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BREATHE GET OUT AND ENJOY SCOTLAND
PRODUCTION CLIENT 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
WEATHERING THE STORM Climate change and the Trust
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IN FULL BLOOM
Visit our vibrant historic gardens
MAKERS AND MENDERS Keeping traditional skills alive
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Front cover, 1
N AT I O N A L T RU S T F O R SCOT L A N D
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R E M SUM THE MAGAZINE FOR PEOPLE WHO LOVE SCOTLAND
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HELLO FROM
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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
S
ummer is here and the Trust’s amazing places are open and ready to welcome all our members. We can’t wait to see you! In this magazine you’ll find lots of ideas for exploring the very best of Scotland, from family festivals to wildlife encounters. This season we’re also expanding our range of tours, including multisensory experiences, providing new ways of sharing stories from our history as well as showing our team of experts in action on our conservation work. Whether you’re revisiting one of your favourite places, discovering somewhere you’ve never been before or going along to one of our many events, it’s going to be a fantastic summer. In our last issue, we introduced our charity’s vision for the next 10 years: Nature, Beauty and Heritage for Everyone. Our members played a crucial role in helping us identify our key areas of focus for the next 10 years: thank you. By sharing your valuable opinions with us, you are helping shape the future of Scotland’s heritage. We’ll continue to provide opportunities for you to let us know what you think. Whether that’s offering you the opportunity to feed back when you are at one of our places, or by participating in our member surveys, we can only continue to care and protect what makes Scotland so special – and ensure that your membership enables you to explore it all – by working together. I’d be really grateful if you could fill out our member survey online at nts.org.uk/member-survey or drop me an email at LouiseStirtonMembership@nts.org.uk. I’d love to hear from you! Your support is invaluable to us and we couldn’t keep on doing what we do without our members. Thank you for your continued support and membership of the National Trust for Scotland.
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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Contents, 1
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CONTENTS
N E E D H E L P ? C A L L YO U R S U PPO R T E R C A R E T E A M O N 0131 385 749 0
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ALL SET FOR SUMMER Unforgettable family days out
This photo and our front cover were both taken at Culzean during the filming of our TV advert
26 THE MAGIC TOUCH Meet the gifted makers and menders who conserve the Trust’s treasures
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34 DAMAGE LIMITATION Climate change is already affecting our places, but we have a plan of action to protect them
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42 BRANKLYN AT 100 Behind the scenes at Perth’s historic garden, and six others to visit this summer
HAMISH CAMPBELL, MIKE WILKINSON, RAY COX, LAURIE CAMPBELL, BOXDOG INC
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51 FABULOUS BEASTIES Some of the UK’s rarest creatures have made their homes at Trust places around Scotland
REGULARS 4 AROUND THE COUNTRY The latest from across the Trust, plus an update on our new President 13 SUPPORT IN ACTION How your support as a member funds vital conservation work
15 ENVIRONMENT Innovation at Inverewe
in silk and painted on our ceilings
61 YOUR GUIDE Events for everyone
67 FUN WITH THE FAMILY A great day at Newhailes
65 COLLECTIONS Discover the stories written on paper, stitched
69 OUT IN THE GARDEN Come and see the floristic meadow at Pitmedden
70 SHOP ONLINE Taste the flavours of Inverewe and bring its goodness to your soil 72 I LOVE THIS PLACE Member Chris Birt on his longstanding love for Crarae Garden, Argyll SUMMER 2022 � 3
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HAVE YOUR SAY VERSION REPRO OP
ANNUAL GENERAL MEETING
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CHAIRMAN SIR MARK JONES CELEBRATES A MILESTONE YEAR FOR THE TRUST AS WE LOOK FORWARD TO OUR 2022 AGM
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You can register to attend the AGM (either in person or virtually) and vote using the Unique Security Code on the form that accompanied your copy of this magazine. If you have misplaced the Code or your ballot paper, please contact the independent scrutineers UK Engage via email at nts@uk-engage.org or call 0345 209 3770.
ANNUAL GENERAL MEETING 24 SEPTEMBER 2022
2022
feels like a fresh start. In March we launched our new strategy, Nature, Beauty and Heritage for Everyone, designed to consolidate our recovery in the aftermath of the pandemic and set out our ambitious plans for the next ten years. In the first three years, we plan to invest £38 million in our properties and, by the time of our centenary in 2031, will have taken the figure up to £100 million, while
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‘Participating is important. I very much hope you will take the opportunity to vote’ 2022 ANNUAL GENERAL MEETING PROGRAMME AND AGENDA Saturday, 24 September 2022, 11am at Technology and Innovation Centre, 99 George Street, Glasgow G1 1RD 1. Welcome and Introductions 2. Election of the President Ms Jackie Bird will be proposed for election as President. 3. Minutes To approve the minutes of the Annual General Meeting held on Saturday, 18 September 2021. 4. 91st Annual Review and Accounts To consider adoption of the 91st Annual Accounts. 5. Election of the Auditors The Board of Trustees will propose the appointment of the Trust’s auditors. 6. Election of the Vice-Presidents
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The following candidates will be proposed for election/re-election as Vice-Presidents: Professor Hugh Cheape; Professor Michael Scott-Morton; the Duchess of Fife; and Mrs Caroline Borwick. 7. Ordinary Membership Subscription The Chairman of the Board of Trustees will propose a resolution setting out the minimum amount of the annual subscription required for qualification as an Ordinary Member of the National Trust for Scotland. Details of the proposed increase will be published in advance of the meeting. 8. The Trust’s New Strategy 9. Election of Three Trustees 10. Annual General Meeting 2023
also renewing our focus on nature and on tackling climate change. Another milestone this year is that we can meet you, in person, at our Annual General Meeting after two years of being online only – your opportunity to put questions directly to Trustees and staff about the new strategy and where it will take the Trust. The AGM will be held on Saturday, 24 September, at the Technology and Innovation Centre at the University of Strathclyde in Glasgow. Hosting a physical event in one location won’t suit everyone in a worldwide membership, so it will be run on a hybrid basis, offering the option of joining online from wherever you are. Whichever way you do it, participating is important. The AGM marks the culmination of a ballot to elect new Trustees, the people who will represent you in our charity’s strategic management. I very much hope that you will take the opportunity to vote using the information supplied here. At this AGM we will also bring forward a candidate for the important ambassadorial role of President – the journalist and broadcaster Jackie Bird. Jackie has long been a thoughtful and committed friend to the Trust, hosting our acclaimed series of Love Scotland podcasts, and she will, with your endorsement, be of great value to us both in representing the Trust and in communicating its purpose and practice to a wider public. Sir Mark Jones
AGM & Jackie Bird, 1
Jackie Bird, photographed at Greenbank Garden near Glasgow
A N OPPORTUNIT Y I’M RE A DY TO GR ASP
JOURNALIST AND BROADCASTER JACKIE BIRD WILL BE PUT FORWARD AS OUR NEW PRESIDENT AT THE AGM IN SEPTEMBER
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wise older friend once advised me that a sure-fire way to keep an enthusiastic outlook on the world around you as the years roll past is to engage in life-long learning. The prospect of becoming the President of the National Trust for Scotland isn’t just immensely flattering, but I hope that as I learn more about the Trust’s work and, most importantly, the experiences and wishes of its members, I’ll be able to pass on that enthusiasm to a new audience who’ve yet to fully enjoy what our wonderful country has to offer. In my years in journalism I’ve had a ringside seat at some of the most seismic events that have affected Scotland. The nature of news reporting meant there weren’t many uplifting moments among
them, and that is one of the reasons I am ready to grasp the opportunity to share the countless inspiring stories that highlight the care the Trust takes of our past, as well as its readiness to stand up for the landscape on which we’ll build our futures. While presenting the Trust’s podcasts during the pandemic, I took a deep dive into our charity’s responsibilities. I confess I had no idea that, as well as caring for the bricks and mortar of history, it has a staggering remit in terms of protecting our natural world. It encompasses flora and fauna, wildlife conservation and even the stewardship of entire islands. I don’t think I’m alone in feeling that after the deprivations of the last two years I now cherish the landscape in a way I didn’t before –
and that’s another reason why I am so keen to play a part in the Trust’s future in this voluntary role. As a cash-strapped girl growing up in industrial Lanarkshire I didn’t see a mountain, a castle or a loch until I was nearly 20 years old. That’s not a sob story but a fact. My heartfelt aim, amid the other roles of the President, is to reach an untapped audience of people – the young and the not so young – who haven’t had the opportunities to experience the jaw-dropping wonders of the place they call home. The world is far from perfect, but without sounding like a particularly saccharine episode of The Waltons (ask your grandparents), we are so very lucky to live in a country with such a rich past and such an exciting and promising future. Jackie Bird
‘We are so very lucky to live in a country with such a rich past and such an exciting and promising future’
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So much to see and do, 1
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SO MUCH TO SEE AND DO
Come and explore old favourites and new places this summer SUBS
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ith longer days and, hopefully, plenty of sunshine, there couldn’t be a better time to get out and enjoy our places. We have a packed programme of events for everyone this summer, plus new openings and developments to discover. Plant-lovers won’t want to miss the much-anticipated unveiling of the reinvented parterre garden at Pitmedden. The formal garden has been given a modern STAY reinterpretation by Chris IN TOUCH Beardshaw of the BBC’s Keep up to date with Beechgrove Garden. It’s the latest Trust news by innovative and creative but signing up to our still firmly rooted in the past. e-newsletters: Wander pathways surrounded nts.org.uk/ by contemporary swathes of stay-in-touch herbaceous plants and grasses in the new floristic meadow. For culture fans, the exciting news is that our much-loved outdoor theatre programme is back this year with a dazzling mixture of classics and new productions. Bring a picnic and a blanket and you’re all set for a magical evening of entertainment.
‘There’s so much to explore and experience with your membership’
Brodie Castle in Moray is the setting for a summer festival in August, offering everything from food and live music to crafts and kids’ fun. And there are activities for makers of all ages at Kellie Castle, with a range of workshops linked to the property’s artistic roots. Find out more about these events in the Your Guide section on page 61.
