. We all loved exploring the castle, as there are so many nooks, crannies, and hidden staircases to discover. The prison was a highlight for the boys—they were fascinated by the thought of being locked up in such a historic place!
We spent hours wandering around, enjoying the views, and soaking in the history. It’s definitely one of those places that’s worth the extra effort to visit.
We’ll definitely be coming back again, and we’d highly recommend it to anyone in the area looking for a bit of adventure and history. A perfect pitstop on our journey home!
Today, we had planned to visit Stott Park Bobbin Mill, but when we arrived, we found out it was closed for conservation works and wouldn’t reopen until Wednesday. A bit of a bummer, but no problem—we whipped out the map and decided to head to Wray Castle, just a short drive away.
The road between the two destinations was a bit hairy, with some narrow, winding lanes, and we encountered a few tractors along the way. But the highlight? We met a sheep on the road, just casually strolling along. Welcome to the countryside!
When we finally arrived at Wray Castle, it was lovely. The castle had a Peter Rabbit adventure trail that the kids absolutely loved, along with activities like dress-up and crafts, including origami. There was also a table tennis and snooker table, which kept them entertained for a while. The castle’s dining room doubled as a place to eat your picnic, which was a nice touch.
However, we were a little disappointed by the lack of furniture and information about the castle’s history and what it would have been like when it was fully furnished. That said, the adventure playground across from the car park was amazing and definitely the highlight for the kids.
As National Trust members, we thought it was worth the visit, but with the cost being £25 for a family ticket and an additional £6.50 for parking (on top of entry), we’re not sure we’ll be back. The price felt a bit steep for what it offered.
Later that evening, we headed back to the chalet, where we played a game of Junior Cluedo. It was a tight competition, but David emerged victorious!
We ended the day with 5,788 steps on the clock. Not a bad day despite the detour!
What an amazing day we had today! We made our way to Pooley Bridge and went for a lovely walk around Ullswater Lake—something we missed in October due to the flooding. It’s a walk we really enjoy, so it was fantastic to finally get to do it again.
As soon as we reached the start of the lake, we came across a rope swing—it was great fun! And surprisingly, it held adults too, so we all had a go. There’s something so fun and freeing about swinging out over the water!
We managed to walk a bit further than we usually do and ended up at the campsite and farm area, where there was a food van. We grabbed some chips to complement our sandwiches and sat down to enjoy them. The boys were quick to spot the small park nearby, and they spent some time playing. However, there were a couple of incidents along the way: Lewis got whacked by a swing and went flying through the air (it was a bit of a shock, but he was fine), and then Alexander fell off the climbing wall, landing right under a swing. He stood up, cracked his head, but thankfully he was okay too! It was a little chaotic, but they both bounced back quickly.
Pro tip: We parked at the all-day parking in Pooley Bridge, which cost us £3.00. There’s also an alternative car park that costs £3 for up to 2 hours.
On the way back home, we stopped by the shops in Penrith for some ice creams, then decided to visit Brougham Castle, which is just a 5-minute drive from our chalet. It’s a lovely ruin, with flowers growing through the old walls. You can walk up to two levels of the castle for a fantastic view. It was a great little stop to round off the day.
By the time we got back, we were all absolutely shattered after a full day of adventures.
11008 steps walked—an excellent way to kick off the holiday!
After a quick shopping trip, we decided to make the most of the day and headed to Bothwell Castle for an impromptu adventure. It was a perfect way to spend an afternoon, and it was also our first castle visit of 2019!
Bothwell Castle was absolutely stunning, with its towering walls and rich history. We spent some time exploring the grounds and admiring the architecture. One fun highlight was trying to find the cannonball embedded in one of the walls. It’s surprisingly tricky to spot! After some hunting, we finally had to ask for help, as it’s definitely not the biggest cannonball we’ve ever seen. We’ll be sure to look for it again the next time we visit!
After our castle exploration, we decided to take a 2-hour woodland walk along the River Clyde to Blantyre. The trail was peaceful and scenic, a perfect way to unwind after a day of shopping.
Overall, it was a lovely and unexpected day out, and we’re already looking forward to our next visit to Bothwell Castle!
Today, we made our return to the beautiful city of York! We had originally planned to visit the Viking Museum, but we didn’t realise that you needed to book tickets in advance. So, a little change of plans, and we decided to finally check out Clifford Tower, which we had spotted during our visit last week but didn’t get a chance to explore.
Clifford Tower is the keep of York Castle, and it’s such an impressive building! The climb to the top is definitely worth it, as the views from the top are absolutely amazing – you can see all over the city from every angle. After taking in the breath-taking views, we had a lovely lunch at the bottom of the steps, enjoying some well-earned food after our mini adventure.
Just on the other side of the tower is the York Army Museum, so we popped in for a visit. It was a fantastic experience! The museum had some incredible relics on display, and the boys had an absolute blast trying on army uniforms – definitely a highlight for them. Afterward, we enjoyed a wander around and even treated ourselves to a cheeky McFlurry, which was just the perfect way to finish off our museum visit.
Next on the agenda was the National Railway Museum, which was where Alexander had really wanted to go. And boy, did he love it! All the boys had an incredible time, but Lewis especially couldn’t get enough of the trains. The museum is fantastic, featuring iconic trains, including those that Queen Victoria, Prince Edward, and Queen Mary had travelled on. It’s such an interesting place to visit, and what makes it even better is that it’s completely free to enter! You can make a donation, though, if you wish, but it’s an experience that doesn’t cost a penny to enjoy.
Overall, it was a wonderful day in York, filled with history, culture, and lots of fun for the boys. We would highly recommend the National Railway Museum to anyone with young kids – it’s definitely a must-see!
Total steps: 11,000
Well, the day started with a bit of a disaster—whoops! We flooded the utility room with the washing machine, not once, but twice! Needless to say, I ended up hand-washing everything and feeling a little bit frustrated. Grrr. But after clearing up the mess, we were determined to make the most of the day.
Our next stop was Middleham Castle, and thankfully, the day got much better from there! The sun was shining, and we had an amazing time exploring the castle grounds. The castle turned out to be much bigger than we had first expected, and we all enjoyed wandering through the ruins. The boys especially loved clambering over the walls and finding little nooks and crannies to explore. It was the perfect spot for them to let off some steam, and the whole place had such a great atmosphere on that beautiful day. We even had a lovely lunch within the castle grounds, soaking in the views and the sunshine.
After that, we decided to head to Ripon, a charming town not too far away. We popped into the Ripon Cathedral, and it was absolutely breathtaking. While we were there, we were lucky enough to catch the choir practising, and I have to say, it gave me goosebumps. The sound was so beautiful and powerful, it felt like the whole place was alive with music. What an incredible experience.
Despite the chaos of the morning, it turned into a really special day—one full of history, beauty, and a bit of unexpected magic.
Gilchrist Family Adventures 