Scottish Islands with toddler bad idea?

[southlonder]

Our son is 21 months and very very active. I would like to go to either Outer Hebrides/Shetlands or Orkneys (just one of them) but am not sure if it is a good idea with him. My wife does not really like any of these places but would be willing to go.

[Red Squirrel]

Don't know what part of the country you come from southlonder but wherever it is it's a long way for a toddler to travel. Has your wife been to any of these areas?

The Outer Hebrides and the Orkneys are beautiful with an abundant wildlife. The weather is very changeable. When it's good there's nowhere quite like it but when it's bad it's pretty awful.

Apart from miles and miles of empty beaches there's not a lot to amuse a little one.

There are plenty of self catering cottages up there if that's what you prefer.

[WhiskyBottle]

The West Coast of Lewis & Harris has some of the best beaches in the world (IMHO, but I'm not well travelled). I can't vouch for the water temperature (or currents) though.

Expect wind, the next land is Canada/USA. I've seen caravans with straps over the top to hold them to the ground.

It's mostly flat, so nothing to fall off, Sand dunes to roll in.

But if the weather turns bad... there's nothing else.

Avoid the East coast of Harris. It's very rocky, if it ain't rock it's water and peat bog. Good for waders, bad for active toddlers.

The Islands are bigger than you'd think. Lewis/Harris is 60 miles end to end as the Chough flies. Roads are single track and few and far between. There are only two small towns. You could go all day without seeing anyone.

It's a place you've got to go, but probably not with a young family.

Hope this helps.

Oh, and EVERYTHING closes on Sunday

[BloomingMarvellous]

Tis very much a grownup holiday, have you thought of going on your own, wild campings a great way of seeing the Western Ilse's.

[southlonder]

Originally Posted by Red Squirrel

Don't know what part of the country you come from southlonder but wherever it is it's a long way for a toddler to travel. Has your wife been to any of these areas?

The Outer Hebrides and the Orkneys are beautiful with an abundant wildlife. The weather is very changeable. When it's good there's nowhere quite like it but when it's bad it's pretty awful.

Apart from miles and miles of empty beaches there's not a lot to amuse a little one.

There are plenty of self catering cottages up there if that's what you prefer.

I come from London. My wife is Colombian and really does not like the climate here - let alone colder.

[caernerch]

would'nt recommend using insect repellent on a toddler so avoid the midge season like the plague (and plague it can be), or the little one will get bitten and wife will have her second grounds for divorce (it's the warmer calmer weather that brings them out). I love scotland and go every year but i wouldn't take a toddler to the wilder midgier parts. I don't know what your main interests are. if you could let me know i'm sure i could suggest somewhere to fit the bill.
regards
caernerch

[Tringa]

I suggest you go somewhere else for a family holiday.

Your wife is not keen on the idea - nothing wrong with that, but the western islands have probably the most extreme weather in Britain and if you get bad weather she is likely to have a throughly miserable time.

You can get some of the best weather you will find anywhere in Britain in western Scotland and the islands, but also you can get rain that can last for days and wind that will blow you over and you have to be prepared to accept any sort of weather at any time of the year and be totally unbothered if it is cold and you don't see the sun for a week.

However, Whisky Bottle is spot on about the beaches - having miles of beach to yourself is not unusual. If you want spectacular scenery, wildlife, lots of space then its an ideal place.

If you do decide to go then I think a cottage is essential to give you the greatest flexibility, but better still, as BM has suggested, go by yourself sometime - for now anyway and then take your son when he is older.

Dave

[southlonder]

Thanks a lot everyone. I think we will wait until another year. Probably we will go to the Farne Isles instead (cheaper).

[southlonder]

Originally Posted by caernerch

would'nt recommend using insect repellent on a toddler so avoid the midge season like the plague (and plague it can be), or the little one will get bitten and wife will have her second grounds for divorce (it's the warmer calmer weather that brings them out). I love scotland and go every year but i wouldn't take a toddler to the wilder midgier parts. I don't know what your main interests are. if you could let me know i'm sure i could suggest somewhere to fit the bill.
regards
caernerch

Well I wanted to see the sea birds partcularly skuas and puffins. Also hopefully eagles and otters.

One question about midges is that a problem in ALL Scottish Islands? I have been to Mull in July without seeing a single midge. I thought that the Orkneys and Shetlands were midge free.

[caernerch]

midges vary tremendously by season and weather conditions. The late Bobby Tulloch once told told me "our Shetland midges don't bite."
There are lots of spececies of midge - the dancing midges that you see in tight clouds don't bite, but they do crawl all over you in thousands and drive you nuts. the ones that do bite are females of species that hang about under foliage of low growing vegetation in moist areas (that's why spraying is ineffective). An excellent book on the ways of the midge is "the Scottish midge" it's hillarious as well as full of serious midge facts.
regards
caernerch