Loch an Eilein is a beautiful freshwater loch in the heart of Rothiemurchus Forest in the Cairngorms National Park. Loch an Eilein means ‘loch of the island’, and there is a small island near the western shore with a ruined castle on it. There are well maintained hard-packed paths all the way around the loch,…
We love waterproof trousers: they are great for outdoor nursery, gardening, muddy puddles, wet playgrounds, and all sorts of messy outdoor play! In this post we cover the key features to look for when purchasing waterproof dungarees or trousers for your children. We also review some of the waterproofs that we have owned and used….
This month we’ve been trying out orienteering as a family, and we’ve had a blast! It was a great way to get out and about exploring our local area, and work on our map skills, whilst having lots of fun. Read about our adventures below, with some suggestions for how to get started yourself. What…
Spotty Otter and Polarn O. Pyret are two of my favourite brands for children’s outdoor gear. How do their lightweight kids’ waterproof jackets perform? Here I review both these jackets and compare some of the differences between them. Both jackets have been well used for a year, so we are in a good position to…
Orkney is a brilliant place for a family cycling tour, with amazing historic sites, sandy beaches, quiet roads, and boats for island-hopping. Read on for below for some route and accommodation suggestions and things to see and do on your Orkney bike tour. Getting to Orkney Stating the obvious, you will need to take a…
Looking for a pushchair-friendly walk in the Cairngorms National Park? The Ryvoan Trail is just the thing! It’s also suitable for bikes. The Ryvoan Trail is a loop running from the Visitor Centre at Glenmore up to An Lochan Uaine (The Green Lochan). The lower route to the lochan is a wide and level path,…
Since bike touring with kids, our gear list seems to have multiplied exponentially! These days I write a comprehensive list when we get back from a tour, listing what we took, what worked well, and what didn’t. Here is my gear list from our most recent tour, to help you get started. Every family is…
In the past, with summer pregnancies, I have always made do with one of my husband’s waterproof jackets. However this time, faced with the prospect of a whole winter unable to do up my zip, I started looking for a waterproof maternity coat. The search took longer than I was expecting, and ended in the…
You may have heard the phrase “There’s no such thing as bad weather, only inappropriate clothing”. But it can seem very difficult to source ‘appropriate’ children’s outdoor gear on a tight budget, especially when you know that it will probably only last your child one or two seasons! This is especially the case for winter…
“So you survived then! We thought you were completely mad but we didn’t want to discourage you.” My Dad’s cheerful words on our return from our first family cycling holiday – our eldest was 8 months old. I had myself been harbouring a suspicion that we might be completely mad…I knew plenty of friends who…
