Following on from the success of the residential weekend at New Lanark and due to popular demand, Schoolhouse is organising another weekend event for families, this time camping at Beecraigs Country Park.

Beecraigs is located 3.2km. (2 miles) south of historic Linlithgow town, midway between Glasgow and Edinburgh, in the scenic Bathgate Hills. It has a dedicated camping area that we have booked the sole use of for Friday 14th May from 2pm to Sunday 16th May at 11am. The cost for the weekend will be £20 per family and should be paid at time of booking. There will be a limited number of places due to the size of the site.

The camping area is fenced and is therefore traffic free, however the car park is adjoining so not far to carry camping equipment. There are static BBQ pits around the car park area for those who wish to use them. Individual families are responsible for their own meals.

Entry to Beecraigs Country Park itself is free and there are lots of pleasant woodland walks and circular walks around a loch. In 1977 a red deer herd was established and is now maintained as a visitor attraction. It is possible to view the deer from raised platforms and from the walkways through the fields. As the calves can be born from April/May onwards it may be possible for us to see young calves during the weekend.

There is plenty of opportunity for off road cycling and there is an adventure play area and trim course within easy walking distance of the camping area.

Karen,  the Schoolhouse events co-ordinator, has been in touch with Historic Scotland’s Linlithgow Palace and arranged a free education visit for the Friday afternoon at 14.00 hours. A Primary 7 guide from the local Primary School will be available to show us around the site.

The Ranger Service at Beecraigs is arranging a nocturnal walk at about 8.30pm on the Friday night at a cost of £3 per adult and £2 per child and then on the Saturday morning they will be running a further woodland/shelter building activity again at a cost of £3 per adult and £2 per child

There are a number of outdoor activities offered at the Park from Field Archery to Gorge Scrambling to a “Go Ape high wire forest adventure” but if folk are interested in these activities they need to be organised by individual families.  Likewise, any one interested in fishing will also need to organise that for themselves.

If you wish to book a place for your family, please contact Karen with details of who will be coming, with ages ( for the children!) and details of whether you wish to participate in the Linlithgow Place visit, nocturnal walk and/or woodland/shelter building activity. Then please send full payment for both camping and the activities (cheques payable to Schoolhouse HEA) to:

Schoolhouse Home Education Association
PO Box 18044
Glenrothes
Fife KY7 9AD

If anyone is keen to come but would rather come with a caravan then these will need to located in an area a short distance from the tent area and will need to be booked independently with the Country Park. However monies for the activities will still need to be sent to Schoolhouse.

SCHOOLHOUSE HAS MADE THIS SOLE-USE BOOKING IN ORDER TO OFFER FAMILIES THE OPPORTUNITY TO MEET OTHER HOME EDUCATORS AND TO ALLOW THEM TO TAKE PART IN SOME SHARED ACTIVITIES. ATTENDEES SHOULD BE AWARE THAT THEY ARE RESPONSIBLE FOR THEIR OWN CHILDREN AT ALL TIMES AND THAT SCHOOLHOUSE MAY NOT BE HELD LIABLE FOR ANY INJURY OR DAMAGE SUSTAINED WHILST ATTENDING THE CAMP.