Getting a dog can mean rethinking your ideas about going away on holiday. Sylvia Thompson'sfamily opted to take their puppy to Scotland
IT ALL STARTED with the dog, a birthday gift to our eldest child in the early summer that scuppered any plans to fly off on the annual family holiday. How could we abandon a three-month-old collie to the kennels at such a formative stage in his life?
Still, we wanted to leave the familiarity of the home country behind for two short weeks, so Scotland beckoned. We ignored the bemusement of friends who reminded us that the weather would probably be worse there than here, booked a ferry from Belfast to Stranraer and chose two distinct locations, in the western Highlands and on the northeastern coast (reputedly the warmest part of Scotland).
We arrived in Stranraer at about 2.30pm on a dry Saturday, facing at least a five-hour drive to our first self-catering cottage. Leaving Glasgow behind, we travelled northwest over the impressive Erskine Bridge and along Loch Lomond, where we had a picture-postcard view of blue-tinged mountains behind the vast lake, Britain's biggest.
We had to circumvent the long reaches of various other lochs, which in Scotland can extend for 50km, to get to our destination, just south of Lochgilphead.
We arrived at our four-star pet-friendly cottage to find owners who weren't particularly pleased to meet our collie pup, Charlie. We soon realised it was more to do with the fact that the cottages had recently been refurbished than any dislike of our puppy. We confined him to the porch and deck and kept him on the lead close to the cottages. Thankfully, we were allowed to take him into a neighbouring field for those essential early-morning and evening walks.
During the day we explored local canals and lochs. The Crinan Canal, built in the 19th century for the Loch Fyne herring fleets, was a particularly pleasing discovery. Although we didn't travel on the canal, we really enjoyed the beautiful paths that linked Crinan with Cairnbaan, Lochgilphead and Ardrishaig.
Taken in sections, these canal-bank walks were perfect family strolls. They were also a haven for midges later in the day, so insect repellent was essential for evening outings.
Here, as in most scenic spots in Scotland, there are plenty of reminders to keep your dog on a lead and clean up after it or face a fine.
Once or twice during the week we set out on longer drives. One took us down Kintyre Peninsula (with views of the island of Jura), right to the Mull of Kintyre, the point of Scotland that is closest to Ireland. The A83 is a nice drive through Tarbert and Campbelltown, although we would not recommend returning via the B8024, a very narrow road where two cars can pass only at designated points.
The views of Arran were pleasant but not enough to entice us back to Tarbert to take the ferry across for a day trip.
Stopping off for a swim at the sandy beach of Westport was a highlight for everyone, as was spotting seals resting on rocks close to the shore.
Oban, the largest town in this part of the Highlands, was another day trip. Some of the family walked to the top with Charlie, to savour the view of the bay from McCaig's Tower, an imitation of Rome's Colosseum built by a local banker as a family memorial.
Oban itself, like many towns along the western coast of Scotland is a bit old-fashioned. Yes, it has some high-street stores and an occasional gourmet deli and stylish restaurant, but the mood is less flamboyant than we've become used to in Irish towns - although, charmingly, a respect for the past remains more to the fore than a brash reaching into the 21st century.
Popular with tourists for its distillery - with free tastings of 14-year-old single-malt whisky - Oban also has a busy ferry terminal, for crossings to Mull, Islay and other islands.
One of this part of Scotland's plentiful historic links with Ireland is Saddell Abbey, which was founded in the 12th century by Cistercian monks from Mellifont, in Co Louth.
We passed through the historic village of Kilmartin and intended to return, but we didn't get a chance to visit the award-winning Kilmartin House Museum, which interprets what it says is one of Europe's richest archaeological sites.
At the end of our first week in Scotland we set off to explore the northeast, travelling up through the dramatic mountain pass of Glen Coe.
We stopped for breakfast in Fort William and instantly felt the chillier air of this town, which, set at the foot of Ben Nevis, Britain's highest mountain, is a popular base for climbers and hillwalkers.
Moving on, we travelled along Loch Ness to arrive in Inverness at lunchtime. The "capital of the Highlands" is a pretty town on the banks of the River Ness. Its attractions include a 19th-century castle and several galleries and churches.
