NTS Autumn / Winter 2022

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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

HEROES OF

THE HILLS OUR FOOTPATH TEAM ARE OUT ALL YEAR ROUND

SEIZE THE DAYS

Weekends away with the Trust

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FROM THE GROUND UP

Mar Lodge Estate’s new chapter

INSIDE STORIES

Fascinating people from the past

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N M U AUT R THE MAGAZINE FOR PEOPLE WHO LOVE SCOTLAND

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Sign up to our members e-newsletter for even more stories and inspiration from the Trust, direct to your inbox.

Scan the QR code or visit nts.org.uk/ stay-in-touch

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he long summer days are over for another year and our teams are preparing for the winter months ahead, ensuring that Scotland’s heritage is cared for and protected for future generations.

With our members’ support, we are safeguarding Craigievar Castle against the ravages of the changing climate; upgrading the landing pier on St Kilda; regenerating peatland at Mar Lodge Estate in the Cairngorms; and, as always, maintaining mountain footpaths to protect our natural environment and ensure people can enjoy our iconic Scottish landscapes.

Our work never stops – in fact, thanks to the weather, it becomes more challenging in autumn and winter. In your magazine you can read about the conservation projects I’ve highlighted above, as well as other initiatives to care for our buildings, heritage and wildlife. We’ve included lots of ideas to help you make the most of your membership this coming season and plenty of reasons to wrap up and experience the places in our care.

Like many, we are feeling the impact of the country’s changing economic situation.

The funds we need to carry out our vital work are being stretched and the resources we require are becoming more expensive. We are committed to continuing our programme of conservation and maintenance work across Scotland and we need your support to do this. I’d like to take this opportunity to thank each and every one of you for being a member of the Trust, for getting out and enjoying the places we care for, and for supporting the conservation of Scotland’s heritage.

As ever, I’d love to hear from you. If you have any feedback about your experiences as a member of the National Trust for Scotland or any suggestions you’d like to make, contact me direct at LouiseStirtonMembership@nts.org.uk

Louise Stirton

Head of membership Need help with your membership?

Contact us here: nts.org.uk/contact-us or call the Trust’s supporter care team on 0131 385 7490

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.

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TALES TO TELL The fascinating characters who once lived at our places

18 WEEKENDS AWAY Discover a region through the amazing Trust sites you can visit there

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25 MOUNTAIN MENDERS Out on the hill with the National Trust for Scotland’s intrepid footpath team

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38 MAR LODGE ESTATE Fighting climate change with our new landscape restoration project

ED BROUGHTON, JEREMY SUTTON-HIBBERT, MURDO MACLEOD, MARIEKE MCBEAN

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47 FEAST FOR THE SENSES Sights, sounds, smells and more to bring your visit to life

47 REGULARS 4 AROUND THE COUNTRY The latest from across the Trust. Plus: six of our most fascinating libraries 13 SUPPORT IN ACTION How your support as a member funds vital conservation work

15 ENVIRONMENT Our endangered species 57 YOUR GUIDE Events for everyone this autumn and winter 61 COLLECTIONS Objects with stories to tell

63 FUN WITH THE FAMILY Hunting for ghost stories at Crathes Castle in Aberdeenshire

66 SHOP ONLINE Start your Christmas shopping early with our selection of Scottish gifts

65 OUT IN THE GARDEN Malleny Garden’s James Bell says there’s still much to enjoy as summer ends

72 I LOVE THIS PLACE Life member Lindis Kipp has been visiting Kellie Castle since she was a child AUTUMN & WINTER 2022 � 3

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With the acquisition of the Blavatnik Honresfield Library, manuscripts by Robert Burns will soon be joining our collections. Thank you to all who supported our fundraising to make this possible

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The grand homes now in the care of the National Trust for Scotland feature some beautiful libraries with wonderful literary collections. Here are six of the most fascinating…

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Pollok House

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l When Sir John Stirling Maxwell (one of the Trust’s founders) inherited Pollok House in Glasgow in 1878, he decided to extend it.

Maxwell had nearly doubled the 4,000 books collected by his father – you can still see the numbers lining the top shelves today – so the east pavilion was added for his library, while the west pavilion was created for a large billiard room. nts.org.uk/pollokhouse

The Hill House l The Blackie family were publishers, so it’s no surprise the library at their Helensburgh home is filled with more than 1,000 books on every conceivable subject. Walter Blackie used the room as a study, and the Mackintosh-designed decor has dark oak shelving inlaid with coloured glass and organic motifs. Walter was a voracious letter-writer and his original desk is here too, donated back to the property in 2019. nts.org.uk/thehillhouse 4 � AUTUMN & WINTER 2022

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Brodie Castle

l Artist EA Hornel loved Robert Burns, and the library at Broughton House, his home in Kirkcudbright, has one of the world’s greatest collections of works by the Bard. It’s the fourthlargest collection of Burns material in the world, in fact, and even has a first edition of Poems, Chiefly in the Scottish Dialect and several other key books, as well as scraps of poetry in Burns’s handwriting. The collection continued to grow even after Hornel died, thanks to the efforts of his sister Tizzy. nts.org.uk/broughtonhouse

l The epitome of Victorian style and elegance, this outstanding library in Moray was created in the 19th century by William, the 22nd Laird of Brodie, using imported American oak. The island bookcases along both sides increased its capacity (there are about 6,700 books) while still giving a sense of space and allowing the windows to illuminate the whole room. nts.org.uk/brodiecastle

Newhailes

Hill of Tarvit Mansion

l The Palladian house that played a prominent role in the Scottish Enlightenment has always been a place for innovation and creativity, and its massive library was at one time hailed as the best in Scotland. From history and biography to classical literature, law, politics, economics and theology, the volumes were a starting point for great debate. The contents were offered to the National Library of Scotland in lieu of death duties in the 1970s, and the shelves now stand bare. But even with most of the books missing, this is still a profoundly impressive room. nts.org.uk/newhailes

l The books at this Fife mansion are rather overshadowed by their splendid surroundings.

The library ceiling was designed by Robert Lorimer, inspired by 17th-century plaster ceilings at Kellie Castle, House of the Binns and Craigievar Castle. Owners Frederick Sharp and his wife Beatrice likely used the library as a winter sitting room – a warm and cosy place to write letters, play games, sew and read. The walls are adorned with works by Ramsay and Raeburn from the Sharps’ large art collection. nts.org.uk/hilloftarvit

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A major project will safeguard this historic tower house for the future

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rom September, Craigievar Castle in Alford will be closed and shrouded in scaffolding to allow extensive conservation work to be carried out. The forward-thinking project, which will run until spring 2024, will make the castle better equipped to withstand climate change and Scotland’s ever-changing weather.

Sitting on top of a hill, Craigievar is regularly exposed to challenging conditions, including the accumulation of snow in winter. We will use free-standing scaffolding to access high-level areas of the building, where we will make repairs to the protective layer of lime harling. We’ll then coat the walls with multiple layers of Craigievar’s distinctive pink limewash.

With little guttering and no downpipes on the castle, rainwater often drips down the exterior, damaging the masonry in the process. We are making a number of adjustments to the high-level detailing to help cast water away from the building, including discreet lead cover flashings which will protect the vulnerable edges of the harling.

Meanwhile, making the best use of the time while the castle is closed, our conservation teams will carry out repairs to internal walls and ceilings.

Craigievar’s grounds will remain open to visitors during this work.

Support our conservation projects at nts.org.uk/protect-our-places

Craigievar Castle

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‘The castle will be better equipped to adapt to climate change’

THE BIG CLEAR-UP

Fallen trees at Drum Castle

Fyvie after the storm

The impact of Storm Arwen is still being felt in the north-east Sadly, we’re still dealing with the impact of Storm Arwen last winter, when millions of trees across Scotland were felled by violent winds, particularly in the north-east.

We’d like to thank you for your patience while we work to clear the damage.

Crathes Castle Estate was among the worst hit,

with the biggest impact on woodland trails. Our ecological management approach means some trees will be left to rot down for biodiversity. In other areas there will be extensive replanting. The castle itself remains open and is welcoming visitors.

Playgrounds at Drum Castle and Castle Fraser

also suffered storm damage, so check online before visiting. While we make them safe, we’re also using this time to consider more sustainable materials.

‘We have completed the clear-up at places including Pitmedden Garden and Fyvie Castle,’ says Chris Wardle, gardens

and designed landscape manager. ‘But we still have a way to go at Craigievar and Crathes because we can’t do certain activities during wildlife breeding seasons. We have planned activity at both places this autumn.’

Support our storm repair work: nts.org.uk/donate

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Formerly a marine conservation scientist with the RSPB, Dr Ellie Owen took up a new role with the Trust this summer as senior seabird officer.

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Why have you joined the Trust?

The National Trust for Scotland has more seabirds in its care than any other conservation organisation, probably in Europe. When this job came up, I was captivated straight away.

The Trust has some amazing seabird colonies: St Abb’s Head, a beautiful and accessible colony where we can show people the seabirds in huge numbers; Staffa, which has amazing landscapes, brilliant history, puffins and other seabirds; and then places like Mingulay in the Outer Hebrides, which is remote with towering cliffs and a puffin colony right next to a beach.

Do you remember your first seabird encounter?

I was a member of the Young Ornithologists Club and at the age of 16 I won a travel award to go to Fair Isle.

The first night I was there, the wardens were ringing storm petrels. I was tasked with carrying the birds away from the ringing site and releasing them. As I held a storm petrel in my hand, the warden whispered to me: ‘Do you know how old that bird is? It’s twice your age.’

And then it flew off into the night, back to the ocean.

You’ve spent your career working with seabirds.

What keeps you interested?

We know more about the surface of the moon than we do about the ocean, and that really grips me. But I also think that if I can do anything right now to 8 � AUTUMN & WINTER 2022

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help the natural world, then the sea is ground zero for that, especially in the UK where we have internationally important populations of seabirds.

