Keeping children entertained during the school holidays is a challenge every parent understands.

Persuading kids that there are lots of great things they can be doing outdoors isn’t always easy. But Historic Scotland’s Ranger Service has come up with a fun, free event which should help entice children in the Linlithgow area away from the TV, DVDs and computer games.

Each Tuesday morning in July, the Ranger Service is inviting youngsters under 15 to one of the region’s most stunning historic attractions – Linlithgow Palace – to become ‘nature detectives’.

Under the expert guidance of the rangers, they’ll investigate the wildlife and plants which flourish within the Palace grounds and around Linlithgow Loch and Linlithgow Peel, the Royal Park beside the Palace.

Historic Scotland Countryside Ranger Ian Lewis explains: “We’ve lots of interesting and entertaining activities planned for the children, such as loch dipping which is great fun and enables them to examine the huge variety of mini beasts which live in and around Linlithgow Loch and Peel. It’s a great opportunity for them to learn about the insects the birds feed on and other creatures which live in and around the water.

“Linlithgow Loch is a Site of Special Scientific Interest due to its large wildfowl population and this location is an important natural habitat for an abundance of wildlife. Our aim with these events is to encourage the children to appreciate nature and the extensive and diverse range of creatures in the water and on the land - as well as the birds and butterflies - which can be found here and around the local area.”

The Nature Detective events take place from 10am to 12 noon on Tuesdays 3rd, 10th, 17th, 24th, and 31st July. As places are limited, booking in advance - by calling +44 (0)1506 842065 or emailing [email protected]– is recommended. The events are suitable for under-15s and younger children (under 6) should be accompanied by an adult.