8 Best Adventure Days Out In Edinburgh and Lothian

Two entries hold steady in any weather. One is Escape The Past, booked and timed and done as a group. The other is National Mining Museum Scotland, taken at whatever speed suits you. Between them they cover most ages, and that matters on the morning the outdoor plan falls apart.

They work well with children who can read and who like being trusted with a task, which usually means around eight and upwards. A city centre becomes a puzzle rather than a shopping trip with Huntfun Edinburgh or The Edinburgh Treasure Trail. Younger children tire of the walking before the clues run out, so keep expectations modest and stop for food.

That is entirely the operator's call and depends mostly on wind rather than rain, so check on the morning rather than assuming. High ropes are the first thing to be affected by a gusty day and the last thing you want to discover on arrival. Dress for cold hands regardless, since gripping wet rope is unpleasant work.

Dalkeith Country Park flexes best: room for a small child while an older one does something harder, with indoor space recorded alongside the outdoor. Trails split a group by reading age and treetop courses split them by height, so both need checking against your youngest before anyone is promised anything.