David Attenborough considers them one of the 12 wildlife wonders of the world. But our seabirds are struggling – because of climate change, invasive animals, offshore windfarms close to colonies… and now, on top of that, we have bird flu hitting seabirds really hard. If I’m going to work anywhere, I feel this is where I should focus my efforts.

Is this year’s avian flu outbreak unprecedented?

It’s very rare in seabirds to have a disease like this that is ripping through colonies and wiping out such numbers.

The virus, which was first detected in Ellie en route to Staffa

domestic poultry flocks, is a tragedy for wild birds and its effects are also distressing for our dedicated staff and visitors. We’re worried about all our seabirds. St Abb’s Head has been really badly affected. On St Kilda we’ve seen around a 65% decline in the great skua population. It’s one of the species for which we have the biggest responsibility because around half of the world’s population breeds in the UK. Are you working with other organisations to tackle avian flu?

Workshops and meetings are being convened and organised through the national statutory conservation bodies.

The Trust is going to have a good seat at that table because I’m helping to organise them, so we will be at the forefront of working out what to do.

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OUR BEAUTIFUL BIRDS The Trust cares for seabird colonies from St Kilda to St Abb’s Head, Canna to Fair Isle. Avian flu has made this year a very tough one but we’re grateful to our teams for how sensitively they’ve dealt with the outbreak.

‘There are a lot of challenges for seabirds but there are things we can do to help’

DOUGIE CUNNINGHAM

Our rangers have also been collecting really good data and we will offer our sites as places to research what’s happening. We really need to swap information with virologists now, to take the next steps.

How else will you be helping seabirds through the Trust?

There are a lot of challenges for seabirds but we need to recognise that there are things we can do.

One of those is keeping non-native animals from island ecosystems.

The Trust is a big part of the EU Biosecurity for LIFE project, which raises awareness of the threat of invasive predators and puts systems in place to prevent their accidental introduction to islands.

But not all our islands are protected at European level, so we need to write biosecurity management plans for all our islands. I’m also collaborating to set up teams so that if

anyone detects non-native animals on an island, we can respond quickly to remove them.

How will your role work alongside existing teams?

The great thing about big organisations such as the National Trust for Scotland is that you have people working on conservation solutions, but also people working on advocacy and policy who can boost the information you’re able to get as a scientist on the ground.

The Trust also has brilliant rangers, and that’s an amazing resource. They are doing lots of monitoring that aligns with my research interests in innovating how we monitor seabirds.

Which techniques are you hoping to implement?

Seabirds are difficult to count and the ones in burrows, such as

puffins, are particularly hard. I have worked with a company to develop long-range time-lapse cameras that can sit on a cliff for a year or more in a remote place and take photos of seabird colonies every ten minutes. When they’ve been installed, we’ll upload the pictures to Seabird Watch, which is an online citizen science project.

Members of the public will be able to click on the photos and annotate them, enabling us to see how well birds are breeding. Keep an eye on our website and future issues of this magazine to get involved.

We’re also working with a specialist company to develop a prototype sensor to put in burrows. Timewise, these projects are a smaller part of my job – but they’re always exciting to talk about. I love a bit of innovation!

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A VIBRANT LEGACY Branklyn’s legendary head gardener to retire

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Our privacy policy has been updated. You can go to our website to find out all about the information we hold on Trust supporters (including members, donors and individuals who plan to leave a gift in their will), and importantly, why. It may be to fulfil contract terms and conditions for membership, for example, to carry out due diligence on donations, or to better understand our supporters, so that we can be more efficient and costeffective with our resources.

t the end of the year the Trust will say a fond farewell to Jim Jermyn, property manager and head gardener at Branklyn Garden for the past six years.

A world-renowned alpine plants expert, Jim is a familiar face to regular visitors. In the centenary year of the Perthshire garden, he says it has been a joy to care for the grounds first planted

by John and Dorothy Renton. ‘It has been a Jim and Alison great privilege for all are moving on of us in the garden team to look after the legacy of Mr and Mrs Renton. For me, the greatest highlight of my time here has been the excitement of looking after the garden right through to the centenary.’

Jim started out with support from just a

couple of volunteers; he has grown this to 50 people across the garden, tearoom and shop. With the help of his wife Alison, a confectioner who worked in her family bakery, they set up the tearoom.

‘Now our visitors, most of whom are members of the Trust, come for the whole Branklyn experience,’ he says.

The couple are looking forward to visiting their son in Munich and their daughter in Barcelona, and seeing more of their grandchildren.

‘I plan to do a lot of botanising in the Alps and the Pyrenees,’ Jim says.

He has left Branklyn thriving, ready to flourish for many more years to come.

Support the garden’s centenary at nts.org. uk/branklyn-100

nts.org.uk/privacy Abbazia di San Fruttuoso, Italy

SCOTS SCRIEVER Simon takes on Alloway role

Booking a holiday soon?

Don’t forget that your membership allows you to visit places cared for by Trust organisations around the world via the International National Trusts Organisation (INTO). As well as the National Trust of England, Wales and Northern Ireland, INTO members include Trusts in Italy, Ireland, Canada, Australia and more. nts.org.uk/worldwide

Writer and performer Simon Lamb is taking over as the new scriever at Robert Burns Birthplace Museum.

The voluntary writer-inresidence role was

Inside Burns Cottage in Alloway

created as part of the Trust’s Scots language strategy, and each scriever nominates someone to replace them once their threeyear tenure ends.

Simon follows Tracy Harvey, who came after Rab Wilson.

Working in English and Scots, Simon promises to bring boundless energy and enthusiasm to this exciting post. nts.org.uk/burns

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AROUND THE COUNTRY

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With the support of the Noble Caledonia Charitable Trust and the St Kilda Club, we’re giving St Kilda’s pier some much-needed repairs. Broken treads on the steps are being replaced and the walkway is getting a non-slip surface. Damaged railings will be fixed and a new gate put in place. Getting the materials and equipment on site was a challenge as everything had to be shipped out on a landing craft, including accommodation units for the contractors.

SAVING ARDUAINE’S WOODLAND

An ongoing £275,000 project at Arduaine Garden has seen 884 out of 914 Japanese larches felled to halt the spread of the pathogen Phytophthora ramorum (known to cause the disease sudden oak death) which affects many plant species in the UK. The restoration of this beautiful garden has recently been given a boost, thanks to a generous donation from a member of our Patrons’ Club. Arduaine’s future looks bright.

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You can visit these places and many more at nts.org.uk/visit

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Vital repairs and preservation work at our places would not be possible without your support as a member. Thank you. Here are just a few of our recent and ongoing projects funded by your membership and donations KEEPING THE MOTHS AWAY

Numbers of the webbing (or common) clothes moth are high this year at Kellie Castle, but we’re fighting back. We use pheromone traps to disrupt the lifecycle of the adult moths, and we freeze any items in our collection that we suspect are infested – eggs and larvae (which do the damage) cannot survive in low temperatures. The Trust uses a preventative pest monitoring programme to help properties keep an eye on annual numbers, so regional conservators can advise how best to deal with concerns and which areas need more assistance.

TICKING OVER

Clock restoration expert Lucas Marijnissen (right) got timepieces at properties in Edinburgh and the east working after lockdown and trained staff how to wind the clocks. Now he is working on rare clocks at Hill of Tarvit Mansion and Kellie Castle.

Meanwhile, consultant engineering conservator James Mitchell has been helping to determine the best way to maintain the antique presses at Robert Smail’s Printing Works, and Conservation Studio conservator Helen Creasy will be repairing an 18th-century fan from the collection at Newhailes.

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REVEALING OUR RARE SPECIES

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hen I joined the Trust, I was already aware of St Kilda’s seabird city, our famous alpine plant communities at Ben Lawers, and Mar Lodge’s wilderness pinewoods.

But it was only as I travelled around to understand conservation management and meet the staff looking after our sites that I became aware of perhaps less well known but equally important THANK natural landscapes such as the YOU Atlantic rainforest and wildflower We’re grateful to meadows of Balmacara, the players of People’s machair of Iona and Canna, Postcode Lottery for and the serpentine rock outcrops supporting vital work of Unst. across our natural Trust staff have a very good heritage knowledge of the rare species on their sites, but no one person can understand nature in its entirety; there As part of the development work for are just too many species and lots of reviewing the Trust’s Plan for Nature, I them are hard to find or identify unless reached out to staff and amateur expert you’re an expert. Fortunately, we have naturalists to collate a comprehensive one of the best networks of expert understanding of the full range of naturalists in the world in Scotland, species of conservation concern at the many of whom are volunteers.

Trust. It turned out to be a far bigger

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‘The bar for entry to the conservation list is high. Most of the species on it are ultra-rare’

LEFT A rare red-necked phalarope RIGHT Mar Lodge Estate is the only site in the world for the black false bolete

Jeff searches for rugged stonewort

task than I’d anticipated, but it was so interesting, and wonderful to uncover much more than I had expected.

We now have a list of 226 species of conservation concern. The bar for entry to the list is high: most species on it are ultra-rare and all are vital for nature conservation. Several of them occur at only one site in the UK, as far as we know, and in some cases the species only occurs at one site on the planet.

The next step is to align our conservation work to these species and to figure out how that might be possible for such a long list. I’m really looking forward to working with Trust staff, naturalist volunteers and partner conservation organisations to develop this work in the future, and feel the urgency to understand and conserve these species before they disappear. nts.org.uk/countryside AUTUMN & WINTER 2022 � 15

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Writer Ida Maspero and her son Robin enjoy a weekend exploring the Trust’s places in Ayrshire from a cosy holiday cottage at Culzean Country Park PHOTOGRAPHY: JEREMY SUTTON-HIBBERT AND IDA MASPERO

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t’s a sunny, breezy morning and my 12-year-old son Robin and I have swapped Edinburgh for Culzean Castle and Country Park on the Ayrshire coast. Gazing out from the ramparts beside the castle, we find views for days over the Firth of Clyde towards Arran and Ailsa Craig.