‘We can’t wait to welcome you to our places,’ says Louise Stirton, Trust head of membership. ‘There’s so much to explore and experience with your membership and there’s definitely something for everyone. Grab your guide, visit us online and make sure you sign up for our e-newsletters to help you plan your trips this summer.’ nts.org.uk/visit SUMMER 2022 � 7
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News, 1
AROUND THE COUNTRY VERSION
IN BRIEF REPRO OP
In bloom at Threave Garden
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GARDENS WITH STORIES
Crathes Castle
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The new entrance pavilion to the garden at Crathes estate will open soon. This oak building will have a ‘green’ living roof. We’re also starting work on a major redevelopment of the rose garden at Crathes this year. Our charity would like to thank Professor Ian Young and his wife, Sylvia, who enjoyed a long association with and deep love of Aberdeenshire, for supporting these projects.
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nts.org.uk/crathes
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We’re creating an inventory of our plants
n important part of caring for our collections is having a more complete understanding of what’s in them. With that in mind, a three-year project to inventory all plants in the Trust’s major gardens and designed landscapes starts this summer. Plant Listing at the National Trust for Scotland (PLANTS) will create full records in our database. With more than 200 types of snowdrop at Branklyn Garden alone, and hundreds of daffodil cultivars at Greenbank, Threave and Brodie Castle, it will be quite a challenge!
Set up to address gaps in our current records, the project will allow us to gather and share amazing plant stories from across our collections with our members and visitors, and to engage in their active conservation. It will also help us to demonstrate compliance with plant sourcing and plant health legislation, and will be an important garden management tool for responding to ever-increasing pest and disease threats. nts.org.uk/gardens
Family adventures
LET’S GET DIGGING We’d love to hear your thoughts about Trust membership, including our magazine, emails and annual guide. The 2022 member survey is an opportunity to let us know what you love about the Trust and our places, and what you’d like us to improve. Thank you. Share your thoughts: nts.org.uk/member-survey
You can get involved with our archaeological project As part of the Pioneering Spirit project, in partnership with The Glenlivet, we’re running archaeological digs to uncover the sites of Scotland’s historical whisky stills. We’re also opening up some of the digs for you to get involved.
There are open days on 2 and 9 July at the old site of The Glenlivet distillery at Upper Drumin in Speyside with a small number of places for people interested in taking part in the dig. Pioneering Spirit is uncovering the history of illicit whisky
production and its impact on Scotland’s cultural heritage and its modern way of life. To find out more about taking part in The Glenlivet dig, contact our team via the Pioneering Spirit email address below. whisky@nts.org.uk
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CAMPAIGNING VERSION REPRO OP
PROTECTING OUR SEAS
We’ve joined a coalition campaigning for a more sustainable future
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s part of our continuing protection of Scotland’s coastline, the Trust is a member of a campaign coalition called Our Seas. This coalition of organisations and individuals is campaigning for a move to a more sustainable use of Scotland’s seas. We’ve joined with more than 100 individuals, coastal businesses, fishermen’s organisations, community groups, fisheries’ trusts and environmental organisations to re-establish an inshore limit on bottom-towed fisheries. This will help restrict damaging fishing from the coastal zones of our most vulnerable seas. ‘The more we learn, the more we realise how important our marine environment is – for biodiversity, for climate change, for people – and that we need to care for it better,’ explains Trust policy officer Vicky Cairns. ‘We believe an inshore limit would allow nature to recover where it has been depleted and protect important marine habitats and species in the future. It would also help restore the important ecosystem services that it provides to people, from food and climate
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regulation to supporting tourism and recreation.’ The Trust looks after some of the most spectacular coastline in Scotland, from St Abb’s Head National Nature Reserve to the Hebridean islands of St Kilda and Staffa. An inshore limit will provide opportunities for a transition to more sustainable and less environmentally damaging fishing practices. Our Seas is calling on the Scottish Government to investigate how this could be achieved fairly and in a way that sustains coastal communities and commercial fisheries. More effective vessel monitoring and enforcement will be key. Bottom trawling has had a detrimental impact on fish stocks. The removal of the inshore limit, in conjunction with the expansion of scallop dredging, has severely impacted habitats, biodiversity and fisheries. Scotland’s famed fishing stocks have sharply reduced and many inshore fishermen are now dependent on shellfish to make a living. However, scallop dredging and prawn trawling are regarded as the most damaging forms of fishing taking place in Scotland in terms of their impact on non-target species.
‘We believe an inshore limit would allow nature to recover’
WE NEED YOU
ALAMY, WWW.OURSEAS.SCOT
Find out more at www.ourseas.scot and sign a petition calling for the reintroduction of an inshore fishing limit.
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The conservation of paintings at Alloa Tower in Clackmannanshire is now under way after delays caused by the pandemic. Two specialists from the Conservation Studio in Edinburgh, Owen Davison and Colleen Donaldson, are working on five paintings initially, including an oil portrait of John Erskine, 2nd Earl of Mar (pictured). The work is being generously funded by the current Earl of Mar and Kellie, who loans the paintings to the Trust for display at Alloa Tower.
A CLEAR WINNER
THE CONSERVATION STUDIO
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THE ART OF CONSERVATION
The glasshouse at Inveresk Lodge Garden, near Musselburgh, is popular with visitors and houses a wonderful collection of geraniums. It is also the ideal location for an intimate wedding ceremony. But rotting astragal mouldings meant panes of glass had begun slipping and falling out. Restoration work has now replaced the mouldings, making the glasshouse safe to visit again.
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It’s only with the support of our members and generous donors that we can carry out vital conservation work at our historic places. Here are just a few of the projects that we have been working on thanks to your support
LETTER PERFECT
Following a crowdfunding appeal supported by donors around the world, a rare original letter written in 1312 by Robert the Bruce, King of Scots, has now gone back on display at Brodie Castle in Moray, after delicate work was carried out to clean the vellum and remove damaging traces of adhesive on it. A new mount has been added and the letter is now housed in a state-of-the-art case to give it the highest standard of protection. Sent to Malcolm, Thane of Brodie, the missive is one of the oldest surviving documents in the Trust’s vast collection.
CRACK TEAM
After being exposed to the elements for more than 400 years, the armorial panels on the walls of Crathes Castle in Aberdeenshire were in need of urgent work. Our expert team have repaired cracks and fragile elements of the carvings, as well as protecting the stone and slowing down the process of natural weathering. Meanwhile, samples taken from old paint fragments have given us a fascinating insight into the colour scheme previously used – greys, carbon black, red lead and golden ochres. SUMMER 2022 � 13
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Environment column: Inverewe, 1
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THE RHODO TO NET ZERO
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Using a problem plant to improve our soils and capture carbon is the way forward, says Inverewe Garden’s invasive non-native species ranger Gareth Parkinson
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nverewe Garden is home to plants from around the world. In the rhododendron collection alone, you’ll find cultivars from as far afield as California, Japan and Sri Lanka. These plants thrive in the garden’s mild, sheltered microclimate, but sometimes they like the conditions so much that they self-seed and spread around the garden and out into the wider estate – which can be a problem. One such plant is Rhododendron ponticum. It was introduced to the GREAT FOR UK in the 1760s as ornamental YOUR GARDEN and shelter planting. Tolerant of Inverewe Soil and Plant salt spray and strong winds and Booster will soon be unpalatable to deer, it must available to buy. Turn have seemed like the perfect to p71 for more plant to Osgood Mackenzie details when he was establishing Inverewe Garden in the 1860s. But this ‘perfect plant’ definitely has dense thickets which shade out native a dark side. Mature shrubs can produce plants. The effect is particularly up to a million seeds each year. The devastating in native Atlantic peaty, acidic soil of western Scotland Rainforest, home to several species provides ideal conditions for these of lichen only found in Scotland. seeds to germinate, ultimately creating Even when mature stands of the plant
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‘The charcoal kiln turns waste wood into biochar which boosts our garden soils’
Gareth Parkinson loading the kiln; Rhododendron ponticum in flower
Making biochar at Inverewe
are removed, the soil that’s left behind is depleted. At Inverewe we have been removing Rhododendron ponticum for several years. This work has generated a lot of woody material which in the past was either burned or used locally as firewood. However, we’ve discovered a way to turn this material into a sustainable soil improver called ‘biochar’. Project Wipeout, supported by players of People’s Postcode Lottery, NatureScot and Baillie Gifford, enabled us to buy a charcoal kiln that efficiently turns waste wood into biochar, which boosts our compost and, in turn, our garden soils. It will remain stable for hundreds of years, locking up carbon which would otherwise have been released into the atmosphere. nts.org.uk/inverewe SUMMER 2022 � 15
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Something for everyone, 1
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ries from the past, exploring sto ng eri cov dis – you sts ere int ver Whate kids play – our amazing places the outdoors or simply watching the et for exciting family days out around the country are just the tick WORDS: IDA MASPERO
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AMAZING PLACES VERSION
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• Brodie Castle, Moray • Newhailes House and Garden, Musselburgh • Drum Castle, Aberdeenshire
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PACK THE DAY FULL OF FUN
y trip from home, staycation or just a da ish ott Sc a g nin an pl y long! Whether you’re ages occupied… all da all ep ke to ed te an ar these places are gu
ISLAND TREASURES
Brodick Castle, Garden and Country Park, Arran Brodick is the UK’s only island country park, stretching from seashore to mountain peak. A day will fly by as you explore the Victorian castle and its splendid gardens, wander through woodlands and let the kids run wild in the adventure playpark. Inside the castle, a new interactive visitor experience brings its stories and collections to life. From here, take a stroll through the grounds and the 18 � SUMMER 2022
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Silver Garden, where shimmering art installations bend the light and play with your senses. Exotic botanical treasures flourish in the walled garden and on the Plant Hunters’ Walk. Rambling further along the woodland trails brings you to
Adventurous kids will love Isle Be Wild
