Attadale Gardens at Strathcarron is one of the most extraordinary gardens in Scotland and almost nobody has heard of it.
20 acres of woodland, water gardens, sunken ferneries and Japanese rock pools, all sitting on the south shore of Loch Carron with views straight across to Skye. A geodesic dome full of tender ferns. A sculpture trail you spot half-hidden between the rhododendrons. Red squirrels in the trees. A DIY honesty café with the best name in the Highlands.
It’s the garden you wish your aunt had. And it’s an essential stop if you’re driving from Inverness to Applecross or Skye.
Visiting Attadale Gardens
- Open: April to October, daily, 10am to 5pm. Closed November to March (open on Thursdays in February for the Snowdrop Festival).
- Cost: Adults £12.50. Children under 16 free. Cash and card.
- Time needed: 2 to 3 hours
- Where: Attadale Estate, Strathcarron, Wester Ross, IV54 8YX, on the A890 between Strathcarron and South Strome
- Dogs: Welcome on a short lead
Visit Attadale Gardens for the latest information.
An introduction to Attadale Gardens
Attadale Gardens at Strathcarron forms part of the Attadale Estate, a 30,000-acre Highland estate which stretches from Loch Carron to Loch Monar north of Skye and east of the Applecross peninsula.
Hidden between the huge rhododendrons and specimen trees are quirky sculptures, monet-style bridges & architectural benches, beautiful greenhouses and even a Japanese water garden waiting to be found. Every turn is a view worthy of picking up a paintbrush. There are so many shades of green, brown, oranges… than I ever knew existed.
We were there mid-summer and the light was extraordinary. Rhododendrons over a hundred years old with trunks like small trees, candelabra primulas in pinks and yellows reflected in dark pools, a Japanese maple in absolute purple bloom (my favourite tree, I was in heaven), and a redwood that’s going to be visible from Skye in about a hundred years.
We were made to feel very welcome by the owner’s daughter who we managed to catch for a chat about the history of the garden. The estate had been Clan Matheson originally, then bought by Baron Schroder (a German banker) in the late 19th century after the Mathesons went bankrupt.
Schroder’s son Captain William started a garden, importing rhododendrons from all over the world. The Macphersons bought the estate after Schroder died and they still own it today. The 1980 storms wiped most of it out, and the present garden is what Nicky Macpherson has built since, painting with the planting in mind of the views.
After Baron Schroder died, the estate was bought by Ian Macpherson, whose family still own the estate and gardens. After the garden was destroyed in the 1980s by storms, the present owner Nicky Macpherson built the gardens you can see today.
After a couple of hours of wandering, we still felt very reluctant to leave. I kept spotting something else to explore. From wonderful views of Skye, a beautiful Japanese maple in full purple bloom (my favourite tree), a rather magnificent redwood (give it another 100 years, you will probably see it from Skye!) and lots of tags all over the trees to read (great for a tree geek like me) and a finally a lovely sculptural quote from Leith’s Graciela Ainsworth, Life is not a rehearsal. Words to live by I think.
This is a botanical garden with a family heart. It is rather lovely.
What to see
The water gardens
You enter the gardens through what feels like a private fairy wood, with the water gardens stretched out along the drive. Gunnera, Himalayan primula, candelabra primulas reflected in dark pools. Monet-style bridges crossing waterfalls. The planting is so painterly it stops you mid-step.
The rhododendron dell
The original heart of the garden, planted by Captain William Schroder in the late 19th century. Some of the rhododendrons here are over a hundred years old, with trunks like small trees. May and early June is when they’re at their most ridiculous, dripping with flower.
The Japanese garden
Raked gravel, cloud-pruned hedges, dwarf conifers, Japanese maples in shocking purples and reds. A genuinely beautiful piece of design hidden in the middle of the West Highlands.
The geodesic dome
A surprise to come across in the Highlands. The dome houses a collection of tender ferns that wouldn’t survive a Wester Ross winter outside, alongside a sunken fern garden built on the site of an early 19th century drain.
The sculpture trail
Sculpture appears throughout the garden, sometimes obvious, sometimes only spotted on a second pass. Look for the work of Leith-based artist Graciela Ainsworth, whose piece quotes “Life is not a rehearsal”. A line worth taking home.
