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I LOVE
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THIS T H E M AG A Z I N E F O R PE O PL E W H O LOV E SCOT L A N D
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A CELEBRATION OF YOUR TRUST FAVOURITES
PLACE STORMY WATERS
The battle for Scotland’s seas
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ALL ABOUT ANGUS
House of Dun comes to life
PLAY AS YOU LEARN
Putting the fun into heritage
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N AT I O N A L T RU S T F O R SCOT L A N D
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R E M SUM THE MAGAZINE FOR PEOPLE WHO LOVE SCOTLAND
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CONTENTS MEMBERSHIP ENQUIRIES: 0131 385 749 0
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TURNING THE TIDE Our important work to protect Scotland’s coasts and seas and the creatures that live there
29 DUN ROAMIN’ Our new heritage park at House of Dun reveals the secrets of this fascinating part of the country
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47 PLAY AS YOU LEARN Youngsters will find more than just fun at our amazing adventure playgrounds
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36 I LOVE THIS PLACE Amazing Trust landscapes and historic buildings, and the stories of those who love them best
55 A REAL BUZZ ABOUT IT Discover Pitmedden’s fresh plantings, designed to bring pollinators to the garden
MIKE BOLAM; PAUL CAMPBELL; ALAMY; SHUTTERSTOCK
8 PIONEERING SPIRIT Uncovering stories of the illicit whisky trade
REGULARS 2 WELCOME From our Royal Patron, HRH The Prince Charles, Duke of Rothesay
17 THE WILD SIDE Tales of cuckoos in Glen Rosa from Kate Sampson, head ranger on Arran
5 AROUND THE COUNTRY We’re looking forward to welcoming members to our places this summer
19 ME AND MY TRUST Chitra Ramaswamy visits the beautiful Branklyn Garden in Perth
61 YOUR GUIDE Events across the country for all the family, exclusive offerings from our online shop and top tips from gardener Sarah Ramsay at Leith Hall on how to make the most of your outdoor space
70 YOUR WORLD Pictures and stories from your visits to our places 72 MEET OUR EXPERTS Compositor Jack Conkie on keeping an old craft alive at Robert Smail’s Printing Works SUMMER 2021 � 1
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Ninety years ago, a group of people met in the Cedar Room of Pollok House in Glasgow to thrash out a vision. These were men of their time, but their vision transcends time and is as important now as it was in 1931. They resolved to set about the creation of a National Trust for Scotland, the first Patron of which was my beloved Grandmother, The Queen Mother. Today I am proud to occupy that role.
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The prime mover of the project, Sir John Stirling Maxwell, described the nascent Trust as ‘A cabinet’ into which the nation ‘can put some of its valuable things, where they will be perfectly safe for all time, and where they are open to be seen and enjoyed by everyone.’ Of course, Sir John and the others were perfectly aware that this ‘cabinet’ had a much deeper significance.
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Anniversaries are a time for reflection and, looking back over the decades of the Trust, one can see that its founders, their successors and its members shared an understanding of the importance of tradition, memories and meaning, as well as the principle of collective access.
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The value of tradition might not always be appreciated today but, as we think of the great cultural inheritance which has been bequeathed to us by previous generations, we should conceive of tradition as an accumulation of experience; the sum total of trial and error, which led to methods of construction, cultivation and land management, and the use of materials and techniques that work in harmony with the principles of Nature, that stand the test of time and that are therefore sustainable. The marvellous places cared for by the Trust reveal traditional ways of doing things: quality of workmanship; a sense of place; a respect for the wisdom of former generations and a desire to leave a legacy for the future – all of which is in stark contrast to ‘throwaway’ culture. From these places gifted to us from the past we can draw inspiration for a sustainable future. Of course, the past is more than a storehouse of wisdom. It is the source and wellspring of our identity as individuals and as a people. Understanding where we came from is an almost primal need. One of the ways in which we can fulfil this is to see and touch places that have survived the past, like islands in time. All the places under the Trust’s care have stories to tell: sites where archaeology provides the outline and imagination must fill in the details; battlefields where kingdoms were won and lost; grand houses and castles that embody the aspirations
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and ambitions of the powerful; working buildings which bear witness to the unceasing labour and ingenuity of our forebears. Some of the stories are dazzlingly romantic, others distressingly dark, but they all remind us that people in the past lived and loved much as we do. Their stories form our collective memory, filled with lessons to be learned and examples to inspire. The Trust’s properties are, of course, not merely sites of collective significance. For many of us, they will also have deeply personal meanings and memories – perhaps a glorious day out in a splendid setting, a moment of communing with Nature on a mountain summit, marvelling at the artistry of great art and architecture or contemplating the sites and scenes where history was made. We who love Scotland will all have our personal list of places which have a special meaning for us. In my case, I think of Craigievar Castle, with its fascinating symmetry and its beguiling colour. Then there is the incomparable land and seascape of the rugged West coast, where l have often sailed since my school days in Morayshire and then with family and friends, calling in at Iona and Mull. Outstanding even among such splendours is St. Kilda, where seabirds in their thousands wheeled around the sea stacks and where we saw the surviving artefacts of a human society which, after two millennia, finally drew to a close only few months before that meeting in Pollok House was convened. The care and devotion the National Trust for Scotland has invested in places like these is truly inspirational. Ninety years is but the span of a single lifetime. What the Trust has achieved in that period has influenced many lives and will influence many more to come. You, as members and supporters of the Trust, should be rightly proud of what you have enabled this charity to do for Scotland and for all who love this land. As we are grateful to those visionaries of the past who preserved these priceless riches for us, so will future generations have cause to be grateful for your generous stewardship of the treasures in your care.
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A SUMMER TO REMEMBER We can’t wait to welcome you back to our places
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ll across Scotland, we’ve been hard at work, preparing to welcome back visitors to our beautiful and historic places this summer. Gardeners have been tending to the herbaceous borders, sculpting the topiary and getting the rose gardens looking their best. Inside our castles and historic buildings, paintings have been rehung and timber floors polished to perfection as visitors return to explore hundreds of years of rich heritage. In the cafes, the ovens have been warmed, ready to tempt visitors with delicious treats. ‘There is no better feeling than going out and about on the estates, seeing kids running around making noise and having fun, the cafes busy, people in the shops and exploring the castles with guides and staff who love nothing better than sharing their passion and knowledge – that’s what the National Trust for Scotland is all about,’ says
Fun to be had by all the family
James Henderson, operations manager for Aberdeenshire South. ‘We have been making our places as welcoming as possible and looking their very best, but we have also been working hard to make sure they follow government guidelines and are Covid-safe. When visitors walk through the gates, we want them to take a breath and say, “Ah, we’re back. It’s exactly as we expected to find it.” ’ Once travel restrictions were eased earlier this year, we were delighted to see how keen visitors were to get back to our places. Meanwhile, bookings of our holiday cottages have soared, proving that staycations are a firm favourite for holidays this summer. So welcome back, everybody, it really is going to be great to see you. Check opening hours and visit information on the individual property pages of our website: nts.org.uk
‘When visitors walk through the gates, we want them to take a breath and say, “Ah, we’re back”’ SUMMER 2021 � 5
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Somewhere to love Have you seen our new advert?
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Eagle-eyed readers might recognise the cover star of this issue of your members’ magazine as Mila, who features in our latest TV ad. The ad celebrates the personal connections people in Scotland have with our beautiful places: our castles and coastlines, art and architecture, wildlife and wilderness. In the short film, each of its stars tells us of a place they love and why it means so much to them. Filmed at St Abb’s Head, Crathes Castle and Glencoe, the advert also recognises our amazing teams, including rangers and footpath workers who do so much behind the scenes to keep our places at their best. Turn to page 36 to hear the stories of five people who each hold an individual Trust place close to their heart. There’s also more to read from the stars of our TV ad in the exclusive members’ area of our website. nts.org.uk/members-area
Ben Lawers
HANDLE WITH CARE
Our footpath team on Ben Lomond
We’ll help you look after our stunning countryside as you enjoy a great day out
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ith so many expected to holiday at home, we want to make sure everyone can enjoy the beauty of Scotland this year. Last summer we welcomed a record-breaking number of visitors to our countryside places and we are delighted that more people than ever are enjoying our beautiful landscapes,
but sadly some behaviours are threatening the places we all love. To help everyone enjoy Scotland’s great outdoors while protecting it for us all, our countryside teams have written 10 top tips for countryside visitors. Donate to our countryside appeal nts.org.uk/leave-no-trace
Top tips for countryside visits 5. Remember footpath etiquette Need to let a fellow walker past? Step to one side, then step back onto the path again.
8. Choose your camping spot carefully Give busy areas a rest. Take as long to clear up as you take to set up.
3. Leave no trace Take litter home; never leave rubbish beside a full bin.
6. Think you may need to ‘go’ while you’re out? Bring a sealable container and a bag to take away human waste and soiled tissues.
9. Use a stove instead of lighting a fire Help prevent wildfires, scorched earth and tree damage.
4. Stay on paths to help protect habitats Reduce the risk of erosion spreading.
7. Keep dogs under control or on a lead Avoid disturbing wildlife or livestock.
1. Come prepared with a Plan B Move on if it’s too busy or car parks are full. 2. Park with care Please do not damage verges or cause an obstruction.
10. Leave somewhere even better than you found it Bring a litter picker and collect any rubbish you spot while you’re out!
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Remote Torridon – ideal for avoiding the excisemen!
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WHISKY GALORE!