magical waterfalls and bathing pools, as well as the Red Squirrel Hide. The acrobatic antics of these endearing creatures are the inspiration for the Isle Be Wild play area, where youngsters can scramble among trees on zip wires, high towers and walkways. Don’t miss the fairy homes tucked among the trees on the Fairies and Legends Trail behind the play area. Towering above it all is the mighty Goatfell. The climb to the top makes a rewarding day hike for keen walkers. nts.org.uk/brodick
Something for everyone, 2
TURRETS, TOPIARIES AND TREETOPS Crathes Castle, Garden and Estate, Aberdeenshire
With its fairytale turrets and elaborate painted ceilings, magnificent 16th-century Crathes Castle is the stuff of legends, and so are its grounds. Ancient yew topiaries and hedges – straight from the pages of Alice’s Adventures in Wonderland – define the extensive gardens and seem to invite games of hide-and-seek. The green-fingered talents of Trust gardeners are on display in the famous walled garden, a riot of colour and fragrance in summer. Last year, they completed a fascinating new feature, the Evolution Garden, to show the development of plants through time. Its three circular raised beds
Is that a pine marten? Keep your eyes peeled for wildlife
represent different geological periods and host some pretty prehistoric-looking plants that wouldn’t be out of place in Jurassic Park: ferns, liverworts, horsetails and cycads. Beyond the carefully manicured gardens, waymarked trails offer the chance to explore the estate’s wilder woodlands, ponds and streams – keep a look out for buzzards, red kites and
kingfishers, as well as pine martens, red squirrels and roe deer. A visit to the wildlife hide might just pay off. Inspired by this woodland setting and stories from the castle, the Wild Wood Adventure play area will have the kids darting between the trees on walkways and a zip wire, scrambling up the climbing wall and scaling the replica Green Lady’s Tower. nts.org.uk/crathes
‘Follow the path to the secret coves where smugglers landed their loot’
Enjoy all the colours of the garden
THE COUNTRY PARK THAT HAS IT ALL Culzean Castle and Country Park, Ayrshire
Taking the family to Culzean? You’d better get there early – there is so much to see and do here. The 18th-century castle perches on a cliff high above the sea. The focal point of its lavish interior is the
sweeping Oval Staircase, but kids might be more intrigued by the enormous collection of pistols and swords, and can hunt for Lego figures hidden around the rooms. Flanking the castle are terraces of formal gardens, while fruit and vegetables thrive in the kitchen garden and glasshouses. As you explore the meandering paths of the country park, don’t miss the Swan Pond, a haven for
wildfowl, or the Deer Park, where you can admire the magnificent antlers of the resident monarchs of the glen. For kids, the Adventure Cove playpark is the undisputed highlight. It reflects the architecture and heritage of the estate, with a castellated walkway and whisky barrels that hint at a history of smuggling. Once you’ve explored the garden and grounds, why not follow the path down to the secret coves and caves where those smugglers landed their loot. The rocky shores here are an inviting place for a spot of rock-pooling. nts.org.uk/culzean SUMMER 2022 SUMMER 2021� 19 � 19
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AMAZING PLACES VERSION REPRO OP
MORE WALKS AND WILDLIFE
• The Hermitage, Perthshire • Mar Lodge Estate, Cairngorms • Torridon, Highlands
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EXPLORE THE OUTDOORS
itage. their wild beauty and natural her Many of our places are famed for s ure lovers and wildlife enthusiast Here is this summer’s pick for nat
SUMMER IN SEABIRD CITY
St Abb’s Head, Borders For a dose of fresh sea air and to witness nature at its most exuberant, nowhere beats the clifftop nature reserve of St Abb’s Head on the Berwickshire coast. Shaped by volcanic forces, this dramatic landscape of cliffs and rock stacks is a cacophony of colour and noise in summer. Coastal wildflowers festoon the headland, and around 60,000 breeding seabirds jostle for space on the sheer cliffs. Head along the clifftop path for excellent views of this bustling, noisy 20 � SUMMER 2022
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seabird city. As well as significant numbers of guillemots, kittiwakes and razorbills, there are shags, herring gulls and fulmars. In recent years, gannets have started nesting here too. From your high vantage point, be sure to scan the waters below for dolphins and porpoises – they’re commonly seen here – or even the occasional whale.
Huge colonies of seabirds nest at St Abb’s Head
Away from the cliff edge, carpets of wildflowers attract bees and an array of butterflies. Follow the circular trail inland to the tranquil Mire Loch, home to swans and other wildfowl, as well as damselflies, frogs and other minibeasts. When the gorse is blooming, its heady scent and masses of sunny yellow flowers add a whole new level of exuberance. And finally, there’s one more exciting reason to visit St Abb’s Head: if you’re a Marvel fan, you might be able to spot locations from the filming of the 2019 movie Avengers: Endgame! nts.org.uk/stabbs
Threave Garden and Estate, Dumfries & Galloway
Look out for bright Peacock butterflies
As the home of the Trust’s School of Heritage Gardening, Threave is an unmissable showcase of horticultural skill and dedication. The nature reserve on the wider estate is equally unmissable for keen wildlifespotters. Its wetlands and marshes are of international importance, a haven for birdlife including breeding waders in summer. Red kites are often seen circling overhead, and peregrine falcons nest in the castle ruins. The estate’s most impressive summer residents are the ospreys that have been nesting here for the past decade. Visit the viewing platform, which has telescopes and volunteers on hand to answer
‘Red kites are often seen circling overhead and falcons nest in the castle ruins’
Something for everyone, 3
SOUTHERN SANCTUARY
Step through the visitor centre into another world
questions about these magnificent raptors. Our Landscape Restoration Project, begun last year, aims to improve and expand the wetland ecosystem for the benefit of overwintering geese and other wildlife. The project will see a disused dairy farm gradually return to nature with a helping hand from experts. nts.org.uk/threave
So much to explore
OASIS ON THE EDGE Inverewe Garden and Estate, NW Highlands
On Scotland’s far-flung Atlantic edge lies the unlikely oasis of Inverewe. Here, an array of exotic plants from around the world thrive by a rocky shore, thanks to the Gulf
Stream’s mild influence. In summer, this immense heritage garden bursts with subtropical colour. Creating the garden was a labour of love for Osgood Mackenzie
and his daughter Mairi Sawyer, whose home within the garden is now open as an immersive museum. Their fascinating story is brought to life through all the senses – the scent of fresh flowers, music playing on the gramophone and objects to touch. The wider estate is a quintessential coastal Highland landscape. Explore its wild shores, moorland and woodland along two trails. With luck, you might just spot a red squirrel, red deer, otter, seal or golden eagle. To increase your chances, visit the wildlife hide for views over Loch Ewe. Or, better still, hop aboard the Striker for a wildlife-spotting boat trip with local fisherman and scallop-diver Jamie Elder. Inverewe is You might even glimpse perched between a magnificent sea sea and mountain eagle soaring overhead. nts.org.uk/ inverewe SUMMER 2022 � 21
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Our recently built ‘turf and creel’ house
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MORE STORIES TO DISCOVER
• The Hill House, Helensburgh • Culloden, Inverness • Falkland Palace, Fife
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LEARN ABOUT OUR HISTORY and these historic 2022 is Scotland’s Year of Stories tell places have fascinating tales to
MAJESTIC PEAKS AND A HAUNTING PAST Glencoe National Nature Reserve, Highlands
Glencoe is renowned for its scenery but its history is equally gripping, for this was where the infamous Massacre took place in 1692: 38 men, women and children of the MacDonald clan were murdered by soldiers who’d been welcomed into their homes. That tragic event over 300 years ago still tugs at the heart strings, but today it is hard to imagine that
hundreds of Highlanders once lived in townships up and down the glen. You can now get a real flavour of what life was like for them at our new replica 17th-century ‘turf and creel’ dwelling next to the visitor centre. Inside the visitor centre itself, there are more
stories of the glen through the ages. Find out about its formation millennia ago, and about the intrepid early mountaineers who first scaled its imposing peaks. Enjoy Glencoe’s natural grandeur on a multitude of rewarding walks, from short riverside and woodland rambles to more challenging mountain hikes, including the trek up to Coire Gabhail, ‘the Hidden Valley’ – a steep climb through a gorge that opens out into a stunning natural amphitheatre. nts.org.uk/glencoe SUMMER 2022 � 23
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Something for everyone, 4
AMAZING PLACES
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LIFE AND TIMES OF THE BARD
Robert Burns Birthplace Museum, Ayrshire REPRO OP SUBS ART
Explore the stomping ground of Scotland’s national poet in his home village of Alloway. The hub is the fabulous museum, home to thousands of Burns artefacts including his manuscripts, alongside interactive displays. From here, seek out the landmarks associated with the poet’s life and work: the humble cottage where he was born, and the atmospheric Alloway Auld Kirk and pretty ‘Brig o’ Doon’
Children play beneath the Burns Monument in Alloway
that play such a key role in Tam o’ Shanter. Large outdoor sculptures bring Burns’s poetry to life in a fun and engaging way. There’s a huge Tim’rous Beastie, a life-size Twa Dogs, and two enormous new willow
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‘Burn off energy at the brilliantly unusual Scots Wa-Hey adventure playground’
sculptures: one of Tam and his horse Meg, and the other a 16ft-tall figure called the Walking Poet. Youngsters can let off steam at Scots Wa-Hey, a playpark inspired by the poet’s life and work. There’s a mini Burns Cottage with spaces to crawl through, and features inspired by Tam o’ Shanter, including a witch’s cauldron and the Auld Kirk climbing wall. nts.org.uk/burns
New tours offer a fresh insight at House of Dun
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COUNTRY LIFE AND GEORGIAN GRANDEUR House of Dun, Dundee & Angus
This is not just an elegant Georgian mansion, set within beautiful gardens. It’s now also home to a new interactive visitor experience that reveals traditional rural life in Angus. The multisensory exhibits, housed in the courtyard buildings, tell the stories of all sorts of people who lived
and worked in Angus over the centuries – tradesmen and farm hands as well as aristocrats. Made possible by a legacy from Dr Sheila Bain, the transformed courtyard is also the new home of the Angus Folk Collection, previously held in Glamis. This quirky array of everyday items from the region’s rich agricultural past was originally collected by Jean, Lady Maitland. There are implements for tilling the land and rearing
livestock, and tools for spinning, weaving and blacksmithing – revealing the skills by which Angus country folk made a living. Inside the main house, you’ll discover the lavish lifestyle of the 18th-century laird in the company of a guide in Georgian costume. The splendour continues in the restored formal gardens, flooded with the heady fragrance of roses in high summer. From the south terrace there are views down to Montrose Basin Nature Reserve. Follow one of the estate paths to explore parts of the reserve and the mature woodland – home to red squirrels and a variety of birds. nts.org.uk/house-of-dun
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TRUST PEOPLE VERSION
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MENDERS These three skilled Trust staff ensure that our buildings and collections are conserved for us all to enjoy, while keeping traditional skills alive
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STEWART COLQUHOUN
CONSERVATION TECHNICIAN
YOUR SUPPORT MATTERS The expert care and repair of our buildings and collections is only possible with the support of our members and donors. Thank you!