The lure of the glittering sea and the shoreline is strong, so we head down the steep, wooded path towards the beach. Visiting the castle can wait – we’re here for the whole weekend so there’s no rush.

Down on the beach, the tide is retreating and Robin races across the expanse of sand. We pick our way along the rocky shore beneath the castle: anemones glimmer like rubies in the rockpools and a solitary heron patrols the water’s edge. Time slows, and the outgoing tide washes our weekday worries out to sea.

ABOVE A hungry lone heron watches the tide RIGHT North Firbank cottage is home for the weekend

SEASHORE AND WOODLAND At the next sandy cove, we find the boathouse where Archibald Kennedy, 3rd Marquess of Ailsa and a keen yachtsman, would have kept his sailing boats in the 1870s. Here, we leave the shoreline and join the wooded path, finding ourselves following a blue dolphin waymarker; having started our walk as an impulsive ramble, we’ve joined the Dolphin trail, one of four signed routes on the vast estate.

Each of the trails gives a flavour of the very particular magic of Culzean: a meeting place of woodland and coast, where meandering paths reveal contrasts in nature. Along the way, the discovery of a quirky historic feature – be it boathouse, mast house, ice house or powder house – reveals the lives and stories of the Kennedy family, for whom this place was home.

Having picked up the familyfriendly Lion trail, we reach a vast walled garden that’s sheltered by surrounding woodland. Beyond the black iron gate is an oasis of colour and fragrance. One of the largest of its kind in Scotland, Culzean’s walled garden was established in the mid-1700s.

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Firbank, a quaint stone cottage at the edge of the country park, which was refurbished earlier this year to provide self-catering holiday accommodation along with seven other properties on the estate. North Firbank has two comfortable bedrooms, a modern, well-appointed kitchen and a stylish yet comfortable sitting room, and Robin and I already feel at home there.

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AFTER-HOURS ADVENTURE One of the many treats of staying on site is the freedom to explore after closing time. As the last visitors of the day drive off, we’re left with just the sound of evening birdsong and the wind in the trees. From our window, I watch a roe deer graze alongside a family of rabbits. Nature stakes its claim on the country park after the humans depart.

We eat dinner and then venture out into the twilight. Sunset colours have settled over the nearby Swan Pond.

Ducks paddle contentedly and the swans already have their heads tucked beneath their wings. A seagull perches

BELOW This unusual sundial balances on a carved head

BOTTOM Ida and Robin enjoy Culzean’s walking trails

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on the enormous willow-woven sea monster, one of the sculptures that have remained from last year’s trail to celebrate Scotland’s Year of Coasts and Waters. We take a short wander along a wooded path beyond the Pagoda, down some wooden stairs, and another long sandy beach opens up below us.

Evening light plays on the breaking waves and Ailsa Craig in the distance.

We relish the stillness of the evening woodland as we wend our way home. Back at the cottage, as the last of the light finally fades and I draw the curtains, bats dart back and forth outside the window.

SEIZING THE DAY Next morning brings drizzle. Making our way to the castle, we pass the deer park to find its herd of llamas and red and fallow deer gathered expectantly by the fence with a ranger’s vehicle parked nearby. She produces a bucket of feed, and points to the shy, chocolate-brown llama at the back: ‘That’s Mark – my favourite.’

The llamas joined the deer four years ago, the ranger tells us, adding that the original deer park would once have been much larger – a wildflower meadow now blooms on part of it.

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LEFT Nessie? No, just one of Culzean’s amazing willow sculptures from artist David Powell, created with the support of EventScotland BELOW The castle perches on the cliffs, with a rocky shoreline below to explore

‘Deer graze beside a family of rabbits. Nature stakes its claim after the humans depart’

MORE SHORT BREAKS

BRODIE CASTLE AND CULLODEN A brilliant combination of relaxed fun and Jacobite discovery Brodie is famous for its daffodils, but the castle and estate have much to delight beyond spring. A wonderful art collection with everything from Old Masters to modern watercolours is on display, as is a precious letter written in 1311 by Robert the Bruce. Stroll around the castle walls and see if you can spot the carved initials of former clan chiefs, then wander the estate’s nature trails. Don’t miss the incredible Playful Garden – it has musical instruments, a giant table and chairs, curious mirrors and a massive bunny sculpture. There’s a great cafe here, too.

There are four selfcatering options if you’d like to stay for a few days.

Both Cormack Lodge (sleeps two/three) and South Lodge (sleeps four) welcome pets and

have gardens and woodburners. The detached Garden House sleeps six and makes an idyllic, petfriendly setting for a family getaway. Going with a crowd? The Laird’s Wing apartment in the castle itself can accommodate 14 and is decorated with fine art and antique furniture.

Spend the next day at Culloden, 20 miles west, site of the last battle to be fought on mainland British soil. The familyfriendly and interactive visitor centre tells the stories of the Jacobite Risings, while the 360º battle immersion theatre puts you at the heart of the action. Our Families of the ’45 book is a unique collection of names from the Jacobite Rising – was your clan at Culloden? nts.org.uk/visit

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CASTLES OF ABERDEENSHIRE Take time out to discover centuries of history in the north-east

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Aberdeenshire has more castles per square mile than anywhere else in the UK, and getting to know them makes a very satisfying short break.

Begin near Banchory at Crathes Castle. The 16th-century tower house with its turrets and winding staircases is a delight to explore, but many visitors really come for the walled garden and sculpted topiary. A new entrance pavilion includes a map, seasonal guide and historical information.

Burn off energy at Wild Wood Adventure Play then refuel at the cafe.

Drum Castle, six miles away, could be your next stop. A mix of medieval, Jacobean and Victorian architecture, Drum has an intriguing past – you can feel it as you enter its secret chambers and climb to its battlements

for a bird’s-eye view over the grounds.

Castle Fraser, 12 miles to the north, should be on the itinerary too. It’s a grand Scottish baronial tower house and has an impressive set of turrets, but the quirky details (secret staircases, spy holes, hidden trapdoors) are just as memorable.

Fancy staying a few nights? The recently refurbished pet-friendly East Wing apartment at Castle Fraser has its own enclosed garden and sleeps four. Check out Drum Castle’s cute Courtyard Cottage (sleeps two) and the charming East Lodge at Crathes Castle (sleeps four). Craigievar also has three brilliant options for between four and seven people.

Check opening hours at nts.org.uk/visit

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Then, it’s along the viaduct to the castle: a sprawling, castellated clifftop fantasy designed by Robert Adam in the late 1700s for David Kennedy, the 10th Earl of Cassilis, and incorporating the original 16th-century tower house.

In the armoury, Robin gazes up, mind-blown, at the vast collection of pistols and swords displayed in symmetrical patterns on the walls.

Visitor services assistant Martin gives us their story: ‘The 12th Earl bought most of them from the Office of Ordnance at the Tower of London after they were decommissioned – there are around 1,000 weapons in all,’ he says. ‘Most had been used in battle, including during the Napoleonic wars.’

A wander through the interconnecting public rooms – drawing room, sitting room and dining room, and up the sweeping oval staircase to the bedrooms – reveals a family seat that is both grand and intimate.

Among the personal memorabilia are maritime and yachting-related items, such as a custom-made crib in the shape of a boat.

ABOVE The castle welcomes visitors until the end of October then reopens in spring

‘A weekend away is a chance to visit all the Trust places nearby and really get to know the area’s heritage’ ON THE TRAIL OF THE BARD As an Edinburgher who automatically heads for the Highlands for a break, I wasn’t very familiar with Ayrshire.

So, it’s refreshing to explore somewhere new within easy reach of the Central Belt. And, of course, the great advantage of grabbing a long weekend away, no matter where you go in Scotland, is the chance to make the most of your membership and visit all the Trust places nearby, really getting to know a particular region and its heritage.

And so, the following afternoon, we make the 20-minute drive from Culzean to Alloway, through rolling Ayrshire countryside dotted with cattle. The birthplace of Robert Burns, this historic village on the River Doon

ABOVE The Walking Poet, thanks to Friends of Robert Burns Birthplace Museum

LEFT Time for a pit-stop at the Robert Burns Birthplace Museum’s cafe – haggis is on the menu!

features a multitude of landmarks associated with the Bard’s life, poetry and legacy. At the heart of it all is the spacious, contemporary museum building, opened in 2010.

A warm welcome awaits as we stroll into the airy foyer and cafe space, then on into the main exhibition hall. Here, the light is kept low to preserve the many priceless manuscripts, books, artworks and artefacts. It’s far from your average staid museum experience: pools of light and snatches of song leap from the various interactive games among the display cases. It’s very much a layered experience, offering detailed interpretation of the intriguing objects on display for those seeking an in-depth exploration of Burns’s life, context and work. But there’s also plenty to engage young visitors, too, using storytelling, poetry and the Scots language.

Connecting the museum to the thatched cottage where Burns was born is the Poet’s Path, a sculpture trail featuring characters from his poems: a huge ‘tim’rous beastie’ (mouse), a granite haggis, a fox in chains from Liberty Regain’d, and the latest addition: two lovable life-sized canines from Twa Dogs. Racing from one sculpture to the next, we quickly cover the half-mile journey.

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‘Racing from one sculpture to the next, we quickly cover the half-mile Poet’s Path’

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A MAN OF THE SOIL The low, hunkering form of the humble cottage seems out of kilter with its location on a busy road through the present-day village. We pause to chat about what it might have been like when the Burns family lived here in the 1760s – perhaps a simple cobbled track with horses and wagons trundling by.

Once we’re in the atmospheric interior, the profound influence on young Rabbie of Ayrshire farming life – a life close to livestock and the land – is made real through sound and the written word. We can hear the clucking of hens and the lowing of cattle, and see extracts of playful Scots verse on the walls and artefacts from 18th-century rural family life.

The smallholding recently recreated behind the cottage also reflects Burns’s deep, lifelong connection to the soil. (Both the smallholding and the Twa Dogs sculpture were generously funded by the NTS Foundation USA.)

