Two Galloway gardens
We arrived at Glenwhan Gardens just in time for morning coffee in the friendly tea room. This was Easter Sunday so I had expected it to be busy, but the weather was dull and damp and we seemed to be the first people there. Not so – apparently a woman had arrived earlier with a small girl in tow and enquired about their Easter Egg Hunt. When told she would have to pay the garden fee to participate, she stormed off saying it would be cheaper to go to Tesco to buy an egg. I would say 0/10 for parenting skills there! We spotted bags of mini-eggs hanging throughout the garden but, although it got a bit busier, we didn’t see many children. What a shame.
Anyway, after coffee we admired the peacock in the car park before heading through the entrance with its lovely stained glass panel.
Started in 1979, the 12 acre site was previously a hillside of bracken and gorse, with two lakes created by damming up bogs. The paths wander upwards to various viewpoints – it’s just beautiful.
There are many sculptures dotted around.
My favourite is the Peace Pinnacle, seen here from both sides.
The garden is surrounded by 17 more acres of wild land – it was even wetter under foot than the rest of the garden, but we enjoyed the moorland walk all the same.
As luck would have it, we passed the tea room again just in time for lunch (delicious) before returning to the car and setting off for our second garden of the day. However, we decided on another stop in between.
Glenluce Abbey was founded in 1191/2 by Roland, Lord of Galloway. The ruins are now in the care of Historic Scotland.
Finally, it was on to Castle Kennedy Gardens.
The castle ruins date to the 16th century, but the gardens are more recent being the inspiration of the second Earl of Stair in the early 19th century. I was struck by the terraces and landforms, very reminiscent of contemporary work by Charles Jencks (and we’d be visiting one of his creations the next day). However, they have been there since the beginning, created by men with carts and horse-drawn equipment. Amazing work!
Lastly, at the top end of the gardens we found Lochinch Castle, which was rather more comfortable looking than Castle Kennedy!
We got wet several times throughout the day and it was cold (spot that I’m wearing gloves, even though it was April) so it was good to head back to our cosy cottage to dry out and warm up. We were leaving the next morning and planned to go home via Crawick Multiverse. Coming next!
The Glasgow Gallivanter 
Two gardens plus castle ruins in a single day!? That’s a darn near perfect traveller day. Love the pics.
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Thanks – it’s a beautiful part of the country which is not so well known as, say, the Highlands.
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What a fantastic day! So many beautiful places. Who cares for a bit of cold? 😉
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Quite! Though we could do without the rain …..
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Fascinating photos, but the one that really jumps out at me is the peacock sitting on a fence gate! I have never ever seen one of these birds sitting like that! (There is an arts centre a few miles from where i live that has a peacock that struts around the place, I’ve never known if it belongs to the owner or just visits, but that’s the only one I’ve seen very close up. The rest were in parks. Nope. Never seen a peacock sitting on a gate!)
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Thank you, peacocks don’t often co-operate, but just occasionally they do! Thanks for reading and following.
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I loved Glenwhan too. Surprises round every corner, and a great cafe!
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Yes, one of the nicest I’ve been to (both garden and its cafe – lovely staff).
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What a marvelous landscaped garden, thanks for sharing.
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Thank you for visiting and reading!
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We’ve been to Castle Kennedy, but none of the others. I’m in despair of ever getting back to Scotland again! 😦
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Oh no! So much still to see (even for those of us who’ve been here over 30 years).
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Beautiful places!
The weather wasn’t the best, but it gives a dramatic scent to the pictures 🙂
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Thanks, it does make it atmospheric.
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You find the most beautiful places to visit. I love all the sculptures and azaleas, and wow, that peacock!
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Always amazed at what I still have to discover in Scotland. It’s great that we can still go somewhere new after 30+ years here.
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Oh what a shame for that wee girl! I hope her mum a least hid the egg from Tescos!! Thegardens look gorgeous – I’m planning to paddleboard at Girvan soon, must see if a wee dip further south is possible!
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I suspect the child was dragged along to Tesco. Maybe at least she got to choose the egg.
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I hope so! Poor wee thing.