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rom precious books and paintings to swords and even a battlefield cannon at Culloden, Stewart Colquhoun has cared for it all in his 35 years as a conservation technician. While the Trust appoints external experts to carry out many specialist conservation tasks, Stewart’s workshop is often first port of call for his colleagues across the charity if an item is in need of a little TLC. ‘I don’t restore, I conserve,’ he explains, keen to stress that his work is never about returning an object to its original state, but rather about securing its present-day condition and ensuring that it can be studied and enjoyed for many more years to come. ‘I’m looking after the objects and protecting them for future generations,’ says Stewart. Much of his work involves reframing pictures, eliminating old acidic backing and framing materials that can degrade
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ABOVE Binding a book with volunteer Eddie Abrahams
precious artworks over time. He is also a trained bookbinder and has bound everything from 15th-century volumes to a brand-new visitor book made for
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CARING FOR COLLECTIONS
The artworks and books that come through Stewart’s workshop are often rare, but he’d rather not know an object’s value. ‘They all get treated with the same care,’ he says.
‘Every job is different. Some take a few hours, some take a few months’ the House of Dun upon its opening as a Trust property in 1989 (first signee, the Queen Mother). More unusual projects have included special boxes Stewart designed to protect bats in our historic buildings from getting hurt in traps laid down for insects. ‘Some jobs take a few hours, others take a few months, but they all get treated with the same care. It’s a lot of responsibility,’ he says. So why did a government training programme in conservation with the Trust appeal to him back in 1982,
when he was 17? ‘I always wanted to work with my hands,’ he explains. ‘As long as it was practical, I would give it a go.’ Stewart has lived with cerebral palsy since birth, which affects his
mobility and tasks such as handwriting, but it doesn’t prevent him doing even extremely detailed work. In fact, it might even make him better at his job, he thinks. ‘All my life I’ve had to solve problems because of my condition, find solutions for things,’ he says. Stewart’s job also supports the process of discovery which is an important part of the Trust’s mission. With every item he conserves, he compiles a report of the work he has carried out and what he may have learned about it in the process. In the mending, objects’ stories can reveal themselves in surprising ways – be it through scraps of old newspaper found lining the back of picture frames, or dried flowers left pressed inside the pages of a book. ‘You never know what you’re going to find,’ he smiles. SUMMER 2022 � 27
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CRAIG CAMPBELL HEAD STONEMASON, CULZEAN CASTLE
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e’re taught to cut stone, dress stone and build with stone,’ says Craig Campbell, ‘whether it be on a castle or on a modern building.’ Stonemasonry is one of the world’s oldest professions, and it hasn’t changed all that much over the centuries. As head stonemason at clifftop Culzean Castle in south Ayrshire, Craig sees the evidence of this every day – not least because, like his 18th-century predecessors who originally carved this architectural wonder out of fine sandstone to Robert Adam’s design, he doesn’t use power-tools. ‘We try to do things the traditional way as much as possible and only use hand-tools,’ he explains. ‘The hammers
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BELOW The tools of the trade
ABOVE Safety matters with dust
and chisels have changed, but the skills and theory behind it all is probably much the same.’ Craig started out as a labourer before becoming a stonemason’s apprentice in 2005 at the age of 28 – a relatively late start in the trade. He was self-employed for many years, but in early 2021 Craig spotted an advert for the job at Culzean, applied, and hasn’t looked back since. ‘I couldn’t honestly ask for a better office,’ he smiles. ‘I’m from Glasgow, a concrete city. This is a big country park, the scenery’s fantastic and the people I work with are all brilliant.’ Together with apprentice Scott Jackson, Craig works on a variety of buildings and other stone structures across the sprawling 260-hectare estate, often on outbuildings and cottages but only very occasionally on the castle itself. A recent major job, just completed, involved meticulously rebuilding an old wall which had deteriorated. Craig also sometimes finds himself helping with other Trust properties – repairing
a broken sundial at Brodick Castle on the Isle of Arran, for instance. What does he love most about his job? The precision of stonemasonry particularly appeals to his meticulous nature, he says. At Culzean he enjoys
STONES OF DESTINY Head to Culzean to see the efforts of Craig and the whole team who keep our Ayrshire castle in such fine condition. Plan your visit at nts.org.uk/culzean
being able to see jobs through from start to end, and he appreciates how they contribute to the overall health of the property. Another rewarding part of the job is the knowledge that, if he does his stonework to the highest of his exacting standards, it should hopefully stand for many more centuries to come. ‘Culzean Country Park has a lot of historic value and I love having a part in helping to preserve that,’ he says.
‘We try to do things the traditional way as much as possible and only use hand-tools’
HARD AT WORK
Craig enjoys talking to visitors who stop to ask questions and sometimes compliment the quality of the work. ‘It’s good to show people restoration being done.’
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Tony Niepold watches as Trust compositor Jack Conkie sets a page of type. ‘My generation is probably the last one that was trained on a letterpress,’ he says.
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TONY NIEPOLD
PRINTER, ROBERT SMAIL’S PRINTING WORKS
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stablished in 1866 and barely altered since, Robert Smail’s is the only fully functioning Victorian letterpress printing works left in the UK. It’s a precious piece of living history harking back to an obsolete yet culturally valuable practice that can still fire creative imaginations to this day. But the skills to operate and maintain complex machinery, much of it more than a century old, threaten to fade from the collective memory if not actively preserved – which is where
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Tony Niepold comes in. As printer at Smail’s, Tony oversees day-to-day operations of the printing works. Working alongside him is Trust compositor Jack Conkie, a fine-art graduate whose job is to set the type. Tony and Jack apply their unique skills to a vast array of boutique printing jobs for Trust properties and other customers. Memorable projects include beautiful National Trust for Scotland Christmas cards, a bespoke book listing donors for the Robert
Burns Birthplace Museum and the label for a limited-edition bottle of whisky. The pair also run letterpress workshops for members of the public. On top of all that, Tony also cleans, oils, repairs and generally keeps the Wharfedale, Falcon, Heidelberg and other vintage printing presses in perfect working order. In the process, he keeps alive a long line of historic knowledge. ‘My generation is probably the last one that was trained in the letterpress way,’ he says. ‘It’s not as if any of these old machines have operating manuals!’ With Tony’s retirement beckoning, the Trust is currently recruiting for a printing trainee to work with him in his remaining time at Robert Smail’s to make sure his skills are passed on. Tony’s long career in printing began back in his native New Zealand, not long after dropping out of high school. ‘I was never very academic,’ he admits, ‘but I like pulling things to bits. I got into the trade because my dad was in the printing industry and the firm he was working for wanted an apprentice.’ He then ran his own print-finishing business for several years before moving to the UK, where he discovered Robert Smail’s after his partner spotted an advert in the local job centre. He was initially taken on for a couple of days a week; later, following a stint
RIGHT One of the many challenges of typesetting is making every thing a mirror image! BELOW Tony’s role includes keeping the antique presses in good working order
PRINTS CHARMING Fancy trying your hand at printing the traditional way? Join a letterpress class at Robert Smail’s to create your own poster. Find out more at nts.org.uk/ robertsmails
‘I was never very academic but I like pulling things to bits’ back in New Zealand, he returned to Innerleithen in 2007 to become employed full-time. While the making side of his work is something Tony is trained for, the mending aspect has evolved organically over many years, through his natural curiosity for, as he puts it, ‘playing with old machines’ – a mixture of experience and intuition. ‘We get natural wear and tear on things like the inking rollers, and one of the machines uses rubber hoses that have to be replaced over the years, but we’ve fortunately not had any major problems in the time I’ve been working here,’ says Tony. ‘This is not necessarily something that all printers train to do. I just happened to find my niche at Smail’s.’ SUMMER 2022 � 31
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THE STORM BLACK YELLOW MAGENTA CYAN
Changes to Scotland’s climate are shaping the Trust’s conservation work like never before, requiring expert care and creative solutions from our teams WORDS: RICH ROWE
BOXING CLEVER In 2019 we built a chainmail Box around Mackintosh’s Hill House. This innovative project was designed to protect the building from water ingress and allow it to dry out. Find out how it’s progressing at nts.org.uk/thehillhouse
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trong, resolute and built to last. Many of the castles and ancient buildings that have endured so much during their histories, and which are such a key part of Scotland’s identity, now face perhaps their biggest challenge yet: our changing climate. In all, the Trust cares for around 1,600 structures – not just castles and historic houses, but also bridges, monuments, ice houses, gates, sculptures and more. It’s a mammoth task that involves often painstaking conservation work and a near constant cycle of maintenance. Of course, time – and the elements – catch up on even the sturdiest of structures, so what has changed exactly? After all, the Scottish climate has rarely been the kindest. For Sarah MacKinnon, the Trust’s head of building surveying, it’s clear that warmer, wetter conditions, and an increasing number of extreme weather events, are having a profound impact on the built heritage in the Trust’s care. ‘During the 25 years or so that I have been involved in building conservation, climate change has moved to the front of our consciousness,’ says Sarah. ‘And buildings are perhaps now putting up with some of the most aggressive conditions in their history.’ The Trust’s response has been to design conservation strategies that both future-proof buildings against climate change and reduce their carbon footprint. There are some shining stars already. Opened in 2010, the Robert Burns Birthplace Museum in Alloway has sustainability built into every square metre, while the new Corrieshalloch Gorge Gateway visitor centre near Ullapool – currently under development – will also have the strongest possible eco credentials. Sadly, it is far harder to retrofit sustainability in older buildings. SUMMER 2022 � 35
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CLIMATE CHANGE VERSION
ELEMENTAL FORCES
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The chief threats can perhaps be summed up in just three words: water, heat and wind. All three chip away at the fabric of buildings, sometimes in spectacularly destructive ways. Water can be particularly harmful. With the average rainfall in Scotland now up to 25% higher than it was in the 1960s, some structures never quite have the chance to completely dry out. It’s an issue we’ve been tackling at Charles Rennie Mackintosh’s 1904 Hill House in Helensburgh via the innovative Chainmail Box which is enabling the building to dry while preventing further water ingress. But damp is also a problem for much older buildings. ‘Historic buildings reach a kind of equilibrium in their ability to keep themselves dry when materials are in good health,’ explains Sarah. ‘But when that equilibrium is disturbed either by human intervention or by a change in climatic conditions, it becomes difficult for them to cope.’ At Brodick Castle on Arran, for example, sections of high-level stonework rarely have the chance to dry out between downpours – with the result that water is now seeping through the stone and into the rooms below. Across the whole estate, previous interventions using
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Sarah MacKinnon
BELOW Falkland Palace in Fife INSET Conservation work on statues at Falkland Palace
cement mortars, while undertaken with the best of intentions, have exacerbated the problem and we are now working on several buildings to remove the cement and replace it with breathable lime mortars and renders. Warmer, wetter conditions – and a resulting longer growing season – also invite unwelcome vegetation growth. At Falkland Palace, fast-growing plants such as buddleia have taken a liking to some of the high turrets. Once established, and if left undisturbed, the roots of plants loosen masonry, with a knock-on effect in terms of health and safety and visitor access. Similarly, vulnerable buildings typically enjoy respite from dry rot during the winter when cold weather makes it dormant. However, milder winters mean that dry rot can be active year-round. At the other extreme, when conditions are hot and dry, the equilibrium of a building may be stressed in a different way. ‘In lime-based masonry, for instance, excessive heat over an extended period causes an issue called differential movement that damages render and allows moisture into the masonry,’ says Sarah. Wind too is an increasing concern. When Storm Arwen barrelled through last autumn, it took down several million trees around the country. The destruction was due not just to the severity of the wind but also its direction; trees that had grown
PRETTY IN PINK Craigievar Castle is famous for its distinctive pink lime harl finish.