ABOVE Interactive fun at Robert Burns Birthplace Museum

BELOW Challenge yourself at the Burns-themed playpark

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An enormous willow sculpture called The Walking Poet, installed just last year, towers over the wildflower meadow and orchard.

We continue our stroll from landmark to landmark – the ruins of the Auld Kirk, the grand Burns Monument and Garden, and the cobbled Brig o’ Doon. Together, they provide a sense of place and context for the Bard’s verse.

After a day’s exploration, fuelling up is a must. The bright museum cafe, with its floor-to-ceiling windows looking out to the garden, provides the ideal space for a pause. It seems only fitting to order something with a Burns connection… but before I manage to suggest this, Robin declares he’ll have the haggis-and-cheese toastie!

After a quick whizz around the quirky Burns-themed playpark, our long weekend is over. It has been an action-packed few days: the coastal gem that is Culzean was a revelation; and as someone for whom Scotland is an adopted home, the opportunity to immerse myself in Scots heritage has been wonderful.

On the drive back to Edinburgh, we both agree: this has been a weekend done right. We’ll be back to Ayrshire soon for more, I’m sure.

We have recently added five more fabulous self-catering properties to our portfolio of amazing holiday lets. Find out more at nts.org.uk/ holiday-accommodation

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KIERAN AT WORK A basic toolkit for a footpath worker includes a pinch bar, a mattock, a spade, a sledgehammer, a dyking hammer, a lump hammer and a winch.

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The Trust’s highly skilled team work tirelessly in all conditions to protect our iconic upland landscapes

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rom Torridon and Kintail to Glencoe and Ben Lomond, our specialist footpaths team maintain and repair the paths we take into the hills.

There are five people in the upland footpaths team: Ben Farrington has been with the team for 17 years; Simon Westaway, 14 years; Nan Morris, 13 years; Kieran Fogarty, three years; and Kerry Ireland, seven months.

The team is managed by Bob Brown, who has been with the Trust since 2003. As upland footpaths team manager, a key part of his role is prioritising and budgeting projects for the

Trust’s team and external contractors. He also overseas major work such as airlifts, and ensures that the team have all the tools, training and information they need to do their jobs.

If the paths aren’t maintained and repaired they can quickly become eroded by the thousands of pairs of boots that trek them each year – and then people might start walking on the surrounding landscape, which can cause unintentional destruction of the delicate ecosystems and our native flora and fauna.

Add the impact of the weather and changing climate, and it’s easy to see that, without the attention of our upland footpaths team, the damage would be devastating.

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FOOTPATHS doing four ten-hour days to make the most of the daylight. They often walk two hours to reach the site and

two hours back, so the three days off to recover between their days at work are well earned.

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NAN TAKES A MOMENT Each member of the upland footpaths team works for about 40 hours a week,

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LOTS TO CARRY About 5m of flat surfaced path can be worked on in a day: making the ‘tray’ and gathering materials, digging a hole for aggregates, moving the materials to the site, smashing rock for the base layer, filling the tray and then landscaping.

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TEAMWORK The team have to carefully select where they source the stone and other material from.

GOING THE DISTANCE Around 440km of path is maintained by the National Trust for Scotland’s skilled footpath team each year.

VETERAN TEAM MEMBER BEN A section of stone pitching steps might take one day to repair per metre, including landscaping, gathering the stone and digging out the ground.

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HEAVY WORK On some sites, the rock that’s required for essential repairs has to be brought in by helicopter. Each bag holds a tonne of rock (1,000kg) and will contain between four and 20 stones. The bags are dropped exactly where the material is needed.

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KERRY , THE NEWEST MEMBER OF THE TEAM It can take from two minutes to two days to repair a single metre of mountain footpath. The work might be as straightforward as removing loose rubble or require extensive retaining walls and complex stone work.

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Help us care for Scotland’s mountains.

Donate to the footpath fund: nts.org.uk/ footpath-fund

MAINTAINING OUR MOUNTAINS Along the hundreds of kilometres of path being looked after are 2,548 cross drains, 3,940 water bars, 18,436m of stone pitching and 35,244m of ditches.

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IN CHARACTER Colin Lafferty leads tours at House of Dun in the character of the houses’s estate manager, William Young.

Colin has collected a stash of Victorian pennies to hand out to visitors.

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TELLING TALES

We invited six of our staff and volunteers to share their favourite stories and historical anecdotes from our extraordinary places WORDS: JOAN MCFADDEN

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COLONEL ANNE MACKINTOSH

CULLODEN, HIGHLANDS Visitor services assistant Gregor Coghill is intrigued by this charismatic young Jacobite

Anne Mackintosh was 22, the same age I am now, at the Battle of Culloden. She was married to Angus, the clan chief, who was a government supporter. Anne, though, was a Jacobite, and when Charles Edward Stuart landed in Scotland, she raised the clan against the government.

As a woman, she couldn’t lead the clansmen, so she put them under the command of the chief of Clan MacGillivray. When the prince was staying at her family home, Moy Hall, she was told that 1,500 of Lord Loudon’s men, including her husband’s company, were planning a night raid on Moy Hall to snatch the prince and claim the £30,000 bounty – the equivalent of £2.6 million today.

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ABOVE Re-enacting the Jacobite risings is a colourful business BELOW The fearless Colonel Anne

Anne sent five of her staff out with guns and pots and pans to crash about in the darkness and convince the government forces that the entire Jacobite army was ready for them. It was so successful that the soldiers fled.

Her husband Angus was arrested the following month and the prince paroled him into his wife’s custody. The story is that she greeted him with the words, “Your servant, captain,” to which he replied, “Your servant, colonel,” and the nickname ‘Colonel Anne’ stayed with her.

She later met Prince William, Duke of Cumber­ land and son of King George II, at a social event in London with her husband. He asked her to dance to a Hanoverian tune and she returned the favour by asking him to dance to a Jacobite tune.

To me, Anne is the kind of character who makes history fascinating – she was so passionate about her cause. She made her mark on history and we can still see her as a vibrant, engaging character, so telling her story is really important to me.

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THE BLACKIE FAMILY

THE HILL HOUSE, HELENSBURGH

Through first volunteering and now working at the Hill House, I have become immersed in the history of the Blackie family. Walter Blackie commissioned the house from Charles Rennie Mackintosh, and he and his family lived there from 1904 until Walter’s death in 1953. The friendship between the Blackies and the Mackintoshes lasted a lifetime.

Walter and his wife Anna had five children, and the house had to function for them as well as for their servants and visiting family and friends.

The location in Helensburgh was perfect for a family who loved sailing. After several years of chartering a yacht for holidays on the west coast, they bought a yacht themselves, which Walter Blackie junior continued to sail for many years.

The ship’s log is very interesting, with entries such as one in 1907 saying: “Midges were terrible morning and evening, in the morning qualifying the pleasures of bathing at least to the bathers. The midges doubtless enjoyed themselves.” Another detailed that a whale “disported itself around the yacht and courteously escorted us to Dunvegan”.

Royal Northern Yacht Club

Anne Stanley-White, visitor services assistant at the Hill House, has been researching the history of the Blackie family

The Blackie family enjoyed sailing together

‘The friendship between the Blackies and the Mackintoshes lasted a lifetime’

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CRAIGIEVAR CASTLE, ABERDEENSHIRE This complex former resident fascinates visitor services assistant John Fincham

Sir John Forbes, 2nd Baronet

‘He had a reputation for being very tough, but he was kind and gentle’

Craigievar was built by the Mortimer family in the mid­1500s and then bought over by the Forbes family in 1610.

Sir John Forbes, the 2nd Baronet, was known as Red Sir John. This was partly down to the colour of his hair, but also because he had a reputation for having a bad temper and being a very tough character. When you delve into history, however, you discover that under the surface he was kind and gentle, and I believe that tough exterior was his way of ensuring the job got done. In reality, he looked after his family and his staff very well and was constantly aware of their needs.

The Forbes family continued living at Craigievar until 1963, when the castle came into the care of the National Trust for Scotland. Like all the staff here, I feel honoured to keep its history alive and share it with so many interested visitors.

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WEAVERS REMEMBERED WEAVER’S COTTAGE, KILBARCHAN

Susanne McCormick, visitor services assistant at Weaver’s Cottage, is constantly amazed by the connections with the past that she encounters

Willy Meikle (1879-1955), one of the last weavers in the village of Kilbarchan, had an amazing career and a dazzling reputation as a tartan weaver for George VI and the Queen Mother. He was famed for his ability to produce a double weave, which meant different tartans on each side of the cloth.

Willy took part in the Empire Exhibition of 1938 and went to the 1949 Toronto Trade Fair, travelling to Canada by ship with his loom. That loom now has pride of place in the Weaver’s Cottage, and coming in here is like entering a time travel portal. Thanks to many villagers donating family belongings to the Trust, the kitchen and bedrooms are packed with links to

BELOW Spinning wheel at Weaver’s Cottage

the past, such as a bible chair and muckle (or big) spinning wheel, so you can visualise exactly what the place once looked like, bursting with family members.

Sometimes, something extraordinary happens that makes me realise there are still living links to the history of the cottage. For example, we recently had a couple of visitors – a man who was 106 and his 80-year-old daughter.

I was concerned the father might have trouble getting down the couple of steps into the room where the loom is kept. But he stepped down no problem, and went straight over and hugged our 250-year-old loom. He told me that he could remember being three years old and sitting on the counter of his granny’s sweetie shop further along the street, then coming into the Weaver’s Cottage, where the weaver’s bike was hanging on the wall. Over a century ago and still recalling the details… It was wonderful to meet him.

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WOMEN OF POLLOK POLLOK HOUSE, GLASGOW

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Lady Hannah Maxwell, who was born in 1764, married John Maxwell, the 7th Baronet of Pollok.

