DETAILS

Benmore Botanic Garden

GETTING THERE: Numerous airlines offer flights from Washington to Glasgow, usually with one or more layovers. For example, Continental offers service from Reagan National via Newark starting at about $540 round trip. British Airways flies from Dulles to Glasgow, with a layover at Heathrow, starting at about $730.

Benmore Botanic Garden, near Dunoon, is on the southern fringe of Argyll and Bute, a region of Scotland known for the beauty of its mountains, tidal and freshwater lochs and coastal terrain. By road, the journey from Scotland's largest city, Glasgow, takes about two hours and, more to the point, is a drive through fabulous scenery. The road passes the fabled Loch Lomond, which is even more beautiful in reality than in song.

The main road continues through a mountain pass called Rest and Be Thankful (we did and we were), where at Glen Kinglas, one has the choice of taking the east side of Loch Fyne (famous for its oysters) down the Cowal Peninsula or proceeding on the west side to Inverary and on to the Mull of Kintyre. The alternative route is along the south bank of the River Clyde out of Glasgow to the town of Gourock, with regular year-round ferry service to Dunoon.

Or you can take a train from Glasgow Central station to Gourock, a ferry to Dunoon and a taxi seven miles to Benmore. See Strathclyde Transport, http://www.spt.co.uk/. For ferry information, check Western Ferries ( http://www.western-ferries.co.uk/) or Caledonian MacBrayne ( http://www.calmac.co.uk/).

WHERE TO EAT: Dunoon and its environs offer a number of restaurants, and the Botanic Garden itself has a cafe for a light lunch and pastries. The Loch Fyne Oyster Bar & Restaurant (in Cairndow, at the northern end of the loch, 011-44-1499-600236, http://www.lochfyne.com/) is a favorite with locals. Main courses range from about $20 to $30.

Inver Cottage (Strathlachlan, Argyll, on the upper reaches of Loch Fyne, http://www.invercottage.co.uk/) is a converted crofter's cottage with stunning views of the lake. The setting is plain, but the food is made from fresh and local ingredients and is excellent, if a little pricey; main courses range from about $14 to $30, lunch items from $6 to $11. The restaurant opens for the season in April.

WHERE TO STAY: Lodgings in the area include the Enmore (Dunoon, 011-44-1369-702230, http://www.enmorehotel.co.uk/), with rates from $90 to $190 per night; the Creggans Inn (Strachur, 011-44-1369-860279, http://www.creggans-inn.co.uk/), $130 to $220; and the Coylet Inn on Loch Eck (011-44-1369-840-426, http://www.coylet-locheck.co.uk/), about $80 per person. For more on accommodations, check the Dunoon and Cowal Web site (see below).

INFORMATION: Benmore Botanic Garden, 011-44-1369-706261, http://www.rbge.org.uk/. For information on lodging, dining, shopping and attractions in the area: Dunoon and Cowal, http://www.cowal-dunoon.com/. For information on other gardens in the region: Glorious Gardens of Argyll & Bute, http://www.gardens-of-argyll.co.uk/.

-- Adrian Higgins