A hidden gem which your Julia Donaldson loving little ones will love to visit!…read moreWe call this Gruffalo Wood because of the Gruffalo-themed carvings dotted near the entrance of the Loch. The Loch itself is fairly small, taking only 15-20 mins to walk around. There is lots of nature and wildlife to explore here from toadstools to frogs to wild raspberries to dragonflies... We met a particularly large, and bold, swan today whilst feeding the ducks! On our last visit we stumbled across hundreds and hundreds of baby frogs migrating across the pathway to the Loch. This has become a regular location for us to visit with our little Julia Donaldson fan. There is a play park at the far end of the Loch from the little car park off Kilmardinny Avenue and if you need something to eat or liquid refreshments after your walk there is a recently opened Waitrose with a lovely cafe minutes away by car or foot!

We visited here after discovering Gruffalo Wood through Ali's review :)…read more My friend was visiting with her 6 and 3yr old girls and we took A in his pram. We really enjoyed walking round the loch in the sunshine, the path is pretty easy going for littles and the pram alike, and there are a few places to stop along the way and see the ducks or discover the awesome carvings. We couldn't find the play park, perhaps a little sign would help, but we asked someone and soon found the little path leading up to it. There were some different play areas to explore including an awesome rope swing that the adults enjoyed too! We had a great, free day out and it worked well to tire out the kids. Would highly recommend.

This lovely big area of parkland adjacent to Larkfield Road in Gourock used to be called 'Darroch…read morePark', but was renamed by the council some years ago. The lower slopes are great for walking amongst the trees and neat flower beds. The park staff seem to keep everything looking lovely and I enjoyed a stroll there a week or two ago. The Gourock Burn flows down the west side of the park and there is a 'Swan Pond' as well. Further up, there's a bowling green and tennis courts. There are marvellous views to be had across the Clyde from the top!

There are two entrances into Anderson Memorial Park in Largs, one on the busy Irvine Road right…read moreopposite Douglas Park, and the other on May Street. I had a little wander round here today after I'd been in Douglas Park. I'm sure the play park area is an excellent facllity for youngsters and that looks very well looked after. However, apart from that I think it's a very poor relation to Douglas Park! There are some nice mature trees and grassy areas but the flower beds could be better stocked and made more attractive. There are a few picnic tables and benches scattered about and it seems quite a pleasant and informal spot for families with young children.

The Kelburn Castle has been a home to the Boyle family since it's construction in the 13th Century…read more It is the oldest castle in Scotland that has been continuously inhabited. Allowing the castle to be painted came about when the Boyle family were told that they would have to remove the tower because of damage to the stonework. Since it was going to be removed the family decided to ask four Brazilian street artists to paint the castle. Their graffiti art created so much excitement that the family appealed to the Historic Scotland to allow it to stay. They are a government agency responsible for preserving the country's historic monuments. The agency granted temporary permission and attached an end date. The end date has passed and the family is working towards extending it again. While I visited the castle it was under major renovations so perhaps the construction will stabilize the castle and allow it to continue to be known to tourists as the Graffiti Castle. It cost £9.00 to spend the day hiking on the property. It was an absolutely amazing day and I highly recommend visiting this property. There is a visitor office with hiking maps, bathroom facilities and an area to purchase food. Included in our entrance fee was a tour of the spooky forest. They had a children's section by day and adult section at night. I passed on the Halloween fun because of time restraints.

This is a DO NOT MISS venue. The graffiti castle is fabulous and the grounds, pathways, waterfalls,…read morehikes and secret forest just add to the experience. Entrance fee was £7 and well worth it.

A perfect park to take kids to! Not only is the circular…read morelandscaping of the park user-friendly but also very pleasing to the eye. There's two circles to it - an inner and an outer. The outer is a hilly grass area with benches, and the inner is a well-equipped and fenced in large kids playground - such a set-up is perfect for adults to sit back and watch the kids whilst allowing them the independence to run around freely. And because of the fencing, the worry of them running off too far is eliminated. Another bonus is that it's never as busy as the Kelvingrove or Botanics. The grassy area is also perfect to let dogs have a nice sniff around - though probably only suitable for smaller dogs. All in all, it's a perfect escape from the city buzz on Byres Road, and a great way to entertain the wee-uns.

This is my local park, although I confess that I don't visit it that often. But it's a nice place…read moreon a sunny day and it has a great swings area that is very child-safe. Since the old pavilion was converted into a nursery there's always a lot of child activity in the park, so consequently it is very popular with parents who have small children. It's a bit too close to Highburgh Road to be very peaceful, but it's a nice place to sit and get some sun in the summer months.

Friendly, helpful people in the interesting Visitor Centre and the gift shop was handy for some…read moresmall gifts to take home. We quite liked the cafe too and sat outside to have a snack at the wooden picnic tables, but under cover as it was unfortunately very wet that day. (There's a big enclosed courtyard) Plenty of free parking in the big car park.

Eglinton Country park Centre is a great wee place to visit with the kids. The park itself is vast…read moreand offers great walks and play areas. There is lots of wildlife to see aswell. I am doing the Race for Life here next month and really looking forward to it.