While she supported his politics (they were liberal, wealthy Whigs), she obviously didn’t have a vote or any influence of her own. During the 1830s, however, she compiled five incredible leatherbound scrapbooks. We have one on display in Pollok House, with cuttings from fashion plates, clippings from newspapers, and her own sketches and drawings. Look closely, and you’ll see that she has arranged her material to reveal her thoughts on the politics of the day and her interest in human rights. Beside a row of beautiful fashion pictures showcasing tiny waists, there’s a clipping about the post-mortem of a seamstress, revealing that her ribs and insides were completely gone to mush because of the corsets she wore.

I’d love to examine all the scrapbooks to see if Lady Hannah makes any reference to Caroline Norton, who would go on to become the second wife of her grandson Sir William

‘Look closely and you’ll see she reveals her thoughts on the politics of the day’ Stirling-Maxwell in 1877. Caroline was going through a scandal in the 1830s, having left her very unhappy marriage to George Norton. He had accused her of having an affair with the prime minister, Lord Melbourne, and took the case to court. Norton lost, but his revenge was to leave Caroline penniless and refuse to allow her to see her three children.

She then campaigned successfully for the rights of widowed, separated and divorced women and was instrumental in new laws that gave women custody of their children and rights to property.

That only applied in England, sadly, and her children were still kept from her in Scotland.

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s from the Read more storie bsite we r ou on st Tru ies or /st nts.org.uk

THE LIFE OF WILLIAM YOUNG HOUSE OF DUN, MONTROSE

Colin Lafferty enjoys leading tours in character

Visitor services assistant Colin Lafferty as William Young

‘He started out as a gardener and worked his way up to estate manager’

I was intrigued by William Young from the start and tried to find out exactly who he was so that when I play his character to lead tours of the house I get into his head and don’t just imagine him.

William Young was born in 1802 and died in 1870. He started as a gardener in Dun and worked his way up to become estate manager. I was able to find out a lot about him, such as discovering the adverts he placed to employ people on the estate, his professional relationships, how he got on with the different lairds, and the balls he was invited to in his capacity as chairman of the annual staff ball.

Visitors get a ticket in the form of an advert, detailing that the estate is looking for an active labouring man and his wife. The tour is essentially like an interview for the job. Recreating the character against the same backdrop and time William Young lived in really appeals to the visitors who quickly get into the spirit of it, and thoroughly enjoy touring every part of the house.

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B RA The links between salmon, native woodland and peatland may not be immediately obvious, but as landscape-scale habitat restoration work now underway at Mar Lodge Estate demonstrates, the health of all three are intricately connected WORDS: RICH ROWE PICTURES: MARIEKE MCBEAN

LEFT TO RIGHT Bog cotton thrives on damp peatland; sphagnum moss; planting out seedlings; Shaila Rao at work

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LEFT TO RIGHT Planting out trees; peatland under restoration; established saplings; the Geldie; boggy uplands; Shaila Rao

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ABOVE Peatland is being restored on the high ground above the River Geldie (left)

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t’s midsummer and Shaila Rao, the Trust’s conservation manager at Mar Lodge Estate, is looking ahead to the rest of the year with a mix of excitement and trepidation. Having discussed and examined every aspect of its planning, she and her team are about to embark on one of the most ambitious habitat restoration projects ever seen on Trust land – one that will not just shape a landscape but also a river and everything that lives in and alongside it.

And there couldn’t be a grander setting for such a project. In the heart of the Cairngorms National Park, just west of Braemar, Mar Lodge Estate is the largest National Nature Reserve in the British Isles. A land of superlatives, it is home to four of the five highest mountains in the UK – and 15 Munros in all – and some of the wildest backcountry anywhere in Scotland.

In recent years, the conservation focus has been on the east of the estate, where a significant reduction in deer numbers has enabled remnant areas of Caledonian pinewood to regenerate using natural seed sources. The result has been nothing short of an ecological reawakening. Today, Scots pine, birch, juniper and rowan flourish, while herbs and flowering plants carpet the ground.

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elsewhere on the estate and a different challenge: one where the plight of a celebrated Scottish species highlights the fundamental links between earth and water, landscape and river, carbon capture and biodiversity.

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A remote stretch of land on the western side of the estate, Glen Geldie is a landscape that is as degraded and malnourished as the once-dying pinewood to the east. Running through it is the River Geldie, a tributary of the Dee and a key spawning ground for Atlantic salmon. With warmer summers and little or no woodland cover along its banks, however, near-fatally high temperatures are now being recorded in the water.

Without woodland and understorey vegetation to stabilise the ground, this vital fresh-water habitat is further compromised by dramatic erosion of the riverbanks, with chunks of deep peat washed down the river during periods of heavy rain.

By any measure, it’s a landscape in much need of attention. When the Trust undertook its recent natural capital assessment, Glen Geldie stood out as an area that contributes least when ecosystem services such as carbon storage, soil erosion

ABOVE Shaila Rao is the conservation manager at Mar Lodge Estate

BELOW Rowan is one of several species being planted in the glen

prevention, flood risk reduction, pollination, biodiversity and woodland networks are considered collectively.

But a transformation is about to begin. This autumn, enabled by significant support from funder Baillie Gifford and forestry grant schemes, the Trust will plant the upper reaches of the glen with native trees – Scots pine, rowan, juniper, birch and alder as well as grey and goat willow.

Planting is needed because, with no existing area of forest, there is no natural seed source.

The new Geldie woodland will be planted in fenced enclosures totalling around 120 hectares, although the actual area planted will only be around half of that. ‘Our vision is for a natural native woodland with a lot of open ground as we have identified areas of blanket bog and deep peat that are not suitable for trees,’ explains Shaila.

With the Dee a notoriously ‘flashy’ catchment (where floods occur and recede quickly), trees will also help slow the flow of water through the river system, alleviating flood risk further downstream during major weather events.

And with less than half a kilometre between the headwaters of the Geldie and the River Feshie – where regenerating woodland continues to march

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A NEW LEAF Pollen analysis suggests that trees haven’t grown here for nearly 3,000 years.

‘Introducing riparian woodland habitat will fuel the food chain, shade the water and stabilise the river banks’ up the hill – there are ambitions to create a woodland corridor between the Dee and the Spey.

‘It would allow many terrestrial species to move between Deeside and Speyside,’ adds Shaila.

MARIEKE MCBEAN, BOXDOG INC

PEATLAND WORK Alongside the tree planting, and following initial work on around 90 hectares of peatland last year, the team have now begun a three-year programme to restore areas of degraded peatland throughout Glen Geldie. The work this year will focus on the north side of the glen where there are extensive areas of bare peat, dried-out gullies and heavily eroded peat hags. Once exposed to the air and dried out, peat no longer functions as a carbon sink and instead begins to emit its stored carbon back into the atmosphere. The plan is to rewet, reprofile and revegetate this damaged peat so that it can become fully functioning again.

The final piece of the puzzle is within the river itself. As the River Dee Trust has done elsewhere on the catchment, the team plan to place woody debris such as tree trunks and root plates into the water to provide variation in the river channel and create sheltered pools away from the main flow, providing additional niches for freshwater species like the salmon.

ABOVE Each tree has to be planted by hand as there is no natural seed source

‘By introducing riparian (riverside) woodland habitat, we’ll provide inputs into the river that’ll fuel the food chain, shade the water and stabilise the banks to some degree,’ says Shaila. ‘All are positive actions that will work together to improve freshwater habitat and combat climate change in the glen.’

COMPLEX DECISIONS This is a hugely ambitious project with many moving parts, and it has been quite a journey even getting to the starting line. Shaila also knows that some will question whether it is appropriate to be putting trees back into Glen Geldie at all.

Pollen analysis indicates that pine trees were lost around 3,000 years ago, with birch holding on until a little later. With the ground bare for so long, there’s no doubt that putting trees back is a bold step that will alter the look of the landscape.

With the backing of partners such as the Cairngorms National Park Authority, Scottish Forestry and the River Dee Trust, the project team felt that, on balance, what was most important was to create a landscape that is suitable for our needs today, be that in terms of biodiversity, carbon capture or water retention. ‘We believe this is the right way to go but we also accept that it is not a AUTUMN & WINTER 2022 � 41

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BOG STANDARD The project aims to restore the glen’s peat bogs too. Work is underway to make degraded and dried-out areas of peatland fully functional again.

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‘Ultimately, trees will improve this area ecologically, and for many it will look much better than the barren glen we have just now’

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decision everyone will agree with,’ explains Shaila.

‘It is certainly not one that we have taken lightly.’

There is also the thorny issue of the impact of fencing on the landscape – an intervention that is needed at Glen Geldie due to the number of grazing mouths in this part of the estate.

‘I don’t like seeing fences going up, but we can’t achieve something like this without compromise,’ she says. ‘It’s a question of short-term impact for long-term gain. Ultimately, trees will improve this area ecologically, and for many it will look much better than the barren glen we have just now.’

LIVING IN HARMONY There are trees and there are peatlands, and never the twain shall meet – or so it seems in Scotland.

But in many parts of the world, where both are in healthy condition, woodland and peatland sit side by side; it works because healthy peat bogs are often too wet for trees to grow, so seedlings only take hold and grow on dry ridges at their margins.

The problem at Mar Lodge and many other parts of Scotland is that the peat has become so degraded and dried out that, without restoration,

ABOVE There are areas of blanket bog that are not suitable for trees BELOW Peatland restoration in action

tree seedlings may establish on the peat – a genuine concern for the project team in Glen Geldie. ‘There is a feeling that if we establish trees too close to degraded deep peat, they will grow on it and cause further degradation and release of carbon. But if we have healthy peatland systems, trees are unlikely to establish on it as it is too wet.’

For now, and until the peatland has been restored, any tree planting will be away from deep peat or degraded areas. ‘The hope is that in the future, tree seeds will fall onto restored areas of peat but will only really establish in the drier areas and not on the wet, functioning areas. Then we will see woodland and peatland side by side as in so many other parts of the world.’

PERSONAL INVESTMENT Using three different but connected mechanisms – tree planting, peatland work and improvements to the river itself – Glen Geldie will receive a top-tobottom ecological makeover. It’s also the next major step in what is gradually becoming an estate-wide restoration at Mar Lodge.

