BENMORE Botanic Garden has been named one of the UK’s best-value attractions for families this summer in a new study.
The Argyll attraction, near Dunoon, was ranked seventh in a list of the UK’s most “cost-effective” days out compiled by outdoor retailer GO Outdoors.
The study analysed admission prices, visitor numbers, Google review scores and online search popularity to identify attractions offering the best value for money during the school holidays.
Benmore was the highest-rated botanic garden in Scotland on the list, earning an overall score of 7.88 out of 10. A family of four can visit for £21.60, while the garden also received an average Google review score of 4.8 out of five.
Situated on the Cowal Peninsula, Benmore Botanic Garden is renowned for its dramatic avenue of giant redwood trees and extensive collection of plants from around the world, attracting thousands of visitors each year.
According to the research, the garden welcomed more than 36,000 visitors this year and generated more than 76,000 online searches across the UK.
Only one other Scottish attraction ranked higher than Benmore, with Blackness Castle near Linlithgow taking fourth place overall.
Craigmillar Castle in Edinburgh, Tantallon Castle in East Lothian and Logan Botanic Garden in Dumfries and Galloway also featured in the UK’s top 10.
Topping the national rankings was Clumber Park in Nottinghamshire, followed by the Giant’s Causeway in Northern Ireland and Cambridge University Botanic Garden.
Natalie Wolfenden, an outdoor expert at GO Outdoors, said: “The UK has an abundance of places to visit and activities to take part in. From castles to gardens, there is plenty on offer – and lots of summer holiday activities that won’t break the bank.”
