Ardkinglas Woodland Gardens

Second time here and I still love taking my time walking around .It is surprising how large this woodland is .I especially love the little fairy village .There is so much history and for £5 entrance fee it is a bargain and a lovely day out .There is a portable toilet at the entrance . Dog friendly.Just he careful if it has been raining as some steps can be slippery.I must visit in the warmer months when the flowers are out .

· via Google

We really enjoyed our time here, the paths are well maintained and there is a large variety of plants and trees. The gruffalo trail is short but the metal sculptures were interesting. The walk takes you on a bridge across the river to an old mill where you can get access to the river bed and the children had a bit of a play, then winds back down the other side to the fairy village which our children enjoyed more and is quite large and well done. You can cut off and walk round the estate more but there were warnings about it being a bit boggy so we didn't bother. It was a very wet day and it took us about 2 hours and we had a really good time then visited the nearby brewery.

· via Google

Without question one of the most charming woodlands. Paths are laid out across steep banks and along the Kinglas Water.There is a loop walk that takes about an hour. It is well laid out but might be a bit too steep for some. There is a shorter Gruffalo Walk for children. We were delighted by drifts of bluebells. Open to the public this private woodland has minimal signage. Do bring cash (£5 per person), my phone struggled to pay by tapping or to make a bank transfer. If you there when there are no staff about you can leave payment in a concrete obelisk. There is a portlaoo by the car park. Along the paths there are numerous benches to enjoy views. A peaceful restorative place. As we were leaving we bought more tickets to visit Ardkinglas House garden. We drove a short way and parked by the beautiful Sir Robert Lorimer house built in 1907. Even from the outside the house is a magnificent example of Scottish Baronial architecture. From there we followed a well sigh posted walk that is about 1 mile long. It is entirely flat and a much easier walk than through the woods. In May we enjoyed seeing the numerous rhododendrons and azaleas in bloom, plus more and more drifts of bluebells. The garden is laid out in front of the shores of Loch Fyne and there are fine views on the shore line.

· via Google

This was such a charming fun walk and yes, dare i say, magical? There is a £5 charge for adults and £2 for children - you can pay cash or virtually via a QR code. I think the fee is well worth it. It is a private estate and they have provided a portaloo, parking, a lovely loop walk with an info brochure and map. There are stairs and bridges, benches to sit on and enjoy the view, and horticultural labels on many of the plants and trees. The tall trees were amazing! There are some references to the Gruffalo (i did not do that side trail) and a whimsical fairy trail with little fairy houses. My 80 year old parents and I really enjoyed the walk - we did not include the old mill section since it seemed a lot steeper for them. I know my daughters would have absolutely loved this entire walk and fairy trail when they were little! Thank you to the estate for making this available to us!

· via Google