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FOR PEAT’S SAKE ‘Reprofiling’ the peat decreases the rate of water run-off, reducing erosion, and creates a better surface for revegetation.

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‘There is an urgent need to tackle the twin challenges of climate change and biodiversity loss’ estate, there’s a huge sense of shared responsibility with the team at Mar Lodge. ‘From a personal point of view, I’m excited about what we can do in Glen Geldie to improve the landscape,’ she says.

And as David Frew, head of Mar Lodge Estate, points out, it is work that fits firmly within the Trust’s wider vision for the land in its care. ‘The Trust has just launched a new ten-year strategy, at the centre of which is the urgent need to tackle the twin challenges of climate change and biodiversity loss,’ he outlines. ‘Our work in Glen Geldie is a significant practical manifestation of how we can contribute to those goals.’

But there is pressure too, of course. Mar Lodge has become an example of conservation best practice in recent years. As such, when there are big projects underway, eyes are upon it.

ABOVE Coir matting holds down seed-rich mulch, helping the revegetation of bare peat

‘Looking back, the natural regeneration and deer management was tough at times but is now exceptionally rewarding and it’s fantastic to see the woodland recovering and to be able to show people that,’ says Shaila.

However, Glen Geldie is different – the Trust has not done anything on such a large scale before.

‘There is also a lot more intervention than the natural regeneration work, so it feels like there is more risk attached to it,’ she adds. ‘We have invested a lot of time and energy in this project so it’s really important that it works out.’

The planning is over. Glen Geldie is ready. The transformation is about to begin – and people, wildlife and climate all stand to benefit from this bold, far-sighted project.

You can help

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nts.org.uk/mar-lodge

Our Wild Scotland Fund helps important projects like these. nts.org.uk/wild-scotland

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R O F T S A E AF S E S N E S E H T

Immerse yourself in the best that Scotland has to offer this season. Visit the Trust’s places and let yourself be led by your nose, ears, fingers and tastebuds as well as your eyes.

These are some of the experiences you can enjoy...

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FRESHLY HARVESTED APPLES

Wrap up warm and enjoy

It’s apple season at the Trust’s many traditional orchards. Pitmedden Garden in Aberdeenshire will host its much-loved Apple Sunday on 25 September, including delicious home baking made from the garden’s produce. The following Saturday, 1 October, Priorwood Garden hosts its annual Apple Day, selling a selection of the 70-plus heritage varieties that grow at the Melrose site, along with others from across the Trust estate.

SEE, HEAR, FEEL AND SMELL…

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The colourful leaves that crunch underfoot in the autumn are a real treat for the senses. On a day out at Killiecrankie or the Hermitage, take time to breathe in the distinctive earthy scent that marks the change of the seasons, carried on autumn’s bracing breezes. As the above-ground vegetation breaks down, an underground network of fungi burgeons, feasting on the rotting material. Stands of bracken give off their own aroma, as do the beech nuts that split as they fall to the ground.

nts.org.uk/visit

nts.org.uk/visit

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Never to be forgotten

SEE AND HEAR…

A BATTLE RECREATED

It was the decisive conflict that ended the 1745 Jacobite Rising and Charles Edward Stewart’s hopes of reclaiming his father’s throne. Despite lasting less than an hour, the Battle of Culloden changed history. Immerse yourself in the action at our visitor centre’s 360-degree battle theatre, or use the audio guide as you wander the battlefield. nts.org.uk/culloden 48 � AUTUMN & WINTER 2022

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COLIN HEGGIE

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THE CHANGING SEASONS

Catch the taste of autumn

You can almost smell the baking!

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VICTORIAN MEMORIES

When you take a tour of the House of Dun in Montrose, you’ll smell bread baking in the kitchen and hear crackling fires and the piano playing upstairs. Outside in the courtyard buildings, now home to the Angus Folk Collection, the smell is of horses’ stables and blacksmiths at work, while you can listen to a subtle soundtrack of farm animals and children counting in Doric. Youngsters will enjoy playing with replicas of traditional toys and the feel of chalk on slate. nts.org.uk/house-of-dun

Sir James MacMillan

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GLENCOE THREE CENTURIES AGO

Explore our new turf house which recreates a typical 17th-century home in Glencoe. Listen to the immersive sound installation including speech and song, and breathe in the lingering scent of a fire.

Above all, take time just to feel the craftsmanship that has gone into building the house. Turf, wattle (thin hazel poles woven together) and thatch, all put together using the traditional techniques of the time, make for an authentic and inspiring experience. nts.org.uk/glencoe An authentic replica of a 17th-century home

HEAR…

A BRAND NEW COMPOSITION

The stately surroundings of Haddo House will welcome artists and musicians for the annual Arts Festival between 8 and 15 October. Among the musical delights this year is a new work for piano quintet by Sir James MacMillan entitled We Are Collective. It was commissioned to mark the festival’s tenth anniversary, and its premiere is set to take place on the penultimate day of the weeklong event. Read more on page 59. nts.org.uk/haddo AUTUMN & WINTER 2022 � 49

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AN AMAZING PANORAMA

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After climbing the narrow spiral staircase of the Glenfinnan Monument, you emerge exhilarated onto a platform that offers an unrivalled view across the landscapes beyond. Looking south, Loch Shiel glitters in the autumn sunlight, framed by rugged mountains. To the north is the Glenfinnan Viaduct, famed for its appearance in the Harry Potter films. As you look out, you stand shoulder to shoulder with the lone Highlander: a memorial to those who fought alongside Bonnie Prince Charlie in the 1745 Jacobite Rising. Booking is essential.

Food always tastes better in the fresh air, and even more so when you’ve earned it through a climb to a summit. The Trust cares for some of Scotland’s most iconic mountains – Ben Lomond, Ben Lawers and the giants of Torridon among them. Reach the top, take shelter behind a cairn and settle down for a bite to eat as you gaze out over the surrounding hills.

But always give these places the respect they deserve and come prepared with both the necessary skills and the right equipment (and leave no trace of your lunch!). Check our website for more information. nts.org.uk/munros ALAMY

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Looking over Loch Shiel

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LUNCH ON A MOUNTAIN

Food with a view

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nts.org.uk/glenfinnan

The atmospheric Gladstone’s Land

SEE, SMELL AND FEEL…

CENTURIES OF EDINBURGH HISTORY Some history is best understood through fully immersing yourself in it and being surrounded by period artefacts. Gladstone’s Land on the Royal Mile is full of touchable trinkets that span more than four centuries, including textiles, kitchen equipment and furniture. You’ll need to seek some of them out from their hiding places in drawers and cupboards. All the while, you’ll be able to smell the site-specific aromas of leather, rum and herbs. nts.org.uk/gladstones-land AUTUMN & WINTER 2022 � 51

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A BYGONE ERA IN GLASGOW

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The Tenement House is an authentic tribute to early-20th-century life in Glasgow. Almost as soon as you’re over the threshold, you’re hit by the unmistakable odour of gas, which emanates from the traditional (perfectly safe) light fittings. These gas-powered illuminations also keep light levels low, only heightening your other senses as you explore the flat and travel back to the past. The original clocks still keep excellent time, ticking and chiming the hours. In the nearby exhibition spaces, you can handle similar everyday objects from the early years of the 20th century, such as flat irons, butter pats and a stone ‘pig’ hot-water bottle. nts.org.uk/tenement-house

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Traditional lamps at the Tenement House

Enjoy afternoon tea with us

SMELL AND TASTE...

HOME-BAKED TREATS

When the weather outside is lively, a freshly baked treat and a mug of hot chocolate can make your day. Enjoy the scent of scones just out of the oven at Robert Burns Birthplace Museum, Pollok House and the Glencoe visitor centre. As Christmas approaches, Newhailes and Pollok will also be offering some very special afternoon teas. nts.org.uk/visit

SEE…

A UNIQUE PERSPECTIVE ON MACKINTOSH

Get close up with genius

Charles Rennie Mackintosh’s masterpiece has been soaking up Helensburgh’s not insignificant share of rain ever since it was completed in 1904. As we’ve previously reported in the magazine, the house is now protected by a tightly woven chainmail structure known as the Box. Step inside and you’ll find new walkways that wrap around the house, including a route that goes right over the top of the roof, offering a view that even Mackintosh himself never had the chance to see. nts.org.uk/thehillhouse

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HIDDEN SECRETS

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THROUGH THE LAIRD’S LUG

Would-be spies can eavesdrop on strangers at Castle Fraser using the laird’s lug, a concealed space that connects to the Great Hall. The 400-year-old hidey-hole was likely used by the 6th Laird of Fraser – who oversaw a renovation of the tower – to listen in on conversations between guests or servants. It may also have been a handy place to store valuables. What can you hear in the Great Hall today?

Pinewood Gin SUBS

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LOCALLY DISTILLED GIN

nts.org.uk/castlefraser

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The scent of Scots pine is a delight to hikers across the country, but native pinewoods have long been in decline. Conservation work at Mar Lodge Estate is set to double the area of Caledonian pinewood at the National Nature Reserve, supported by a spirit made from locally sourced ingredients.

Pinewood Conservation Gin has floral notes thanks to wood sorrel and bog myrtle, deepened by birch, Scots pine and sweet blaeberries. This year we’ve also brought out an exclusive gin from Inverewe, with botanicals inspired by the travels of the garden’s founder, Osgood Mackenzie.

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Castle Fraser

nts.org.uk/shop

Taking in the view at St Abb’s Head

SMELL AND FEEL…

SALTY SEA BREEZES

Your next trip

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Dramatic cliffs and rocky beaches make for an invigorating stroll on a brisk day, the wind bringing with it the salty spray of the ocean. Take on the elements at Rockcliffe in Dumfriesshire, including a hike to Rough Island at low tide, or from the heights of St Abb’s Head on the east coast. For days where the weather is at its most tumultuous, embrace the wind on the Ayrshire coast at Culzean and then retreat inside the warm cafe.

