Welcome to Crarae Gardens
Background: Crarae Gardens were laid out in the early 20th century within a late 19th century designed landscape. In total the designed landscape covers 126 acres (51 Ha). Approx. 50 acres are currently open to the public as Crarae Woodland Gardens.
The estate of Cumlodden has been owned by the Campbell family since 1825 and the Lodge house that you can see today was rebuilt by the widow of Sir George Campbell, 4th Baronet in 1898.
In 1912 Lady Campbell, the wife of the 5th Baronet, began creating the ornamental garden. She was the aunt of the famous plant explorer, Reginald Farrer, who sourced east Asian trees and shrubs (China, Nepal, Tibet). Some of his contributions can still be found in the garden today (Champion #4 and #5). The garden began in the area immediately surrounding the Lodge house and was expanded into the landscape, borrowing the natural features of the gorge and surrounding oak and native woodlands to enhance its design.
Lady Campbell’s son Sir George, the 6th Baronet, inherited the estate in 1925. Sir George was passionate about the garden and trees in particular. He established the Forest Garden in 1932, where 90 experimental blocks of conifers were planted to establish their commercial potential. The plots were seen as so significant that their management was taken on by the then Forestry Commission from 1957-1980 before being returned to the Campbell estate. Sir George lived in Crarae Lodge until his death in 1967 when the estate and garden was inherited by his son Sir Ilay Campbell, the 7th Baronet, who continued to collect trees, shrubs and plants and manage the magnificent gardens.
Sir Ilay gifted the gardens to Crarae Garden Charitable Trust in 1978, the Friends of Crarae were established in 1986 to support and promote the gardens and subsequently both the gardens and the Forest Garden were made over to the National Trust for Scotland in 2002. The NTS Garden and Visitor Centre teams run the day-to-day operations you see today.
Crarae Gardens Champion Trees
Crarae is home to many outstanding specimen trees. The Tree Register of Great Britain and Ireland is a registered Charity (www.treeregister.org) that maintains a record of trees that are the tallest and or the broadest in girth of their genus and species. The records catalogue those that are National Champions of Great Britain and Ireland (GB&I), of Scotland (Wales or Ireland), of the county of Argyll and Bute (A&B), in this case, or are of sufficient size and interest to merit an entry as a ‘Remarkable Tree’.
The previous round of height and girth measurements were done in 2012, Crarae Gardens merited 136 entries in the register at that time, including an impressive Champion count of 14 Champions of GB&I, 38 of Scotland, 30 of A&B and 54 remarkable trees across the whole estate.
During the winter of 2021/22 the Friends of Crarae began the task of tracking down these Champions from the details included in the register, focussing initially on those that could be found within the public areas of the gardens. The Tree Register volunteer team returned to Crarae in 2025 remeasured and geolocated trees in the public gardens, the tally has now increased to 146 entries. Despite not remeasuring the more difficult to access trees in the Forest Garden we currently have 22 Champions of GB&I, 27 of Scotland, 37 of Argyll & Bute and 60 Remarkable Trees.
This trail takes you to view 40 distinct trees. For ease of reference, we have used the terms Gold (G), Silver (S) or Bronze (B) as shorthand for the each of the Champion categories and included the map reference/geolocation if you would like confirmation of the exact tree. Trail markers including tree names and Champion status are either beside or where you can view the tree from.
❖ GOLD for Great Britain and Ireland - 12 Trees (Blue Plaque)
❖ SILVER for Scotland – 13 Trees
Argyll & Bute
Champion Trail Trees: Approximate Locations
The map above includes a series of black numbers in the approximate locations of the Champion. The numbered circles are positions or the Crarae Map posts so you can check your position. If you’re viewing the trail online you can click the tree number hyperlink to navigate to a photograph, rough geolocation and description of the tree at that location.
Click “Return to Map” on each page to return to the trail map so you can navigate to the next tree. Trails marked by a dashed line are “there and back” routes.
1
Magnolia cambellii var mollicomata “Lanarth”
NR9862997347 SILVER CHAMPION
2
Right beside Crarae Burn this beautiful tree is a very slow growing magnolia. It is also fairly small in stature and is exceptionally slow to flower.
First flowering of a non-grafted specimen can take up to 50 years. The flowers, when they do appear, are dark purple and cup shaped.
This example is the height and girth Champion of Scotland at 12.2 m high x 1.06 m girth in 2025.
If you look closely at the first limb it also boasts a wonderful patch of Graphis elegans (script) lichen.
