Blair Castle – Dressing Up, Treasure Trails and Red Deer
A few hours.
The route
Blair Castle is a brilliant place to take children when it rains.
There are rooms full of armour and antlers to hunt through with a treasure trail, and a dressing-up box in the ballroom for anyone who fancies going into battle. Lunch is under the same roof, in the castle's own restaurant.
Before you go
Book accommodation nearby
If you are staying over: here are ours nearest where the day starts and ends.
The nearest of ours is Milton of Kincraigie in Blair Atholl, a mile away. Sleeps 4.
Book Blair Castle tickets online before you go, for any day from 1 April to 30 October with last entry at 3.45pm (2pm on 28 and 29 October): they're cheaper online than at the gate, which takes cards only, and a family ticket for two adults and two children is £57 online at the time of writing.
The day
Blair Atholl
A morning indoors at a castle that welcomes children. Hunt for treasure through the rooms and dress up in the ballroom, then have lunch in the castle restaurant.
About three and a half hours
Blair Castle
An attraction
At Blair Atholl, follow the castle drive up to the free car park, about 100 metres from the castle. Blair Castle opens every day from 1 April to 30 October, 10am to 5pm, with last entry at 3.45pm. On 28 and 29 October it shuts early, at 3pm with last entry at 2pm; 30 October is its last day before the winter. Online tickets are £20 for adults and £12.50 for children aged 5 to 16, or £57 for two adults and two children, at the time of writing. They cost £1 to £3 more at the gate, where it's card only. Pick up the children's activity sheet and treasure trail in the entrance hall, then work round the rooms, and save time for the ballroom, where the dressing-up box comes out for anyone who wants to prepare for battle. Big prams stay in the buggy park in the entrance hall, the castle lends hip-seat carriers, and there are two baby changing rooms inside. If the rain stops, the adventure playgrounds in Diana's Grove are a short walk away, and at weekends the red deer are fed at 12.30pm and 2.30pm (ring ahead to check).
Tullibardine Restaurant
Lunch
Lunch is in the Tullibardine Restaurant, inside the castle, open 10am to 5pm, with hot dishes from 11am to 3pm, home baking and high chairs. On 10 and 24 October it's closed for events, and the Cannon food cabin by the car park serves hot drinks and baking instead, by card only. Dogs aren't allowed in the restaurant, as in the castle.
If it rains
The rooms, the ballroom and the restaurant are all under one roof: only the walk from the car park is out in it.
Blair Atholl Watermill, bakery in a watermill.