Fountain
Court at Culzean Castle Country Park
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Fountain
Court in Culzean Castle Country Park
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Swan
Pond at Culzean Castle Country Park
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Swan
Pond at Culzean Castle Country Park
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Dolphin
House at Culzean Castle Country Park
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Dolphin
House at Culzean Castle Country Park
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The
Pavilion in Culzean Castle Country
Park
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Ailsa
Craig from Culzean Castle Country Park
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Hills
of Arran from beach at Port
Carrick
at Culzean Castle Country Park |
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Fountain
Court at Culzean Castle Country Park
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Fountain
Court at Culzean Castle Country Park
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Fountain
Court at Culzean Castle Country Park
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Map of
Culzean Castle and Country Park
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Map of
Walk from Culzean Castle to Maidens
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Route Description for Culzean Castle , Country Park and Maidens Walk
CULZEAN COUNTRY PARK - DESCRIPTION:-
Over many years competitive vegetable growers have come to rely on a number of high-performing vegetable varieties to bring them success on the show bench.
One of those is Ailsa Craig, a large, golden onion that is prized by cooks and allotmenteers alike.
This reliable onion was bred by gardener David Murray in the 1870s within the walled garden at Culzean Castle, the historic seat of the Kennedy family
, which was designed by superstar architect Robert Adam - who certainly made the most of the setting.
The castle sits on the edge of sheer cliffs, overlooking the Firth of Clyde, and the estate that lies on the other three sides covers 260 hectares of woodland, farmland,
designed landscape and beautifully cultivated gardens.
From the ramparts there are stunning views towards Arran and the sunsets here are some of the most spectacular in Scotland.
The entrance to the castle is reached by a stone bridge over a gully and below this is a the sunken Fountain Court, where all kinds of semi-tender flowers enjoy the
protected position, flowering well into autumn.
The fountain itself is a glamorous centrepiece, with dolphins and a nymph cavorting above a large pool. Citrus trees overwinter in the orangery set into
the lower level, while not far away sits an exquisite camellia house, where more delicate species of this favourite spring shrub are protected from frost.
The walled garden where that famous Ailsa Craig onion was bred has undergone restoration in recent years, with new fruit trees, flowers and vegetable beds added
to the existing range of productive glasshouses. Produce from here is used in the cafe which occupies one side of an elegant stable block that is set around a courtyard near to the castle
devoted to producing food and flowers.
What makes this walled garden different from others is that while one half is food and flowers, the other half was designed as a place for pleasure, with mature
cedars, hardy bananas, a grotto and ferns of the kind that were hugely fashionable during the Victorian era.
Continue through the estate and you eventually reach the Swan Pond, a five-acre pool surrounded by trees and home to many different kinds of wildfowl.
Here and in other parts of the estate you can find giant willow structures designed by Galloway-based artist Trevor Leat.
One to look out for is the Ailsa Onion arbour where weary visitors can sit and rest their feet.
And they might need a rest after tramping the 18 miles of paths and tracks that lead through the woodlands and parklands, down to the coves and caves that lie at the
bottom of Culzean’s cliffs.
Five million trees were planted on the Culzean estate during the early part of the 19th century and these trees now act as a shelter belt, protecting the gardens from the
winds that blow in from the Clyde.
Today this dense beechwood and the shrubbery that has grown up beneath it also provides a rich, habitat for all kinds of wildlife, including bats, barn owls,
woodpeckers, hares and otters.
There are also a few more unusual species to be found here too, including the llamas that share a huge enclosure with a flock of red deer.
The deer park is of particular interest to young visitors and so too is the extensive range of adventure playgrounds that provide active fun for children of all ages.
Nearby steps lead down to Maidens beach while the rock pools beneath the cliffs are filled with marine creatures.
In autumn the colours in the trees are rich and vibrant, but Culzean’s sheltered microclimate also makes it worth visiting throughout the winter months and into the new year, when
sheets of snowdrops start to appear, pushing their way through the fallen leaves that carpet the ground, and the growing season starts again.
DETAILS:
Culzean Castle gardens and country park are open daily, 10am-4pm.
Tickets: £7/ £5/ £4 ( children ) / £1 ( Young Scot )
Tel: 01655 884455
information@nts.org.uk
The entrance to the estate is on the A719 12 miles south of Ayr.
Some parts of the estate are wheelchair accessible.
A full accessibility guide is available on the NTS website ( www.nts.org.co.uk ).
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