Wild Scotland, the Scottish Wildlife Tourism Association, has dozens of family friendly wildlife activities taking place at their network of operators across the country that offer something for everyone.

Caroline Warburton, Manager of Wild Scotland comments:

“We firmly believe that Scotland is the number one wildlife watching destination in Europe and want to make it accessible to everyone, regardless of their age.

“Enjoying nature’s flora and fauna is a great pastime to enjoy with your family and what better time of year to experience it than in Spring, when species begin to wake up from their chilly slumbers and get ready to face the public again.”


EVENTS

Scottish Seabird Centre, North Berwick
01620 890 202
www.seabird.org
Family events are running daily during the Easter holidays at the Seabird Centre. Events include “Meet the Raptors – get up close to a peregrine falcon”, live handling sessions with "The Terrible Lizard", “Build your own Easter Nest” and the “Walking with Birds” beach walk.
Zoom in for a nose to beak encounter on the live cameras in the exciting Discovery Centre - check out nesting and the first eggs laid, including the first gannet eggs on the Bass Rock. Birds to see include puffins and gannets, shags, cormorants, peregrines, eiders, gulls, fulmars, razorbills and guillemots.
Tickets can be purchased in advance online. First ScotRail deal for environmentally friendly travel (return travel by train plus day passport to the Seabird Centre) costs £8.50 per adult and £25.00 (2+2) per family. Concessions available.

Scottish Wildlife Trust Falls of Clyde Visitor Centre, Lanark
01555 665 262
www.swt.org.uk

The Scottish Wildlife Trust at the Falls of Clyde visitor centre and reserve has a range of activities to suit the whole family.

The newly refurbished visitor centre is opening on Easter weekend, Saturday 22 March and includes interactive displays highlighting the key species on the reserve: badgers, bats and peregrines. The exhibition includes superb, close up footage of Falls of Clyde wildlife including the peregrines in their eyrie. New to the display is the Bee Tree, a honeybee observation hive which houses a colony of over 15,000 bees building their intricate honeycomb right before your eyes. There is also a CCTV link bringing live action on the reserve into view at the visitor centre.

The visitor centre is fully accessible, with toilets for disabled visitors and costs £2 per family.


Scottish Wildlife Trust Montrose Basin Visitor Centre, Montrose, Fife
01674 676 336
www.swt.org.uk

Scottish Wildlife Trust’s Montrose Basin visitor centre and reserve is hosting Easter Family Sunday, 23 April from 10.30am-5.00pm and invites families to drop in and take part in fun activities, like Easter egg hunts and children’s crafts (£3.50 per adult, £2.50 per child and £7 per family).
Pondimonium on Wednesday 2 April from 10.30am-12.30pm gives children the chance to go dipping for pond creatures (£2.00 per child).
Mud safari on Wednesday 9 April from 10.30am-12.30pm - children roam about in the mud to see what creatures they can find (£2.00 per child).

DAY TRIPPING
Cream O’Galloway, nr Kirkudbright, Dumfries & Galloway
01557 814 040
www.creamogalloway.co.uk

Cream o' Galloway is much more than just an icecream! Take part in ranger-led activity to go ‘Chasing Creepy Crawlies’, discover the ‘Underwater Wonderland’ through pond dipping and visit at night for ‘Bat Watch’. Take yourself off with ‘The Bug Hunt’ puzzle booklet to explore four miles of nature trails through ancient woodland and rugged farm pasture. Interpretation panels along the trails tell you more about our wildlife and how we conserve it. Return to the tearoom and have fun in the adventure playground. Simply natural!

Philiphaugh Salmon Viewing Centre, nr Selkirk, Scottish Borders
01750 21766
www.salmonviewingcentre.com

The Salmon Viewing Centre at Philiphaugh has been designed for children with plenty of interactive displays to keep them entertained. The main fascination for children (and adults) is the big screen. Up to four different cameras are selected by pressing a button beside the mini screens. All cameras are live and whatever is happening underwater can be viewed. If there is little activity, then two further buttons can be pressed showing a short dvd of the 2007 highlights of the underwater cameras or the osprey nest at Glentress. There are fantastic shots of salmon, trout, grayling, an eel, a goosander diving and even an otter. Children can also follow a brass rubbings trail and collect 10 images of the local wildlife along the river.

The newly opened Waterwheel restaurant/tea room offers facilities for children.


Argaty Red Kites, Doune, Perthshire
01786 841 373
www.argatyredkites.co.uk

This is a great idea for kids who love birds and includes guided visits to see central Scotland's population of red kites, re-introduced to the area in 1996. The birds are fed daily and can be viewed as close as 50 metres from our purpose built hide. There are also guided walks on the farm to see the wildlife and farming methods.

As this is a working farm, booking is essential so please call ahead.


Rua Reidh Lighthouse, Gairloch, Ross-shire
01445 771 263
www.ruareidh.co.uk

Spectacularly located, Rua Reidh lighthouse runs a range of nature days and events specifically aimed at families and children. These include weekly family seashore exploration walks and seashore exploration for kids (suitable for unaccompanied children from 8–13yrs).


BY LAND

Atholl Estates, Blair Atholl, Perthshire
01796 381 355
www.atholl-estates.co.uk

The Dawn Land Rover tours with a game keeper is ideal for families and the gamekeeper targets the tours depending on the age breakdown of the group.
The dawn tours take place every Saturday from 22 March until 31 May (excluding 24 May) from 7.30am-10.00am. Cost is £25 for adults and £15 for children.

