The Black Loch

Another day, another garden or two. Castle Kennedy Gardens come recommended and certainly lived up to expectation. The 75-acre garden is based on a strip of land between the White Loch on the West and the Black Loch to the East, around the ruin of the C15 castle. At that time it was an island and the lochs a single entity.

We followed one of the designated routes through the walled garden and down different avenues specialising in single species, with occasional diversions.

Main photo is from the upper level overlooking the Black Loch; what is less obvious is the gale force wind whipping up towards us. Extra photo taken on the Monkey Puzzle Avenue, planted in 1849.

Hoping to find newly-fallen pine cones we wandered through the Pinetum but not a one did we see, nor a pine tree! So we returned to the cafe for a light lunch before heading of to garden two, the nearby 12-acre Glenwhan Garden and Arboretum

Here the trees are faithfully labelled and are displayed on walks around three bodies of water, currently undergoing reinforcement of the banks. The atmosphere is less of leisure activity and more on botanics, neither was it covered in Hallowe'en artefacts.

Taking the pretty way back via Portpatrick (on the western coast) we arrived to see white horses on waves (we're on the Easter coast) well before the rain.

It has been a day of dry but wild weather but here we are under yellow alert. All you under red or amber alert do take care and keep safe.