Mount Stuart House |
Mount Stuart House
is the family home of the Stuarts of the Island of Bute and
is one place not to be missed. The Bute family are direct descendants
of King Robert 11 of Scotland. Mount Stuart is a spectacular
Victorian Gothic House and was the magnificent architectural
fantasy of the 3rd Marquess of Bute. The house reflects,
in its artistic, astrological and religious content, the diverse
interest of the 3rd Marquess. The house is situated in
300 acres of designed landscape and 18th century woodlands established
by the 3rd Earl of Bute (1730 - 1793) who advised on the creation
of the famous Kew Gardens. In order to fully enjoy the
many aspects of the house and gardens you are advised to spend
a full day visiting the house and the grounds. It takes
less than one hour to reach Mount Stuart House from the Forester's
House. The journey is pleasant and interesting. The
ferry for the island of Bute leaves from Wemyss Bay Station/ferry
terminal which is less than 10 minutes from Inverkip.
The Station at Wemyss Bay dates back to Victorian time and it
is worth while spending a few minutes in it while passing through
to board the ferry. The 20 minute crossing takes you across
the Firth of Clyde to the beautiful island of Bute. |
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The ferry terminal on the island is situated in the town of
Rothesay. Our present Prince of Wales is also Duke of
Rothesay and the ancient Castle of Rothesay is situated in the
centre of the town. This is also worth a visit. Buses
regularly leave from the ferry terminal to take visitors to
Mount Stuart House. There is no problem for visitors wishing
to take their own car on the ferry and making their own way
to the house. I can assure you that this will be a day
to remember. |
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| Kelburn
Castle and Country House |
Magnificent in its setting,
splendid in its natural beauty, Kelburn Castle and Country Centre
gives its many visitors of all ages a chance to experience history,
beauty, mystery and adventure which is Kelburn's special kind of enchantment.
Kelburn Castle is the family home of the Earl of Glasgow and
dates from the 13th Century. It is still lived in by the present Earl
and his family. The castle makes an impressive background
to Kelburn's exotic gardens, famous trees and romantic Glen, long
regarded as one of Scotland's most beautiful woodlands. A network
of pathways and footbridges lead you upwards past waterfalls and deep
gorges to spectacular views over the Firth of Clyde. Kelburn
is situated on the South side of Largs which is a lovely coastal town
only 10 minutes drive from the Foresters House.
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Also in Largs is Vikingar
which is the amazing multimedia experience that takes you from
the first Viking raids in Scotland to their defeat in the Battle
of Largs. With the help of the latest technology travel back
in time - enter the Battlefield at Largs and experience the
Viking adventure as history is brought to life. |
When in Largs you
should visit the internationally renowned Nardini's Cafe which
is situated on the sea front. Nardini's is famous for its pastries
and ice cream.
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The lovely island of Arran |
Often described as Scotland
in miniature, and is easily accessible from the Foresters
House. The ferry leaves from Ardrossan which is
a 30 minute journey from the Foresters House. It
is then best to park your car and go as a passenger. The
journey takes less than one hour and during this time
you will have lovely views of the Firth of Clyde. While
on Arran it is worth visiting Brodick Castle. There
are buses available at the ferry terminal to take you
to the castle. The castle, now cared for by the
National Trust for Scotland, was the formal seat of the
Duke of Hamilton. Part of the castle dates back
to the 13th Century and it contains fine rooms and many
treasures including 16th century furniture and paintings.
The woodland garden is famous for its world class
rhodeodendron collection.
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This is an extremely impressive and interesting castle. This
was where President Eisenhower and Winston Churchill planned
the D Day landings. A great day out.
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Inverary
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Take a day out to Inverary. This
can be done in a circular tour by taking the ferry to Dunoon
only 10 minutes from the Foresters House. Journey to Inverary
via the Holy Loch, Loch Eck and Loch Fyne. While in Inverary
visit the beautiful fairy tale castle of Inverary home to the
Chief of the Campbell clan.
You can also go to Jail (prison) while in Inverary. The
preserved jail, which won the European Museum of the Year Award,
gives its visitors a chilling insight into how the penal system
was run in ancient days. Step back into history and meet
the warders, matrons and prisoners and discover what the day-to-day
life in the jail was once like. Many of the poor souls
who were unfortunate to end up in the jail were shipped off
to Australia. |
Return to the Foresters via Loch Long and Loch Lomond having spent
some time in the Loch Fyne Oyster Bar famous for its wonderful Scottish
Fare. |
The
Waverley |
| The Waverley is
the last sea going paddle steamer in the world. It is
based on the river Clyde and in the summer months she makes
frequent cruises from Greenock and Largs. A unique day out. |
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| Stirling |
Stirling
is about one and a half hours drive from Inverkip. There you
can visit Stirling Castle and the famous Wallace Monument which contains
a dramatic historical portrayal using the latest technology, of the
famous Scottish hero who was portrayed by Mel Gibson in the film Braveheart.
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Glasgow
Glasgow with its wonderful shops, art galleries,
museums, cathedrals etc. etc. is only a 35 minute train journey from
Inverkip into the city centre.
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Edinburgh
Ancient capital of Scotland, is about one and
half to two hours journey by car. Much better to take the train
to Glasgow and then to Edinburgh. If you get your timing right
you can be in Edinburgh from Inverkip in less than 2 hours giving
you plenty of time to visit the Edinburgh landmarks. The cost
of accommodation is very expensive in Edinburgh and the saving made
on this will more than compensate for the rail fares.
I am going to stop there as I could go on and on. Suffice to
say the problem you will have is that your time will not be long enough
to see and experience everything you would want. |