The Pioneering Spirit project is uncovering some fascinating insights into the history of illicit whisky-making in Scotland
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he latest stage in the Pioneering Spirit project has seen our archaeologists travel to Torridon to investigate some historic whisky stills on the coast. The project, in partnership with Chivas Brothers and The Glenlivet, is the first of its kind, using land-based research to uncover and share stories from the historic illicit whisky trade and to look at its impact on Scotland’s cultural heritage. In Torridon, archaeologists Derek Alexander and Dr Daniel Rhodes drew and photographed 12 different sites of historic stills, and used drones for 3D modelling. We used a local booklet, ‘The Battle of the Black Pot’ by Murdoch MacDonald, to help identify locations, including one known as the Smugglers’ Cave. These sites are generally hidden away in remote spots and many are close to water. Some of the Torridon sites have breathtaking views. Close to Laggiedubh, we dug a small trench
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Digging near Laggiedubh
Archaeologists at work
which revealed shards of bottle glass from the 1880s. ‘This site has a great story about when the excisemen discovered it as well as a list of what they found, right down to the meal the smugglers left behind!’ says Derek, the Trust’s head of archaeology. The Pioneering Spirit project has also uncovered fascinating stories and relics from other Trust places across Scotland. We believe that the Uamh nan Eas cave at the base of a waterfall on Mull was used for distilling whisky, and that a ruined cottage close to the shore on Sanday was the traditional site of a still. Derek has found visual representations of whisky stills in Killiecrankie in two 19th-century prints. Research from the team at Gladstone’s Land has also uncovered a wealth of stories about illicit whisky drinking on Edinburgh’s Royal Mile. Read more stories at nts.org.uk/ pioneering-spirit
THE UNDERGROUND WHISKY CLUB
BOOK YOUR FREE PLACE at nts.org.uk/ pioneering-spirit
Thursday, 1 July, 7-8.30pm
Beaming into your living room from the home of The Glenlivet, the Underground Whisky Club is an online event inspired by the Pioneering Spirit project. You will have the opportunity to hear about the digs being undertaken by the Trust’s archaeologists and the stories that have been unearthed across Scotland. It will also be the first opportunity to see and hear new artistic commissions inspired by Scotland’s history and the illicit whisky trade. ‘We’re really excited to be collaborating with The Glenlivet on this exciting event,’ says Trust archaeologist Derek Alexander. ‘I’m looking forward to a dram or two as we tell you what we’ve been digging up over the last few months.’
Work by Kevin Andrew Morris
Sound artist Michael Begg
THE ARTISTS
• Alison Irvine is a novelist and creative non-fiction writer. • Kevin Andrew Morris
is an Aberdeenbased ceramicist. • Michael Begg is an award-winning
composer and sound artist. • Natalie Feather is a photographic artist.
Celebrating Scotland and whisky
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PIONEERING SPIRIT
News - Culloden etc, 1
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We’re fighting hard to protect Culloden’s historic battlefield
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n the 275th anniversary year of the Battle of Culloden, we have called for the protection of battlefields to be included in the Scottish Government’s National Planning Framework 4, which will set out plans for development and infrastructure up to 2050. ‘Everyone wants to protect the cultural crown jewel that is Culloden Battlefield, but existing planning mechanisms are too weak,’ says
Donate to Culloden’s Fighting Fund nts.org.uk/campaigns/ cullodens-fightingfund
Raoul Curtis-Machin, operations manager at Culloden Battlefield. ‘We averaged more than 300,000 visitors a year pre-Covid, and we work hard to keep Culloden open and accessible. Yet we’re bombarded by developers’ planning applications, and struggle to defend against them all. ‘Once development takes place on or right beside the battlefield, the fragile but powerful sense of place
A call to arms at Leanach Cottage
will be shattered. Surely there’s a case for stronger legal protection for sites like this?’ The wild moor at Culloden is the resting place of 1,500 Jacobite and 50 government soldiers. But Inverness has become one of the fastest growing cities in Europe in the past decade, putting land in the area under more pressure from development. We’re fighting for Culloden, join us!
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Stuart Brooks was thrilled with the response
GREAT SCOT AWARD Gala celebrates actor Brian Cox At the NTS Foundation USA gala in April, actor Brian Cox was presented with the Foundation’s Great Scot Award.
Brian Cox
The award is presented annually to a Scot or American who has contributed to the two countries’ shared heritage. Mr Cox said: ‘It is a particular honour to receive this award in this time, in this year, the 275th anniversary of the battle of Culloden.’ The gala included talks from the Trust’s team at Culloden to mark the anniversary of the battle, as well as speeches from the Trust’s CEO Phil Long, who presented Brian Cox with his award. The event raised $275,000 to support the work of the Trust.
A ‘magnificent’ response Thanks to everyone who completed our survey to determine the Trust’s priorities as we formulate our strategy for the next decade. ‘It was a magnificent response,’ says head of conservation and policy Stuart Brooks. ‘Over 3,000 people took part, offering insightful and useful contributions.
‘Responding to environmental challenges and sustainability for our heritage were seen as the major challenges.’ Your responses will be used to direct our strategy in the run-up to our centenary in 2031. We will showcase our new strategy in the magazine early next year.
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his summer you can see exciting developments in the reconstruction of a 17th-century-style turf house in the grounds of our Glencoe visitor centre. The project was paused in 2020, but work picked up again this spring and, although progress is weatherdependent, we hope that the thick turf exterior walls and wattle weaved interior will be in place by June. Working with traditional craftspeople, we are recreating the kind of dwelling people once lived in across the glen, based on discoveries made by Trust archaeologists and volunteers on digs investigating long-lost historical townships. Matching one of the sites we excavated at Achtriochtan in the heart of Glencoe, our building will have a 13m x 4m footprint with two rooms: a living area for people and a byre for animals. ‘The chance to bring to life our archaeological discoveries and research has been fascinating,’ says Emily Bryce, operations manager for Glencoe and Glenfinnan. ‘We’re gaining a real insight into the challenges of home-building in Glencoe over 300 years ago.’ The turf house will become a permanent fixture in Glencoe, allowing visitors to experience a way of life that is otherwise difficult to imagine today. We are very grateful to the donors who made it happen, including the NTS Foundation USA
Carpenter Chas Heath (left) is helping build the turf house
and everyone who has already contributed to the Hug of Heather campaign to thatch the roof. In July, we will harvest a total of 600 hug-sized bundles of heather, in order to start thatching later in the summer. Book on a tour for the chance to step into the construction
site before the turf house opens fully in spring 2022. There is still time to get your Hug of Heather and be part of the story of this incredible place. Find out more via the link below. nts.org.uk/glencoe-appeal
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IN BRIEF
The portrait in situ at Fyvie Castle
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We’re electing two Trust members to our board of trustees this year. Vote now to help us determine the best candidates and to influence the direction of the Trust. A voting form is included with your magazine, with details of our September AGM. More details will be published online by 9 August. nts.org.uk/agm
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Congratulations to Jamie Sinclair, garden apprentice at Branklyn Garden, who has been awarded the CarterPatterson medal by the Royal Caledonian Horticultural Society. He was commended for his work at the Perth garden despite all the challenges of the pandemic. nts.org.uk/branklyn
PRIDE OF PLACE Portrait finds its home at Fyvie Castle
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he Trust has acquired an important early 20th century portrait of a member of the Forbes-Leith family, which has been conserved and hung at Fyvie Castle. The 1916 painting, by Philip de László, depicts Lorna Marsali Forbes-Leith, who grew up at Fyvie Castle. She was a granddaughter of Alexander Forbes-Leith, 1st Baron Leith of Fyvie, and the portrait was commissioned by her grandmother. During World War One, Lorna Marsali volunteered as a nurse and fell in love with a wounded officer in her care. To the family’s disappointment, the pair eloped,
but the marriage was not a happy one and ended in divorce in 1933. The portrait, intended for the walls of Fyvie Castle, never hung there – until now. Born in Budapest, Philip de László was an extremely fashionable artist of the time, noted for his depictions of royalty and the aristocracy. During these challenging times, we are hugely grateful to Art Fund and the National Fund for Acquisitions, who provided grants to meet the purchase price of the painting. nts.org.uk/fyvie-castle
SUMMER FUN More great adventures
Alongside your summer magazine, you’ll have received a copy of the latest issue of the Lidl Book of Big Adventures, with 16 pages of fun activities
to keep youngsters busy over the school holidays. Children can pick up stickers to complete their booklet at selected National Trust for Scotland places. Visit the Lidl section of our website to find full details. nts.org.uk/lidl
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AROUND THE COUNTRY
Naked Wines advertorial, 1
PARTNERSHIPS
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Helen Cole (right) carefully flags up some of the tiny arctic-alpine plants in the Ben Lawers National Nature Reserve
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SUMMER ON BEN LAWERS
Our partnership with Naked Wines lets us monitor rare mountain plants and supports our vital conservation work
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en Lawers has Britain’s most celebrated collection of rare arctic-alpine plants – species such as snow pearlwort (Sagina nivalis) and the alpine forget-me-not (Myosotis alpestris). Part of the Trust’s work here, made possible through the support of our partnership with Naked Wines, involves monitoring how these plants are doing. ‘This is vital to inform our management work,’ explains property manager and senior ranger Helen Cole. ‘We bought the property to conserve the alpine flora, so we need to know what we have and how it’s faring.’
It’s time-consuming work that can only be carried out during the summer flowering season, by experts who will visit particular spots where the plants are known to grow, in order to count them or estimate their numbers. ‘Some are very tiny, so you have to crawl around on your hands and knees, marking each plant with a little flag. Other species might grow only on cliffs or crags, so you need binoculars to count them,’ adds Helen. The results of the monitoring are used to inform our conservation management, such as grazing levels, then work starts again to plan for the following year.
MEMBER OFFER To celebrate our partnership with Naked Wines, we are delighted to offer you the opportunity to enjoy 12 delicious bottles of wine from the world’s best independent winemakers for just £47.88 – saving £75. Even better, Naked Wines will donate 20% of proceeds back to the Trust for every case purchased. Claim now at nakedwines.com/ntsm22
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See m team on ger the ran nts.org.uk / t a n a ea Arr ers-ar memb
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Head ranger Kate Sampson goes cuckoo in Glen Rosa
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rran is a special place to live and work, often referred to as ‘Scotland in miniature’. Where else can you look out to sea and spot dolphins, porpoises and possibly even basking sharks, then turn around to moorland and mountains to glimpse hen harriers and golden eagles? If you visit the island in early summer, you might just hear the unmistakable call of the cuckoo too. The birds start arriving from Africa in mid-April, and by the first week of June their activity is reaching its climax. The dramatic glaciated valley of Glen Rosa, near Goat Fell, resounds with the ‘cuckoo’ of the males and the odd burbling sound of the females, as they busily watch for any opportunity to lay their eggs in the nests of their host species – in this case, meadow pipits. Apart from their distinctive call, cuckoos can be identified by their drooping wings and long tail – and by the swarm of aggravated meadow pipits constantly mobbing them. By mid-June, the frenetic activity comes to an end. The meadow pipits have started to hatch out their chicks and, with egg-laying ceasing, the adult cuckoos fly back to Africa.
