finlaystone country estate

found attraction on internet and visited on a cold December day (30th). we knew the coffee shop would be closed but were happy to pay the entrance fee and followed the red course. very boggy in places due to the weather so make sure you have good boots or wellies. some of the children play area needs a spruce up however overall plenty of climbing frames for our nine year old. at the end we spoke to one of the staff who explained why they couldn't offer any refreshments in the visitor centre. we didn't go round the gardens as this time of year as it meant it wouldn't be in full colour or bloom, however we would come again and maybe try one of the family themed days.

Taking the kids here...you are always sure of a fab day out!! Good walk around the estate...fantastic scenery. Plenty of play parks to keep kids amused...would recommend to everyone ☺

I visited today along with two friends and their young children. We had been looking forward to visiting an attraction which promised to offer something for everyone; walks, gardens and a play area. We began with lunch which was the only highlight. The visitor centre felt dated and poorly conceived. The gardens must have been attractive earlier in the year however the autumn plantings were tired looking. My main issue however was the play equipment and general safety for young children. The play equipment was dirty, broken and badly designed. Each piece was homemade and created from leftovers such as bannisters and oil drums. As the play area is under trees each piece was covered in rotting vegetation which made the wood slippery and even more dangerous. I actually work with children and as part of that need to write risk assessments in preparation for visits to attractions like this. I would not be able to bring children that i was responsible for to a place such as this as I would be very concerned that injuries were highly likely.

I attended the park today with three young children. The entrance fee is £4 for adults and £3 for children. There are multiple signs throughout the park asking "have you paid". You have to pay 30p for a map of the park, which doesn't actually give you any useful information. The place is very poorly signposted, and the signs that are up are rotten and worn. All the signs that were up were negative and telling you things that you couldn't do; "children must not play on this", "this area is for quiet enjoyment only, no running", "don't let you children touch the flowers", "don't let your children play with the toys". There were no signs with a map of the estate or information about the park/gardens/plants/flowers/area. The pathways were very poorly maintained. The play park for children under 6 years is a law suit waiting to happen. The entrance into this area has a short log path, which twice my children slipped on as it was so slimy. The climbing frame looked like a ring hay feeder turned on its side, with duck tape holding it together. There was an exercise "trampette" in the ground, with wood around it like skirting board. The wooden boat had slime and leaves covering it, making the surface like an ice rink. The front of the boat had what must have once been rope decoration, however the rope is now frayed and it would be very easy for a child to get tangled in it and come to harm. The park for older children is potentially a death trap. The large bus/tram contraption was rotten in places with slimy wood and steep steps for the children to climb. The safety netting at the top looked as if it was not capable of holding a fly,let alone a child. The bridge from the laundry building over to the play park was in a very poor state of repair. It was rotten and sloppy with holes in it. It had a very poor handrail/barrier that would not stop you falling into the river if you were to slip on the bridge. A young child could easily slip under the rail. The toilets were disgusting. They were dirty and looked as if they hadn't been cleaned that day. The building and toilet cubicles were in a very poor state of repair with paint peeling off the walls, a hand dryer that didn't dry and dirty toilets. The visitor centre is where you pay to enter the estate. The lady that was serving was unfriendly and generally unhelpful. She couldn't even muster a smile. Within the visitor centre there is an exhibition of dolls. To be honest this was just creepy and weird. It is in a dimly lit room, there cabinets which hold the dolls are poorly lit and there is no good information. They were dusty and inside the cabinets needed a really good clean. At the very back of the dolls exhibition there is a dolls house with a light switch to illuminate it. When you pressed the switch it illuminated this dusty old piece of junk that no child would actually want to look into. The dolls house had a garage attached to it, but when you opened the garage door there were wires sticking out! Overall this place is not worth visiting if you want your children to return home in one piece. It is very poorly maintained, the owners have taken no care with the place and overall it is a dangerous waste of money. I have never written a review before, but I was so appalled at the standard of this estate that I felt compelled to write this review.

The estate is truly beautiful and the woods and children's activities are great. My big problem though is the exorbitant entry charge. When I visit with my grandchildren aged 1 and 3 I have to pay £7 just for a woodland walk. Be warned everyone, don't think you can buy food in the cafe without paying an entry fee first - amazing. When I enquired about a season ticket I'm told the high cost can only relate to parents plus kids OR grandparents plus kids. So unlike most other estates entry fees the ticket can't just be "adults" plus kids. Result = completely unaffordable. The money grabbing here feels very mean and unwelcoming.

