Experiences You Should Have Podcast Show Notes: Interview with Mary Stange on Taking a Train Through the Scottish Highlands with her Family

Mary Stange from Bambinos Without Borders blog shared one of her favorite experiences on Experiences You Should Have Podcast, which was seeing Scotland by train in the Scottish Highlands with her 2-year-old son and husband. This particular train trip was only 2 hours from start to finish and it was a magical experience. Scotland has always been a bucket list place for Mary, and she got to see this magical place even with a toddler! The landscape was completely magical, green, mountainous, with rivers and cliffs. Everywhere you turned, it felt like a storybook and every detail felt like it was living and breathing. It was so captivating. The spirit of Scotland was breathed in the rich landscape and this was very magical place for Mary. Scotland has always been described as majestic Scotland, and now she knows why.

Traveling to Scotland with a Toddler

Mary's family train trip through the Scottish highlands was about 2 hours start to finish and it included lunch! They took the Strathspey Railway for their adventure. They started in Aviemore, then went to Boat of Garten, then to Broomhill and then back to Aviemore. This Scotland steam train tour through the highlands is definitely a family-friendly trip. Mary's son was on the train as a 2-year-old and still talks about it 2 years later. He remembers the engine, watching the engineer shoveling coal into the firebox, and he remembers the experience of being on a train and climbing inside of it. I mean, a train trip is a 2-year-old's dream come true, and can also same the same for almost any age. The 2-hour steam train trip was perfect for having a toddler on board, but if Mary and her family return to Scotland, they'd like to do a longer steam train trip.

Seeing Scotland by train should definitely be on your list because it takes you back to a very historic time and you can see the impact they had on the industrial revolution and you can go anywhere in Scotland and find a steam train to take you back to the romantic nature of railway travel. 

Cost of a Traditional Sunday Luncheon Scotland Train Tour

The cost of this particular Scottish highlands steam train lunch trip (lunch included) was 43 pounds per adult and 21.50 per child. The food on the train was very nice. They tried to put a fancy Sunday luncheon. They served tomato soup, roasted veggies, smoked salmon, potatoes, puddings, desserts, meat, coffee, and tea. They also served haggis, a Scottish dish that is composed of minced sheep and other organs. If Haggis is your thing, check out this haggis recipe that got some pretty good reviews on The Spruce Eats! If you want to see the full Sunday lunch menu for the Strathspey Railway, you can view the menu online here. 

Best Time to go to Scotland:

Mary and her family went in September, but it did rain a lot. The rain was more like a pacific northwest drizzle, not enough The best months to visit are actually May and June.

What Types of Clothes Should You Pack for a Trip to Scotland?

Raincoat

Layers - you never know when the sun will come out

What other Toddler / Family Friendly Things You Should Do While You're in Scotland?

Definitely check out some distilleries. Turns out you can bring kids to many different distilleries, check out Mary’s blog post on Bambino's Without Borders on kid-friendly Scotland distilleries. If you have kids, you should definitely check out the playground at the Ballindalloch Castle. When you vacation with kids, many times you are sightseeing between playgrounds.

They are so many hidden towns, islands, and small places in Scotland and The Isle of Skye is on Mary’s list to check out next time. 

The Harry Potter Train and other Trains in Scotland

Hogwarts Express - Harry Potter Train de:Benutzer:Nicolas17, Glenfinnan Viaduct, CC BY-SA 2.5

The train that Mary went on isn't the only Steam Train in Scotland.