Highland Wildlife and Birdwatch Safaris, Aviemore, Inverness-shire
01479 811 169 (after 6pm) / 07974 151 503
www.highlandwildlifesafaris.co.uk

Land Rover safaris in the Cairngorms National Park are very family orientated, with youngsters from 8 years old and upwards welcome. Possible sightings include an Osprey catching a fish from a loch or an Otter catching and eating a fish on the River Spey, which make this a very worthwhile trip. Children will also enjoy being given the responsibility of completing the day-list of birds/mammals as they are seen.

Highland Safaris, Aberfeldy, Perthshire
01887 820 071
www.highlandadventuresafaris.co.uk

Run special Land Rover safaris for families armed with binoculars, telescope and Tracker Eye Spy Sheets, search mountain forests for playful red squirrels, shy red deer and other exciting forest wildlife. Track these animals with a ranger and discover their habitats.

Safaris last 1½ hours and are suitable for 5-12 years old. Cost is £17.50 for adults and £10 for children.

Wild Perthshire, Dunkeld, nr Perth
01350 727 720
www.wildperthshire.com

A luxury Land Rover driven by a local professional off-road driver will take you through some of Scotland's most spectacular scenery with the opportunity to view wildlife, fauna and flora. Families may have the chance to come across red squirrels, birds of prey, black grouse and pine martens, or maybe even the elusive capercaillie. Children must be aged 6 years or over with a maximum of 6 people per trip.

Islay Birding, Islay
01496 850 010 or 07810 460 175
www.islaybirding.co.uk/family.asp

Take families out all year round on the beautiful island of Islay, from wee people up to sub adults, suitable for all levels.

BY SEA
Seaprobe Atlantis, Kyle of Lochalsh, nr Skye
01471 822 716
www.seaprobeatlantis.com

Scotland’s only semi-submersible glass bottom boat at Kyle of Lochalsh, nr Skye is a favourite with kids as they can watch the seals, seabirds and all the other underwater creatures. Regular trips from Kyle of Lochalsh operate from Easter to October. Suitable for all ages.


Isle of May Ferry, Anstruther, Fife
01333 310 103
www.isleofmayferry.com

Visit the Isle of May on Anstruther Pleasure Trips MV “May Princess” which is licensed by Scottish Natural Heritage to take visitors to the Isle of May. Spend 2 to 3 hours wandering about on this beautiful National Nature Reserve home to incredible wildlife which include puffins, guillemots, razorbill, shag (April to early August best time for seabirds), seals all year round, dolphins, whale are sometimes seen. Early in the season the primary aged children love to see the young eiders/Artic terns and the puffins. Family ticket available.


Craignish Cruises, nr Lochgilphead, Argyll
07747 023 038 (Day) / 0845 397 9824 (Evening)
www.sealeopard.org

One and two hour trips designed with children of all ages in mind. Longer trips are suitable for older children.


Sea Life Surveys, Tobermory, Isle of Mull
01688 302 916
www.sealifesurveys.com

Wildlife-watching boat trips from Tobermory on the Isle of Mull operating from April onwards. There are 4 different 'family cruises'.

· Wildlife Adventure - 4hrs
· Ecocruz - 2 hrs
· Evening/Sunset cruise - 2 hrs
· Seal Cruise - 1/2 hr

These gentle cruises stay in sheltered waters and are aimed at families with young children and those who just want to enjoy a shorter trip. Look out for minke whales, dolphins, porpoises, sea eagles, dolphins, basking sharks and many different seabirds. Visit a fish farm, a seal colony and learn about the history and geology of the area. Listen to prawns chatting on the seabed and dolphins when they are about, with our underwater hydrophones. Haul a lobster pot. Show off your new found knowledge by taking part in our quiz and win a prize.


Turus Mara, Isle of Mull
01688 400 242 / 297
www.turusmara.com

Wildlife watching boat trips to nearby islands off the coast of Mull. Specialising in puffin watching – this is popular with all age groups from toddler to 90 year old grannies! We facilitate puffin therapy by providing a discounted family ticket (2+2) for all trips.


ACTIVITY HOLIDAYS
Caledonian Discovery, Fort William or Inverness
01397 772 167
www.fingal-cruising.co.uk

All children will love cruising the Great Glen in this holiday barge. On our special Wildlife weeks we visit sheltered sea lochs looking for golden eagle, peregrine, osprey, deer, red squirrel, otters and seals, all resident in this area. Our usual optional activities are still on offer – mountain-biking, walking, sailing, canoeing or just relaxing.


Glenloy Wildlife, Banavie, nr Fort William
01397 712700
www.glenloy-wildlife.org.uk/

Glenloy Wildlife Tours are suitable for families with children over 8 years. Groups are small and they aim to minimise time spent in a minibus so exploration is mainly on foot and will include fun activities such as, stream dipping, rock-pooling and butterfly hunting.


Wildshots Photography Holidays/Workshops, Scotland-wide
01540 651 352
www.wildshots.co.uk/

Wildshots operate a range of nature photography holidays and workshops which are suited to both family groups and accompanied young people. We would suggest that teenagers are probably going to benefit most and a reasonable level of photographic knowledge will ensure maximum enjoyment of our trips.


Wilderness Scotland: Wildlife & Activity Breaks, West Highlands
0131 625 6635
www.wildernessscotland.com

These trips are for individual families and the guides tailor each activity to your needs, which makes these trips suitable for any age of children. Enjoy guided nature walks, canoeing and boat trips on the west coast and see how much wildlife you can spot.

For further suggestions of events taking place over Easter and beyond at Wild Scotland operators in your area, visit www.wild-scotland.co.uk.

Press Contact Information

Wild Scotland
emma@hottinroof.co.uk
01312257880
38 Young Street North Lane, Edinburgh

Source URL: http://www.wild-scotland.co.uk

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