TOP The beautiful Glen Rosa BELOW A little meadow pipit feeds a hungry young cuckoo on Arran
It’s not until towards the end of July that the youngsters will have fledged. They call out to their adoptive parents, demanding food; the meadow pipits, dwarfed by the young cuckoos, spend their time frantically feeding their very large ‘offspring’. Amazingly, these young cuckoos will migrate to Africa by pure instinct, returning next spring right back to Glen Rosa – with any luck to provide a welcome cacophony of sound to accompany our tea breaks. In a normal year, we’d be hosting our footpath working holiday here in the first week of June, repairing sections of upland path in Glen Rosa. It’s a wonderful chance for people of all ages and nationalities to come together to help the Trust. Public health measures currently in place across Scotland mean no camps this year, but visitors to Arran can still keep an eye (and an ear) out for the cuckoos. Follow the work of our team on the ground at Goatfell and Brodick via the Arran Ranger Service Facebook page at facebook.com/ ArranRangerService SUMMER 2021 � 17
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THE WILD SIDE
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‘I FEEL AS IF I’VE S T E P PE D I N TO T H E SECRET GARDEN’
100 YEARS OF COLOUR Keep an eye on nts.org.uk/branklyn for information on Branklyn Garden’s centenary in 2022.
There’s a whole world of plants thriving in Branklyn Garden, as Chitra Ramaswamy discovers on a visit to Perth
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his is the furthest north I’ve been in a year. I’m standing at the top of Branklyn Garden, which spills down two acres of a hill hovering over the ancient city of Perth. Below, the 21st-century hum of road traffic. Up here, the drone of bees and the clamour of my three-year-old daughter running on a narrow path just visible through the rhododendrons. I feel as if I’ve stepped into the secret garden of my childhood daydreams, cultivated from one too many Victorian novels. Here is the world: bright, enchanting, still here. Branklyn was created in the 1920s by John and Dorothy Renton, a couple with a lifelong passion for plants and flowers from all over the world, the means to obtain them, and the green fingers to make them grow. This was a time when a craze for rock gardens was sweeping Europe. Plant hunters were returning from Tibet, Bhutan and China, and the Rentons bought packet after packet of seeds from them in the pre-war years. This is a history of empire as well as botany and here, more than a century later, it continues to be told in the plants flourishing on a hill in central Scotland. In the large Himalayan blue poppies, meconopsis, that
ABOVE Plants from far-flung corners of the globe can be found in this Perth garden
flower in spring. In the small alpine shrubs, cassiope, nestled here and there in the scree, which have become a particular labour of love for Alistair Chalmers from the Branklyn Garden Team. Alistair tells me it’s the sheer density of plants and their flowering succession that he loves most – the march of the seasons measured in a carpet of snowdrops, the explosion of primula, the lush vibrancy of rhododendrons, and the flaming acers. In summer, the lilies are exceptional. In autumn, the katsura tree emits the scent of burnt sugar as its leaves begin to turn. We finish up at the tearoom, where the scones are as good as the views. If the pandemic has taught us anything, it’s to squeeze every last drop out of each experience. And so as the clouds gather and it starts to hail, pinging tiny drops of frozen ice on to our china, we laugh. What a spot to mark one’s tentative return to the world. Chitra Ramaswamy lives in Leith with her partner, two young children and dog. Born in London, she has loved Scotland ever since moving here as a student. SUMMER SUMMER 20212021 � 19 � 19
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ME AND MY TRUST
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T U R N I N G ISLAND NATION The National Nature Reserve of Staffa is one of many incredible islands in the care of the Trust
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In Scotland’s Year of Coasts and Waters, we’re working hard to protect our marine environment for a sustainable future
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DOUGIE CUNNINGHAM
WORDS: CAL FLYN
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hifting silver sands and fjord-like the world’s population of gannets and the UK’s sea lochs; clifftop castles and largest colony of Atlantic puffins live at St Kilda. smugglers’ caves; estuaries and The Trust takes seriously its responsibility for mudflats crowded with honking the conservation of our land and adjoining coast geese: Scotland’s beautiful, and seas. ‘Our core purpose is to protect and care intricate coastline stretches for for Scotland’s heritage,’ says policy officer Rebecca thousands of miles. Beyond its shores, our Millar. ‘Part of that involves our natural heritage, nation’s seas, dotted with more than 900 islands, including our seas and coastlines, which form an are nearly six times larger than Scotland’s land important element of the country’s national area. They serve as summer feeding grounds for identity. But our amazing marine environment is basking sharks and the occasional leatherback very much under threat. It needs better Thank you turtle, and are home to a third of the global protection; and, as a caretaker of Scotland’s population of grey seals, as well as 24 species heritage, we are committed to taking action.’ Many thanks to everyone who donated to of whales, dolphins and porpoises. This can take the form of interventions in last year’s Turning the Tide The National Trust for Scotland has places we own and care for, for example on appeal, which raised over responsibility for huge swathes of mainland Canna, where we have worked hard to £100,000 to fund our and island coastline, including some of the protect the fragile coastal ecosystem and a conservation work most iconic stretches – those spectacular major rat eradication project has allowed the black basaltic columns that rise from the sea to puffin population to rebound. However, beyond create Fingal’s Cave on Staffa, for instance, and the the places we care for ourselves, we have a wider wild Atlantic outpost of St Kilda. As well as places role to play in advocating for the conservation and of great natural beauty, these areas are sites of recovery of our coastal and marine environment. major environmental significance. Nine Marine TURNING THE TIDE Protected Areas and four of Scotland’s marine We recently set out our marine policy in a paper Special Areas of Conservation are adjacent to Trust entitled ‘Turning the Tide’, which identifies the places, and the promontory of St Abb’s Head on critical issues facing our coastal and marine the east coast is the site of Scotland’s only environments – including unsustainable fishing, Voluntary Marine Reserve. Our coastlines and climate change and pollution – and gives direction islands are home to about a fifth of all of the to our advocacy work, so we know where to focus seabirds breeding in Scotland, while a quarter of
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JUST LOOKIN’ A grey seal roams a kelp forest in the North Sea
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‘Scotland’s amazing marine environment is under threat. As a caretaker of Scotland’s heritage, we are committed to taking action’ our efforts. It also sets out measures to meet these challenges in order to safeguard our most valuable marine habitats well into the future. One of our concerns is around aquaculture – the farming of fish and other sealife – which is a major source of marine pollution. As Rebecca Millar explains: ‘If not managed properly, it can cause a lot of problems in the immediate area, such as the depositing of large amounts of organic waste that cannot necessarily be dispersed by currents and which subsequently harms the environment.’ The Trust has been working hard to minimise sources of pollution at our own properties, promoting traditional crofting practices at Balmacara, using seaweed as fertiliser at Inverewe Garden, and cutting the use of plastic packaging. Where issues are broader and more systemic, we also have a responsibility to contribute through lobbying efforts, advocacy and support for related research. One such issue is unsustainable management of fisheries, which has led to overfishing and degradation of our marine environment through the use of bottom-towed fishing gear.
LEFT Coral beach, Balmacara BELOW Puffin, Fair Isle
This endangers both our coastal communities and our marine wildlife and biodiversity in equal measure. ‘The way that our fisheries are managed – how our seas are fished – is unsustainable at the moment,’ explains Rebecca. Overfishing has led to steep declines in fish stocks, including a shocking 31% decline in North Sea cod over five years. ‘Fishermen are being forced to catch a narrower variety of stocks, so they don’t have the opportunity to diversify, making the industry less resilient to shocks like Brexit.’ It’s not just about bringing in stricter quotas or banning fishing in certain areas, she says. ‘As part of creating a more sustainable fisheries industry, fishing communities need to be supported to ensure people are not forced out of their livelihoods. What that looks like is up for debate – a grant, perhaps, to enable people to transition to more low environmental impact fishing techniques. That’s something that needs to be decided by involving all stakeholders in the fishing industry.’ SUMMER 2021 � 23
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As part of the Our Seas coalition, the National Trust for Scotland is one of more than 100 charities and businesses calling for the reinstatement of the ban on trawling and dredging within inshore waters; this was lifted in the 1980s and is thought to be a major factor in the decline of inshore fisheries. Last year’s Scotland Marine Assessment found that 417 hectares of seabed habitat have been destroyed in the last decade by bottom-towed fishing practices. A ban, says Rebecca, ‘would be hugely beneficial to marine ecosystems, as it would allow our seabeds, reefs and marine life to recover; but it would also be beneficial to our coastal communities, making them more resilient – an issue we are specifically interested in.’ Scotland still accounts for three-quarters of fish landings in the UK, but poor management risks an entire industry and way of life. The Scottish Government’s Future Fisheries Management Strategy, announced at the end of 2020, was ‘encouraging’, she says, in as much as it sets out a whole-ecosystem approach. ‘But we’d like to see more done in practice – to take the positive aspects of what was announced and run with it, to create a more sustainable system.’ Seagrass meadows, kelp forests and cold-water coral reefs under our seas are not only important spawning grounds for fish; they also serve as major carbon sinks. When damaged by dredging, ‘stored carbon gets rereleased, and it takes years and years for them to recover,’ says Rebecca. ‘It was recently found that a single dredge tow can remove up to
‘Fishing communities need to be supported’
ABOVE Maerl and seagrass bed
Citizen science projects will play a role in helping the Trust to assess future threats to coastal archaeology and to protect sites. As temperatures rise and weather systems change, feet on the ground will help us to learn, monitor and defend the places likely to be worst affected. First, archaeologists are analysing climate change and landscape data to model what the impact might be and where the effects will be felt. ‘There’s a village bay at Mingulay where we know sand has been deposited and is starting to cover some sites,’ says Trust archaeologist Dr Daniel Rhodes. ‘We don’t know whether some places are going to be eroded or inundated. They could be buried, or they might disappear forever as a result of erosion. ‘In some locations we’ll have to accept there’s nothing we can do. That could mean prioritising their investigation before they vanish.’ In the next phase of work, the Trust will need people to help monitor sites and learn about them. Volunteers have been working on Mingulay, Pabbay and Berneray to look at how these islands have changed, and at possible threats. ‘We have a system to map places and assess the threats,’ adds Daniel. ‘Now that is in place, we want to do bigger assessments of the whole coast to see where we need to take that work and target places we’re worried about.’
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COASTS AND SEAS MIDDLE Ciaran Hatsell, ranger at St Abb’s Head
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70% of a maerl bed and an entire flame shell bed.’ These are both priority marine features for nature conservation (the world’s largest flame shell beds are in Marine Protected Areas adjacent to Balmacara Estate). Protecting our carbon stores is essential, particularly if we are to achieve the target set out in the Climate Change Act 2019 of net-zero by 2045 and if we are to mitigate the serious impacts of climate change we’re already living with. Climate change is already having a profound impact on marine life: warming oceans cause disruptions to the food chain as fish stocks move north, an issue that especially affects the seabird population – species such as fulmars and Arctic skuas are hit particularly hard, and once-cacophonous kittiwake colonies of Shetland and Fair Isle have fallen quiet in recent years.
