Easter family fun in Stirling

by | Mar 27, 2019 | Blog

Easter. Scotland is bursting into bloom and the days are noticeably longer. It’s time for getting outdoors, and catching up with the kids now the school term has finished. To help you plan an Easter to remember, we’ve rounded up some of the best family events throughout Stirlingshire for you!

Steam trains and Easter treats at Boness & Kinneil

Steam trains and Easter treats at Boness & Kinneil

Enjoy an Easter egg hunt at historic Blackness Castle

Enjoy an Easter egg hunt at historic Blackness Castle

Easter Egg Special Trains at Boness and Kinneil Railway

The railway’s hugely popular Easter Egg special trains run on Friday 19, Saturday 20, Sunday 21 April and Monday 22 April. There’s a prize for the best Easter bonnet, an Easter egg hunt in the Museum, and every child will get a free Easter treat during their train journey. Stay all day and explore the Museum, Model Railway and the railway site via the Visitor Trail at Bo’ness and the stations along the line. Bring a picnic and enjoy it in the comfort of the picnic railway carriages alongside the platform. For more information, see: https://www.bkrailway.co.uk/your-visit/events/

Cadbury Easter Egg Hunts with National Trust

Cadbury have teamed up with the National Trust for Scotland again this year to create Easter Egg Hunts in some of Scotland’s most historic settings. Chocolate and culture, combined! The nearest hunts to Stirling take place from Good Friday to Easter Monday at The Battle of Bannockburn Centre, Alloa Tower in Clackmannanshure, Culross Palace, Fife. Events are included in the normal admission price. Check your chosen venue’s Egg Hunt dates and other postcodes on the Cadbury website, where you’ll also find lots of free downloads for fun Easter activities at home: https://easter.cadbury.co.uk/

Easter Eggsplorer Trails with Historic Scotland

Not to be outdone, Historic Scotland’s Easter Eggsplorer Trails take place at a number of iconic castles, abbeys, forts and palaces throughout Scotland. All you need to do is find the clues and complete the challenge to be a winner.  Drop-in throughout the day, and the events are included in normal admission. Free to members. The nearest participating venues to Stirling are Linlithgow Palace and Blackness Castle, from Good Friday to Easter Monday, but you can search for other venues here. 

Holiday Clubs with Historic Environment Scotland

With events at both Holyrood Park and Linlithgow Palace Peel, the Ranger team are offering a number of Easter holiday ‘walks on the wild side’ to help kids discover the birdlife, minibeasts and burrowing animals of these historic natural venues. Lasting from two to three hours, these events are aimed at children of 8 upwards, accompanied by an adult. The sessions are free, but booking is essential. More information here.

Kids can learn about birdlife with the rangers at Holyrood and Linlithgow Palace

Kids can learn about birdlife with the rangers at Holyrood and Linlithgow Palace

Outlander fans will enjoy the egg hunt at Culross Palace

Outlander fans will enjoy the egg hunt at Culross Palace

Photo credits:

  • Culross Palace: By Palickap (Own work) [CC BY-SA 4.0 (http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/4.0)], via Wikimedia Commons
  • Boness and Kinneil: Thomas Nugent [CC BY-SA 2.0 (http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/2.0)], via Wikimedia Commons
  • Blackness Castle: Dr John Wells [CC BY 3.0 (https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/3.0)]
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Our top five family days out from Stirling

by | Feb 9, 2017 | Blog

The days are long, and the landscape is beautiful. Round up the kids, and head outside with our top five family days out near Stirling.

Family fun at Briarlands Farm - one of our top five days out
Family fun at Briarlands Farm
Boarding at Boness and Kinneil Railway - top five
A brilliant family day out amongst dedicated volunteers at Boness and Kinneil Railway

Briarlands Farm

This popular farm park lies just 8 miles or a scenic 15 minutes’ drive from Stirling, tucked into a tree-lined farm road near the village of Doune. You’ll find endless outdoors play here, with jumping pillows, go-Karts, toddler trikes, zip wire, sand pits, tractor rides and more. Feed the farm animals, and join one of the regular handling sessions to meet smaller furries. There’s a craft zone and a toddler play area when you need cover from showers, as well as a family-friendly tearoom with tonnes of home baking. Pick your own strawberries too, when the season comes around. For more information, see: http://briarlandsfarm.co.uk/

Blair Drummond Safari Park

This well-known safari park just outside Doune needs little introduction. Just a few minutes from Briarlands Farm, it’s around a 15-minute drive from Stirling City Centre. You’ll find everything from elephants, zebras and lions to penguins and sea-lions in this conservation-focused park. And there’s plenty thrown in to your ticket price too, including a range of demonstrations, boat safaris, pedal boats, Astroglide and ‘Meet the keepers’ sessions. Then there is a raft of paid attractions to consider too. The footprint is large, so it’s an idea to plan your visit in advance. For information, see: https://www.blairdrummond.com/

Boness and Kinneil Railway

This family-friendly heritage railway and museum is run by tireless volunteers who smile whatever the weather. They run steam trains throughout the year, with a host of special events ranging from Afternoon Teas on the Train, to Days out with Thomas, to Easter Egg Specials, and much more. Located in Boness, just 19 miles or a 29-minute drive from Stirling, Boness and Kinneil Railway is a brilliant day out for the family, even when the weather’s inclement. There’s a tearoom too, with a nostalgic atmosphere and proper gingham tablecloths. For more information, see: http://www.bkrailway.co.uk/

The Kelpies

To see them is to love them. These captivating sculptures tower some 30 metres above the M9, just 14 miles or 27 minutes’ drive from Stirling. And they are the stunning centrepiece of the Helix Park, a local greenspace for all that lies on the banks of the Forth Clyde Canal. Comprising 27 km of pathways, a lagoon, a splash zone, an unrivalled play area, bike hire, boat hire, cafes, visitor centre and public art spaces, the Helix has become one of Scotland’s most acclaimed visitor attractions. And yet it’s still free. There are regular events too. For more information, see: http://www.thehelix.co.uk/

Brucefields Family Golf Centre

If you fancy a family game of golf in inclusive, friendly surroundings, then Brucefields Family Golf Centre is for you. This 9-hole golf course lies just outside Bannockburn, only 3 miles outside Stirling. It offers a huge range of facilities and support services for all members of the family, whether they’re learners, experienced players or just there for the day out. There are some pretty good views to be enjoyed on the way round, too. There’s golf tuition, a driving range and a bistro bar too. Pay, play, have fun. More details here: http://www.brucefields.co.uk/

The Kelpies - figureheads for the fabulous Helix Park
The Kelpies – figureheads for the fabulous Helix Park
Brucefields Family Golf Centre - golf, fun, and great views
Brucefields Family Golf Centre – golf, fun, and great views

Photo credits:

  • Briarlands Farm: Photos taken by Blue Stag Media, and reproduced with kind permission of Briarlands Farm
  • The Kelpies: Photo taken by, and reproduced with kind permission of, The Kelpies Team
  • Brucefields Family Golf Centre: Photo kindly supplied by Brucefields Family Golf Centre
  • Boness and Kinneil Railway: By Elliott Simpson, CC BY-SA 2.0, https://commons.wikimedia.org/w/index.php?curid=8322907
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