‘Water, heat and wind chip away at the fabric of historic buildings, sometimes in spectacularly destructive ways’ used to withstanding prevailing south-westerlies were stressed from an entirely different direction when the storm blew in from the north. With buildings also generally constructed with prevailing winds in mind, the parallels are clear. ‘We can imagine conditions becoming windier in the future, but the idea that wind might come from a different direction is something else,’ comments Sarah. ‘Trees aren’t ready for that and, to some extent, neither are buildings.’
BUILDING RESILIENCE To help our built estate become more resilient in the future, we are about to embark on an external condition survey of all the structures in our care. Most will be surveyed over the next three years, providing a snapshot that will be repeated in a phased way so that all buildings have a survey every five years. From 2023, the survey will be extended to include major plant and equipment such as boilers. ‘This will tie in closely with our ambitions for climate change and sustainability as we move away from oil and gas,’ notes Sarah.
ABOVE Craigievar Castle near Alford, Aberdeenshire BELOW Thousands of our trees were brought down by last winter’s violent storms
Such a comprehensive assessment will enable the Trust to understand how even the oldest structures can ‘perform’ better. Doing so, however, will likely involve difficult decisions, particularly relating to cultural integrity. The time might be right, for instance, to consider installing secondary glazing in some ancient buildings or managing water flow on others by fitting gutters where none currently exist. Craigievar Castle in Aberdeenshire is a prime example. ‘Historically, it’s a building with very few gutters, but we are now looking at where we can install additional gutters and leadwork, to manage water coming off the roof to save the stonework and harl,’ explains Sarah. There is even a school of thought that says it’s just not possible to conserve every structure and, in some cases, there will instead be an element of managing their dignified decay. ‘We are not resigned to such thinking as yet,’ notes Sarah. ‘But the sad truth is that when building conservation is already a considerable challenge, climate change SUMMER 2022 � 37
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could well make the difference between a building’s future being viable and not viable.’ This theme of taking stock to help inform future actions extends into the natural world. A recent Natural Capital baseline assessment provided a timely spot check on the Trust’s terrestrial carbon stores, including the amount of carbon locked up on its land, where that carbon is stored, and the condition of those habitats.
BLANKET BOG AND DEEP PEAT
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In terms of landholding, the Trust looks after around 1% of Scotland’s land mass; this doesn’t sound much but it includes vast areas of blanket bog, peatland and woodland that are all vitally important. Every tree absorbs carbon from the atmosphere as it grows, but even more significant are the areas of deep peat that have accumulated over thousands of years. However, peatland can be a double-edged sword; while the baseline assessment found that peatland in the Trust’s care holds an estimated 18.9 million tonnes of CO2 equivalent, it revealed that degraded areas of peatland emit around 6,505 tonnes of CO2 equivalent each year. Such figures highlight both the value of healthy peatland and the importance of the Trust’s restoration work at
The Trust has begun to collect seeds from one of Scotland’s most vulnerable species as insurance against its potential UK extinction. It is believed that a combination of milder winters and warmer summers has seen the mountain sandwort retreat uphill as conditions at lower altitude become unsuitable. Already rooted well above 900m, the plants now have nowhere else to go. Last year, the Trust’s Dan Watson ABOVE collected seed from around 40 mountain Loch Skeen at sandwort at Ben Lawers and sent them Grey Mare’s Tail, to the Royal Botanic Garden Edinburgh. where we are More seeds will be collected and frozen reprofiling and to see if that stimulates germination. revegetating Once frozen, seeds can remain viable eroded peat for a seriously long time – seed collected from various plants at Ben Lawers in 1996 and stored at Kew Gardens’ Millennium Seed Bank continue to show good viability today. In the case of mountain sandwort, should the plant go extinct, the seed bank holdings ensure that plants exist that are genetically identical to those that used to occur in Scotland. Mountain sandwort There’s also the chance to on Ben Lawers experiment on the plants, exposing them to different levels of heat, cold and drought. ‘We see it as a chance to stress the plants in different ways to better understand what might be causing problems in their natural environment,’ says Dan.
‘Every tree absorbs carbon from the atmosphere as it grows. Even more significant are the areas of deep peat that have accumulated over thousands of years’
Tagging mountain sandwort
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Climate change feature, 3
CLIMATE CHANGE
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CLIMATE CHANGE VERSION
RIGHT Archaeologist Dr Daniel Rhodes
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a variety of sites. This includes alongside Loch Skeen at Grey Mare’s Tail, where contractors have reprofiled and revegetated an area of eroded peat that had started to oxidise and release its carbon. ‘It was a treat to see the contractors use these huge diggers to do such delicate work, peeling back turf and laying down vegetation,’ comments Dan Watson, a Trust natural heritage advisor. ‘Ultimately, we want that vegetation to not just stabilise the ground but to return to being a functional peatland that grows and accumulates.’ As with so much of our work, there are other benefits beyond carbon storage. Loch Skeen, the highest loch in the south of Scotland, serves as a climate refuge for a cold water-loving species of fish called vendace, introduced when populations plummeted elsewhere due to habitat degradation. A somewhat particular fish, the vendace depends on clean, nutrient-poor water to complete its life cycle. Prior to the peatland restoration work, the Trust had installed silt traps to prevent peat running off into the loch. Following revegetation, the areas of peat that run down to the loch shore are already much more stable, and many of the silt traps are no longer required – good news for the peat and good news for the vendace.
‘We are focusing our efforts on 28 key archaeological sites at risk from coastal erosion, flood and landslide’
more than 13,000 sites across Scotland within 50m of the coast and at risk from coastal erosion, flood and landslide. We are now focusing our efforts on 28 key targets. ‘The next step is to “ground truth” the information,’ explains archaeologist Dr Daniel BELOW Rhodes. This means visiting sites to see where the Hotter, drier high-water mark is, identifying levels of erosion weather and determining which sites are actively in danger increases the risk over the next decade. of wildfires like COASTAL ARCHAEOLOGY With more storm events and the sheer physical those at Ben Sadly, there’s not such good news for Scotland’s energy being unleashed on Scotland’s coastline Lomond and coastal archaeological sites. The initial phase of greater than ever, what was once safe is no longer Balmacara this our Archaeology on the Edge project revealed so. In Torridon, there are drystone fishing bothies spring high up on cliff edges that were built secure from the pounding of the sea, but which now take the full force of waves during storms. Recent visits to Kintail and Balmacara have identified several sites likely to be inundated as the high-water mark continues to rise. Although sobering, such an exercise does provide laser focus. If we’re able to pinpoint sites that will disappear, there is then an opportunity to extract as much information about them as possible, in much the same way as recording the stories of aged family members that would otherwise be lost when they die. ‘I’m staying upbeat,’ comments Daniel. ‘These places are going and there’s not much we can do about it, so let’s work with the process and find out as much as we can and engage with local people and communities to aid that understanding.’ We’re very grateful to all who supported
Thank you!
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our Protect our Places appeal. You can donate at nts.org.uk/protect-our-places
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s you walk among Japanese acers, Tibetan cherries and Himalayan poppies, it’s easy to forget you’re just metres away from the bustling streets of Perth. A trip to Branklyn Garden transports you in both time and place: you find yourself roaming among the botanically rich landscapes of Asia and the Far East, while simultaneously travelling back in time to the 1920s when the garden was first conceived by John and Dorothy Renton, on the sloping site of an old orchard. This year, Branklyn Garden celebrates its centenary, but unlike some historic gardens the planting feels colourful and contemporary. So it’s a surprise to discover that some trees and plants are 100 years old. Several were put into the ground by Mrs Renton herself, and others have been propagated from the original 44 � SUMMER 2022
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trees or shrubs she planted. In fact, around half of the current 3,500 plant species at Branklyn are reckoned to be direct descendants of the Rentons’ own plants. The result is a two-acre garden that brims with colour from February to November, and one that never fails to inspire our visitors. ‘The garden has been laid out with all my favourite plants,’ says property ABOVE Woodland planting
BELOW Himalayan blue poppies
manager and head gardener Jim Jermyn with a smile. ‘I ran a nursery business for 20 years and we specialised in many of the alpine plants that are famous here, such as Himalayan blue poppies, autumn gentians and primulas. I was a regular visitor to Branklyn before I came to work here in 2017.’ The other notable thing about Branklyn is how much it still feels like a ‘real’ garden – intimate, beautifully maintained and protectively wrapped around the picture-perfect Arts & Crafts house also built by the Rentons. Perhaps because of that, there is a relaxed family feeling among the people who work here.