‘Keeping track of seabirds helps us get a picture of what is happening in the wider ocean’
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Trust rangers such as Ciaran Hatsell, who works at St Abb’s Head National Nature Reserve, play an important role in monitoring the situation on the ground. In recent years, St Abb’s has seen an explosion in the number of grey seals breeding there. The colony, which has appeared since 2007, is closely observed by Ciaran’s team, who last winter recorded the birth of an extraordinary 1,806 pups. Trust staff are also working with a researcher at Glasgow University who is studying the formation of a new gannet colony on an offshore stack. ‘We keep track of seabird populations and productivity
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as a biological indicator of the health of the whole habitat,’ explains Ciaran. ‘It gives us a picture of what’s happening in the wider ocean, which is hard to study and control.’ The figures can be alarming. ‘We’ve seen a 74% decline in kittiwakes since 1989, and similar fall-offs in other species. It’s scary. If we’re to help conserve these species, any decisions need to be informed by good data,’ says Ciaran. ‘So building research relationships is important now more than ever. With our location on the mainland, not far from Edinburgh or Glasgow, we can support lots of different research opportunities.’ We’re also working with the RSPB and other organisations to study the impact of offshore developments and to enhance our research and already established monitoring work. Working collaboratively will help us gain more knowledge and influence when it comes to making the big decisions regarding the future of our ecosystems. Visitors can also be a form of disturbance, of course. To this end, staff at St Abb’s have worked with scientists at Edinburgh Napier University on an observational study of how human activity can affect seabird colonies. ‘We get 60,000 to 70,000 visitors a year. Through studies we can gain an understanding of these impacts to improve management practices, and balance what’s right for nature and people too.’ We want everyone to be able to enjoy Scotland’s beautiful coastline and seas. That’s why it’s so important that we act decisively to protect our marine environment – advocating for more sustainable fishing, minimising pollution, reducing habitat loss and promoting biodiversity.
LAURIE CAMPBELL; HAMISH CAMPBELL; ALAMY
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RIGHT St Abb’s has seen a grey seal baby boom
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Experience the past like never before at our brilliant new visitor experience in the courtyard of House of Dun WORDS: JANEY SWANSON
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The new House of Dun experience is a great day out for the whole family. Plan your visit at nts.org.uk/ house-of-dun
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HOUSE OF DUN In partnership with the Angus members’ centre, we have made exciting improvements throughout the grounds and gardens
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‘The House of Dun courtyard has been completely redeveloped to showcase the Angus Folk Collection’
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he courtyard at House of Dun was once a relatively quiet place. No more! Take a peek into the Stables – catch a glimpse of highly polished horse brasses, listen to the sound of the blacksmith hammering out new horseshoes, breathe in the unmistakable odour of molten metal. From the nearby potting shed comes the sound of chickens and cows, and if you listen really carefully, you might hear the voices of children counting in Doric. In an exciting project opening this summer, we have created a multi-sensory visitor experience in the grounds of the A-listed Georgian mansion overlooking Montrose Basin. Its courtyard area now houses the Angus Folk Collection, a treasure trove of everyday artefacts used in fields, farms, factories and houses across the historic county. ‘The collection covers over 300 years of the landscape, the history and the people of the county of Angus,’ explains Jason Robertson, the Trust’s visitor services manager for Angus. ‘It provides a fascinating insight into life in this part of the world in days gone by.’
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ABOVE The elegant, classical House of Dun, ancestral home of the Erskine family
There are 4,400 items in the Angus Folk Collection, all gathered by Lady Jean Maitland of Burnside, who was passionate about social history and the stories that could be told by everyday items such as ploughs, horse brasses and butter churns. ‘Lady Maitland devoted much of her life to saving agricultural, industrial and household artefacts that would otherwise have been thrown away and lost forever,’ says Jason. Until the mid-1970s, Lady Maitland (who died in 1981 at the age of 91) was a regular at auction houses and farm sales across Angus, bidding for items representing a way of life that was fast disappearing. Every summer, her driver would take her to the Royal Highland Show, where she’d open the boot of her Austin A40 Farina Countryman to display her latest finds. ‘I’m pretty sure Granny’s car had a double-opening tailgate, which is how we fitted all her crazy bits and pieces into it,’ recalls her granddaughter, Caroline Graham-Watson. The Trust began looking after Lady Maitland’s collection at the Angus Folk Museum in 1976. When the farm buildings housing the museum became no longer suitable, it was decided that the collection should be rehomed at House of Dun.
COURTYARD CAPERS Every room in the House of Dun courtyard has its own theme, bringing different experiences for the eyes, ears… and nose! STABLES
Step back in time to when horse-power was vital to the farms and estates of Angus. Find out more about how farmers worked the land – and the hard life of the bothy boys. Look out for: Smiddy-made farm implements hammered out for a specific purpose (such as cutting peat) or a specific person (such as a spade for a right-footed farmer). COACH HOUSE This room is dominated by the Glenisla Hearse, a magnificent, highly decorated horse-drawn hearse, with wheels as tall as a man. Listen out for: ‘The Wild Geese’, a heart-wrenching poem written by Violet Jacob after her only child, Harry, was killed in battle during the First World War. ANGUS COLLECTION This room is dedicated to Lady Jean Maitland, who amassed almost all of the items in the Angus Folk Collection. Look out for: The photo on the wall of Lady
Visuals of the Potting Shed
Maitland surrounded by a variety of artefacts – every one of these items is on display. HEN HOUSE A mouthwatering celebration of the region’s food and drink, past and present. Look out for: The illicit whisky still, once hidden away in a secluded spot in the Angus glens. POTTING SHED Discover more about how Angus helped shape modern Scotland – and how the county’s industries were renowned all over the world. Whaling, fishing, spinning, weaving and engineering all come under the Potting Shed’s spotlight. Look out for: The massive harpoon gun from a local whaling ship. CHILD’S PLAY A chance to play with modern replicas of many of the toys on display, including a gird and cleek and spinning tops. Alternatively, recreate 18th-century home-schooling by writing on a
slate while sitting at one of the original desks from House of Dun’s school room. Look out for: The dolls’ house owned by the Farquhars of Pitscandly, with its velvet curtains, electric lighting and upright piano. STORIES OF ANGUS Enjoy a (true) story or two with the courtyard’s costumed storytellers, who know all there is to know about the famous people and places of Angus. Did you realise that Montrose Air Station was the first military air base in the UK? Or that Carmyllie man James Bowman Lindsay invented the electric lightbulb in 1835? Listen out for: The story of how Scottish cartoon superstar Oor Wullie was sketched every week in an Angus glen. GAME LARDER A chance to explore further without leaving the courtyard thanks to specially commissioned film footage of Dun Estate, Montrose Basin, Dun’s Dish and the Erskine family mausoleum. Look out for: The ancient wall and archway that are all that remains of Dun Castle.
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SO MUCH TO EXPLORE The courtyard rooms will feature multisensory exhibits on themes ranging from the Declaration of Arbroath to toys of the past
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‘We want visitors to discover how their not-so-distant ancestors lived, worked and played’
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SOMETHING OLD, SOMETHING NEW The new courtyard attraction at House of Dun is a celebration of the people of Angus; every room offers a fresh insight into how local people lived their lives in a changing world. The opportunity to share these stories has been made possible by the legacy and foresight of Dr Sheila Bain, reflecting her own pride in the people of Angus and her enthusiasm for sharing knowledge. On her death at the age of 83 in 2012, Dr Bain left a bequest to House of Dun. Supported by the generosity of our charity’s patrons and by the Angus Members’ Centre, we have been able to use that gift to create a remarkable contemporary home for the Angus Folk Collection. ‘This is the people’s collection – it is made up of items from across Angus,’ says Jason Robertson, explaining that there will be no charge for entry to see the new exhibits. ‘We want as many visitors as possible to come along and discover how their not-so-distant ancestors lived, worked and played.’ As part of the National Trust for Scotland’s commitment to the long-term development of House of Dun, improvements have also been carried out throughout the mansion’s grounds and gardens. The Walled Garden is more accessible, a new walk has been added which
ABOVE Artist’s drawing of a visit to the refurbished courtyard
provides breathtaking views over Montrose and the children’s playpark has been upgraded. But the focal point of the new visitor experience is the elegant courtyard, its rooms populated with sights, sounds and smells reflecting the history and culture of Angus, from the scent of leather in the Stable to the toys in the Child’s Play room. The history of the region is celebrated throughout the courtyard buildings, including how the Angus town of Arbroath contributed to the ‘birth’ of Scotland over 700 years ago. The Declaration of Arbroath, which was signed by Scotland’s nobles on 6 April 1320, proudly declared the country’s right to be a nation – and you can hear the stirring words of this iconic document while you’re in the Potting Shed. The Stories of Angus room also reminds visitors of the local people and places that have played a part in history. Here, costumed storytellers share tales of the brave, the ingenious and the creative of Angus, including JM Barrie, the Kirriemuir-born creator of Peter Pan; David Dunbar Buick from Arbroath, who founded the Buick Car Company; Brechin’s Robert Watson-Watt, inventor of radar; and mountaineer Sir Hugh Munro, who listed all of the mountains in Scotland over 3,000 feet high and sparked the hobby of Munro-bagging. SUMMER 2021 � 33
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A TOUR OF THE HOUSE The third tour guide is Violet Augusta The other major change at House of Dun is Mary Frederica Kennedy-Erskine, best known that, for the first time in the north-east of as the poet Violet Jacob, one of only ten Scotland, visitors to the stunning William Scottish writers commemorated outside the Adam-designed property will be shown round Writers’ Museum in Edinburgh. Violet, by three guides with inside knowledge of the whose great-grandmother was the mistress of mansion – and all the comings and goings, King William IV, was born and educated at upstairs and downstairs – when the aristocratic House of Dun. ABOVE Erskine family lived here. ‘As she guides visitors around the mansion’s Visitor services ‘Our costumed tour guides, whose roles are stunning bedrooms, Violet chats about her manager Jason closely based on real people, tell the story of House ancestors and describes the wonderful times she Robertson of Dun from 1860 onwards,’ says Jason. ‘William had growing up here,’ reveals Jason, explaining Young is the estate overseer, responsible for that, unlike previous generations of Erskines, BELOW everything from shooting parties to land Violet and her siblings were allowed to talk to Lady Maitland’s granddaughter, management. He’s a well-respected figure in the their family’s servants. Caroline, was on household and often acts as the intermediary As Violet’s poetry was often written in the hand as the between the Erskine family and their servants. local dialect, she must have spent quite a lot of project started ‘Our second tour guide is the house cook, time with the servants, both in the house and on Isabella Peddie. From her kitchen stronghold, the estate. In fact, in her own words, Violet was Isabella happily shares the secrets, tastes and ‘Aye in and oot amo’ the ploomen’s feet’. aromas that are part and parcel of cooking for ‘With the addition of the Angus Folk an upper-class Edwardian family.’ Collection and our new guided tours, House Isabella’s accounts include the tragic death of Dun is now about people rather than just of the servant girl burnt by a cinder from a grand building,’ says Jason. ‘It’s a the range, as well as her no-holdsplace where history and heritage go barred view of the house parties hand in hand with excitement Turn to page 69 to read about exclusive thrown by the Erskine family. and discovery.’