A lovely park between Greenock and Gourock with fantastic views across to the mountains of Argyll…read more There are children's play areas, a skateboard park, and two grass football/rugby pitches. There is also a pavilion with toilet facilities and a cafeteria. A popular place for strolling to admire the views. There are also various events staged here from time to time, like firework displays. It's very close to the Fort Matilda railway station, too, though you can scarcely see it from the park.

Again, loved going there for a walk, and it is bit small, but great for wee children, as it is big…read moreand well enclosed away from the road. Great for the kids to play football around the green. The views are great. Even there is a wee play park provided for the kids. And there is a cafe with selections of foods/ drinks as well. it is a nice place to go out for a day. Even the views across the Clyde are still beautiful

As you head out of Dunoon, through Sandbank and along the A815, it's almost impossible to miss the…read moreBenmore Botanic Garden on the left hand side. It's a popular attraction for both tourists and locals. However, about a mile before you get there, on the opposite side of the road, you'll spot a little car park marked "Puck's Glen", and it is every bit as charming as the name suggests. In my free time I like to write, and as I'm frequently on the road I do much of my writing on my netbook, in my car, often in quiet little car parks, and for over a year I've been stopping every so often in the Puck's Glen car park. I'd seen the trail leading up into the wooded hill, but didn't take the time to venture out of my car and explore it until one day, in Autumn of last year, when, in the late afternoon as I sat writing, a deer wandered out of the trees and so close to my car if I'd opened my window I could have reached out and touched it. When it left I got out of the car and made my way along the trail, but as I was pressed for time I wasn't able to explore too far. It wasn't until last week that I was able to walk the length of the trail in full, and my God I don't regret it. The first thing I will say is that it isn't a walk for those looking for a gentle stroll. Nor is it a walk for those with bad knees or hips. The first part of the walk is a steep climb, though you're rewarded with a nice little bench in a shaded area when you do make it up the first leg. Then you have another steep climb that seems to go on forever and by the time you reach the top you're too exhausted to appreciate the outstanding views, particularly if the sun is out in full force. However, the climb is essential if you want to enjoy what has to be one of the most spectacular sights I've ever seen. If you follow the path markers around you come to a crossroads. The main path goes straight ahead, but there is a narrower, shaded path that goes left to right across it. The path to the right goes uphill, and after all the climbing I'd done already that day I couldn't stomach another ascent, but the path to the right goes down. It's a combination of a dirt track, gravel track and wooden steps that lead down several hundred feet to a concrete track that leads back to the car park, but it is the most wonderful experience imaginable for alongside the path runs a little stream that breaks into a series of dozens of mini-waterfalls and pools. The path is shaded and cool, with wooden railings to help you keep your balance on the tricky spots. There are a few bits where you need to walk across large stones which can be slippery when wet, but believe me, it's worth the effort. The waterfalls are simply magical and though the path, complete with wooden bridges that crisscross the stream at several points, has clearly been constructed by the forestry commission, it's easy to believe that you're the first person to ever see these magical sights. My favourite spot was about halfway down where the moss-covered rock-face to the right was literally dripping with water, an endless cascading shower of droplets. Wildlife fans won't be disappointed either. I counted eight deer on my ascent - I believe five were red deer (one a stag) and three were roe deer, but don't quote me on that. I encountered a couple of birds I don't think I'd ever seen before, including one that was black and white with a beautiful red chin, and at least half a dozen red squirrels. As I say, it's not a gentle stroll, and while you'll certainly sleep afterwards I don't think I'd call it relaxing, but it is spectacular and an experience not to be missed.

Deep into the South Side, Linn Park is absolutely enormous and due to it being used mainly by…read morelocals in what is one of the city's leafier suburbs, a somewhat tranquil location to spend time. Facilities wise, there's a couple of adventure playgrounds, a large equestrian centre, and a golf course, which in all honesty isn't very much for a park of this size, but it's main attraction is the woodland walks. There are large chunks of forest in the park, waterfalls and a good few picturesque little bridges over the river, so it's a very relaxing and peaceful place for a stroll. We got caught in a thunderstorm on our last visit here which is probably a negative but it did provide a bit of excitement. There's also an old mansion in the park which was derelict and thus wonderfully spooky until recently, but it's since been done up and turned into admittedly impressive houses. The Snuff Mill Bridge walkway just at the edge of the park is in my opinion one of the nicest spots in Glasgow. Hardly anyone has heard of it yet I was quite taken aback when I first stumbled upon it. On a nice day it can genuinely feel like you're in a quaint little English village, there's even old Victorian-style street lighting.

Agan, Gavin is spot on: this park is an undiscovered treasure, and has a beautiful bridge, plenty…read moreof walks through the forest (best when I am acting out some late romantic torment) and one of the most pastoral atmospheres in Glasgow. I tend to make the pilgrimage during the summer- when I can find someone with a car to carry the picnic stuff- and sit out in the open field for a lovely, restful afternoon. The lack of facilities is what has made it so peaceful- the golf course, I am glad to say, is under-nourished.