WHAT’S not to love about a Scottish staycation?
Yes the weather may not play ball at times but as long as it’s not blowing a gale or teemin’ with rain it’s the perfect excuse to explore our beautiful wee country.
No middle of the night alarm set for ungodly early flights to the continent. Just pack up the car and go!
In our household, summer holidays are spent in warmer climes but the mid-term break is a chance for my wife Bev and I to take kids Aaron and Lucia somewhere a little closer to home and strike another part of Scotland off the bucket list.
This year we headed for Piperdam Away Resorts in Dundee for a few days of country walks, relaxation and most importantly, quality family time.
Nestled in idyllic Angus countryside, Piperdam is a 650 acre leisure resort that offers lodge accommodation to suit all budgets and party size.
Their premier lodges, which can sleep up to 12 people, line the banks of the picturesque Loch Piperdam, perfect for wedding parties and other special occasions.
We stayed in one of their Osprey Spa Lounges which consists of two double bedrooms and one twin room all of which had en-suite bathrooms! It was more than enough room for my clan as these lodges comfortably sleep up to six people.
The open plan living room and kitchen area is incredibly bright and spacious with its high ceilings adding to the roomy feel of the lodge.
The accommodation benefits from a porch area, ideal for muddy boots and wet coats after taking in one of the many nearby country walks.
Speaking of walks, Piperdam has information on a variety of nature trails that you can download from their website. Very handy!
Like most of the lodges at Piperdam ours came with its own private hot-tub.
After a full day of hiking there’s nothing better than a long soak with a glass of fizz, even if the short walk to the tub is a little chilly! There’s plenty on offer for kids at the Activity Barn.
A baby and toddler area is the perfect place to keep your little ones amused whilst the bigger kids run themselves ragged at Little Pipers softplay. The schedule there is jam packed with activities such as mini Segways, archery and even axe throwing!
Piperdam has not one but two golf courses. Its 18-hole course has some absolutely breathtaking scenery with the front nine bending its way around the loch.
The Wee Piper golf course is an all par-3 nine hole course, ideal for beginners or keen golfers short on free time.
I’m firmly in the “waste of a good walk” camp when it comes to golf so the kids and we enjoyed a round of crazy golf instead.
And after sinking a few birdies it was time to down a few pints at Howie’s Bar and enjoy a family meal at the Room with a View restaurant. A varied, fuss-free and reasonably priced menu can be found here as well as a stunning vista of Piperdam Loch.
Despite there being plenty to keep everyone amused on-site, Dundee city centre is a short drive from the resort where we took in a whistlestop tour of attractions.
We managed to squeeze in a visit to the V&A museum, Verdant Works Museum and The McManus Art Gallery and still find time for some retail therapy at the Overgate Shopping Centre.
GO: ANGUS
GO: PIPERDAM
Three nights s Piperdam Away Resorts in a Rainbow Lodge if from £299, four sharing, arriving March 14. Or it’s from £399 in a Rainbow Spa Plus, up to four sharing. Visit awayresorts.co.uk or call 0333 242 9852 to book.
Heading north from Piperdam we drove to Blairgowrie and Rattray where we enjoyed a long autumnal walk along the banks of the River Ericht, where we stumbled upon a narrow gorge in the river known as Cargill’s Leap.
Did the weather play ball?
Let’s just say that we crammed so much into our long weekend that the arrival of Storm Ashley may have dampened our footwear but not our appetite for another adventure on these shores next year.