Tsuga Dumosa (Himalayan Hemlock) BRONZE CHAMPION
NR9856597343
Heading out of the lower garden into the woodland beyond, pause at the first hairpin bend, below the fence and towering above you is the first evergreen Champion.
The Himalayan hemlock typically matures at around 25M tall, this specimen is the Argyll height Champion and was measured at around 19 m high in 2025.
3
Cunninghamia lanceolata (Chinese Fir) SILVER CHAMPION
NR9853497368
4
Making your way along the gorge side and down to the pond garden, take the spur through the old (1918) Rhododendron falconeri grove towards the next tree.
This Chinese fir was a gift from Colonel Frederick Balfour as it wasn’t doing well in Dawyk Botanical Gardens in the Scottish Borders.
Gifted to Sir George Campbell, it has certainly thrived here ever since and is now the height champion of Scotland, measured in 2025 at 22.2 m high and the girth Champion of Argyll at 2 m around
Rhododendron arizelum. GOLD CHAMPION
NR9852397465
At the Crarae Burn viewpoint on the opposite bank you can see an enormous rhododendron, it drips with huge trusses of creamy yellow flowers in late spring, the leaves themselves have a beautiful cinnamon coloured felted underside (indumentum). This beautiful specimen was measured at 11 m tall by 114 cm around in 2025 making it the height and girth champion of Great Britain and Ireland. It’s also thought to have been collected as seed by the Plant Hunter Reginald Farrer *
* You can reach the base of this incredible Champion by taking Lady Campbells Walk spur trail down the opposite side of the burn after crossing the waterfall bridge, past #10.
5
Osmanthus x burkwoodii SILVER CHAMPION
NR9851797434
Walk between the ponds and look up the gorge. This beautifully sculpted evergreen shrub with fragrant white flowers in early spring is special for a number of reasons. It’s from the original planting, when the garden expanded from the house to glen under the influence of plant hunter Reginald Farrer (1880 – 1920), the nephew of Lady Grace Campbell. She planted two borders in around 1912, one near the front of the house and the other on the west side of the burn in the shelter of the larches. In 2025 this twisted collection of gnarly trunks and branches was the girth Champion of Scotland at 110 cm and height champion of Argyll and Bute at 7.2 m and could well be over 110 years old!
6
Euonymus tingens (Himalayan spindle) BRONZE CHAMPION
NR9852497421
Just behind Champion #5 on the bank in the centre of this photo is the rare evergreen, Himalayan Spindle tree. It has white flowers in spring and red/orange fruits in Autumn.
This specimen is the girth and height Champion of Argyll and Bute. At 7.4m high x 94 cm around in 2025
Sorbus vilmorinii (Vilmorin’s rowan) GOLD CHAMPION
NR9846297419
Native to China, it grows in Sichuan, Yunnan and Tibet. 7
Look carefully into the Rhododendron grove (not far past the Goblin King!) as you walk up the forest road and you’ll spot the moss-covered trunk of this beautiful rowan. It’s the girth champion of Great Britain and Ireland. 9.6 m high x 167 cm around.
It has beautiful pale pink berries in Autumn, making it easier to spot.
8
Acer rufinerve (Honshu maple) GOLD CHAMPION
NR9848097430
Growing through the surrounding rhododendrons on the very edge of the gorge, it’s hard to discern the foliage of this lovely Acer outside of Autumn. It’s the grey-budded snake bark maple, native to mountains of Japan.
The specimen was measured at 15 m high and 147 cm girth in 2025, making it the height and girth champion of Great Britain and Ireland.
Picea obovata (Siberian Spruce) BRONZE CHAMPION
NR9845597498
10
Leaning jauntily at the gorge side of the forest road, this Siberian spruce, is the girth champion of Argyll and Bute 15 m high x 141 cm around.
A native of Siberia and the Ural Mountains, ranging to just below the Arctic snow line across into Mongolia and NW China, its one of Earth’s most cold hardy conifers, surviving down to -50oC.
It’s a little walk to the next tree, cross the waterfall bridge, turn right, follow the trail to “Lady Campbells Walk” main trail and head down the ‘there and back’ spur to the next tree. The Acer is at its best in Autumn.
Acer japonicum ‘Vitifolium’ (Full Moon Maple)
NR9856697430
SILVER CHAMPION
Planted in a little group at the edge of the private Lodge Garden on the east side of the glen, this beautiful Japanese maple is well worth the “there and back” diversion for its Autumn colour. The multi-pointed leaves are said to resemble vine leaves, hence the name viti folium.
