Take a break 12 of our favourite half-term adventures across Scotland for young and old

AS everyone knows, October half-term is a time for lying on the sofa, eating crisps, playing X-Box and watching Squid Game on Netflix. Only joking. It’s actually a time for getting out into what remains of the light before winter comes and experiencing something new. So here’s some ideas of new things to try as well as a few old favourites to enjoy as the colours turn and the nights draw in.

GET ON YER (MOUNTAIN) BIKE

Strung across the south of the country, the 7stanes mountain biking centres, right, offer a variety of trails at a variety of lengths through scenery which is of unvarying beauty. Glentress, Newcastleton and Innerleithen host the Borders sites, and in Dumfries and Galloway you’ll find them at Dalbeattie, Forest of Ae, Glentrool, Mabie and Kirroughtree. Each site has a specially-carved sculptural stone somewhere in it – the six tonne marble stone at Glentress is carved with an inscription in Klingon. Beginners in good health with basic skills should be able to manage the green trails, and a mountain bike and some basic off-road skills will be needed for blue trails. If you fancy yourself something of an expert, try the red and black trails. They’ll pit you against such perils as drop-offs and large rocks. Naturally, proper protective gear is also a requirement. https://forestryandland.gov.scot/visit/ activities/mountain-biking/7stanes

THE BIG BOUNCE

This science-themed, two-day familyfocussed event taking place in Glasgow’s Barrowland Ballroom on October 12 and 13 (10am-4.30pm) is billed as a festival of “curiosity and discovery”. It will host enquiries into, and examinations of, everything from rainbows to robots. With climate change an ever-increasing threat and the UN’s COP 26 climate change conference due to open in Glasgow next month, there is no better time to interest children in science. Operating under the auspices of the Institute of Physics, the UK’s professional body for physicists, it offers drop-in workshops, demonstrations and many other activities. Oh, and it’s completely free. https://www.iop.org https://www.facebook.com/events

SKI CAMP

From October 11 to October 15, Polmonthill Snowsports Centre near Polmont is offering full-day ski camps for beginners right up to advanced skiers. The centre has a 100 metre long all-weather artificial slope and a 20 metre nursery slope for both skiing and snowboarding, so there’s something for everyone. The centre itself is open until 9.30pm (it’s floodlit) and prices for the ski camp. Prices range from £45 to £90 depending on experience and the amount of coaching required. https://www.falkirkcommunitytrust.org

WONDROUS WOODS

The huge estate park of Hopetoun House, top right, near South Queensferry is the venue for this magical light and special effects display, opening on October 21 and running until November 14. Thought by many to be one of the best lighting trails in the UK, it returns after last year’s successful debut. Fans of Outlander, which filmed at the 18th century pile, should be especially thrilled. Booking is essential and tickets start at £9 for children and £19 for adults, rising to £11 and £20 for peak days (Friday to Sunday). Family tickets are available. https://www.wondrouswoods.com

GO ON SAFARI

The Highland Wildlife Park near Kingussie is located in 260 acres of prime landscape within the

Cairngorms National Park and features yaks and Bactrian camels roaming free along with European bison and elk. In the Main Reserve you can either travel in your own car or in one of the guided Land Rover tours, and if you fancy two legs rather than four wheels, try the Woodland Walk, where you’ll encounter satyr tragopans (or crimson horned pheasants, in plain English) as well as the odd red squirrel. The Wolf Wood is the place to head to if your tastes tend more towards the lupine and other highlights include red pandas, Japanese macaques, owl, wildcats and tigers. The park is open seven days a week (last entry 4pm) and tickets range from £12.50 to £18.50 (children under three are free).

Walk-up tickets are available but advance booking is required for non-Royal Zoological Society of Scotland members. https://www.highlandwildlifepark.org.uk

DOLLAR GLEN

You can’t beat castles and waterfalls for drama and Dollar Glen, located just east of Stirling in the Ochil Hills, has both – and how. The ruined Castle Campbell, 15th century stronghold of Clan Campbell and the lowland seat of the Earls of Argyll, is the place you’re heading for (cool fact: it was once known as Castle Gloom). But as you wind up the gorge along woodland paths you’ll pass the falls where the wonderful named Burn of Care and Burn of Sorrow meet and plunge downwards. If you like your drama on a smaller scale, this Site of Special Scientific Interest has 100 different types of moss and 190 kinds of lichen. Park at the Dollar Glen car park and hoof it, but make sure you’re well shod: the paths are easily manageable but can be slippery at this time of year.

