Fancy making the most of the last of these warm summer days with a family day out? Well, according to Which? you should be heading to the Ayrshire coast where you'll find a beautiful cliff-top castle.
Perched atop the epic Ayrshire cliffs, you'll find the magnificent Culzean Castle which has just been named by the influential consumer magazine as one of the best historic attractions in the UK.
The fairytale castle was named in third place just behind another Scottish attraction in Royal Yacht Britannia in Edinburgh, which placed joint top with Fountains Abbey in Yorkshire, in the survey voted for by Which? readers.
The survey looked at nine criteria including overall value for money, helpfulness of staff and lack of crowds, with Guy Hobbs, editor of Which? Travel, stating: “Whether you’re looking to get back to nature or explore the hidden histories of our remarkable cities, Which?’s rankings of the UK’s best historic attractions have plenty to inspire you.”
Speaking about the stunning castle, the Which? team wrote: "Coming a close joint third in the consumer champion’s survey are Culzean Castle and Country Park in Scotland, managed by the National Trust for Scotland, and the Roman Baths and Pump Room in Bath, both achieving a score of 87 per cent.
"Perched atop rugged Ayrshire cliffs, the magnificent Culzean Castle was designed by architect Robert Adam in the eighteenth century and boasts 40 buildings and secret follies across its extensive country park, as well as a Swan Pond, formal gardens, play areas and an icehouse.
"With so much on offer, it unsurprisingly scooped a full five stars for facilities, as well as a further five for how well the description matched the reality of the experience on offer. One respondent enthused that the castle ‘is not to be missed’, while others commended the ‘amazing views and walks’."
Culzean Castle
With its golden turrets and crenellations, fantastic gardens and rich history, it's easy to see why even former US president and army general Dwight D Eisenhower chose the site as his Scottish holiday home.
A frequent visitor, he often spent time there with his family and friends.
Overlooking the Firth of Clyde from its cliff-top location close to the town of Maybole, the castle was originally built in the late 18th century at the bequest of David Kennedy, the 10th Earl of Cassilis.
It's now run by the National Trust for Scotland (NTS) and is hugely popular with families and history lovers visiting the area.
The castle itself is home to architectural wonders such as the sweeping Oval Staircase, while outside you'll find the stunning Walled Garden.
Things to do
The charity have spent over £500,000 on a raft of improvements at the castle, including several wonderful new family attractions.
These include the playground for younger children, Adventure Cove, and the adventure playpark for older children, the Wild Woodland, while the 120 hectares of mixed woodland of the country park is where you'll find the Swan Pond and Deer Park - home to a small herd of deer and llamas
The Home Farm Kitchen and Swan Pond Ice Cream Parlour are the ideal spots to refuel and for warmer days there's also the nearby beach that's ideal for rockpooling.
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