It’s the girth champion of Scotland at 12.4 m high x 117 cm around in 2025.
RETURN TO MAP
12
GOLD CHAMPION NR9847297546
If you took the spur to see the Full Moon Maple, retrace your steps up what used to be known as “Lady Campbells Walk” and the next giant can be spotted off the trail to the west side, just past the turning to the waterfall bridge.
First raised in Boskoop, Holland in 1890, this magnificent cultivar of the popular conifer has steely blue green foliage, open form and fantastic bark. It’s only suitable for landscape scale planting though!
This specimen was measured at 30.2 m high and a whopping 412 cm girth in 2025, making it the girth and height champion of Great Britain and Ireland.
A truly mighty example.
Torminalis glaberrima (Wild Service) BRONZE CHAMPION
NR9849097597
This UK native tree is relatively rare in the ‘wild’ these days. It is easier to spot in Spring with tiny frothy white flowers or Autumn with dark red fruits and orangey red leaves.
At 13.4 m high and 110 cm around in 2025 it is the height and girth Champion of Argyll and Bute.
13
Picea omorika (Serbian Spruce) BRONZE CHAMPION
NR9846497654
14
At the head of the old drover’s road, this Serbian spruce, one of many examples in the garden, is the girth champion of Argyll and Bute 23.2 m high x 226 cm around as measured in 2025.
These rather elegant trees are native to a very small area in the Balkans along the Drina valley of Serbia and Bosnia.
Luckily, they are also very happy here at Crarae.
Nothofagus fusca (Red beech) SILVER CHAMPION
NR9857797708
Follow the Drovers road before taking the steps up to the left into the Eucalyptory.
Here you’ll find one of the magnificent Nothofagus National Collection in this part of the garden.
This Southern beech, the ‘red beech’ is originally from New Zealand, native to both the North and South Island, found in lower hills and rich, fertile valleys.
At 25 m high and 307 cm around in 2025 it is the height and girth Champion of Scotland.
Eucalyptus gunnii subsp. divaricata (Cider Gum)
NR9856097765
16
GOLD CHAMPION
At the very top of the Eucalyptory between two magnificent large leafed Rhododendron sinogrande you’ll spot the trunk of this sub species of Cider Gum. Look up through the rhododendron leaves to the canopy above.
This enormous tree is the height Champion of Great Britain and Ireland and the girth Champion of Scotland at 28.4 m and 271 cm respectively in 2025.
Picea purpurea (purple coned spruce) SILVER CHAMPION
NR9852297713
On your way down the steps alongside the little stream, you’ll find the rare subalpine purple-coned spruce. Found only in China, its status is near threatened in the wild.
This specimen was measured at 25.4 m tall with a girth of 201 cm making it the height Champion of Scotland and girth Champion of Argyll and Bute in 2025.
Picea wilsonii (Wilson’s spruce)
NR9850697711
BRONZE CHAMPION
This tree is one of two specimens in the garden and has overtaken the rival to become the height Champion of Argyll and Bute at 25.6 m and 181 cm respectively in 2025. 17
18
This slow-growing conifer is native to China and an important forest tree to the region.
Nothofagus menziesii (silver beech) SILVER CHAMPION NR9845897703
Native to New Zealand, the evergreen silver beech can be found in the dense, ancient forests of the South Island, Fiordland. It was first described in 1871 by JD Hooker, who named it after the Scottish naturalist Archibald Menzies.
This specimen was measured at 19.4 m tall with a girth of 281 cm making it the girth Champion of Scotland in 2025.
At 8.2 m x 91 cm in 2025 it’s the Scottish Champion for girth Acer micranthum SILVER CHAMPION NR9843897684
On the bank of the little stream heading to the gorge, this multi-stemmed Japanese Acer boasts delicate curving branches and tiny leaves, it reaches out to the light. It is one of our favourite Acers with tiny flame-coloured Autumn leaves.
Hesperocyparis arizonica var arizonica SILVER CHAMPION
NR9845297665
Looking down the valley just past #19 you’ll spot this scraggy multi-trunked North American native, the Rough Arizona Cyprus, amongst the evergreens. It is the height and girth champion of Scotland.
At 19 m x 245 cm in 2025 you have to stand back and look up to fully appreciate its stature.
It’s also a favourite of the goldcrests in the garden, if you're quiet you can hear their high-pitched calls from the upper branches.
21
Picea asperata (Dragon Spruce) GOLD CHAMPION
NR9843597657
22
Navigating down the steps towards the burn, this spruce on your right is also known as the Dragon Spruce, from western China, it is one of the threatened conifers of the world.
