Travel: Hills and thrills on a family break at Drimsynie Holiday Village

View from the mountains overlooking Drimsynie Holiday Village on Lochgoilhead.

“Look mum, it’s Rusty the Squirrel… he must be the mayor of Drimsynie!” shouts my five-year-old, Ben, enthusiastically as he spots a wood-carved statue of the holiday park’s mascot while exploring the resort.

Ever since our kids, now five and two, were born, going on holidays and short breaks has been challenging, to say the least. While we no longer cart around bottle sterilisers and prams, finding somewhere that boasts plenty of attractions and family-friendly eating options for our kids, who possess a fun mix of endless energy and short attention spans, isn’t always easy.

Luckily, Drimsynie Holiday Village in Lochgoilhead on Scotland’s west coast is the perfect family retreat, with many activities and amenities to entertain kids, and calm and re-energise frazzled parents.

Drimsynie adventure

The adventure began on the road as we drove through the stunning Loch Lomond and The Trossachs National Park. On entering Drimsynie, we were met with spectacular views of Loch Goil and the towering mountains surrounding it on both sides.

Whether rain or shine, there’s no denying Drimsynie’s location at the head of the sea loch is truly stunning, and it’s lovely to be surrounded by nature. The large resort houses static caravans, a range of lodges (some with hot tubs), a hotel and a large activities, spa and leisure centre. There’s also a handy shop on site so you can cook meals in your lodgings, or stock up on any forgotten essentials.

When we visited for a weekend last month, the weather was unpredictably changeable, switching from rain to sun every 30 minutes or less. Thankfully, as you would hope from a holiday resort in Scotland, Drimsynie offered plenty of indoor activities.

While ideal for families, there also plenty to recommend Drimsynie as a wonderful break for adults outside the school holiday.

The resort’s main building houses a large, nicely decorated restaurant, The View, named appropriately for its stunning views sea loch. It offers a delicious lunch and dinner menu while the Rob Roy Suite has a fully stocked bar and live music, or you can relax in the peaceful spa or saunas.

We spent much of our time in Drimsynie’s activity centre. As well as a big pool with a jacuzzi, it also has an indoor court for racquet sports, arcade games, Rusty’s Treehouse soft play, a huge ball pit that my two-year-old, Luke, was obsessed with, and a partitioned area for pre-bookable arts and crafts.

The boys had a great time painting pottery that now sits pride of place on their bedroom windowsill. Creating their own cuddly toys at Teddytastic was another highlight. After picking their animals and stuffing them, while carefully adding in their heart, and selecting outfits, they were excited to bring home “Power Rex”, a blue T-rex in an army uniform, and “Batpenguin”, a crime-fighting penguin sporting a Batman costume.

The staff leading these activities were brilliant with the kids, and young guests can also enjoy sand art, mini crossbow, mini golf, superhero academy and a teddy hunt is also available.

Older and more adventurous spirits can also try out laser tag, archery, axe throwing, paddle boarding, abseiling, gorge walking and canoeing.

Rest and relaxation

If you prefer to enjoy the local scenery at a slower pace, there’s a few great walks around the local area.

I personally relished slipping away to the tranquil Drimsynie Sequoia Spa for some “me time”. Low lighting and soothing music put me at ease as soon as I stepped inside and I spent a blissful hour enjoying a Swedish massage and a facial provided by the lovely Shirley.

The cracking noises as Shirley worked on the knots in my back suggested I was in dire need of a massage. I also received some skincare tips during my facial, which left my skin smooth and glowing. After an hour, I felt rested, relaxed and rejuvenated… for 15 minutes before I had to marshal my two kids to the restaurant and get them through dinner without any noise or meltdowns.

After a busy day, it was great to return to our own, comfortable lodge. These triangle-shaped, wooden lodges sleep four to six people and are nicely decorated with plenty of space and a stocked galley kitchen.

They also have a small deck where you can sit and enjoy the scenery when it’s dry. If the weather, or midges, drive you inside, you can cosy up with the fire on and watch TV.

As we packed up the car to leave after two fun-filled days, my kids chased each other with their new teddy bears across the grass outside our lodge and marvelled at the sun sparkling and dancing on the sea loch, as if it were made of diamond-cut glass.

“Can we please come back here in the summer?” my five-year-old pleaded – high praise indeed and something we’ll definitely consider for the school holidays from now on.

P.S. Drimsynie is also a brilliant retreat for dog owners. The resort offers dog-friendly accommodation and has a dedicated area of The View restaurant where pooches can sit by their owner’s table. As a perfect base to explore Argyll, Drimsynie’s location is ideal for walks, including the Drimsynie Circular Walk.

Argyll Holiday’s ‘Holiday’s worth writing home about’ campaign has Spring Breaks for the whole family from £199. More info here.