Child Friendly Micro Adventure to Edinburgh

By A Venturing Nomad.

A city break with a child, in this case, a 10-year-old, might not seem the obvious choice, especially when the world of theme parks and digital stimulation appear to be the order of the day for the younger generations.

But whether your child is an animal lover, Harry Potter fan, military, or sci-fi aficionado, Edinburgh does seem to have it all, and all on a weekend, if that's all you have time for.

Our 3-day micro-adventure was born from necessity, not being able to devote any longer to an annual expedition, sadly. But by planning ahead, and still leaving room for some very welcome surprises, our sojourn to this stunning Scottish city certainly did not leave us disappointed, even for such a short visit.

My love of mini-breaks / micro adventures continues to grow, and whilst we all love a long leisurely trip; sometimes, a 'quick fix' is all we need to recharge and re-invigorate, ready for life's weekly challenges.

Our focus for the trip was short and sweet: Castle, Royal Yacht Britannia, Zookeeper for the Day, Edinburgh Zoo.

The first stop was the castle, an impressive walk up to the main gate, and the physical incline actually forces you to slow down to a meandering pace and marvel at the sights and sounds around.

Surrounding yourself with the history of the battlements and impressive staterooms in the birthplace of Mary Queen of Scots is a living history lesson for any child, or adult for that matter! A morning was all we had, but we could equally have spent much longer here, and the activities for children were terrific; for specific details, check out www.edinburghcastle.scot

Our second stop was initially intended to be a bit of a 'filler' but actually turned out to be a jewel in the crown, and how fittingly that, the Royal Yacht Britannia was apparently one of her late Majesty's most favoured places.

More of a time capsule rather than a museum, the transformation from Royal Yacht to Tourist attraction has been sensitively completed. Very little is reminiscent of a traditional museum; there is hardly any signage, and the rooms and areas are sealed as if the owners and occupants had just departed.

An audio guide is mandatory and they offer two versions, adult and child. Whilst mine was informative and interesting, my daughters had her in giggles as we explored, with characters and accents providing a youthful and engaging insight. More details can be found at www.royalyachtbritannia.co.uk. Afternoon tea on the outer deck is a must! 

Our final adventure was with Edinburgh Zoo and to be a zoo keeper for the day, a behind-the-scenes insight into the numerous and varied animals cared for and supporting global research from Edinburgh. David Attenborough's Armadillo was the first of the days' excitement and a hands-on detail into preparing food and tending to their living quarters, seeing my daughter's face, wide-eyed, as she held the little creature as it 'blossomed' like a blooming flower and uncurled itself from its sleep was priceless.

More of an insight into conservation than a child's activity; the attention to detail was excellent as we learned about animal enrichment with the Meercats and supporting worldwide conservation through several re-wilding programmed, yet all delivered in a child-friendly way without any confines of the classroom. Again, for further information, visit www.edinburghzoo.org.uk

Our city break micro-adventure was packed with fun, food and fabulous memory making, and yes, whilst we could have stayed much longer and there was heaps we didn't get to do; that's just an ever-lasting promise to return.

Not travelling overseas until age 19, this Venturing Nomad's work and life have taken her to just under 70 countries, with more adventures always planned. Twelve years as a Diplomat led to excitement and adventures across the globe, and she is now enjoying travelling with her young daughter and seeing the world afresh through her eyes.

A published author in fact and fiction, she firmly believes in the mantra "take only photos - leave only footprints". More of a feeder than a foodie, she has cooked her way around the globe, from the hill tribes in Thailand, Nonna's kitchen in Italy to the beachfront hotel in Morocco. There is always a story and, more importantly, a recipe.

You can contact her at [email protected]  or find out more on Instagram