This one was planted in 1914 and has thrived to become the girth champion of Great Britain and Ireland and height champion of Argyll and Bute at 24.6 m tall x 205 cm girth in 2025.
Picea polita (torano) (Tigertail spruce)
NR9843997647
The tiger tail spruce on your left, just before you reach the bridge, is originally from the lower volcanic slopes of Japan, it is also one of the threatened conifers of the world. Torano comes from toran-wo, Japanese vernacular for tiger’s tail. The name is thought to derive from the tail shaped lower branches being very prickly to hold. It has the some of the sharpest needles of the Spruce species. Luckily, this one is too tall to check!
This specimen in the girth Champion of Scotland from 2025 at 21.6 m tall and 203 cm in girth.
NR9844197608
From a single valley in the Balkans, a relic left after the last ice age these dramatically shaped trees do well at Crarae, with the girth Champion just up the trail from here.
Commonly known as the Serbian spruce, this is the height champion of Argyll and Bute at 27 and 185 cm in 2025.
Pinus rigida (Northern pitch pine) SILVER CHAMPION
NR9842797675
Towering above the under storey, this North American native does well on acidic, poor soils where many trees fail. Most common in North Carolina, it can be found in Central Maine, down to Georgia and west to Kentucky.
This specimen in the group planting is the height champion of Scotland 22.2 m high x 152 cm around in 2025.
RETURN TO MAP
Pinus koraiensis (Korean pine) BRONZE CHAMPION
NR9841097648
Just across the top bridge, on the west bank of the burn you can see the domed top of this magnificent pine from eastern Asia. It is a relic species of the Tertiary period and is considered a rare tree by the United Nations.
Commonly known as the Korean pine, this is the height and girth champion of Argyll and Bute at 23.2 and 216 cm in 2025.
You can wander up this short there and back path to see trees #25 to #27 close-up. Abies kawakamii (Taiwan Fir)
Up the new path just past tree #25 on the burn side flat you'll find one of the southernmost true fir trees. Native only to central Taiwan, it is a height champion of Great Britain and Ireland 20.4m high x 200 cm around in 2025.
NR9839497699
At the very edge of the Forest Garden Hurst’s spruce is a cross between P. engelmannii x P. pungens and is usually rather short for a spruce tree!
This rather gangly looking specimen in the centre was planted en masse and is the only survivor in this area of the experimental Forest Garden. It is the height and girth champion of Argyll and Bute at 22.2m high and 93 cm around in 2025.
Tsuga mertensiana (Mountain Hemlock) NR9840097620 BRONZE CHAMPION
Returning to the main trail, on the bank above the top bridge is the mountain hemlock, a native to the west coast of North America.
This one is the height Champion of Argyll and Bute at 24.2 m and 237 cm around in 2025.
Chamaecyparis lawsoniana lanei aurea GOLD CHAMPION
NR9841597578
Following the trail up from the top bridge back towards the forest road, look across the burn. Step down the short spur trail and on the stoney ‘island’ beneath you, you can’t fail to notice the magnificent columnar (a polite description of the shape) evergreen tree.
This is a girth champion of Great Britain and Ireland. It’s only when you stand right next to it that you get a true sense of scale. It is also one of the UKs most popular garden conifers and the dwarf variety can be found in many a rock garden! However, this monster was 24 m high x 284 cm around in 2025.
Fagus sylvatica ‘Crarae’ (Crarae Beech) GOLD CHAMPION
NR9828497470
Hiking up to ‘Sir George’s Seat’ (sadly there isn’t a seat at the moment!) for fabulous views, the beautiful lone ‘Crarae’ beech stands sentinel. It is one of a handful of cultivars, specific to the garden, and has truly beautiful folded leaves.
This is the girth and height champion of Great Britain and Ireland at 15m high x 302 cm in 2025.
Eucalyptus pauciflora subsp. niphophila (snow gum)
NR9835597441 GOLD CHAMPION
Dominating the bank below the trail at Sir George’s Seat is this magnificent gum tree is native to the mountains of Eastern Australia.
Commonly known as the Snow gum, this is the girth champion of Great Britain and Ireland and the height Champion of Scotland at 19 m high and an enormous 335 cm around in 2025.
Leptospermum scoparium (Mānuka) SILVER CHAMPION
NR9835197444
The New Zealand ‘tea’ tree. The needles when soaked in boiling water by early NZ settlers and drunk as a tea, are rich in Vitamin C. Captain Cook even used it to prevent scurvy in his sailors.