Member events
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House of Dun member events this summer
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DIGGING DEEP Caroline GrahamWatson is the granddaughter of Lady Jean Maitland, whose amazing collection of everyday objects forms the basis of the Angus Folk Collection
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Zahrah Mahmood looks out from the slopes of Glencoe’s Buachaille Etive Mor
‘I love getting outdoors and hillwalking for the peace it gives. I always feel mentally and spiritually renewed’ ZAHRAH MAHMOOD
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he places cared for by the National Trust for Scotland are as varied as those who love them. Are you craving towering peaks? We’ve got them in Glencoe. Prefer elegant architecture? Try Charles Rennie Mackintosh’s Hill House. How about fairytale castles? Craigievar is one of the best. In search of peace and tranquillity? You’ll find that at Inveresk Lodge Garden. With such a broad range of Scotland’s heritage in our care, it’s no surprise that the Trust’s community is vast and diverse. It encompasses our passionate staff and volunteers and our generous supporters; people who live nearby and visit almost every day, and those who are further away and who have acutely missed their favourite places during the lockdowns of 2020 and 2021. We each have our own reason for visiting our favourite places – for fresh air and exercise, to reconnect with our history and heritage, or to spend time with those we love most. Over the following pages, five people who have unique relationships with particular Trust sites tell us about the places they hold close to their hearts. Thank you to each of them: John Lemon who works at Craigievar Castle and Jenny Mollison who volunteers at Inveresk Lodge Garden; hillwalker Zahrah Mahmood who walks in Glencoe; artist Lachlan Goudie who takes inspiration from Mackintosh’s Hill House; and life member Phil Graves who has visited Goatfell and Brodick with his family for 30 years, creating new memories every time.
‘We visit to reconnect with our heritage and to spend time with those we love’
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The mix of habitats (meadow, pond and woodland) makes this garden a haven for birds. Look out for herons, goldfinches, and kingfishers.
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Volunteer Jenny Mollison has a close personal attachment to this hillside garden near Edinburgh INTERVIEW: ANGELA McMANUS
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o down some steps at the top lawn and turn right into the herb garden: this is where you’ll often find me. We sat on the same bench when the children were tiny – I have photos through the years of me with them and sometimes my mother. It’s sheltered and faces south, and you can sit here in February if the sun is out. We managed to meet people here during lockdown. More than 40 years ago, when my husband Denis and I were househunting, we spent many weekends at Inveresk Lodge Garden. By chance, a work colleague mentioned there was a house for sale opposite it. We bought it, and I’ve visited the garden most days since then. It’s the scale of the place I love. When I first went, you could almost
imagine it might be yours. It was a domestic-sized garden and it gave you a good feeling to be there. My family all know it, including my grandchildren – it’s their playground now. My mother-in-law gave us lifetime Trust memberships, and we thanked our lucky stars that we had the benefit of this splendid place to visit. Then the Trust said it would be closing the
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garden at weekends as the gardener wasn’t going to be there. We had two small children by this time and I knew we wouldn’t be going far, so I offered to do it myself. Nowadays we have a rota of volunteers. Sometimes I think about the history of the lodge and garden. It has monastic foundations, and has had residents connected with slavery and industry. A lot has happened there. As you walk through the garden, you can almost feel those people around you, and you realise you’re on ground that has been trodden on and cultivated for centuries. I never forget that Inveresk Lodge Garden is part of the Trust and that we wouldn’t be enjoying it if it wasn’t for the Trust. It’s dear to my heart and very personal.’ SUMMER 2021 � 39
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Once the gang have taken in the views from the top, head down to the new red squirrel hide in Brodick Castle country park for a glimpse of Scotland’s cutest creatures.
Phil’s daughter Catriona, her cousin Sarah and a team of cuddly companions!
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GOATFELL AND BRODICK Phil Graves is a Life Member of the Trust, who has a longstanding relationship with the Trust’s places on Arran INTERVIEW: DAVID LINTERN
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or 30 years or so, we’ve been leaving Glasgow for the early boat to Brodick to head into the hills of Arran. We often return via Goat Fell and our descent always has a desperate intent: to reach the Brodick Castle tearoom before it closes. In years past we would reward ourselves with tea and cakes on the front lawn, with a view of the gardens and the sea, shared with the greedy chaffinches. In early summer this diversion would give us a fine glimpse of the daffodils and rhododendrons, but the Sunday would invariably be wet and we’d return for a tour of the castle itself, where there was always something new to see. We made a
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habit of a family photo astride the wee cannon at the back door of the castle. Before the kids came along, we’d often use Lochranza youth hostel as a base for walking, climbing and cycling. We’re outdoor people, and there’s a wealth of challenging walking and climbing of almost alpine character
Phil and family enjoying the view
on the island. The views from the top of Goat Fell are spectacular, and just beyond are beautiful tall granite tors for scrambling up and down. For our first post-lockdown visit this April, we took the bus to Sannox and then scrambled up Cioch na h-Oighe, which offers a very airy position with fantastic views to the rest of the range. Despite the ease of access, there’s still a strong sense of solitude and remoteness in these places. We bought our life membership in 1985, as a wedding gift. It’s there in our back pocket for bad-weather days and refreshments on cycling holidays. It has been incredible value for money and a great investment.’
THE HILL HOUSE
Artist, broadcaster and author of The Story of Scottish Art, Lachlan Goudie is passionate about this Mackintosh masterpiece INTERVIEW: EMILY RODWAY
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he Hill House is the ultimate expression of Charles Rennie Mackintosh’s brilliance in a domestic form. It’s absolutely inspirational. I first visited in the early 2010s, when I was researching The Story of Scottish Art TV series. I was blown away. One of the things I’d always liked about Mackintosh’s work is the constant dynamic exchange between spaces: cosy, closed-in areas that lead out into sun-filled rooms. You want to move from one room to the next, because each one is a new discovery. Upstairs in one of the bedrooms, there’s a little alcove where the banquettes have motifs stencilled onto them. When you’re in that nook, you feel as if you belong to the building; that the furniture is actually integral to the architecture and you
‘Mackintosh’s Hill House is a jewel in Scotland’s cultural legacy and heritage’
become part of the architecture – because that’s exactly what Mackintosh intended. Great art has the potential to be a springboard for anyone’s imagination, whether they’re living in 1904 or 3027. Even when he’s using reference points like baronial architecture or Celtic design elements, Mackintosh puts them together in a way that is, and always will be, modern. The project to safeguard the integrity of the Hill House is hugely important. We have seen all too clearly how fragile Mackintosh’s structures are and, frankly, there aren’t many of them. The Hill House is an absolute jewel in Scotland’s cultural legacy and heritage. In my opinion, there are no other artistic artefacts more important in the history of Scottish art.’
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The chainmail box that’s allowing the Hill House to dry out for repair also gives the opportunity to explore the exterior from high walkways.
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Hillwalker Zahrah Mahmood has fallen in love with this stunning and historic West Highland glen INTERVIEW: DAVID LINTERN
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he easing of lockdown restrictions last summer coincided with a personal target of 30 Munros by my 30th birthday. On 14 August, we pointed the car in the direction of Glencoe and Buachaille Etive Mor. It’s such an iconic mountain, a gateway hill for visitors to the glen. It was a blistering hot day when we arrived, and I was beside myself with anticipation. As we made slow progress through the boulders, the sheer scale of the place was impressive. After being enclosed by the coire, it was a dramatic contrast to reach the ridge and have views in every direction. That
feeling of openness and space only increased as we made our way to the first top, Stob Dearg. Looking down at the distant road winding across a vast Rannoch Moor made my legs wobble slightly! I was awestruck. I was delighted to reach our second summit that day. In walking the Buachaille I’d achieved something I never thought possible, and also made it to 30 Munros in plenty of time for my birthday. I took time to pray at the top, and we then began the return walk, tired but content. For my actual birthday a couple of weeks later, I returned for a historical walk: Signal Rock and An Torr.
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‘Looking down at the vast Rannoch Moor made my legs wobble. I was awestruck’
According to legend, this was a meeting point for the Clan MacDonald and the lookout from which troops were ordered to begin the Glencoe Massacre in 1692. It’s a short but sobering stroll, surrounded by wonderful mountain scenery. I’ve still lots to see and do in Glencoe, such as visiting the Lost Valley (Coire Gabhail), and traversing the terrifying Aonach Eagach ridge. I love getting outdoors and hillwalking for the peace it gives. I always feel mentally and spiritually renewed, and the physical benefits are a bonus too.’ Follow Zahrah’s adventures at instagram.com/the_hillwalking_ hijabi
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Glencoe’s story is told in gripping fashion at our visitor centre. Refuel and enjoy the views at the Highland Coo Cafe.
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If you take a guided tour of the castle, don’t forget to look up: the elaborate plasterwork ceilings are quite incredible.
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CRAIGIEVAR CASTLE
Visitor services supervisor John Lemon is devoted to the characterful Aberdeenshire castle in which he works INTERVIEW: ANGELA McMANUS
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raigievar Castle is unique. Its character appeals to every visitor and everyone who works here. It’s also a quirky place – there’s no electric light apart from on the ground floor, for instance. It’s magical seeing the rooms changing as the day passes. I volunteered at several Trust places before coming out of retirement to join the Trust as staff. Five years ago I was asked to come to Craigievar temporarily. After a few weeks, when no replacement was found and I was discovering how wonderful the castle was, I asked to stay. There was no way I could abandon it. It deserves looking after and all the care I want to give it. One winter, a fire took out all the electrics, so we had no security or fire
alarms. I stayed in the castle for three nights until we could organise external security cover. It was quite cold! Working at Craigievar is a challenge and no two days are the same. For me, it’s all about making sure people enjoy their visit. My commitment is to the history of the castle. Some people would prefer to look only to the future, but history is
important. We can’t abandon the legacy that’s there. I always finish my tours by saying, “Thank you for your membership and entrance fee. This will enable us to preserve this place so your children, grandchildren and great-grandchildren can experience what it was like in the olden days.” Preserving our heritage is extremely important and that’s why I love my work here in my “retirement”.’