Leaving all traces of the Highlands behind us, we travelled along Scotland's North Sea coast. Abundant in wildlife - with schools of dolphins and a colony of gannets, among other things - the Moray Firth is much more about habitat than heritage.
This is when we really settled into our holiday. The fishing villages that mark the coast offer peace for adults and a sense of adventure for children. We instantly felt at home in our fisherman's cottage and hardly wanted to go anywhere all week.
The charm of this part of Scotland lies in the rolling farmland, unspoilt fishing villages and sandy beaches. Places to visit include Pennan - famous for being the location for the 1983 film Local Hero - Cullen and Portsoy. Overall, we discovered a more restrained, less ostentatious holiday mood that was utterly charming.
The children made friends from Edinburgh whose parents were equally charmed by this part of their country. Even Charlie settled down a little more as we relaxed, charting our days according to the tidal flow.
The long drive back to the ferry was challenging for us all, but being perched on top of the luggage rather than in a corner of the hatchback seemed to work better for Charlie.
For the first time on the trip we drove solidly for about three hours, only then stopping for toilet trips and coffee. The Cairngorms, Tay Forest and several distilleries passed in front of our eyes. Driving on the motorway through Glasgow, we felt nearer to home and a little sad to be leaving Scotland.
We had enough time left to come off the main route and take a walk through Dean Castle Country Park, in Kilmarnock, en route to Stranraer. Another stop, on a beach overlooking Ailsa Craig, a 340m-tall granite islet, meant Charlie had enough exercise and air to keep him calm in the car on the ferry.
Only as we drove off the ferry in Belfast did we see Pooch Palace, a row of kennels where we could have left him while we were on the upper deck. Never mind: he probably wouldn't have settled anyway.
Home now, we wonder whether he thinks it was all a dream or if he, too, wants to go back and watch the tidal flow of the Moray Firth.
WHERE TO STAY EAT AND GO
Top tips with dogs
• If you're travelling with a puppy, remember that, just like toddlers, it will need a stop every couple of hours to pee.
• Allow the puppy to get familiar with its new surroundings, then set limits on where it can wander.
• Give your puppy its usual food.
• Make sure it gets plenty of exercise and then plenty of rest.
• Keep your puppy away from dangers such as dead birds and shellfish along the seashore.
Where to stay
We found our self-catering cottages by visiting a range of websites, including www. visitscotland.com and www.unique-cottages.co.uk.
Prices range from about £400-£700 (€500-€900) per week. Book with owners rather than through agencies for lower prices - and remember that upmarket accommodation may have all mod cons, but it might not be in the prettiest spots, so check maps.
Where to eat
Piazza. North Pier, Oban, 00-44-1631-563628, www.piazzaoban.com. Generic pizza-and-pasta restaurant whose appeal rests in its location on the pier overlooking Oban Bay. Reasonably priced.
The Kitchen. 15 Huntly Street, Inverness, 00-44-1463-259119, www.kitchenrestaurant.co.uk. Stylish but keenly priced restaurant overlooking the River Ness. Great menus for adults and children.
Where to go
Oban Distillery. Oban, 00-44-1631-572004, www.discovering-distilleries.com/oban. See how malt whisky is distilled and try some cask-strength Oban.
Kilmartin House Museum. Kilmartin, 00-44-1546-510278, www.kilmartin.org. Interprets Argyll's ancient past through a vibrant programme of events for adults and children.
Macduff Marine Aquarium. Macduff, 00-44-1261-833369, www.macduff-aquarium.org.uk. Insights into the marine life of the North Sea. Ideal for children who enjoy playing in rockpools.
Duff House. Banff, 00-44-1261-818181, www.duffhouse.com. Perfect for all the family if you're prepared to split up. Outdoor playground and woodland walks (maps provided) for younger folk. For adults, a tour of a Georgian house that is home to impressive paintings.
Go there
Stena Line (www.stenaline.ie) sails from Belfast to Stranraer. P&O Irish Sea (www.poirishsea.com) sails from Larne to Stranraer and Troon