It is more recently famous for the health promoting honey that bees produce from its pale pink flowers. This tall specimen is the girth Champion of Scotland and the height Champion of Argyll and Bute.
It was 8.8 high x 112 cm around in 2025.
Betula alleghaniensis (Yellow birch) BRONZE CHAMPION
NR9832497445
A little further along the trail at the top of the bank near the boundary wall is the northeastern America lumber tree (previously named Betula lutea). It has a few common names yellow birch, golden birch or swamp birch. It's named for its bark colour but can be identified by its unique smelling sap! This is the girth and height Champion of Argyll and Bute at 12.4 m and 134 cm around in 2025.
Acer monspessulanum (Montpelier maple)
Just before the viewpoint, you'll find a little group of Mediterranean maples, although commonly named the Montpelier maple, it is native to the entire region, from Morocco and Portugal in the east to Turkey, Syria and Lebanon in the west.
The tallest specimen is the height Champion of Argyll and Bute.
It was 12.6 high x 118 cm around in 2025.
Lirodendron tulipfera (Tulip tree)
NR9834797415 BRONZE CHAMPION
A native of North Eastern North America, its one of the tallest deciduous trees in the temperate neartic forest. It has distinctive shaped pairs of leaves that turn golden in Autumn and tulip shaped yellow flowers in May.
You can find this one on the lower path at the western most edge of the garden, one of a number of beautiful tulip trees in this area, this specimen is the height Champion of Argyll and Bute at 23.6 m and 200 cm around in 2025.
Eucalyptus delegatensis (Alpine ash) GOLD CHAMPION
Entering the secret path to the bird hide, this quiet clearing is dominated by enormous Eucalyptus. Endemic to southeastern Australia the Alpine Ash is also known as gum-topped stringy bark or our favourite woollybutt.
This very tall specimen is the height Champion of Great Britain and Ireland. It was 34.8 m high x 322 cm around in 2025.
Eucalyptus delegatensis (Alpine Ash)
NR9843997307
BRONZE CHAMPION
This is another wonderful specimen of the Alpine Ash, or in this case, definitely a ‘Woollybutt’ .
It is the broadest in Argyll and Bute. On closer inspection of the base of the tree you can really appreciate the reason why its nickname is woollybutt in Victoria, Australia.
It measured 34.4 m high and 371 m around in 2025.
Eucalyptus urnigera (Urn Gum) BRONZE CHAMPION
NR9840597338
Head to the bottom of the Forest track or view the top from the carpark, this urn gum is part of a group. The Urn gum is native to Tasmania and has distinctive urn shaped fruits. It is usually described as a medium sized tree; however, it loves the high rainfall of the west of Scotland and outstrips its usual range!
It is possible this is one of approximately 50 trees planted by Sir Ilay Campbell from two batches of seeds collected from near Lake Fenton in Tasmania. It is the height Champion of Argyll and Bute.
It was 39.7 m high x 240 cm around in 2025.
Eucalyptus gunnii (Cider gum)
NR9849397232
Either viewed from the very bottom of the Forest track or you can also return to the car park for the best view of the tip of this fabulous Cider Gum. It is native to the central Highlands of Tasmania and mountains of Australia.
This type of tree is the most popular gum grown in the UK. It is usually grown as a dwarf, shrubby form known for its rounded silvery blue young leaf form and its creamy white flowers.
This towering specimen however is the height Champion of Great Britain and Ireland at 43 m and 265 cm around in 2025.
This inconspicuous little hybrid maple, competing for light with the native oak next to it, is the girth and height Champion of Argyll and Bute.
The hybrid is found naturally on the North West Balkan Peninsula and was first described in 1829. It is a hybrid of A. monspessulanum × A. pseudoplatanus.
It was 11 m high x 110 cm around in 2025.
Thank
you for following our
Champion Tree Trail
We hope that you’ve enjoyed your journey around 40 trees from across the globe.
You can access more archive materials, photographs from the gardens in all seasons, pictures of the floods of 2022 and 23 that re-shaped the trail network, learn more about the Neolithic Cairn and the Forest Garden plots including photographs from an exploration by two intrepid Friends of Crarae alongside the Head Gardener at the time, all on our website. www.friendsofcrarae.com
Please tag us into your social media posts and leave comments, we hope you have enjoyed your time in the Gardens, all feedback is welcome, and we hope to see you back here soon!
Thanks for visiting! Victoria, Secretary Friends of Crarae contact@friendsofcrarae.com © Friends of Crarae 2026. Written, researched and photographed by Victoria Winters.
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