‘My commitment is to the castle’s history. We can’t abandon the legacy that’s there’
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Our adventure playgrounds are the perfect way to introduce children to Scotland’s heritage while giving them the chance to let off steam this summer WORDS: IDA MASPERO ADDITIONAL INTERVIEWS: EMILY RODWAY
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hether at Newhailes House near Edinburgh or Brodick Castle on the Isle of Arran, regular visitors will have noticed the addition of adventure playparks at several Trust properties in recent years. Living in Edinburgh, I remember how the arrival of the Weehailes playpark at Newhailes caused a sensation three years ago – the excitement among locals ran high for weeks beforehand, and families flocked there when it finally opened. The rave reviews from my son after a visit with his holiday club confirmed that it more than lived up to the hype. ‘It’s so much fun to get lost in! Lots of places to crawl through and hide! Zip wires and a massive bookcase!’ His bubbling enthusiasm took me back to the previous summer, when our visit to Culzean Castle saw him scramble up and disappear into the castellated tower of the superb Adventure Cove, race shrieking along the massive walkway, then pop out of a tunnel or down a slide.
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BOTTOM LEFT Families come together to relax at Weehailes
BELOW Elliot and Fraser enjoy Culzean’s Adventure Cove
A STORY OF PLACE Created to replace a previous playground, Adventure Cove was designed to mirror Culzean Estate in miniature. ‘Its structures interpret the architecture and heritage of the estate, with nods to all the famous landmarks – a mini Eisenhower tower, a castellated walkway that echoes the sweeping viaduct, and boats and whisky barrels on the beach that hint at a history of smuggling,’ explains the Trust’s Caroline Smith, who commissioned specialist firm Creating Adventurous Places (CAP.Co) to build the playpark. ‘The story of the smugglers’ cove, with its caves and spiral staircase into the castle, really captured our imagination when we first visited,’ enthuses Simon Egan from CAP.Co. ‘That’s how they made their money 300 years ago: by smuggling contraband from the Isle of Man. What an amazing nugget of inspiration!’ Like all the Trust’s newer playparks, Adventure Cove interprets elements of the property’s history, giving youngsters a chance to engage with and learn about heritage through play. ‘Anyone can install slides and climbing frames, but the real fun starts when we link a playpark to a property’s
LEFT Weehailes playground at Newhailes RIGHT Arthur composes tunes on the tubular bells at Brodie Castle
‘It’s so much fun to get lost in! Lots of places to crawl through and hide! Zip wires and a massive bookcase!’ LEFT Laurie and Angus explore the hidden corners of Adventure Cove BELOW It’s simply really good fun!
particular significance and history,’ says Caroline. A LITTLE ENLIGHTENMENT An equally compelling but entirely different narrative thread runs through Weehailes at Newhailes. ‘Here, the Trust was keen to convey the story of the Scottish Enlightenment, so we came up with the concept of a wee village with a grand library as a centrepiece,’ explains playground designer Stephen Vass. ‘Every part has play value: kids can climb up the bookshelves and crawl through the servants’ tunnels. The wee village around the library has a clock tower and doocot to climb up. It encourages problem-solving, with a maze for kids to navigate their way through.’ ‘The grand library in Newhailes House is just a staggering thing,’ adds Simon Egan. ‘We haven’t copied it architecturally but instead reflected the sense that it’s the heart of the place. Crawling through the fireplace into the library gives that sense of SUMMER 2021 � 49
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discovery of Scots going out into the world during the Enlightenment.’
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PLAYING WITH LANGUAGE At the Robert Burns Birthplace Museum in Alloway, the Scots Wa-Hey playground is inspired by the life and work of Scotland’s bard. ‘There’s a mini Burns Cottage with small spaces to crawl through, and landmarks from the Tam o’ Shanter story: a witch’s cauldron, a zip wire representing the witches chasing Tam, and a mini Brig o’ Doon,’ explains Caroline Smith. ‘The Scots language is a key part of
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NATURE’S PLAYGROUND You’re never short of adventure when exploring the great outdoors
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There are endless opportunities to combine play with an exploration of our natural heritage at the National Trust for Scotland’s places. In the latest of our ‘At Home with the Trust’ series of online member talks, Fife ranger Naomi Webster and Michelle Shepherd at Culzean shared some great suggestions, from gathering up fallen
leaves and petals to create a colour palette, to building an improvised home for a toy at the foot of a tree. The audience also came up with some brilliant ideas on the night – turn to page 69 for a selection of tips and suggestions from fellow members. Watch the recorded talk online: nts.org.uk/ members-area
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the property’s significance, so we also have Scots words and phrases dotted throughout the play area. These might be familiar to some kids, but for others it can spark interest and curiosity.’ Robert Burns Birthplace Museum learning manager Chris Waddell is a big fan of educating children through play, and believes that playgrounds such as Weehailes and Scots Wa-Hey are the perfect entry point to learning about Scotland’s heritage, especially for our very young visitors. ‘An adventure playground can be a springboard into heritage as well as into outdoor learning,’ he says. ‘Trying to force information about the metrical structure of vernacular 18th-century poetry onto five-year-olds simply isn’t going to work. But if you give children a shot on the swings that are themed around witches and Tam o’ Shanter, they’re subliminally getting introduced to the world of Burns and the linguistic elements of his poetry. ‘That’s what the Trust’s adventure playparks do – they take the broader themes of the place and pitch them precisely at the correct age group.
ABOVE Adventure Cove at Culzean Castle is inspired by the story of the estate BELOW, LEFT Isla enjoys a paddle on a day out in Glencoe
‘An adventure playground can be a springboard into heritage as well as into outdoor learning’ ‘While creaky old guys like me can have a great time looking at Burns Cottage and the manuscripts on display, there has to be something for the grandweans. And if a kid goes to an adventure playground and enjoys it, they’re going to want to come back.’ MANY PLACES TO PLAY Close to the Scots Wa-Hey playground is the Poet’s Path, an imaginative Burns-themed sculpture trail that links Burns Cottage and the museum. Just like the playground, it is a brilliant place for sparking young imaginations as children make their journey between the two sites. ‘We started with a “tim’rous beastie” – a huge mouse which the kids just love,’ explains Caroline Smith. ‘We have a
ABOVE Our playgrounds cater for children of all ages
ABOVE The new Twa Dogs sculpture on the Poet’s Path LEFT A not so wee tim’rous beastie
sculpture of a fox in chains from the poem “Liberty Regain’d” and a haggis, of course. Our latest sculpture is the Twa Dogs, added towards the end of last year – a beautiful piece which people have really engaged with.’ Nearby at Culzean, a temporary sculpture trail that’s been installed as part of Scotland’s Year of Coasts and Waters brings with it an important conservation message. Culzean by the Sea is a trail of willow sculptures depicting creatures of the water. Children are encouraged to pick up any litter they find on the beach and ‘feed the belly’ of the kraken at the trail end. It’s another family-friendly activity to enjoy at this most popular of Trust places. As learning manager Chris Waddell says, ‘Let the kids play on the fantastic play area that we’ve provided. But once they’ve done that for half an hour, take a look around. At most of our places there’s an element of duality: you can do things indoors and out; you can learn about history, culture, language, but also about plants and animals.’ A WARM WELCOME BACK Following the reopening of our places after the latest lockdown, it has been wonderful to hear the cheerful noise of excited children exploring the nooks SUMMER 2021 � 51
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‘The real fun starts when we link the design of a playground to the property’s particular significance and history’ CAROLINE SMITH
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ABOVE Hammering out tunes at Brodie
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LEFT The Forsyth family at Brodie Castle’s Playful Garden
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MORE TO DISCOVER
PLACES TO PLAY CHECK OUT THESE BRILLIANT PLAYGROUNDS CRATHES CASTLE, ABERDEENSHIRE Inspired by the stories and woodland setting of the castle, Wild Wood sees kids zooming between the trees on a zip wire and walkway, scrambling up the climbing wall and scaling the replica Green Lady’s Tower. BRODIE CASTLE, MORAY The Playful Garden tells the story of the Brodie clan, while giving all five senses a
good workout. Play musical instruments, spot unicorns and hide in the hall of mirrors. The giant table and chairs will make you feel tiny, as will the huge rabbit.
scramble among the trees on zip wires, towers and junglestyle walkways, and then explore the woods by following the new Fairies and Legends Trail.
BRODICK CASTLE, ISLE OF ARRAN The magical gardens and woodlands around this baronial castle are home to cute red squirrels – the inspiration for the Isle Be Wild adventure play area. Young visitors can
DRUM CASTLE, ABERDEENSHIRE Tucked away among the trees in the historic Old Wood of Drum, you’ll find a hidden playground with a willow tunnel, a snakes and ladders trail and even a wooden drum kit.
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and crannies of the library at Weehailes and introducing themselves to the Wee Mouse and Twa Dogs at the Robert Burns Birthplace Museum. At Culzean, Adventure Cove is once again full of activity. ‘I like the climbing!’ chimes six-year-old Elise, who is here from Irvine with her mum and wee brother Nathan. The siblings are delighted that they’ve both managed more demanding climbs than they could before the last lockdown. Six-year-old pals Mila and Alice are visiting from Milngavie. ‘I think it’s really cool,’ says Alice. ‘There’s loads of climbing stuff and we’ve been bouncing and bouncing! After this, we’re going down to the beach.’ Children explore their world through play, but the circumstances of the past 18 months mean that opportunities have sometimes been few and far between. As the summer holidays approach, we can’t wait to welcome our junior members back to explore our playgrounds, our nature and our history. ‘We’re at a crucial time right now because there’s a generation of children who have had a year of normality excised from their lives,’ says Chris Waddell. ‘We want to make the best of that situation. If you can’t get the kids into a castle or a museum, take them somewhere they can experience heritage outdoors.’
