Culzean Castle

Sitting on the edge of a sheer cliff, looking out over the Firth of Clyde to Arran, Culzean Castle (daily: April-Oct 11am-5pm; Nov-April park only 9am to dusk; NTS; www.culzeancastle.net; £8; park only £4), ten miles south of Ayr, couldn't want for a more impressive situation. The current castle is actually a grand, late eighteenth-century stately home, designed by highly successful Scottish Neoclassical architect, Robert Adam, for the tenth Earl of Cassillis (pronounced "cassles"). Since passing into the hands of the National Trust for Scotland in 1945, Culzean, and in particular its surrounding 560-acre country park, has become one of Ayrshire's premier tourist attractions.

The best place to start is at the visitor centre in the modernized Home Farm buildings. Here, you can watch an audiovisual show on the house, and pick up free maps - as well as wildlife leaflets - that help you get your bearings, the layout of the place being rather confusing; consult staff about taking a guided walk in the grounds. You can stay at Culzean (tel 01655/884455; April-Oct; over £200), on the top floor, where six double bedrooms have been done out in a comfortably genteel style. Another option is the nearby Culzean Castle campsite (tel 01655/760627; April-Oct), located in the woods by the castle entrance, though not in fact run by the National Trust.

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