Things to do in Huntly with Kids
Things to do in Huntly – This small north east town is a wee hub for sports and activities to keep the kids occupied.
Nordic Outdoor & Ski Centre / Greenmyres Adventures / Food & Drink / Huntly Castle / Community Cinema / Hot Tub Accommodation / Day Trips
Nordic Outdoor & Ski Centre – Things to do in Huntly
Britain’s only purpose built all weather facility for cross country skiing, the Nordic & Outdoor Centre offers a mix of roller skiing, blading, tubing and cross-country skiing with talented and very encouraging coaches. Book a family session to try a bit of everything – a two-hour mini session is £13.05 for adults and £8.50 per child. Or you can book specific experiences, tubing seems to be the most popular activity. We also saw young athletes training for the national team, plus you can buy second hand skis and gear here, so you’re all prepped for snow!
Greenmyres – Things to do in Huntly
A community offering, Greenmyres offers a range of activities. It’s all free if you bring your own gear but you can pay reasonable rates to rent equipment, wetsuits and tuition. The kids loved the Pump Track on their bikes, and this is clearly a popular outing for local families. We also pushed ourselves with a watersports session, including kayaking and SUP with our coach Graeme. There’s also a bothy available to hire for events, so if you combine the bothy with the activities this could be one cool birthday party.
Food & Drink – Things to do in Huntly
Dean’s Shortbread Factory, Shop & Cafe
Drop by the Dean’s Shortbread gift shop to buy the biscuits synonymous with Scotland. Dean’s make them in an array of flavours. It’s also easy to pick up casual lunches or coffee and a cake at the informal cafe. [Close to Dean’s is a huge football pitch so my boys ran off some steam here, so pack a ball!]
The Bank – especially for Sunday Roasts!
I couldn’t believe the prices at The Bank, £15 for a choice of carvery meat with three sides of your choice from a long list of traditional favourites. Increase the price to £18 for five sides, and even £21 for seven! All carveries come with gravy and a yorkshire pudding. A traditional sticky toffee pudding ended the meal nicely. Á la carte dining is also possible, but we visited on a Sunday.
Rizza’s
100 years and counting at this family-run ice cream parlour. Rizza’s offers a vast array of flavours, from Irn Bru and Scottish Tablet to Turkish Delight and ‘Bronze’ ice cream. Scoops from £3.
Number 30 Cafe
Also run by the Huntly Development Trust, the Number 30 Cafe is a relaxed spot fora pitstop. It also offers a coworking space is you need to fire up the laptop!
Huntly Castle – Things to do in Huntly
Yes, Huntly has a castle, run by Historic Environment Scotland and free to members. It’s quite a ruin, but you can easily admire the carvings on the exterior whether you pay or not.
Number 30 Cinema
The Huntly Development Trust has its fingers in many pies as this is another of its projects. The Number 30 cinema has a smaller timetable than a city multiplex, so check the screenings, support the cinema and catch the movie of the moment.
Where to Stay
While the town of Huntly and the surrounding areas offer a mix of rural accommodation, I fell for the cutest cottage at the nearby Mayen Estate. The romantic box bed and wood-burning stove made me feel like a time-traveller, and I adored the outdoor wood-fired hot tub and firepit.
The estate’s Walled Garden is absolutely stunning and only accessible to guests of Mayen – open Monday-Friday, do not miss it. The estate also offers lodges and cabins, plus there’s an honesty shop on site.
Days Out
Huntly is so central that the day trips are remarkably varied. If you want to uncover Scotland’s whisky then Speyside is on the doorstep and more distilleries than you can shake a stick at. I headed up to the coast and did a mini road trip taking in Tarlair, Macduff, Banff and Portsoy – highlights in each include Tarlair outdoor pool cafe, Macduff Marine Aquarium, Duff House and the Salmon Bothy respectively.
Enjoy Huntly!
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