Find out more nts.org.uk/visit
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North-east gardens manager Chris Wardle introduces some of the plants you’ll see in our new floristic meadow at Pitmedden WORDS: AILEEN SCOULAR
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ombine the exquisite embroidery of a 17th-century bonnet and the complex patterns of a classical French garden with 9,000 Scottish-grown plants and 400kg of bulbs, all in a space measuring 120 metres by 30 metres, and what do you get? The answer is the UK’s largest ‘floristic meadow’, and it’s all happening at Pitmedden in Aberdeenshire, one of the Trust’s most popular gardens. Since being gifted Pitmedden in 1952, the Trust has brought this magnificent Renaissance walled garden to life. In the 1950s, we recreated a quartet of parterres (formal areas of
planting arranged in an ornamental pattern) using 17th-century plans for the garden at the Palace of Holyroodhouse in Edinburgh, which are thought to have been inspired by French garden design of that era. Then, more recently, an orchard of some 200 fruit trees was planted in 2014, giving rise to Pitmedden’s famous Apple Day every September. But the Upper Terraces at Pitmedden have never fulfilled their potential, despite the creation of a complementary parterre design in the 1990s. So, three years ago, the Trust, with the generous support of Professor Ian Young and his wife, Sylvia, made the decision to transform the Upper
Terraces entirely. In this space now is what consultant garden designer Chris Beardshaw describes as a ‘de-constructed parterre for the 21st century’: a complex planting of bulbs, herbaceous perennials and grasses that is modern in appearance, easy to maintain and increasingly biodiverse. The influence and inspiration comes from the past – including 17th-century objects contemporary to the founding of the garden – but the interconnecting swathes and drifts of insect-friendly plant species is highly contemporary. ‘This is a really exciting experiment for the Trust,’ explains Chris Wardle, gardens manager for the north-east, who has masterminded the planting
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‘This is a wonderful opportunity to create something beautiful, and change how we traditionally manage flower borders at the same time’
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ALL CHANGE The Upper Terraces before transformation. The pond and yews remain, but the area around will soon be blooming
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Achillea ld’ ‘Coronation Go
Chris Wardle talks us through the plants in the new parterre, starting with Achillea: ‘We’re using four varieties, all with different colours.’
Aster frikartii ‘Monch’
‘Asters are fantastic for late-summer colour, and this variety is especially good – by flowering into autumn, it provides lots of late-season nectar.’
Chaerophyllumm’ hirsutum ‘Roseu
‘With feather-light umbellifers of tiny flowers, this “pink cow parsley” is brilliant for hoverflies.’
Deschampsia cespitosa
‘Grasses will provide contrast and movement in the parterre. We plan to leave the stems standing through winter.’
project. ‘It’s a wonderful opportunity to create something beautiful, and change how we traditionally manage flower borders at the same time.’ The box hedging on the Upper Terraces has been completely removed and the amount of close-mown lawn grass has also been reduced – both positive steps in terms of environmental impact. Simple curved grass paths will lead you through the new plantings, enveloping visitors in a tapestry of colour and texture – a pattern that will gently evolve from season to season. The project began in the imagination of garden designer Chris Beardshaw, whom Scottish gardeners will know from the BBC’s Beechgrove Garden. ‘Chris is in high demand, but our Pitmedden project genuinely excited him,’ says Chris Wardle. ‘It’s modern and funky, and in the naturalistic style of plant designers such as Piet Oudolf and Nigel Dunnett. But Chris has gone one step further by including many more herbaceous plants.’ Like any grand plan, however, there have been challenges. The Covid pandemic scuppered the Trust’s original plans to replant the areas in 2020, and the cold snap in February 2021 put paid to late-winter bulb-planting. There were also the usual sensitivities of working in a heritage garden: any design had to involve minimal disturbance to historical elements hidden beneath the terraces. But, on the plus side, thousands of young plants were successfully grown in East Lothian, arriving at Pitmedden in small pots. With a lower carbon footprint to grow and transport, little plants will also establish themselves more quickly as summer goes on. ‘The new parterres at Pitmedden are the opposite of “instant” gardening,’ explains Chris Wardle. ‘The design is very well thought-out and the end result will be strikingly beautiful. But gardens take time to mature. Our plants will be spaced to give them room to thrive and spread naturally. So, this summer, our visitors will get a hint of what the new parterres are all about. And from 2022, the effect will start to look really spectacular.
Amsonia na tabernaemonta
‘This is a really unusual plant, with lovely silvery-blue flowers, and we’re excited to try growing it at Pitmedden.’
Centaurea montana
‘The spring flowers of this perennial cornflower are so vibrant – they’re a bit like mini fireworks!’
Cirsium rivulare’ ‘Atropurpureum
‘This crimson-flowered thistle attracts pollinating insects and looks great in a meadow setting.’
Helenium ty’ ‘Moerheim Beau
‘Prairie plants like helenium are used to tough weather conditions: hot and dry in the summer, then frozen solid or wet in the winter.’ SUMMER 2021 � 57
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‘A tall, dramatic plant, with shaggypetalled flowers. Butterflies, bees and hoverflies love it.’ SUBS
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‘We’re using three different peonies, and they’re all beautiful and very dramatic. They like Scotland’s cooler climate, too.’
Persicaria iretail’ amplexicaulis ‘F
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‘This is another plant which flowers into autumn. It’s fast-growing and a real magnet for pollinating insects.’
Pulmonaria ‘Blue Ensign’
‘Lungwort flowers in spring, so it’s a great nectar source for bees early in the year. It also grows well in shady spots.’ 58 � SUMMER 2021
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‘Pollinating insects will now have a wider variety of nectar sources that start earlier and go on for longer’ ‘In the Trust’s gardens, you’re usually looking at evidence of the past, in the context of the present. But at Pitmedden, we’re creating a heritage garden of the future, and it’s a lovely opportunity to see garden history develop in real time. Visitors can watch it grow, and recreate little sections of the planting in their own garden, or take away inspiration for new and exciting plant combinations.’ The replanted upper terraces have been designed to provide colour for at least 10 months of the year, plus structural interest right up to Christmas in the form of flower stems and plant skeletons. The first plants should then come into flower again before Easter. ‘Traditionally, people have visited Pitmedden from July to September, but now the garden can be enjoyed all year round,’ says Chris. ‘The
new planting is also more naturefriendly – pollinating insects will have a wider variety of nectar sources that start earlier and go on for longer, and old stems and flowerheads will provide food and shelter for birds and insects over winter.’ For Chris Wardle and the wider Pitmedden team, this is a chance to demonstrate something new and exciting within a much-loved space. We would like to thank Professor Ian Young and his wife, Sylvia, who enjoyed a long association with and deep love of Aberdeenshire, for supporting Pitmedden and this project. ‘Some visitors enjoy the philosophical side of gardening, while others simply want somewhere nice to explore,’ says Chris. ‘We hope that, in future, the new floral parterres at Pitmedden will provide something for everyone.’
Member events
Turn to page 69 for details of our exclusive online talk giving a look behind the scenes
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MEMBERSHIP / EVENT HIGHLIGHTS / RETAIL GUIDE / YOUR VOICES
Hit the trail and see what you can discover – with a chocolate treat at the end!
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MAGICAL MYSTERY TRAILS
Bring the children to your favourite Trust place on the weekend of 26-27 June for a brilliant new challenge. Supported by Mackie’s of Scotland, Summertime Explorers is a self-led trail that encourages youngsters to delve into the beautiful grounds and outdoor spaces at some of our best-loved properties, with a Mackie’s chocolate bar for those who complete the trail.
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Mackie’s Marketing Director Karin Hayhow says: ‘We’re so excited to be partnering with the Trust on this brilliant new family event. We hope that families have lots of fun exploring across Scotland this summer.’ Visit our website for a full list of Trust places where you can take part in the Summertime Explorers challenge. Visit nts.org.uk/mackies SUMMER 2021 � 61
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Come and celebrate our 90th birthday
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This summer, we’d like to invite all our members to join us in celebrating the National Trust for Scotland’s 90th birthday. Take page 53 of this magazine along to claim a free slice of cake from a cafe at one of our participating properties. This offer is exclusive to members, in appreciation of your support of our charity’s vital work. Thank you.
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JOIN OUR NEW EQUALITY NETWORK
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Can you help us ensure our places and projects provide something for all? ‘We take equality and inclusion We are setting up a new very seriously, so we’re looking for network focused on people who represent the breadth of equality and diversity, and we’d love to hear from members who diversity across our membership,’ says the Trust’s Participation are interested in getting involved. manager, Shirley Ballingall (pictured, Issues covered could range from parking for disabled people to racial interpretation of new exhibitions. We’re seeking Find members with experience out more of protected characteristics Email Eqsiia@nts.org.uk to provide insight around for an application form, what’s important and which can be relevant to them. completed online The Equality and Social Inclusion Impact Assessment Network will focus on the impact on equalities of new projects, what benefits they bring to local communities and new audiences, and will help to increase diversity across our membership.
above). ‘It’s not about making decisions for the Trust, it’s about helping us understand what we need to be thinking about in terms of equality and what impact new projects might have on people in local communities, for instance.’ The group is likely to meet once or twice a year, with the potential for further small meetings if required.
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GROWING SEASON Broad beans in paper pots (top left), the herbaceous border (right) and the walled garden’s Moon Gate
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LEITH HALL’S KITCHEN GARDEN IS A REWARDING PLACE IN SUMMER, SAYS HEAD GARDENER SARAH RAMSAY
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ith daylight seemingly ever-present, midsummer in north-east Scotland can feel surreal. Those stretched-out days almost make up for our short growing season and bitter winters, so June is a time to marvel at the speed of plant growth in the borders. Look out for the Filipendula camtschatica here at Leith Hall; as I write
in April, it’s barely visible, but it’ll be four metres tall by summer. Leith Hall in midsummer is all about the kitchen garden, where we grow and sell heritage varieties of fruit and veg. As the risk of frost starts to decrease in June, the tender runner beans and pole beans are planted out and the cloches are taken off the pumpkin plants.
SARAH’S TOP TIPS • Plant your onions and carrots next to each other – the smell of the onions will deter carrot root fly.
• Protect our precious peatlands by using peat-free compost for sowing seeds and potting on seedlings. Scotland’s peat bogs are a crucial carbon
sink and play a vital role in regulating our climate. • Make your own pots out of newspaper and sow your broad bean and runner bean seeds into them.
Carrot, beetroot and pea seeds are sown directly into the ground, and the early potatoes and broad beans are almost ready to harvest. We’re always searching for ways to grow our vegetables sustainably, such as composting our garden waste or growing companion plants to attract pollinators. An old polytunnel frame is being used to grow pumpkins up and we’ve made our own bean supports from coppiced willow. And, rather than adding to the 500 million plant pots sent to landfill in the UK each year, we sow many of our vegetable seeds into homemade paper pots which will break down in the soil. We all know about the nutritional benefits of fresh veg, but summer days spent in the vegetable garden can also combat stress and anxiety, provide exercise and reduce your ecological footprint too.