The kitchen garden
A traditional walled kitchen garden with fruit, vegetables and a polytunnel where they sell home-grown plants. The kind of garden that makes you want to dig up your own lawn the moment you get home.
A Highland garden run by women
What you might not pick up on a first visit is that Attadale is one of very few Highland gardens almost entirely run by women. Owner Nicky Macpherson rebuilt the garden after the catastrophic 1980 storms and her vision shapes everything you see. The current head gardener, Pamela, trained at Scone Palace. Frances has worked here 22 years and crofts 200 sheep on the side. Leanda forages mushrooms and bakes the cakes for the café.
It’s a small detail but it’s part of what makes the place feel different. There’s a softness and idiosyncrasy to the planting that feels nothing like a Trust property or a corporate estate garden.
The Midge Bite Café
The on-site café shares its name with the better-known Midge Bite at Achnasheen, run by the same team. It’s a “DIY” honesty café in a small building near the gatehouse: home-made sandwiches, cakes, ice cream, hot drinks, all paid for via a contactless card system you operate yourself.
The system sounds odd until you use it. You select what you’ve taken on a screen, it tots up the bill, you tap your card. It works. The home-made bread and the ice cream are both better than they have any right to be in a self-service café in the middle of nowhere.
How to get there
By car: Attadale is on the A890 between Strathcarron and South Strome on the south side of Loch Carron. It’s a 90-minute drive from Inverness, an hour from Skye Bridge, and roughly halfway between the two. Free visitor car park.
By train: This is the easy one. Attadale Station is on the Inverness to Kyle of Lochalsh line, one of the most beautiful train journeys in Britain. The station is a request stop, so let the conductor know when you board. Walk through the pedestrian gate at the end of the platform and you’re in the garden.
The drive in from the A890 is mostly straightforward. Save the harder driving for what comes next.
What to do nearby
Attadale fits perfectly into a slow drive from Inverness to Applecross or Skye. A few ideas:
- Lunch at the Midge Bite Café on site before the drive over Bealach na Bà to Applecross. You’re going to need it.
- The Applecross Inn at the end of the Bealach na Bà pass for dinner and a stay. Book ahead, it’s tiny.
- Plockton, fifteen minutes south-west, for the prettiest village on the west coast, palm trees, and Calum’s Seal Trips.
- Eilean Donan Castle, half an hour south, for the most photographed castle in Scotland.
- The Bealach Café at Lochcarron is genuinely good but check current opening, it has had ownership changes.
Read more: things to do in Plockton and the Applecross Peninsula.
A word on Bealach na Bà
If you’re heading to Applecross from Attadale, you’re about to drive Britain’s third-highest road. Bealach na Bà rises 626 metres in a series of single-track switchbacks, and on a wet day it can feel genuinely like a Highland version of an Alpine pass.
It’s worth doing. It’s also not for nervous drivers, motorhomes, or learners. If conditions look poor, the alternative coast road via Shieldaig is longer but considerably easier.
Frequently asked questions
When is the best time to visit Attadale Gardens?
Late May and early June are the peak weeks, with the rhododendron dell at its most spectacular and the water gardens in full flow. July and August bring the meconopsis and primulas. October is excellent for autumn colour on the maples. The garden is closed November to March.
How long do you need at Attadale Gardens?
Allow at least 2 hours. Most visitors spend 2 to 3 hours, which gives you time to walk the full garden, find all the sculptures, sit by the water gardens, and have lunch at the Midge Bite Café. Garden lovers easily spend half a day here.
Are dogs allowed at Attadale Gardens?
Yes, dogs are welcome on a short lead. Biodegradable waste bags and composting sites are provided.
Is Attadale Gardens wheelchair accessible?
The gardens are mainly gravel paths, mostly wheelchair-friendly though some areas are uneven. Wheelchair users are admitted free of charge. Limited disabled parking is available near the house.
Can you get to Attadale Gardens by train?
Yes. Attadale Station is on the Inverness to Kyle of Lochalsh line, one of the most scenic railway journeys in Britain. The station is a request stop, so tell the conductor when you board. From the platform, walk through the pedestrian gate directly into the gardens.
Stay nearby
The Attadale Estate also has a collection of self-catering cottages on site, a quiet alternative to the busier Applecross and Plockton accommodation. For more options, see my accommodation guides for the Highlands.
Love, from Scotland x