A FAMILY TEAM Running Branklyn’s popular tea-room is Jim’s wife, Alison, a confectioner and talented baker. The gardens are maintained by around 50 volunteers (‘They have varying degrees of
gardening experience but plenty of passion!’ says Jim) and a close-knit team of gardeners: Alistair has worked here since 2015 and has recently been joined by alpine-loving Petra, who came to Branklyn from the Royal Botanic Garden in Edinburgh. ‘At Branklyn, you need gardeners who understand Mrs Renton and why she planted things where she did,’ Jim explains. ‘Alistair and I feel we know her very well. We’re always asking ourselves, “What would Mrs Renton do? Would she put this plant here?” If something is deemed to be “not really Dorothy”, we’ll pick a different plant!’ Like Jim, Dorothy Renton loved to share her garden with other people, and she was particularly keen on visitors who took their time and crouched down to get a closer look at her rare floral treasures. From the moment she and husband John began to build the garden in 1922, the couple drew on the expertise of local plant-growers, such as the Cox family at Glendoick Nurseries just a few miles away, and well-travelled plant-hunters such as George Forrest, Frank Ludlow and George Sherriff.
‘I was a regular visitor to Branklyn before I came to work here in 2017’ As the 21st century reassesses colonialism and its links with plant-hunting, these are now being explored with a more critical eye. But there’s no doubt that the garden at Branklyn would not be what it is without the seeds brought back from the likes of Kashmir, Bhutan and
Tibet. And Mrs Renton was a generous gardener: when given a batch of seeds, such as blue poppies and primulas, she would grow them on with great enthusiasm and share the resulting plants with other gardeners and growers across the UK. Peat-wall gardening is another aspect of Branklyn Garden that has commanded more attention recently. Mrs Renton used blocks of peat to build walls in some parts of the garden because they provided a moist, acidic environment for her rhododendrons, cassiopes, trilliums and poppies. Although the peat walls have been an integral part of Branklyn’s history, the Trust has already ended its use of peat in its garden activities so future repairs will use less environmentally damaging alternatives to create similar growing conditions.
THROUGH THE SEASONS There is so much to enjoy here, starting with the pond and bog garden, the richly planted rhododendron borders and Branklyn’s famous alpine scree
RAY COX PHOTOGRAPHY
HOME IS HERE
Built by the Rentons in the 1920s, the house retains its Arts & Crafts charm and now hosts a popular tea-room on the ground floor
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SUPPORT BRANKLYN
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Donate to our fundraising appeal nts.org.uk/ branklyn-100
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‘We couldn’t look after Branklyn the way we do without our volunteers – we’re so grateful for all their help’
CLIENT
ABOVE garden, which was previously the site Pink dogtooth violets nestle of the Rentons’ tennis court before among yellow oxlips Dorothy decided she’d prefer more plants to a rousing game of doubles. In late March, the ground is awash belters,’ says Jim. ‘The collection with colour, as a sea of butter-yellow started from the seed of three species oxlips spring up around nodding and when they were planted here at hellebores, electric-blue scilla and the Branklyn, they hybridised to create unusual camouflage-splashed leaves new cultivars.’ of maroon trilliums. The luminous blue poppies These are followed in April by are followed in summer by astilbes, daffodils, dainty dogtooth violets lilies, irises, peonies and candy(Erythronium) and early coloured primulas, against a backdrop rhododendrons. ‘According to our of increasingly vibrant tree foliage. records, Mrs Renton first planted the Branklyn Garden has its fair share yellow oxlips in 1936,’ says Jim. ‘She of remarkable trees, including a probably started with a few under the 100-year-old hornbeam towering trees and then, like the pink over the gazebo (believed to be erythroniums, they’ve been allowed the largest hornbeam tree in to spread and self-seed.’ Scotland), a mighty golden-leaved In May, the magnificent Himalayan Japanese maple (Acer shirasawanum blue poppies (Meconopsis) start to unfurl, the silky blue petals as beautiful as the first versions grown by Mrs Renton in the 1930s. ‘We have over 50 varieties here and among those I’d say Keep an eye on our website for details of special events, including guided tours with a we have 40 absolute
Celebrate with us
complimentary scone in the tea-room: nts.org.uk/branklyn
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‘Aureum’), as well as the pretty flowering trees of magnolia, hoheria and halesia. The show finally comes to an end in autumn, with a carpet of crocuses, sapphire-blue gentians and sugar-pink cyclamen below a blaze of leaf colour from the flame-like leaves of the Japanese maples and the toffee-scented foliage of the katsura tree.
A RICH LEGACY A century may have passed since the garden’s inception, and 54 years since the Trust took it over in 1968, but the generosity and pioneering spirit of the Rentons is alive and well. ‘Branklyn is all about continuing the Rentons’ legacy,’ Jim concludes. ‘George Stewart, a previous property manager, still loves to visit and check up on us – he’s 102 now. We couldn’t look after Branklyn the way we do without our volunteers – we’re so grateful for all their help. We have so much fun looking after this garden together.’ SUMMER 2022 � 47
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MORE HISTORIC GARDENS TO EN JOY THIS SUMMER
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The Hill House
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l The rose, a motif closely associated with Charles Rennie Mackintosh and Margaret Macdonald, has always played a key role in the design of the Hill House’s gardens. But the landscape around the house continues to evolve while still maintaining key Arts & Crafts features such as neatly clipped hedging, lush green lawns and colourful herbaceous borders. nts.org.uk/thehillhouse
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PITMEDDEN
The new floristic meadow at Pitmedden opens to visitors this summer. Turn to page 69 to read more about it
Castle Fraser
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l One of Castle Fraser’s previous occupants, Miss Elyza Fraser, was a big gardening fan: in 1794 she commissioned Thomas White to draw up plans for the grounds, including the walled garden and serpentine lake. Her improvements cost a rather shocking £9,600 (around £500,000 today). Visitors can enjoy seasonal displays of ornamental flowers, fruit and vegetables.
House of Dun l The walled garden was laid out in the 1840s by Lady Augusta Fitzclarence, daughter of William IV, and it’s easy to imagine her walking among the fragrant flower-filled borders. Don’t miss the views of the Montrose Basin Nature Reserve from the south terrace, or the hidden Den of Dun ravine. Work is about to begin that will see the gardens at House of Dun recapture their original Victorian elegance. nts.org.uk/house-of-dun 48 � SUMMER 2022
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nts.org.uk/castlefraser
l Greenbank, on the south side of Glasgow, is a great place to see contemporary plant trials in action, thanks to a partnership with Gardening Which? magazine. In 2021, ferns and geraniums were put through their paces, and this year the team will be trialling ornamental grasses. The walled garden, too, has much to inspire modern-day plant lovers. nts.org.uk/greenbank
Leith Hall
Greenbank Garden
l As one of the Trust’s highest gardens, at 186m above sea level, Leith Hall guarantees breathtaking views of Aberdeenshire. The Arts & Crafts rock garden is back to its best, following a renovation and replanting project by Trust staff and volunteers. Look out for the long bee- and butterfly-attracting catmint (Nepeta) border, the elegant stone moon gate and the beautiful herbaceous borders. nts.org.uk/leithhall
ARDUAINE
Sadly, last winter’s storms caused major damage at Arduaine Garden and the garden will remain closed until it is safe for visitors
Kellie Castle & Garden l Kellie Castle and its gardens were rescued in the late 19th century by the Lorimer family. Sir Robert laid out the walled gardens and his sculptor son Hew added architectural features. The heady scent of the heritage roses, planted by Louise Lorimer, attract pollinating insects. Today, the gardens are maintained under organic principles. nts.org.uk/kelliecastle SUMMER 2022 � 49
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Some of the UK’s rarest species are thriving at Trust sites. Read on to discover our fabulous beasts – and where to see them WORDS: POLLY PULLAR
BOXDOG INC
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rom Hebridean islands to mountains and woodlands, the Trust’s ecologists, rangers and volunteers work year-round to protect Scotland’s species, restore their habitats and maximise the chances for our biodiversity to thrive. Much of this work is done in collaboration with other conservation bodies, and shows just how important it is to work together if we’re to maximise the chances of safeguarding our diverse ecosystems and wildlife. It is heartening to see so many positive stories emerging from
across the Trust’s places, including our eight National Nature Reserves. Over the next few pages, our teams describe such joys as watching a seal maternity beach from a clifftop at St Abb’s Head, spotting red squirrels in their new habitat in Wester Ross, hearing rare birds’ weird pixie-like calls coming out of
the ground on the remote islands of St Kilda, and finding out why dead wood matters so much to bats and a host of other species. These vignettes of our work reveal passionate dedication from the National Trust for Scotland’s expert teams, and excitingly show tangible results that go a long way to bringing hope for the future. It is becoming increasingly urgent to nurture the wild, and to encourage the younger generation to love, respect and care for it too. Hopefully, some of the children who enjoy visiting Trust places will become future ambassadors for our wildlife.
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WILDLIFE
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GREENLAND WHITE-FRONTED GOOSE Threave Estate,
This jewel-like dragonfly flies for just a few weeks
Dumfries & Galloway
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Changes in land management can lead to a loss of habitat and biodiversity. For the rare Greenland white-fronted goose, this has contributed to a fall in numbers as the geese seem to favour a combination of less intensively managed pasture and areas of disturbance-free, wet vegetation. Now, though, landscape restoration work brings hope for this threatened species. An important overwintering roost is being maintained in this lovely corner of Dumfries and Galloway, thanks to the efforts of the Trust and the RSPB. There are only two flocks of Greenland white-fronted geese in Dumfries and Galloway, and the Threave Landscape Restoration Project helps maintain one of them. ‘These beautiful geese are vulnerable, but we’re pleased that numbers at the roost appear stable,’ says Threave Estate manager David Thompson. ‘We need to safeguard these remaining favoured places and unique habitats to ensure the geese stay with us.’
