Scotland Magazine May/June 2023 - Sample issue

Scotland is a country of vast contrasts, from the soft green hills and rumbling rivers of the Lowlands to the jagged peaks and snake-like passes of the Highlands. You can mingle with the masses on a culturally-packed visit to Edinburgh, marvel at the panoramic views from the Isle of Skye’s most westerly tip, Neist Point Lighthouse (pictured left), or experience the tranquillity of an empty mile-long beach in the Outer Hebrides. And whether you want to learn about local ora and fauna or visit traditional communities to see centuries-old crafts in action, there is no better way to ensure you get the most of your visit than by booking a tour or cruise with those who know the place best. Read on for some of our favourite cruises and tours booking now.

Grand Tour

PRINCESS CRUISES

For the ultimate British Isles cruise, step aboard the Regal Princess, which in 2023 will depart on 12-night cruises from Southampton, taking in several Scottish locations as well as other ports. On the British Isles with Portland cruise, guests will visit Greenock (for Glasgow), Invergordon (for the Culloden Battle eld and Loch Ness), and Edinburgh. On departures on 31 July and 12 August, guests can also experience the Edinburgh Military Tattoo from Greenock. In 2024, the British Isles cruise will include stops in Cork and Dublin. Princess Cruises also offers a 14-night Scottish Highlands and Wales cruise aboard its more intimate ship, Island Princess, which stops in both the Shetland and the Orkney Islands (25 August-8 September 2023).

Prices: British Isles with Portland cruise from £899pp/£1,499pp all inclusive; British Isles cruise from £1,599pp/£2,199pp all inclusive; Scottish Highlands and Wales cruise from £1,599pp/£2,199pp all inclusive

Contact: princess.com; 0344 338 8663

Words by HENRIETTA EASTON

OF THE Belle Borders

Fairytale Floors Castle on the banks of the River Tweed is one of the nest stately homes in all of Scotland…

exterior of the house today. His changes included signi cant height added to the structure of the house, and a crowded array of exterior ourishes (inspired by George Heriot’s Hospital in Edinburgh) which gave it its distinctive fairytale silhouette. Playfair also made a change to the coach port which, vitally, would mean that visitors could alight from their carriages sheltered from the elements – an addition we’re sure would be welcome for partygoers not wishing to get their extravagant hairdos and ballgowns wet. He also added two new lodges on the estate, renovated a few 18th-century estate buildings and added a new large walled garden with an extensive suite of glasshouses.

Signi cant changes were made again to the house in 1903, when the 8th Duke married a wealthy American realestate heiress, by the name of Mary Goelet. It is her remodelling of the house that visitors see during a tour of the castle today. An avid collector of 17th-century tapestries and ornate French furniture, Mary redesigned the Victorian interiors and brought in a treasure trove of artwork, tapestries, porcelain, and furniture.

A must-see during a tour is the unusual bird room which, as the name would suggest, is packed full of around 400 stuffed birds in glass cabinets.

Heading outside, no trip to the castle would be complete without a tour of the gardens. The Victorian Walled Garden is a colourful showpiece that changes with the seasons and includes a delightful kitchen garden – produce grown here is served both in the castle café and sold in the Apple Shed gift shop and deli.

CLOCKWISE, FROM TOP LEFT: The bird room; Floors is still a family home for the Duke and his wife; the Millennium Garden’s Frenchstyle parterre; the ballroom is available for private hire

The Millennium Garden, so named as it was created in 2000, is a formal French-style garden with an ‘M’ shaped box hedging at its focal point, and two large letters representing 2000 in Roman numerals. Beneath this are the intertwining initials of the 10th Duke and Duchess of Roxburghe – G, V and R – who built the garden, adding a wonderfully romantic touch to this picture-perfect parterre.

Another highlight of the Millennium Garden is a charming summerhouse known

Significant changes were made again to the house in 1903, when the 8th Duke married a wealthy American real-estate heiress

Words by MARK FINDLAY SMITH

Preserving crafts Scotland’s

Through the Prince’s Foundation, Scottish traditions and crafts are being given the support they need to thrive at both Dumfries House & The Castle of Mey

Buckingham Palace may be the most famous of all the royal properties, but in Scotland there are two other properties – one in the south-west of the country, the other in the far north – that have become central to the ongoing work of King Charles III.

Dumfries House in Ayrshire, 40 miles south of Glasgow, has been part of the royal portfolio since 2007 when it was bought by a consortium led by the then Prince Charles. The aim was to preserve the estate, the stately home and its contents, which include ne examples of the work of the great furniture maker Thomas Chippendale, for the nation.

Some 350 miles north, another great royal property, The Castle of Mey, sits in a prominent position on the north coast of Caithness. A handsome 16th-century property in 30 acres, it was in a semi-derelict state by the

1950s when it was bought by the Queen Mother and became her beloved holiday home. It has now been beautifully preserved and restored. Both properties are run by The Prince’s Foundation, the King’s educational charity, and play vital roles in the organisation’s work to protect rural traditions and promote traditional crafts. At Dumfries House, there is training in skills such as stonemasonry and woodworking, while at The Castle of Mey, the staff are working to preserve traditional breeds of cattle and sheep. From farmers and gardeners, butlers and stonemasons to designers and artisans, a huge range of people are working at both properties to help achieve the Foundation’s aims or are directly bene ting from its work. Here are just a few of them.

PREVIOUS PAGE, LEFT TO RIGHT: Dumfries House; The Castle of Mey THIS PAGE, LEFT TO RIGHT: Lady Bute’s bedroom at The Castle of Mey; Satinder Kaur is collections manager at Dumfries House