EDINBURGH ZOO SPOOKTACULAR

Building on the success of its Chinese Lanterns shows, Edinburgh Zoo has opened its doors after sundown and launches an illuminated light trail through the hillside park for the run-up to Hallowe’en. Expect rustling in the trees and bright eyes peeping from the undergrowth as well as a cast of wizards, witches, scarecrows and spiders. Tickets are available online and range in price from £8.50 to £17 (carers and children under three years are free). https://www.edinburghzoo.org.uk

TWILIGHT ZIP-LINING

Treetop adventure specialists Go Ape have four centres in Scotland: in Glentress Forest, Dalkeith Country Park, the Queen Elizabeth Forest Park near Aberfoyle and Aberdeen, where you’ll find them in the grounds of 16th century Crathes Castle. The Aberdeen zip line is a whopping 125 metres long and this month they’re also offering Sundown Sessions which allow you to hurtle through the dusk. The Treetop Adventure is available at all centres and will suit confident younger children, while adults and older teenagers can tackle the Treetop Challenge. The Treetop Adventure Plus for older and taller children is available at Dalkeith. Some of the English centres have axe-throwing on offer too, though for some reason that isn’t available this side of the Border. Can’t think why. https://goape.co.uk

AUTUMN COLOURS

Anywhere with trees in abundance is looking great at this time of year, but if you like your blazing autumn woodland to be a little bit special, check out the model forest around Faskally House. A mile north-west of Pitlochry on the banks of the River Tummel and encompassing Loch Dunmore, it was planted in the 19th century by Archibald Butter and is also the venue for the much-loved light and sound show The Enchanted Forest, which attracts 80,000 visitors annually. https://forestryandland.gov.scot

JUPITER ARTLAND

The art park at Wilkieston near Edinburgh normally shuts early in the autumn but this year it’s staying open until Hallowe’en. There’s an appropriate seasonal menu at Café Party in the Artland’s funky courtyard space, and a chance for some early Christmas gift-buying at the wellappointed shop. And of course there’s the art: Charles Jencks’s massive Cells Of Life ‘landform’, Anish Kapoor’s Suck, Anya Gallacio’s sunken, gem-lined pit and Antony Gormley’s Firmament are all firm favourites, and chief among the new additions is Mimi, a permanent installation from Glasgow-based artist Rachel Maclean.

And with the autumn colours showing in all their glory, the walks through the woods to view the works will be something special too. https://www.jupiterartland.org

WATERSPORTS

Foxlake near Dunbar in East Lothian is a water-sports hub offering everything from open-water swimming and wakeboarding to rope courses and Ringo sessions, in which you’re hauled up the lake on a padded inflatable. Away from the water there are Segways available for 60 minute trips along the trail routes: this being John Muir Way country, it’s plenty scenic. Further up the coast, Wild Shore Dundee offers similarly adrenaline-charged waterborne activities at City Quay, close to the site of HMS Unicorn. https://www.foxlake.co.uk/ https://www.wildshoredundee.co.uk/

THE SKYE AT NIGHT

Skye has a whopping nine Dark Sky Discovery Sites, making it one of the prime locations for watching the heavens. So if it’s a glimpse of the elusive Northern Lights you’re after, or if you simply want to lie on your back under a startling canopy of stars, it’s the place to be. Even better, why not camp or glamp? The Trotternish Peninsula at the north of the isle is one of the most likely spots for a glimpse of the Aurora Borealis and is also home to Shulista Croft, which has a set of wellappointed huts you can hire. Back along the road to Portree, you’ll also find Flodigarry Pods, each of which sleeps four people. With zero light pollution (and probably no phone reception) it’ll be quite an adventure. https://www.wigwamholidays.com https://flodigarry-pods.uk