I have lived near this place for years and always drove past thinking should go in their one day , well to everyone who has do a this go in what a lovely well looked after place lovely garden stunning views lovely walks around the estate beautiful waterfalls such a lovely relaxing place yes it's costs 4 pound per adult but it's so worth it lovely cafe aSwell unfortunately closed on our visit but will be returning here for many more walks the cafe and some of the events they hold , if you live near by stop making excuses and pop in what a lovely place you won't regret it.

Went here with my three year old for something a bit different than our usual haunts.my son loved the different play areas and walks.there are play boat,bus,train some big slides and other play material.wee took a packed lunch with us.there is a small cafe which wee got drinks and a cake which seemed reasonable priced but not sure how much it would be for lunch.it is also quite a small cafe. Toilet facility are clean and tidy.they have nice garden walks.was a bit disappointed with the Celtic path but in all was a good day out

It is very good place for family weekend. Enough of attractions, you have a choice of nice and tidy time on the lawn or more active time in the forest. Plenty tables for some food. Not sure about such a good time if rains (we were lucky to have a hot and sunny day).Just one WC in the middle of it - can be tricky with small children. Changing facilities are in information centre, which can be closed early.Anyway, I'll visit it for many times in the future, I believe

My wife & I took three of our grandchildren aged 6 to 11 and a neighbour with her little 5 year old girl, as we walked through the woods we entered clearing after clearing in which the estate had built large wooden fun replicas with slides and ropes ,as follows, a pirate ship , a double decker tram, a double decker bus, two different american style forts, wooden wigwams, zip wire , slides , climbing frame, swings even had places to have bbqs, and wooden crazy paths and ladders, the kids were enthralled , they had a great time ,picnic tables and benches as well were we sat and had our picnic lunch, we were amazed at the very reasonable and realistic admission prices definately a place to visit again, we were there for about 5 hrs and did not see it all, we didnt get to see the lovely walled garden properly, but we will definately be back .My sincere thanks to the clan MacMillan for creating such a lovely place to go,brilliantly creative.

Recently visited here while on holiday with my 2 and 4 year olds. So much to do and so many hidden play areas. Kids loved it, took a picnic which we ate next to a play area. Spend nearly 4 hours there. Only suggestion is that they could do with more picnic areas as it was very busy and people ended up sharing.

What a brilliant estate to take the kids to - plenty to do and even a nice wee coffee and cake to have at the 3 sisters bake! Can't wait to go back we had a wonderful time!

Went here with my 8 and 5 year old on a lovely day. Including lunch we were there for 3 hours but could have stayed longer. Plenty of different parks to keep the kids amused and the nature walks are worth ago as well. Overall a good day out.

we had a great day out with the kids in May. Sun wasn't really making an appearance and there were drizzles here and there, but nothing stopped the kids from having fun. Wellies and raincoats and off they went. We mainly played in the woodlands - never made it to the estate. The facilities there were brilliant - creative spaces in nature for kids is the best way for them to play and run around. The huge pirate ship and trains were a big hit. There was an exhibit of "dolls from around the world" inside the visitor center which was very educational. The "three sisters cafe" served great homemade food, though it does get quite busy at times. We managed to find a seat indoors just as the drizzles came down. The kids loved the homemade ice cream! All in all a wonderful day out. We are hoping to return again soon, this time to see the estate!

Renfrewshire Girlguiding recently held a large scale event at Finlaystone Estate to celebrate 100 years of Brownies. Around 700 girls and Leaders enjoyed a fun day out Exploringthe Nature Trail, Den Building with the Rangers, Hunting for Treasure and playing in the very well equipped Adventure Playground. The weather could have been better but the Brownies were too busy having fun to notice! Finlaystone was chosen to host our 100th Birthday Event because of it's scenic location and its easy access for our members. In addition to what the Estate itself has to offer we were allowed to use other beautiful parts of the grounds to site additional activities such as a Circus Marquee, RSNO Orchestra Workshop, Dance & Fitness Tent etc. We were even allowed to site a huge Carousel on the private driveway of the Macmillan family who own the Estate!The highlight, and biggest surprise of the day, was the opportunity for the Brownies to plant a tree in "Brownie Wood" as a permanent memento of their 100th Birthday! For years to come the girls will be able to revisit Finlaystone and chart the progress of their very own tree! This very special activity was arranged by the Macmillan Family and the Rangers and was greatly appreciated by the Brownies and Leaders.Finlaystone is a beautiful Estate in a fantastic location and offers a wide variety of Activities for all ages to enjoy. It is well worth a visit this summer!

Enjoyed a fantastic day out with a 4 and 7 year old. They had a great time using their imagination to invent games on the available train/ship/slides. There were also great trails to explore the woodland We could easily have spent a whole day there. Well worth the entrance fee.