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The Threave Landscape Restoration Project is good news for geese
2 NORTHERN EMERALD DRAGONFLY
Balmacara, NW Highlands This nationally scarce aerial acrobat often feeds high in the tree canopy and favours acidic bog areas where shallow sphagnum moss pools provide an ideal habitat for larval growth. It may take two years before the adults emerge. Time on the wing lasts only a few weeks for this beautiful essence of summer with its gleaming dark-green metallic colouration. In 2021 the Trust worked closely with Highland Conservation and Raleigh International volunteers to expand suitable dragonfly areas around Coille Mhor on the Balmacara Estate, creating new bog pools to maximise the chances of breeding success in the area. ‘The project was enjoyable and rewarding,’ says ranger Helena Bolingbroke. ‘All our digging will hopefully help the northern emerald to flourish at Balmacara, and we’ll be continuously monitoring the results of our work.’
LAURIE CAMPBELL
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WILDLIFE VERSION
3 LEACH’S PETREL
A new, safer habitat has been found for the red squirrel at Inverewe
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St Kilda, Outer Hebrides
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For a starling-sized bird whose numbers are in severe decline, the Leach’s petrel has a dramatic presence. Usually living at sea, it comes ashore onto remote islands to raise a single chick – and St Kilda National Nature Reserve holds 94% of the UK population. As night falls, weird sounds emanate from the scree-clad slopes as the dark, moth-like birds flit to their burrows or nests hidden in the walls of the island’s cleits. ‘Monitoring is tricky due to their secrecy, but to help, we use nest boxes,’ explains Western Isles manager Susan Bain. ‘Initially, few used them; but in 2021, 30 boxes were investigated, and nine birds fledged eight chicks. In addition, Marine Scotland funded trackers to help us learn more about the Leach’s feeding habits and the problems it faces.’ Biosecurity is a priority as stowaway rats could colonise the island and devastate the species by predating eggs and chicks. ‘Working closely with Biosecurity for LIFE, we promote awareness to boat owners and implement strict measures to ensure no unwanted visitors come ashore.’
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The Leach’s petrel spends most of its life at sea – but it loves St Kilda
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4 RED SQUIRREL
Inverewe Estate,NW Highlands Safe from the perils of fatal disease carried by its grey North American cousin, the glorious red squirrel is beginning to thrive in several key areas of the north-west following successful translocations. These new wooded sites help boost dwindling red squirrel populations in other parts of Scotland, many of which are clinging on by their specially adapted double-jointed ankles; translocations offer the best hope of ensuring the long-term future of nature’s finest gymnast. They also help create chains of connectivity where these little rodents can travel safely to find food and a mate. ‘Our reintroduction programme, in partnership with Trees for Life, is bringing back these characterful creatures to Inverewe,’ says estate supervisor Aidan Bell. ‘Red squirrels form a key part of our woodland ecosystems, and we now offer visitors a great opportunity to see them.’
RING OUZEL
Conserving animal species, 3
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Ring ouzels are easily distinguished by their striking white breast band
Ben Lawers, Central Highlands Verdant green paints the lower slopes of Ben Lawers as habitat restoration work reaps benefits for numerous species. High above, sunlight pierces the clouds around the summits, and a plaintive song carries from the corries: the ring ouzel, often referred to as the mountain blackbird, has returned from its wintering grounds in north-west Africa. ‘Ring ouzels are in decline, but we have around ten pairs here on Ben Lawers, and it seems to be a stable population,’ says property manager Helen Cole. ‘Their beautiful song is the sound of summer.’ Natural regeneration leading to an increase in invertebrates and berries, together with safe nesting places in rocky gullies, benefit this member of the thrush family. In autumn, as the woodland turns gold, the ring ouzel departs. Future plans for a conservation grazing strategy will help this enchanting bird with its distinctive white ministerial collar to thrive, together with the unique flora and fauna that share Ben Lawers.
6 SEA EAGLE
Torridon, NW Highlands When the last sea eagles were killed on Skye in 1918, it seemed that was the end for our largest raptor. But the white-tailed eagle has made a dramatic comeback since its reintroduction to Rum in 1975, and its gradual spread across the north-west continues. At Torridon, a pair began breeding attempts on Shieldaig Island in 2009. It can take time for young eagles to successfully rear chicks: weather, inexperience and disturbance can all cause issues, but with help and surveillance from the RSPB and an engaged local community, they are now breeding. ‘It is wonderful to see these amazing birds flying across the bay,’ says head ranger Paul Bolton. ‘It’s important, though, that we don’t get too close and disturb them and the other wildlife by landing on Sheildaig Island. Instead, we encourage people to enjoy watching them from a safe distance on the shore.’
LAURIE CAMPBELL, ALAMY
Sea eagles fly low over water, hover for a moment, then drop to snatch fish from the surface
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7 SLENDER SCOTCH BURNET MOTH
Lesser spotted: the elusive moth is one of our rarest creatures
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Burg, Isle of Mull
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Few have been lucky enough to see the Slender Scotch Burnet moth, a rare, beautiful species that in Britain is found only on Mull, Ulva and Gometra. The moth flies for just two to three weeks and requires sunshine and for the winds off the Atlantic to fade to a whisper. On the remote peninsula of Burg, the moth’s survival depends on a carefully managed grazing programme to encourage herb-rich pastures: bird’s-foot trefoil is the caterpillar’s vital food, and wild thyme provides nectar for adult moths. Volunteers help ranger Emily Wilkins pull up bracken that, left unchecked, would take over Burg’s grasslands. ‘We also carry out annual surveys. Walking on steep slopes, it’s not always easy to differentiate from a blur of wonderful red and black wings whether you’re seeing Common Six-spot Burnet or the Slender Scotch Burnet.’
CLIENT
Little big-ears, with an appetite for midges
8 BROWN LONG-EARED BAT Dollar Glen, Ochil Hills
With ears almost the same length as its body, the brown long-eared bat may look extraordinary, but this adaptation helps it locate its prey, most of which it plucks from foliage in open woodland. Dollar Glen is home to the brown long-eared bat, along with soprano and common pipistrelles. Maintaining deadwood is key: as well as roost sites for bats, the decaying wood is a source of nutrients to sustain abundant invertebrates, plants and fungi, as ranger Laura Livingstone explains: ‘Leaving dead timber is important, so long as it’s not dangerous. If it poses a risk, we check thoroughly to ensure there are no bats in nooks and crannies before felling. ‘At Castle Campbell, bats roost and breed in the roof spaces, while oak and ash woodland provides valuable invertebrate food. People are surprised that a single bat can eat around 3,000 midges in one night.’ It’s unlikely that makes much of a dent in the numbers, though!
BRIAN MATTHEWS, LAURIE CAMPBELL
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Conserving animal species, 5
WILDLIFE
This unusual species of ant thrives at Mar Lodge Estate
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GREY SEAL
St Abb’s Head, Borders
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A significant percentage of the world’s population of Atlantic grey seals is in Scotland, yet how many of us have had the chance to see seals when they come ashore to breed? How many of us have seen them giving birth or know that the pup sheds that soft white coat called the lanugo soon after birth? Pups grow at a breakneck pace, fortified by their mother’s rich milk. ‘Until 2007, seals didn’t breed at St Abb’s Head, and now we have around 2,000 pups born on these beaches each autumn – it’s an amazing conservation success,’ says ranger Ciaran Hatsell, who has the privilege of seeing these beautiful creatures up close every season. ‘We can watch safely from the clifftops and host seal events every weekend, while the seals remain oblivious and undisturbed.’ The job can bring heartbreak too, though. Last autumn, Ciaran had to deal with the tragedy of losing 800 pups to Storm Arwen, following what was set to be a record-breaking year for seal pup births at St Abb’s.
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10 NARROWHEADED ANT Mar Lodge Estate, Cairngorms
The rare narrow-headed ant is found in just six locations in the British Isles, five of them in Scotland. Mar Lodge is one of these sites, with 20 nests around the woodland edge. These intriguing, complex invertebrates are a vital link in a functioning ecosystem, demonstrating that every living thing, from the microscopic to the largest, is an integral piece in the intricate tapestry of life. Work to conserve the ants involves cutting-edge techniques, including captive rearing and translocation. ‘To understand how this species lives, we need to take an “ant’s-eye view” of Mar Lodge’s ecosystems,’ says ecologist Andrew Painting. ‘It gives us a completely new understanding of the complexity of this landscape and how vital it is to look after the smallest species that share our world. The collective involvement of volunteers, funders and experts from the James Hutton Institute and the Cairngorms National Park Authority hopefully means our pioneering work ensures a bright future for the ants at Mar Lodge and across Scotland.’
Thank you
Thanks to players of People’s Postcode Lottery and to all Trust members and donors for your support of our conservation work
LAURIE CAMPBELL
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USING YOUR MEMBERSHIP EVENTS / COLUMNISTS / GIFT GUIDE
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A full house! PRODUCTION CLIENT
A T A H W ! W O H S
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utdoor theatre returns to Trust properties this summer, with everything from Shakespearean classics to witty family fun. For extra enjoyment, many of these colourful performances are interactive, with actors mingling with the audience. So bring a blanket and a picnic and settle down for some fabulous entertainment.
Fun for all the family
The actors give it their all
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Enjoy a giggle
• Brodie Castle David Walliams’ Awful Auntie, 30 June; and 1930s farce Much Ado About Murder on 30 July. • Craigievar Castle Twelfth Night, 10 July. • Crathes Castle Awful Auntie, 2 July. • Drum Castle The Tale of Peter Rabbit and Benjamin Bunny, 6 July; The Gunpowder Plot, 9 July. • Greenbank Garden Awful Auntie, 1 July; Pride and Prejudice, 30 July. • Leith Hall Cinderella, 20 July; Illyria’s The Pirates of Penzance, 6 August. • Newhailes Much Ado About Nothing, 16 July; Alice in Wonderland, 17 July. Visit the individual property pages at nts.org.uk for booking information SUMMER 2022 � 61
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WHAT’S ON THIS SUMMER VERSION
HANDS-ON AT KELLIE CASTLE
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Try one of our workshops
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Brodie Castle’s Playful Garden ART
FESTIVAL OF FUN
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A splendid new festival is happening this August at Moray’s Brodie Castle
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Brodie Castle and its stunning grounds will be the backdrop to an exciting summer festival over the weekend of 12 to 14 August, offering crafts, food, live music, dance and more. There will be activities for all the family, from a scavenger hunt to lawn games, while young ones can discover all sorts of fun in the Playful Garden.
