With the warmer weather, Easter and summer holidays approaching, mums and dads might be looking for a bit of inspiration to keep the kids entertained! Here’s a round-up of some fun family activities and attractions in the Dumbarton area.

Loch Lomond

The bonnie, bonnie banks of Loch Lomond offer lots for a fun, family day out in a beautiful setting. There’s a load to explore, including sandy beaches, woodland walks, bike hire and picnic and BBQ areas. Reopening over Easter weekend, kids will love stepping aboard the historic Maid of the Loch, the last of many paddle steamers on Loch Lomond, which dates back to 1818 and now sits moored at Balloch Pier. Set sail on the Loch by hopping on one of the scheduled cruises or water bus services available, taking in the stunning scenery and spotting wildlife on the way, before hopping off at Loch Lomond Shores for a spot of shopping or a visit to the Sea Life Loch Lomond Aquarium. Nearby, The Loch Lomond Bird of Prey Centre is home to over 35 Birds of Prey and Owls, including Kestrels, Buzzards, Falcons and Orla the Golden Eagle! Bigger and braver kids will have fun causing a splash with the water sports and activities offered by Loch Lomond Leisure Scotland such as kayaking, wakeboarding, row boats, water skiing and water trampolining! In the surrounding areas, there is Balloch Castle Country Park, with its impressive Balloch Castle, a gothic A-listed building restored in 1808, once the home of the Earls of Lennox. There are also nature trails, walled gardens and guided walks on offer in the grounds.

Dumbarton Castle

Learn about the long, rich history of Dumbarton castle – which sits atop a huge volcanic rock with views over the firth of Clyde. Described as one of Scotland’s greatest strongholds, once the heart of the ancient Kingdom of Strathclyde and home to Mary Queen of Scots, visited by Merlin and sacked by Vikings. The volcanic plug fills the crater of a volcano active 350 million years ago! Climb the 500 steps to the top and be rewarded with stunning views of the Clyde, Loch Lomond and Argyll. Special events programmed for the summer months.

Dumbarton Castle, Castle Rd, Dumbarton G82 1JJ. Kids £2.50, Adults £4.50, Concessions £3.60. Summer opening times Mon-Sun 9:30am – 5:30pm. Limited accessibility for wheelchair users or those with limited mobility.

The Meadow Leisure Centre

Kids of all ages can make a splash at The Meadow Leisure Centre. Fly down the flume slide in the swimming pool, or head along to ride the wild waves on offer every other Friday night from 7-9pm. Special inflatable sessions take place 1 – 3pm, fortnightly on Sundays – kids must be able to swim 50m to attend this. Juvenile sessions also available every afternoon in the fitness suite.

The Meadow Leisure Centre, Meadow Road, Dumbarton, G82 2AA. Swim Family pass 2 adults, 3 kids £7.75. Mon – Sun, see website for opening times.

Dumbarton Maritime Museum

Dumbarton Maritime Museum is suitable for all ages, offering a hands-on educational experience on the local shipbuilding history. Enter the world of the Victorian ship designer and find out how to design your own ship, have a go at carving a real wax hull model and test out different ship designs in the experiment tank with its mini wave machine. See the worlds very first commercial ship experiment tank – the length of a football pitch! Guided tours and café available too.

Dumbarton Maritime Museum, Castle Street, Dumbarton, Glasgow and Strathclyde, G82 1QS. Kids go FREE, £3.50 adults, £2.50 concession. Mon – Sat, 10am – 4pm.

Unit 23 Skate Park

Skater kids from 9 – 18 years (and older!) will be well at home at Dumbarton’s Unit23 Skate Park – the largest indoor skate park in the UK! There’s over 56k sq ft to explore on wheels, with a huge variety of ramp and rails to ride, including highlights the Little Devil Bowl and the foam pit plunge! High adventure available for both experience skaters and those just getting started, with friendly expert supervision on hand. Private coaching sessions available at weekends between 10am and 12 noon, when the park is closed to the public.

Unit 23 Skatepark, The Old Bond, 45 – 50 Castlegreen Street, Dumbarton G82 1DJ. Hourly entry fees (£9 for 2 hours, non-members), annual membership £40. Mon – Fri 12pm – 10pm, Sat – Sun 12pm – 8pm.

As one of the West of Scotland’s longest-standing estate agents, we have had lots of experience managing the ups and downs of the housing market in recent times, so you can be confident you’ll be in safe hands when working with us. With an expert team by your side and a variety of properties on offer, including both property to let and homes for sale, Caledonia Bureau are confident that we can match you with the right home. Give our friendly team a call today, choosing from our offices in Clydebank, Helensburgh, Dumbarton and Paisley.