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I think the wild boar is my favourite sculpture! And that poor girl missing out on the egg hunt. 😦 I’ve never actually participated in an egg hunt at a garden or attraction, which seem to be common in Britain (I don’t think they’re really a thing in America), but my mom would hide oversized plastic eggs filled with candy and 50 cent pieces all around the back garden for us every Easter, and it was always the highlight of the day (considering the rest of the day was filled with church and a disgusting ham dinner, it wasn’t much of a contest, but still).
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Your mom’s idea was great! I can relate to the church and ham thing too.
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How nice to see Glenwhan again, though we were luckier with the weather it seems! There are some fabulous gardens in Dumfries and Galloway, we were very impressed.
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Yes, I looked up your post again while we were sitting in the tearoom waiting for the rain to ease off!
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haha…
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Gorgeous photos, and what a great place to spend Easter Sunday!
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Thanks, it was!
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These gardens look so inviting and I love the warthog sculpture. It looks so nice but so much care is needed for gardens to look effortless. Love the ruins and it does look cold because I saw your mitts.
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This is why I only have a tiny garden – too much effort!
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I always enjoy water gardens and that first one looks impressive. Any landscaped gardens I visit I’m always slightly disappointed if they don’t have a pond or two so both these tick the boxes nicely.
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Yes, they were lovely even in the rain. A bit too much water!
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Hi, Anabel – I love how your adventures and posts always seem to include a nice cup of coffee somewhere in (or near) the center of action. And I totally agree with your assessment of the 0/10 parenting skills. That was so sad!
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No outing is complete without a nice tearoom! I don’t understand how anyone can lead a child to an egg hunt only to take her away again. I expect the poor kid will have to get used to such disappointments – if she hasn’t already.
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That poor wee girl! We used to do Easter Egg hunts when the boy-child was little and even the kids that didn’t like chocolate (there were two of them amazingly) joined in because it was such fun. That aside, your images are lovely and I enjoyed your excursion.
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The ladies in the tea room were quite indignant! Imagine being that stingy.
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And totally lacking in imagination. It’s not about the egg but the fun of the search!
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Exactly! Poor kid.
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“As luck would have it, we passed the tea room again just in time for lunch”
Sure 🙂
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Busted! You know me too well.
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So many beautiful places to see in your neck of the woods! It’s fun to keep traveling along with you 🙂
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Thanks Susan – I’m constantly amazed to find new places!
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The colors of the stained glass certainly reflect the gardens. Lovely peacock on the fence picture!
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I loved that entrance – the peacock and the stained glass both.
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We stayed in the grounds of castle kennedy and Lochinch Castle in Icehouse Cottage. Was lovely, cosy and very peaceful in November.lots of pheasants, deer and red squirrels.x
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Oh, how lovely! I saw that they did accommodation, it would be great just to walk out into that.
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Hi Anabel,
I used to say “the English can do gardens”, since I visited these beautiful gardens first in Cornwall. But from your story [and from my experiences in Scotland] I have to correct myself and add, “and the Scottish can do gardens, too”. I haven’t been in Wales yet, but I assume they have wonderful gardens there, too. So, maybe the safest way would be, “the British can do gardens”. 😉
Have a wonderful day,
Pit
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I don’t know about Wales either. There are certainly some beautiful gardens about. It’s not a talent that has found its way to me though! But I love looking.
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That is not one of my talents either. And in addition to that, even if I had the talent, the deer in our garden would make short work of any beutiful flowers and/or shrubs.
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Hi Anabel – I agree about the parenting example to small child – terrible. Trouble with the weather too – we never know what it’s going to do. Still wonderful to see the gardens and the ruins – and then a cottage to dry off in with some home comforts … cheers Hilary
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I know, poor child! We’re good at enjoying places despite the weather – we have to be up here.
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That’s a shame about the Easter egg hunt – both for all the wasted candy due to not many children participating and the child who had to make do with an egg from Tesco instead of finding eggs in the garden.
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I felt terrible for that poor child! Imagine looking forward to the fun of an egg hunt then being taken to the supermarket instead. Somehow, I feel the eggs would not have gone to waste: I’m sure the staff would have helped out!
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