Plan your next experience at our places.

You’ll find details of opening times, facilities and lots more information at nts.org.uk/visit

nts.org.uk/st-abbs-head

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USING YOUR MEMBERSHIP / EVENTS COLUMNISTS / CHRISTMAS GIFT GUIDE

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Autumn at Brodie Castle

ALL GO AT BRODIE

There’s a lot happening at Brodie Castle this autumn! Listen out for a roar in the undergrowth when Jurassic Brodie comes to the Moray castle (17-20 October). The fun show for all the family follows intrepid dino rangers on the hunt for a missing baby dinosaur. Tickets cost £8 for adults and £4 for children.

Brodie Illuminated is back too (3-26 November), with a new, even

bigger route around the grounds.

The magical evening event leads you along specially illuminated paths, putting the spotlight on plants and trees that might go unnoticed during daylight hours. The atmospheric route takes an hour and there will be food and hot drinks available. Tickets start at £4.

Brodie Illuminated

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ENJOY CHRISTMAS WITH THE TRUST

Get into the festive spirit with our special seasonal events

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Newhailes, Musselburgh Santa visits the stunning dining room on dates between 2 and 18 December (tickets: £14). Additional quieter and autism-friendly dates are available too. Newhailes will also be offering seasonal afternoon teas (booking is essential) and a festive market in the stables courtyard, celebrating local producers and makers.

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Crathes Castle, Banchory Christmas at the Castle (8-24 December) has illuminations in the walled garden, a fire pit and a festive food market.

The storytelling experience at Santa’s grotto also promises to be really special, so be sure to book advance tickets. More info and booking: christmasatthecastle.scot

ABOVE Mrs Claus at Pollok House

Pollok House, Glasgow Visit Pollok in December and you’ll find family favourite Mrs Claus back in residence.

There are other festive events too, such as crafts for kids, biscuit decorating and afternoon teas. Pollok House will also be hosting a Gifts and Garlands festive shopping experience and candlelit tours.

ALAMY

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olourful festive events are taking place across the country, so keep an eye on our website and social media channels and at your local places to find out what’s happening where. Here’s a taster of the treats in store.

Robert Burns Birthplace Museum, Ayrshire Young visitors are invited to take part in Santa’s Mail Trail – just pick up a trail sheet from the admissions desk and open the specially decorated elf doors dotted around the garden to find clues.

nts.org.uk/visit

Pianist Alasdair Beatson

ARTS FOR ALL AT HADDO

XXXCREDIT HERE XXX

Haddo Arts Festival runs from 8-15 October

Haddo Arts Festival is back with a packed programme of classical music, poetry, storytelling and the visual arts (8-15 October).

Excitement is building for the world premiere of Sir James MacMillan’s new composition for piano quintet. We Are Collective will be performed by the Maxwell Quartet and Alasdair Beatson on 14 October at Haddo House Hall in

the presence of the composer.

Other highlights include organ recitals, music workshops and Yoyo and the Little Auk, the Royal Scottish National Orchestra’s dazzling tale for children.

The Create-Regenerate-Rebuild exhibition will take visitors around Haddo on an outdoor artwork and poetry trail. Its theme is the destruction caused by Storm

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story, which begins with General Tam Dalyell cheating during a game of cards with the Devil. The Devil lost his temper, picked up the table and threw it at Tam. It sailed through the air and landed in the pond in the gardens at House of the Binns. It stayed there for 200 years until a drought revealed it in 1878.

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HOUSE OF THE BINNS REOPENS NEXT SPRING Full details and online booking for exclusive member events this November: nts.org.uk/houseofbinns ART PRODUCTION

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Family heirloom

ROBERT BURNS BIRTHPLACE MUSEUM Alloway, Ayrshire

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This wooden armchair, known as a caquetoire, belonged to Robert Burns’s parents, who gave it to their niece as a wedding gift in 1770.

A chair was a prized possession for a working family, used to signify the head of the household; everyone else would have sat on stools or benches.

They were therefore family heirlooms.

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DRUM CASTLE

By Banchory, Aberdeenshire

The Irvine family’s day nursery contains more than 20 games – including this card set, Cheery Families. A take on Happy Families, which was popular from 1851, the game asks players to gather a set of mother, father, sister and brother cards. Sadly, this game took on a tragic edge in 1856 when the eldest child of the 20th Laird of Drum and his wife Anna died at the tender age of six.

There are endless stories to be discovered across the Trust’s remarkable range of historic objects. But what links the Devil at House of the Binns to Adam and Eve in the Garden of Eden at Crathes Castle?

Child’s sampler

CRATHES CASTLE Banchory, Aberdeenshire

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Card game

Adam and Eve under the apple tree feature in an 1872 embroidery by 12-year-old Jane Curtis. Making a sampler was a way of learning needlework skills, and Jane’s sampler, at Crathes Castle, includes a poem in which she declares: When I was young I little thought that learning was so dearly bought but this is done to let you see what care my parents took of me.

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Portrait of a little boy

FALKLAND PALACE Falkland, Fife

At Falkland Palace the son of Ismay and Ninian CrichtonStuart also died prematurely, succumbing to meningitis at the age of two. This oil painting by Kellie Castle’s John Henry Lorimer was started in 1909 and completed posthumously a year later. Ninian Patrick is remembered as a curly-haired, rosy-cheeked picture of health, but the hourglass beside him is a reminder of the relentless passage of time. The apple, meanwhile, is a Christian symbol that refers to the fruit of knowledge and the frailty of humans.

ON LOAN TO FALKLAND PALACE, NATIONAL TRUST FOR SCOTLAND

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HOUSE OF THE BINNS General Tam Linlithgow, West Lothian le b This card table has a mythical Dalyell’s card ta

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LEFT The idyllic walled garden is full of colour all through the autumn

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RIGHT The brilliant Wild Wood adventure playpark

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Janice Hopper and her son went seeking Halloween thrills at Crathes Castle

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t Crathes Castle near Banchory, my son Samuel and I began our Halloween tour below stairs. There’s a cauldron in the kitchen to set the mood for creepy stories.

To Samuel’s delight, kids are handed an ‘I Spy’ sheet to tick off items in each room, such as a scurrying mouse in the Muses Room, or a baby’s shoe in the Family Room.

As we explored, we found cunning methods to halt

enemy intruders – great iron doors, hidden trapdoors, lowered doorways and secret steps. But it was the ghostly intruders that made eight-year-old Samuel’s eyes widen. He devoured the fable of the White Lady, the spirit of a young woman who loved the laird, Alexander Burnett.

The pair were due to marry, despite the disapproval of Alexander’s mother. But one day when he left the castle, his mother is said to have Crathes Castle – dare you enter?

VISIT

Check the website for opening times and events, and follow us on social media for all the latest news. nts.org.uk/crathes

poisoned his beloved, leaving Alexander heartbroken.

We then heard the tale of another ghost, this time in the eerie Green Lady’s Room, surrounded by child-sized furniture and a spinning wheel straight out of Sleeping Beauty. It’s said the Green Lady crosses the room to the fireplace, cradling a baby. More unnerving is the fact that when the fireplace

was excavated, the skeleton of an infant was found under the hearth. Samuel made a swift exit: ‘I definitely felt something brush against my leg!’ he said.

Once outside, it’s easy to put the hauntings behind you as you explore the walled garden or wander the trails.

The cafe offers refreshments and has a playground for young children. Older kids make their way to Wild Wood Adventure Play.

Samuel climbed to the top of Green Lady’s Tower, zoomed between the trees on the zip wire and tackled the slides and obstacle course, before heading home to regale his granny with stories of ghostly ladies.

Spooky outing – job done!

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MALLENY MARVELS Areas of grass are left long as a refuge for insects; brilliant borders; late-blooming asters

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AN OASIS OF COLOUR IN EVERY SEASON MALLENY REMAINS VIVIDLY BEAUTIFUL EVEN AS THE COOLER MONTHS ARRIVE, SAYS GARDENER JAMES BELL

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alleny Garden is tucked away in a tranquil space on the outskirts of Edinburgh.

We’re known for our 400-year-old yews, the Four Evangelists, and for our national collection of 19th-century shrub roses. The latter grab most of the attention in June and July, filling the garden with their vibrant colour and heady fragrance. However, as summer ends and autumn begins, Malleny takes

winter aconite filling our borders and the snowdrops carpeting our woodland.

As part of reducing our CO2 emissions, all our small garden machinery (the likes of lawn mowers and hedge trimmers) will soon be powered by electricity. Not only does this make them quieter and easier to use, it also means they’re less damaging to the environment, helping us to cut our use of The garden is open fossil fuels to a minimum. daily: 10am to 5pm until That’s the goal for all our 30 September; and 10am gardens.

JAMES’S SEASONAL GARDENING TIPS to 4pm from 1 October Looking forward to 2023, until 31 December.

• Don’t be • Try leaving fallen • Letting an area of we expect the PLANTS leaves on some of your too tidy in the lawn grow long is a project to visit Malleny. This borders. They’ll act as a garden. Let your fantastic way to help exciting three-year project is mulch, return nutrients herbaceous plants wildlife. You can cut cataloguing all plant collections in the to the soil and provide stand until spring– it back in autumn, Trust’s gardens. Understanding what we birds will feed on cover for all sorts of but it’s also good to have is crucial if we’re to be able to care seeds left in the old insects. leave half uncut until for our plants. We have already started flowers, and ladybirds spring to provide the preparation work to make the can hibernate around a home for wildlife process as easy as possible. the base of old stems. over winter. nts.org.uk/malleny on a different and more subtle charm.

Late-flowering asters provide colour, and the butterflies, bumblebees and birds go about their daily work. Even as we slip into winter, there is still much colour and fragrance. The pink flowers of Viburnum x bodnantense ‘Dawn’ and V. ‘Deben’ give a sweet scent on cold, windless days. In January we look forward to the bright yellow

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CHRISTMAS GIVING VERSION

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Our collection of exclusive hampers ranges in price from £45 to £200. Every hamper includes a Trust visitor pack.

