Clyde Valley Family Park

Expect plenty of movement rather than a slow wander around the animals. There are pedal tractors and go-karts, trampolines, slides, climbing and water play, and children can return to favourite areas as often as they like.

Leave enough time for those repeat turns: arriving in the final hour can mean missing the last train and rushing the rest of the park.

Ages 2-12 are likely to get the most from the park. Active two-year-olds can enjoy the animals and open play, while preschool and primary-age children have plenty to choose from across the ride-ons, climbing and other activities.

Under-twos enter free, but how much they enjoy it will depend on whether they are walking and keen to join in. Teenagers may find the play young unless they are there with younger siblings.

Online admission costs less than paying at the door and guarantees a space. Walk-ins are possible only when the park has not sold out, so online booking is the safer option for weekends, holidays or any date you cannot easily rearrange.

The listed activities and train are included. Keep a little extra for the £2 car park and £1 tokens if children want animal feed or a crazy golf ball. Eventbrite adds a booking fee, so check the final total before paying.

You will be outside for most of the day. The café and Picnic Barn give you somewhere dry to stop, but you will still want waterproofs and shoes that can handle water or mud. Some animal paths are gravelled or steep.

Buggies can go around the park but not onto the train. Leave yours beside the station at your own risk, or take it back to the car before you ride.

The train has a wheelchair carriage and a mobility scooter can be booked. Accessible toilets are in the main café. Some animal routes are steep or gravelled, and the Education Barn and Fortress have upstairs areas, so contact the park if any of those details will affect your visit.

The Clyde Walkway Café serves hot and cold food, drinks and children's lunchboxes. Hot food finishes one hour before closing, and busy days can mean a wait. You can also bring a picnic for the Walled Garden or indoor Picnic Barn.

Use the £2 Clyde Walkway Car Park next door and follow the venue's road signs, as satnav can lead to the wrong driveway. If you are arriving by bus, allow for the walk from Braidwood Road and check the current timetable first.

Give this one a miss if you need a mostly indoor day, level paths throughout or a short animal visit. It makes most sense when your family wants a few active hours rather than a quick look at the animals.