Benmore Botanic Garden - Dunoon
Nestled in a mountainside, Benmore Botanic Garden is a fantastic wheelchair-accessible day out and a haven of colour and texture in Argyll (Earra-Ghàidheal in Gàidhlig). Wheel with all the family beneath giant Redwood trees and a ‘riot of rhododendrons’, grab something to eat at the Redwood Coffee Shop, and even take home a plant from their plant-sale!
If you’re looking for wheelchair-friendly things to see and do in Scotland, Botanic Gardens are often a great bet. I’ve found accessibility at most to be pretty good, and Benmore is no exception. They have an Easy Access Route that takes in a brilliant range of plants and trees, including the magnificent pond which I’ll show you later. But let’s start at the beginning!
Arriving at Benmore Botanic Garden
Upon arriving, there are a few disabled parking bays close to the visitor centre entrance, along with a welcome sign showing a map of the garden. The Easy Access Route is marked in orange. You can also pick up a printed copy of the map in the visitor centre - handy for finding your way as I didn’t think the trail itself was particularly well signposted. I found getting into the visitor centre and purchasing my ticket went smoothly (concession rate for disabled people, plus free carer’s tickets). There’s an accessible toilet at the visitor centre - it’s on the smaller side but has grab rails and a red cord. I found the doors tricky to manoeuvre around but I raised it with the visitor team so hopefully it’ll be sorted! It’s possible to manual hire wheelchairs here, for free. They are folding and all can be either self-propelled or attendant-propelled. There is some seating here, indoors and outdoors, and some nice, themed items to buy - perhaps a gift for someone who wasn’t lucky enough to come with you. You can also grab a coffee and a bite to eat from the Redwood Coffee truck. We’d already had lunch, but it looks lovely - and they have vegan options!
Giants of Benmore
There’s a high arched bridge leading to the main garden gate and already you get a glimpse of how stunning your visit is going to be. Trees tower over you, and the river rushes beneath you. I was using my Triride power attachment but would have needed a push over the bridge if I was just wheeling manually - perhaps folk stronger than me would fare better! I found the gate itself to be very heavy and needed Kirsty to help me out with that. Once through the gate you are in Redwood Avenue where these 150-year-old stunning red-bark trees stand parallel to each other, welcoming you to Benmore. They are the giants of Benmore. It’s a dramatic entrance to say the least!
Redwood Avenue
These giants are 150 years old
The Pond
Next, we made our way to the pond. It was breath-taking! Our visit was towards the end of the season in October - perhaps a time when fewer people visit gardens, but I’d highly recommend it because the colours just pop, especially against moody autumn skies.
The pond is fringed by Japanese Maple trees, their deep reds and golden oranges reflected in the still water. We crossed a narrow wooden bridge and wandered down to a viewing area at the end. This area is quite small and was awkward to turn around in with my tri-ride attached. I think larger mobility scooters may struggle. Also, for safety reasons, the pond area has tall mesh fencing. I couldn’t quite see over it from wheelchair height, but it’s possible to see through the mesh. The pond can still be enjoyed without making your way over the bridge and to the viewing area, and after visiting the walled garden area we found ourselves at the other side of the pond. It was possibly my favourite bit of the gardens!
The Walled Garden
Walled gardens are always best in summer when the borders come to life in colour. Our autumn visit was less colourful but still enjoyable. I noticed plenty of benches here and throughout the garden for people with mobility issues who need to rest for a while, or for those who just want to take it all in. Throughout the gardens there are signs that let you know the distance to the next area or feature. They include rough timings for walking too which is handy when deciding whether you need a break or not! Puck’s hut can be found here in the walled garden - sadly not accessible. There’s a ramp going up but a big step down at the other side. Inside is information about the hut and the garden. From outside, make sure you look up to see Puck keeping a watchful eye on the garden. After the walled garden there’s another disabled toilet, similar in size to the one at the main entrance.
Silent Space
The orange Easy Access Trail continues through beautiful, wooded areas and past Benmore House. One particularly lovely spot is the Silent Space where you are encouraged to sit or stroll in silence. We chose to be still, and even in the rain we just sat and tuned into the space around us. Rain drops splashing on leaves. The peppery, minty smell of the Scots Pine. The coolness of the air on our skin. Anyone who knows me will know I’m not often silent (ask my mum!), so being encouraged to enjoy silence like this is fantastic. Silent Spaces can be found in many gardens in the UK and I’d encourage you to find one near you and enjoy it!
“Silence is not the absence of something, but the presence of everything”
Home Time
We didn’t manage to cover the entire Easy Access Route as we had to head off home - but we were amazed at just how much of the garden it took in and the variety of things to see along the way. I think we spent about two hours there and even as the rain got heavy, we weren’t tempted to go home until we really had to (Millie and Kimber wouldn’t forgive us if we were late for dinner time!) Of course, being a mountainside garden, there is an awful lot we couldn’t access, but I didn’t feel like we were short-changed. We still had a fantastic time and we’re already wondering when we can fit in another visit with the dogs this time, because Benmore Botanic Garden is one of the few dog-friendly gardens in Scotland! (Assistance animals are always welcome of course).
I’d like to say a thank you to Sybil at Benmore Botanic Gardens Visitor Team who was fantastic on the phone prior to our visit and gave us really detailed information about what to expect. An access guide can also be found here - be sure to expand the further information sections that go into detail about each area.