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CHRISTMAS, INSPIRED BY

SCOTLAND Shop for your festive gifts with the Trust, safe in the knowledge that every penny of profit goes towards supporting our important work

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ur lovely range of Christmas gifts and cards provides the opportunity to share your love of Scotland with friends and family, while supporting the charitable work of the Trust at the same time.

The Taste of Scotland hamper (£45, pictured above) makes the perfect present for anyone who appreciates good food and fine flavours. Packed with treats from the 66 � AUTUMN & WINTER 2022

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likes of Duncan’s of Deeside and Perthshire Oatcakes, it comes presented in a smart black gift box.

The package also includes a National Trust for Scotland visit pack with two passes for a day out at any of our places, as well as a Trust 2022 Guide. Visit our website for the full collection of Trust hampers available to purchase this Christmas. nts.org.uk/xmas

Scan the QR code to shop online

Our range of candles, diffusers and wax melts (£9 to £20) by Ivy & Twine are made in Scotland and feature a range of fragrances including the rich but refreshing rhubarb and plum noir.

We have many beautiful pieces for the home, including a wide range of throws starting at £20. The gorgeous 100% pure new wool throw (£80) pictured below will add colour and style to any room.

Quirky homewares include the Curious Coo tray (£16), with a matching condiment jar (£14) pictured on the facing page.

They’re made of fine bone china and hand-decorated in the UK.

Scented candles and fragrance diffusers, photographed at House of Dun in Montrose

Gift membership

Smooth flavours DISTILLED IN SCOTLAND Enjoy the flavours of your favourite Trust places. New for this year, Inverewe Garden Gin (£45) was developed in partnership with Badachro Distillery, just 13 miles from Inverewe’s stunning garden in the north-west highlands.

Our exclusive Pinewood Conservation Gin (£32) is made with botanicals foraged from the Cairngorms, and every

purchase supports our efforts to protect the pinewoods of Mar Lodge Estate. It’s also available as a Pinewood Conservation Gin Gift Box (£50).

Our exclusive range of spirits also features three whiskies inspired by our properties: Culzean and Culloden single malts and Inverewe Garden Scottish blend malt whisky. Each costs £60 and is available from our online shop.

ENJOY A YEAR OF DAYS OUT TOGETHER Gifting a National Trust for Scotland membership is a great option for friends or family who enjoy more of an experience-based present. Not only does it give them access to Scotland’s superb natural and build heritage, but it also helps us care for everything that makes our country so special.

If you’ve left it a little late, our digital gift voucher means you can send the membership instantly via email. Treat someone special to a gift membership and together you can experience and enjoy the very best of Scotland.

Buy online at nts.org.uk/join

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CHRISTMAS GIVING

The full range of our beautiful accessories, made in Scotland, is available from our website.

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THE COLOURS OF

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ISLANDS Wrap up warm with beautiful textiles inspired

by Scotland’s coastal landscapes

From the greens and yellows of machair grasslands to the pinks and reds of the sky at sunset, our lambswool scarves are subtly inspired by the colours of Scotland’s islands.

The cosy St Kilda scarf (£60, pictured left) is knitted in Scotland, and the World Heritage Site, surrounded by the storm-tossed waters of the Atlantic Ocean, is invoked in its vivid hues.

Another way to keep Scotland close is with our range of Harris Tweed purses, pencil cases, glasses cases, cosmetic bags and wash bags (from £24, pictured above). All designed and handmade in Scotland, they’re also 68 � AUTUMN & WINTER 2022

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environmentally friendly: the zips are recycled, paper labels are made from recycled coffee cups, and even the sewing thread is made from recycled plastic bottles.

More than a dozen islands are in the Trust’s care. Among our current projects is a partnership with the people of Canna to build a thriving, sustainable community; upgrades to the infrastructure of Staffa; and repairs to St Kilda’s landing jetty. nts.org.uk/xmas

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Create a haven in your garden

Food and shelter for our feathered friends Inviting birds into your garden is an enjoyable way to make your home more wildlife-friendly and help combat the worrying decline in garden bird numbers.

Our acorn bird feeder (£16, right) is easy to fill and very cute. The metal mesh not only holds the food in

place but also gives the birds something to grip on to. Birds benefit most from feeding over the autumn and winter, to maintain their fat reserves in cold weather.

Our wildlife care range also includes a seagrass bird nest (£12, below). Its 35mm diameter entrance hole makes it ideal for a wren. Simply hang it in a quiet, sheltered spot and watch as some lucky bird moves in.

Caring for Scotland’s wildlife and its habitats is an important part of the Trust’s work and there are opportunities to enjoy the company of birds across our many gardens and wonderful outdoor places. nts.org.uk/xmas

GARDENING GIFT SUBSCRIPTIONS A subscription to ROOTS makes a thoughtful present for any gardener. Your £6 a month will go towards supporting the Trust’s gardens, helping them flourish and thrive. We’ll send the recipient a gift certificate and every six weeks they’ll receive a ROOTS pack with gardening gifts, stories and tips. Six times a year, the packs will also contain Scottish seeds to grow at home. nts.org.uk/roots

Perfect planet-friendly playmates Support the work of the Trust and feel good in the knowledge that you’re giving sustainably this festive season with gifts that have impeccable eco credentials.

Our super-cute soft toys (£10 to £12) are made from 100% recycled materials.

It’s no surprise that our adorable fluffy Highland cow is very popular, and she’s now been joined by some charming friends.

See the full range on our website. nts.org.uk/xmas

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C H R I S T M A S C A R DS Support the work of the National Trust for Scotland with every card you send this festive season

NEW FOR 2022 SUBS ART

Inspired by the Trust’s places, a new range of Christmas cards

by Glasgow-based Allistair Burt of Hole in My Pocket features the striking exteriors of properties such as Falkland Palace, the Hill House and Culzean Castle, as well as Burns Cottage in Alloway.

They’re available at the individual properties as well as online and cost £10 for a pack of six of the same design.

FALKLAND PALACE

THE HILL HOUSE

HOUSE OF DUN

CULZEAN CASTLE

PRODUCTION

This is just a small selection of the Christmas cards available. See the full collection at nts.org.uk/xmas

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Choose to buy your Christmas cards with us and you will be supporting the work of the National Trust for Scotland with every purchase.

Our cards are free from plastic packaging and glitter, so they can be fully recycled after the festive season. All profits help to fund our important work.

PREMIUM CARDS £6 per pack of 8 cards in one design

NATIONAL TRUST FOR SCOTLAND CALENDAR 2023

STANDARD CARDS £5 per pack of 10 cards in one design

Our 2023 calendar features stunning photography from 12 of our places, including Crathes Castle, Staffa, the Hill House and Culzean. It is available to order online and is also sold in many of our shops, priced £9.

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Christmas Giving - Shops, 3

CHRISTMAS GIVING

I Love This Place

I LOVE THIS PLACE VERSION THE NATIONAL TRUST FOR SCOTLAND Hermiston Quay, 5 Cultins Road Edinburgh EH11 4DF Website www.nts.org.uk REPRO OP

SUPPORTER CARE TEAM Telephone 0131 385 7490

SUBS

The National Trust for Scotland is a charity, independent of government, supported by legacies, donations and member subscriptions.

Patron HRH The Prince Charles, Duke of Rothesay KG KT GCB OM Chairman Sir Mark Jones Chief Executive Phil Long OBE

Lindis Kipp with her children at Kellie Castle ART PRODUCTION

‘IT ALWAYS FELT LIKE A PLACE THAT WAS YOURS’ Life member Lindis Kipp loved visiting Kellie Castle as a child. Now she brings her own children here

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WHEN DID YOU FIRST VISIT KELLIE CASTLE? I grew up in Germany, but my grandma is Scottish and we’d come to the UK often on holiday. My great-grandma lived in Buckhaven, so Kellie Castle was the closest Trust property. It was always one of those places to go to on a really special holiday.

I was about eight or nine when I first visited. Because Kellie is quite small, it always felt like a place that was yours.

It was great to explore the garden and run around. I had a Kellie Castle mug for the longest time. It was my absolute favourite thing back in Germany.

WHAT ARE YOUR LINKS TO THE TRUST TODAY ?

My grandparents gave me and my husband David life membership as a wedding present because we’d had so many nice times together at Trust places.

And now I have kids of my own, it is a joy to take them to Kellie. My grandma passed away last year, so it has been a nice way to go somewhere that was meaningful for my family.

WHAT’S YOUR FAVOURITE PART OF KELLIE CASTLE? It has always been the walled garden.

There were so many nooks and crannies you could explore and I loved that it had edible plants in it. It was a working garden not just a beautifully manicured place. It smelled so wonderful with all the different fruits and flowers, and I loved to hear the buzzing of bees.

WHAT HAS IT BEEN LIKE TO TAKE YOUR OWN CHILDREN THERE? It was lovely to be back this summer – it really felt special to walk up the drive again. The gardens are as magnificent as ever. I love the use of the wider grounds with the woodland walk and playground.

The kids and I spent time sitting on the grass at the front reading a book in the beautiful surroundings. Their favourite was definitely the garden. They loved exploring all the corners and trying to identify the different vegetables. We’ll be back soon!

Scottish Charity Number SC 007410 NTS Magazine Editor Emily Rodway nts.editor@thinkpublishing.co.uk Sub Editor Judy Diamond Art Director John Pender Assistant Editor Angela McManus Commercial Partnerships Director Sonal Mistry sonal.mistry@ thinkpublishing.co.uk 020 3771 7247 Senior Commercial Partnerships Manager 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 © The National Trust for Scotland 2022 ISSN 2631-3170 Cover image of Nan Morris from our Upland Footpaths Team on Liathach in Torridon, taken by Murdo MacLeod All other photography © The National Trust for Scotland unless otherwise stated.

Illustrations: Boxdog Inc 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 Supporter Care 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.

Find out more about gift and life memberships: nts.org.uk/join

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