Inverewe

Inverewe is a garden that should not exist, planted from 1862 by Osgood Mackenzie on a bare, wind-scoured peninsula in Loch Ewe on the same latitude as Hudson Bay. He shipped in soil, planted a shelter belt of pines and let the Gulf Stream do the rest; his daughter Mairi Sawyer carried on and gave the garden to the National Trust for Scotland in 1952. Today 2,500 species from around the world crowd the paths, with Californian redwoods, tree ferns, eucalyptus and rhododendrons that flower from January, and Inverewe House is now a museum and gallery. The estate has the Pinewood Trail, a wildlife hide and boat trips looking for otters, seals and sea eagles. Reviewers say the paths make it feel like you have the place to yourself and praise Osgood's Cafe. Tips from regulars: it is 90 minutes' drive from Inverness and a full day if you walk every path, the guidebook is worth buying, and dogs are welcome on a short lead, one per person.