Discover 7 hidden attractions, cool sights, and unusual things to do in Dumbarton (United Kingdom). Don't miss out on these must-see attractions: Dumbarton Castle, Geilston Garden, and Overtoun House. Also, be sure to include Brucehill in your itinerary.
Below, you can find the list of the most amazing places you should visit in Dumbarton (Scotland).
Table of Contents
Dumbarton Castle
Castle with 18th-century fortifications. Dumbarton Castle has the longest recorded history of any stronghold in Scotland. It sits on a plug of volcanic basalt known as Dumbarton Rock which is 240 feet high and overlooks the Scottish town of Dumbarton.[1]
Address: Castle Road, G82 1JJ Dumbarton
Geilston Garden
Botanical garden in Scotland. Geilston Garden is a property of the National Trust for Scotland, north-west of Cardross, Argyll and Bute.
Geilston Garden was developed more than two hundred years ago with a date given for its development being 1797, combining several features (traditional walled garden, kitchen garden, wooded area). The walled garden has a dominating 100-foot Wellingtonia (Sequoiadendron giganteum) in the centre of the lawn. The Geilston burn wends its way through the north of the estate towards the River Clyde in Cardross. The origins of the garden were most likely a result of the 1770 Montgomery Act, which saw the land around the house enclosed and planting undertaken.
Geilston was opened to the public with the death of the last resident, Margaret Bell, who was a friend of Elizabeth Hendry, the owner of Geilston who bequeathed the house to the National trust for Scotland and gave her friend life rent of the house. The Hendrys moved into Geilston as tenants but the family bought the house from the Geils in 1922. The garden as it appears today was mostly laid out by Elizabeth Hendry and Margaret Bell. A cannon within the garden is said to have been a trophy from the Battle of Corunna brought to the Garden by Major General Geils, a previous owner of Geilston.
The kitchen garden is the most labour-intensive area. It springs to life in April with the first sowings of carrots, parsnips and beetroot closely followed by transplanted brassicas. Visitors can buy in-season produce from a small stand at the garden's entrance.
The walled garden is the focus of spring colour with azaleas, heathers and unusual shrubs such as Cornus kousa 'Satomi'. Summer colour is provided by the spectacularly vigorous species in the long herbaceous border – Thalictrum, Filipendula, Eupatorium, Helenium, Phlox and Sidalcea dominate the display.
The garden is open from April to October daily. The adjacent Geilston House is not open to the public.[2]
Address: Main Road, Cardross, G82 5HD, Dumbarton
Overtoun House
Building in Scotland. Overtoun House is a 19th-century country house and estate in West Dunbartonshire, Scotland. Situated on a hill overlooking the River Clyde, it is two kilometres north of the village of Milton and three kilometres east of the town of Dumbarton. The house, an example of Scottish Baronial architecture, was built in the 1860s, and was donated to the people of Dumbarton in 1938. It was subsequently a maternity hospital, and now houses a Christian centre. The house is protected as a category A listed building, while the grounds are included in the Inventory of Gardens and Designed Landscapes in Scotland. Landscape features include the Overtoun Bridge on the approach road, designed by H. E. Milner.[3]
Address: Overtoun House Overtoun House Milton Brae, G82 2SH Dumbarton
Brucehill
Brucehill is a council estate in Dumbarton, in the West Dunbartonshire area of Scotland.[4]
Hartfield House
Hartfield House is a military installation in Dumbarton, Scotland.[5]
Dumbarton Burgh Hall
Dumbarton Burgh Hall is a municipal structure in Church Street, Dumbarton, West Dunbartonshire, Scotland. The building, which is the headquarters of West Dunbartonshire Council, is Category A listed.[6]
Dalreoch
Dalreoch is an area of Dumbarton, to the west of the River Leven, in West Dunbartonshire, Scotland.
The area is served by Dalreoch railway station.[7]