If you’ve ever been on holiday with a toddler, you know how difficult it can be to get the mix just right.
You imagine the sunshine, the tranquillity and the cocktail in your hand as you recline in your chair and begin recharging the batteries.
But spend too long in the car or plane to get there, pick a restaurant without a couple of slam-dunk kid favourites or settle on a spot too far away from decent activities and you’ll soon be in for a world of pain.
It’s a tightrope.
Make a miscalculation and your hard-earned break will evaporate in a cloud of tantrums.
Knowing what was on the line, I had an uneasy feeling in the pit of my stomach as I packed the car.
But I am happy to report that Loch Tay Highland Lodges knocked it out of the park.
The journey
Despite having Highland in its name, it wasn’t a particularly swift trip down from Inverness.
It meant tackling the A9 at a time of year when the sheer volume of tourists on the road causes sections of it to grind to a halt.
But the luxury of being on holiday means you’re in far less of a rush and that’s the best way to handle it.
A few games and a short nap and we arrived in Pitlochry to stock up on supplies before we knew it.
From there, the road gets a bit bumpier but you’re eventually treated to several beautiful viewpoints as the picturesque loch comes into sight.
And that theme continues when you arrive at Loch Tay Highland lodges, on the western side of the water.
Arriving after the check-in desk was closed for the night was no problem, we simply picked up our keys – complete with a handout of everything we needed to know – and descended the hill to our lodge to get settled in.
Stunning views and wide-open spaces
Our lodge, Acharn Rocks, was a welcome sight after a long day of travelling.
With three bedrooms, it sleeps up to six and offers a spacious dining and living room area inside.
If you’re lucky enough with the weather, you’ve got another dining table and plenty of comfy seating on the deck too.
From there, you’ve got an absolutely stunning view over the loch.
The extra space meant we could comfortably take my mum with us too, allowing her to spend some quality time with her granddaughter/provide some absolutely essential childcare relief.
There is a wide range of activities on offer at the park, everything from axe-throwing to paddle boarding.
While most of them aren’t particularly well-suited to a two-year-old, there were plenty of chances to stimulate some childhood curiosity within the park.
We crammed as many toys and books into the boot as we could but we wouldn’t have bothered if someone had told us there was going to be a flock of ducks vying for our attention just outside our front door for most of the weekend.
With wide-open green spaces on both sides of our lodge, we got plenty of exercise under our belts.
And once things calmed down a bit, we headed down to the loch to dip our toes, skim some stones and watch the boats go by.
What can you do at the Loch Tay Highland Lodges holiday park?
If activities such as archery or fishing aren’t your thing, there’s plenty more to see nearby once you leave the park itself.
The surrounding landscape offers plenty of great cycling and hiking opportunities and it’s not bad to look at either.
Falls of Dochart, located around five miles south-west of Loch Tay, was a particular highlight.
One of the things that struck me most about the park though, was the mix of ages.
There were older couples who owned lodges who’d been holidaying there for decades, there were young families with babies, groups of student celebrating the end of exams and everything in between.
Most of them descended on the Boathouse Restaurant in the evening.
We managed a couple of child-free stints in there once the wee one was asleep and enjoyed the mix.
The food itself was great too. We escaped the dread of a full-scale meltdown by just collecting our grub and taking it the short walk back to the lodge to enjoy it at our pace.
All in all, it was a terrific experience.
Everything was easy and relaxed and we made a ton of happy memories.
What more can you ask for?
Where can I find out more about Loch Tay Highland Lodges?
You’ll find everything you need to know about the holiday park on its website.
In addition to the two and three-bedroom lodges on offer, you’ll also find a wide range of camping pods.
There are even larger houses available for booking for larger groups. Plenty of the options include hot tubs and there are pet-friendly options too.
Loch Tay is one of the largest lochs in Scotland, stretching about 15 miles long and around one mile wide.
The surrounding area is home to a diverse range of wildlife, including otters, ospreys, red deer and numerous bird species.
For more information and to book, visit Largo Leisure Holidays.
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