‘We sow many of our vegetable seeds into homemade paper pots’ SUMMER 2021 � 65
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ve Johnstons ha in been weaving 97 17 e nc si Elgin
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FIND OUT MORE
Our lightweight merino scarves are perfect for all seasons
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Head online to read about the people behind the products sold in our shops: nts.org.uk/ meet-the-makers
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INSPIRING GIFTS FOR SUMMER Every purchase made in our online shop helps to support the Trust’s important conservation work Easy to wear, the lightweight merino scarves are perfect for transitioning between seasons, while the cashmere is ideal for cooler evenings. ‘Our designers thoroughly enjoy collaborating with the National Trust for Scotland team in creating new pieces,’ says Jenny Urquhart, chairman of Johnstons of Elgin. ‘We’re thrilled that the Trust range has grown to reflect the rich, diverse range of properties and gardens. ‘Each new scarf is inspired by individual Trust sites, and all have genuine meaning. The scarves 66 � SUMMER 2021
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Jenny Urquhart, Johnstons of Elgin
follow the same manufacturing process as those we make for the world’s leading fashion houses.’ The Highland brand has been working with the Trust for many years, starting with traditional and historically important tartans, such as that to mark the 700th anniversary of the Battle of Bannockburn. ‘There’s a story behind everything we do,’ adds Jenny. Cashmere and merino wool scarves are available in various designs, priced from £69 to £199. nts.org.uk/shop
XXXCREDIT HERE XXX
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The soft, fresh colours of summer flowers in the gardens of the National Trust for Scotland are the inspiration behind the merino wool scarves created for us by Johnstons of Elgin. This brand new collaboration, which is launching in our shops and online this summer, also includes cashmere scarves in Royal Mile tartan shades.
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House of Dun mug and magnet designed by Hole in my Pocket
House of Dun at home The imposing façade of House of Dun now adorns a range of homeware souvenirs by quirky design company Hole in my Pocket. Illustrations of the Georgian country home take centre stage in a selection including a tea towel, a mug, a magnet and a coaster, with prices from £2.50 to £12.50. ‘It is such a grand house, I knew I would enjoy capturing its lovely symmetrical exterior and the deep
shadows of the entrance archway,’ says the brand’s Allistair Burt. The courtyard at House of Dun has recently been refurbished (see page 29) and artisan gift shops now sit alongside the Angus Folk Collection. Products on sale include delightfully retro children’s toys, such as Snakes and Ladders, Tiddly Winks and Blow Football (£9), which is also available in our online shop. From a range of traditional toys
nts.org.uk/shop
XXXCREDIT HERE XXX
The Cairngorms in a bottle Pour yourself a summer drink with a difference: Pinewood Conservation Gin captures all the flavours of Mar Lodge Estate and is made with botanicals foraged on site at the UK’s largest National Nature Reserve. Flavours include juniper, the floral
aromatics of wood sorrel and bog myrtle, a herbaceous savoury taste of birch and Scots pine, and the warming honey-rich sweetness of blaeberries. This unique gin also has a very important purpose. Every bottle sold supports the Trust’s efforts to protect the Caledonian pinewoods
of Mar Lodge Estate and restore them to their former glory. Produced by Glenshee Craft Distillers, the exclusive gin (£32 for 50cl), perfectly captures the essence of the pinewood at the estate. Now, that’s worth raising a glass to. nts.org.uk/shop
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The start of work at House of Dun
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A LOOK BEHIND THE SCENES
Chris Wardle
REGISTER FOR ONLINE TALKS TO EXPERIENCE OUR NEW PROJECTS
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Our next series of online members’ talks will celebrate three Trust places that have undergone transformations over the last few months. On 21 June, listen to interviews with the Gladstone’s Land team whose painstaking research Gladstone’s uncovered the secrets of this Land historic building on the Royal Mile. On 12 July, enjoy a virtual project at Pitmedden tour of the refurbished Garden with a virtual tour of courtyard buildings at the UK’s largest ‘floristic House of Dun. Take a closer meadow’, hosted by lead look at some of the items in gardener, Chris Wardle. the Angus Folk Collection, Gladstone’s Land and and hear from the team House of Dun will also host exclusive events for who created this members to attend. immersive visitor Find out more experience. about all these Finally, on events on our 2 August, website at discover the pioneering nts.org.uk/ at nts.org.uk/ replanting online-talks.
BOOK YOUR FREE PLACE
GREAT IDEAS! During our Family Fun in Nature talk, we loved hearing your tips on how to keep kids engaged in the great outdoors. Here are three of our favourites:
1.
‘When my grandchildren were young we used to go down to the shore and collect pieces of coloured glass that the water had made smooth. We put them around plants in pots.’ Alison
2. ‘I plant rocket in recycled
containers and give them to kids to grow on windowsills. They can pick their own food in a couple of weeks.’ Angela
3.
’Make bingo sheets for everyone (with specific trees, animals, plants etc) and get the kids’ attention looking for them, with a prize for the winner.’ Pauline Watch again at nts.org.uk/members-area
online-talks
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KEEP IN TOUCH We’re @nationaltrustforscotland on Facebook and Instagram, and @N_T_S on Twitter. You can email nts@thinkpublishing.co.uk or even pick up a pen and write. The address is: National Trust for Scotland magazine, Think Media Group, 20 Mortimer Street, London, W1T 3JW
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We’ve enjoyed seeing all your posts and photos of your recent trips to our places. Tag us on Twitter @N_T_S Thank you!
Beth Robertson (@Bboop259) I left behind my to do list and took a day off. The sun shone, water lapped on the beaches and an @N_T_S scone was consumed. Restorative powers of the great outdoors have been confirmed!
Emily Paget (@epaget31) A beautiful day @ThreaveGarden enjoying the daffodils. Lovely to see National Trust for Scotland places opening up again.
Sue Reeve (@mrsverypicky) A glorious sunny spring day at @N_T_S Geilston Garden, which my phone tells me we visited exactly 2 yrs ago today. Pretty much a lifetime ago!
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THE INSTA PIC WE LOVE THE MOST GETS A TASTE OF SCOTLAND GIFT BOX It’s double trouble in this cheeky picture taken by @scottish_dallys_x outside Fyvie Castle, where a pair of dalmations are enjoying a walk
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@roamingrich snaps a view of Crathes Castle with its fairytale turrets and pretty foliage
Glenfinnan Monument stands tall in this pic by @roaming_rachel_t
@kez_cameron caught the sunlight shining on Brodick Castle in this beautiful image of the Arran castle’s grounds
AND THE WINNER IS…
@belinda.g.photos gets down low to take this stunning snap of Preston Mill peeking through the yellow daffodils
@wanderingaberdonian perfectly captures the grandeur of Culzean Castle with this stunning shot
Post your views of our places, tagging them #NationalTrustForScotland and #FortheLoveofScotland 70 � SUMMER 2021
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Your World - social media, 1
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YOUR WORLD
Meet our experts, 1
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THE NATIONAL TRUST FOR SCOTLAND Hermiston Quay, 5 Cultins Road Edinburgh EH11 4DF Website www.nts.org.uk MEMBERSHIP ENQUIRIES Telephone 0131 385 7490
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Everything used to be printed with individual letters ‘set’ by a compositor
Patron HRH The Prince Charles, Duke of Rothesay KG KT GCB OM Chairman Sir Mark Jones Chief Executive Phil Long OBE The National Trust for Scotland is a charity, independent of government, supported by legacies, donations and member subscriptions. Scottish Charity Number SC 007410
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KEEPING THE CRAFT ALIVE
NTS Magazine Editor Emily Rodway nts.editor@thinkpublishing.co.uk Sub Editor Judy Diamond Art Director John Pender Assistant Editor Angela McManus Editorial Assistant Jennifer Constable
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Compositor Jack Conkie plays an essential role at a hands-on museum in Innerleithen
Advertising Manager Sonal Mistry sonal.mistry@ thinkpublishing.co.uk 020 3771 7247
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Trust, but I love that it’s all still in use. It’s I’ve known about Robert Smail’s Printing alive, in a way. Works for most of my life. I’m from the Smail’s has substantial local history local area and I remember coming here archives. A newspaper was produced here on school visits. On top of that, the from 1893 until 1916, with the first printmaking process has always edition promising it would not be interested me. I have a master’s ‘merely a medium for claptrap in fine art; I specialised in and gossip’. It was embedded illustration and studied relief in the area – the local history printing, including linocut, society often delves into our letterpress and engraving. Robert Smail’s is different archives for research. Try it for yourself at from other Trust places The newspaper is only part a workshop of our archive. The Smail family because we’re still using the didn’t throw anything away, and historical collection every day for commercial jobs. We print a mixture of we have ledgers, invoices, receipts, photographs and copies of all of the things, like wedding stationery and printed materials up to 1956. business cards, as well as greetings cards for our shop, all using the old techniques. We also run workshops – you don’t fully My job as a compositor is to set the type. understand typesetting until you’ve had a Some of the type we use is more than day to play with it in one of our workshops. 100 years old – not so old compared to nts.org.uk/robertsmails some of the things looked after by the
THE NATIONAL TRUST FOR SCOTLAND’S STATEMENT OF NEUTRALITY The National Trust for Scotland is a legally constituted charity independent of government. The Trust was established to further its charitable purposes, which are for the public benefit. The Trust is independent of all political parties and will not participate in any activity which furthers the interests of any political organisation or secures or opposes a change in the law for political purposes. No Trustee or employee of the National Trust for Scotland may in this capacity express political views or offer support for any political party, candidate or politician. The Trust reserves the right to organise and carry out campaigning activity, including bringing influence and pressure to bear on government, ministers, politicians and political parties, or to offer support for specific policies, if this serves its charitable purposes. In such circumstances the Trust will always comply with charity law, civil and criminal laws and codes of conduct as they apply in addition to its fiduciary duties.
Senior Sales Executive Elizabeth Courtney elizabeth.courtney@ thinkpublishing.co.uk 020 3771 7208 Executive Director John Innes john.innes@ thinkpublishing.co.uk The National Trust for Scotland’s member magazine is published three times a year by Think, on behalf of the National Trust for Scotland. www.thinkpublishing.co.uk Printed in the UK by Walstead Roche. © The National Trust for Scotland 2021 ISSN 2631-3170 Cover image: Hamish Campbell All other photography © The National Trust for Scotland unless otherwise stated. The National Trust for Scotland takes no responsibility for advertisements within the magazine. No unsolicited manuscripts please. If you no longer wish to receive this magazine please contact our Customer Services team by telephone on 0131 385 7490 or by post to National Trust for Scotland, Customer Services, Hermiston Quay, 5 Cultins Road, Edinburgh EH11 4DF.
PEFC/16-33-1488
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