Throughout the weekend, visitors will have the opportunity to roll up their sleeves and join in workshops or watch demonstrations of lots of different types of crafts. Don’t forget to bring your dancing shoes – there’s also a ceilidh! Events will be ticketed and sold separately. More info and online booking available soon: nts.org.uk/brodie
The castle and gardens at Fife’s Kellie Castle provide the inspiration for three days of workshops. From 7 to 9 August, you can try your hand at watercolour painting, drawing or organic gardening, as well as a family event making mini creatures using foliage foraged from the gardens and grounds. The workshops are driven by objects specific to Kellie, with themes linked to the property, and visitors will start each workshop with a tour of the castle and gardens. Check our website for booking details. nts.org.uk/kelliecastle
The artistic Lorimer family lived at Kellie
S EVENT E H AT T TRUST
THE GRUFFALO 27/28 August, Crathes Castle If you go down to the woods at Crathes this August, you’re in for a big surprise: a special visit by the Gruffalo! Come and say hello and get your photo taken. There’s a kids’ woodland trail to explore too. nts.org.uk/crathes
PRINT EXHIBITION Until 31 October, Drum Castle Frances Walker, Pat Douthwaite and Joyce Cairns are among the artists whose works are on show at Drum. They’re part of an exhibition in collaboration with Aberdeen’s prestigious Peacock Visual Arts. nts.org.uk/drum
MUSIC AND MIGRATION 25 June – 22 Oct, Georgian House Felix Yaniewicz (1762-1848), a Polish-Lithuanian violin virtuoso, settled in Scotland and founded the first Edinburgh music festival in 1815. Performances and talks run alongside this intriguing exhibition. nts.org.uk/georgianhouse SUMMER 2022 � 63
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Peter Pan theatre costume
J M BARRIE’S BIRTHPLACE Kirriemuir, Angus
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This is one of the original stage costumes worn by actress Jean Forbes-Robertson between 1927 and 1939 in her role as Peter Pan. The character’s shadow is represented by the netting attached to the shoulders.
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Children’s story annual
THE HILL HOUSE Helensburgh
The author of this annual, Alice Talwin Morris, wrote many books for publishers Blackie & Sons Ltd. Her husband was the company’s art manager and it was he who recommended Walter Blackie approach Charles Rennie Mackintosh to design the Hill House as his family home.
Knife
FYVIE CASTLE Turriff, Aberdeenshire
PRODUCTION CLIENT
This knife has a jade handle in the shape of a horse’s head, with a carved mane and rubies for eyes. At the base of the horse’s neck the jade has been carved to depict a lotus blossom.
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CO L L E C T I O N CO N N E C T I O N S There are endless stories to be discovered across the Trust’s remarkable range of historic objects. But what links a Peter Pan costume at J M Barrie’s Birthplace in Kirriemuir to a jade knife at Fyvie Castle?
Embroidered battle scene
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Painted ceiling
CRATHES CASTLE Banchory, Aberdeenshire
There’s a fairytale feel to the Renaissance painted ceiling in the Nine Nobles room at Crathes Castle. Guests would have been familiar with the heroes from history embodied by the nine armoured nobles featured in its panels. They symbolise morals and chivalry and represent the values the laird wanted his family to be seen to live by.
CULLODEN Culloden Moor, Inverness
This scene of soldiers and horses is thought to represent the Battle of Culloden. It was completed by women in the household of Charles Edmond Hay soon after the 1746 battle and the uniforms are accurate for the time. However, recent research on the smartly dressed black man on the right has linked the scene to the Battle of Fontenoy, in Belgium, on 11 May 1745. Read more at nts.org.uk/culloden-embroidery. SUMMER 2022 � 65
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Family column, 1
FUN WITH THE FAMILY VERSION REPRO OP
LEFT Searching for the shell grotto on a woodland walk
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RIGHT The tour aims to engage and entertain young visitors
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Janice Hopper and her sons test out a family-focused weekend at Newhailes
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et’s face it: the traditional countryhouse tour is not aimed at children. So when we heard that Newhailes House was offering a family tour specially designed for youngsters, we headed straight to Musselburgh to put it through its paces. If it works on our boys, with their typically short attention spans, it’ll work on anyone’s! Eight-year-old Samuel and his brother Joseph, Who left those Poké Balls lying around the lawn?
seven, were met by tour guide Megan at the grand front door. Once we stepped inside, the focus was on thrilling stories with kids at their heart. The boys’ eyes widened as they learned about urchin trespassers, a lad locked in a shed, and a wee boy who got his hands on a pistol! Only cool topics were discussed – who wants to hear about cornicing when you can head down the spooky servants’ tunnel and
MORE TOURS
Look out for lively costumed tours at House of Dun and Gladstone’s Land. See nts.org.uk for details
discover secret doors? It got a thumbs-up from Joseph: ‘That tour felt like half an hour, not an hour!’ There’s so much to do at Newhailes beyond exploring the house. Trust properties are renowned for their high-quality playgrounds, but this one, Weehailes, is exceptional: it has slides, zip lines, aerial walkways, swings and much more. It took
bribes of ice-cream at the dairy and lunch in the Stables Cafe before the kids agreed to leave. A peaceful wander through bluebells in the woodlands ended the day on a happily relaxed note. Like many parents, I sometimes worry my boys are spoiling things for other visitors by gatecrashing serious adult time. But at Newhailes, the presence, input and quirkiness of children is celebrated. When Joseph commented that some of the old formal garden ornaments looked like Pokémon-catching Poké Balls, we all thoroughly agreed (he had a point!). Family tours run every weekend at 11.30am SUMMER 2022 � 67
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Gardening column - Pitmedden, 1
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AHEAD OF THE CURVE By midsummer, the garden will be looking glorious, with richly planted beds
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A TAPESTRY OF SWIRLS AND SCROLLS PITMEDDEN’S NEW FLORISTIC MEADOW IS A LABOUR OF LOVE FOR HEAD GARDENER SCOTT SMITH AND HIS TEAM
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itmedden’s ‘floristic meadow’ is now complete and I can’t wait to see how our visitors interact with it. Previously, the space was functional and harmonious but never had the impact of the famous lower-garden parterres, mainly because parterres are most impressive when viewed from above. Here on the upper terrace, it was crucial that this project shouldn’t create
Planting out the floristic meadow presented quite a challenge. The design was complex (swirls and scrolls of herbaceous planting and bulb patches within the beds) but not rigid, so couldn’t be worked out on a grid and organised as you’d do with simpler geometric shapes. The team had to do plenty of lateral thinking as well as using their innate gardening instincts. I am fortunate to The official opening have a team with such a rich of the floristic meadow variety of skills, experiences at Pitmedden is on 22 and knowledge. SCOTT’S TIPS FOR HOME GARDENERS July. Full information One of my personal on visiting at nts.org. overwintering insects. wherever • Our approach to the favourite plants in the uk/pitmedden possible: floristic meadow gives Try delaying the project is the striking autumn tidy-up in buddleia for the plants time to set Cleopatra foxtail lily (Eremurus x your own garden butterflies, seed and thereby isabellinus ‘Cleopatra’). Its glorious honeysuckle for bees self-propagate. The and see if you get vivid orange/red racemes attract and moths, and seed heads also more visitors. butterflies and really make it look like its hawthorns for provide a winter food • Go for native, namesake: a fox’s tail! birds and bees. source for wildlife, wildlife• Plant more while stems and friendly This project was made possible bulbs! foliage shelter plants thanks to the support of Professor Ian Young and his wife, Sylvia something new just for the sake of it. Instead, Chris Beardshaw’s design is all about letting visitors interact with the garden in a fresh way. You’re closer than ever to the intricate tapestry of planting and you can immerse yourself in it. Walking through is a multisensory experience: seeing it ebb and flow, dance and sway, with changing colours, forms and sounds throughout the seasons.
VISIT
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SHOP ONLINE VERSION
INVEREWE GARDEN
A little corner of paradise in the far north-west
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SUPPORT THE TRUST
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INVEREWE Botanicals inspired by the travels of Osgood Mackenzie offer a whole new taste of Inverewe Garden
This summer, you can enjoy a measure of Inverewe Garden Gin, which has been developed in partnership with Badachro Distillery just 13 miles from the stunning and historic garden in Wester Ross. Inverewe’s founder, Osgood Mackenzie, brought back a host of plants from his travels and this small-batch gin gives us a flavour of his adventures. Along with berries, birch and heather, it is infused with
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Tasmanian pepperberry, creating a balanced, soft and gentle flavour. Mackenzie was a fan of the Tasmanian pepperberry (Drimys aromatica), writing: 'Every portion of it is first class, its sweet-scented leaves, its crimson stems, and its quaint and beautiful inflorescence. It is a shrub everyone should possess.' From their global collections, Mackenzie and his daughter, Mairi Sawyer, created a lochside botanical paradise amid a barren wilderness
XXXCREDIT HERE XXX
PRODUCTION
A FLAVOUR OF
Every penny of profit from our gift shops and purchases made at nts.org.uk/shop goes towards our conservation work
Inverewe exclusive
Improve your soil
l The Canfield Medium Sustainable Backpack (£70) has two side pockets big enough for water bottles, and a zipped front pocket.
Try our biochar plant booster! Our Inverewe soil and plant booster (£15 for 2kg) has a wealth of benefits for your garden, from inhibiting pests and diseases to relieving compaction and improving the soil’s structure, water retention and drainage. It also encourages beneficial microbes which provide nutrients and promote strong, healthy plant growth. The product is made with 100% organic biochar, created from wood cut from invasive Rhododendron ponticum at Inverewe (turn to page 15 to read more). It is a wonderful way of turning an environmental problem into a solution, which will not only benefit your garden but will also lock in carbon for the benefit of us all. Pick it up exclusively from the Inverewe Garden gift shop. nts.org.uk/inverewe
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on the Atlantic coast of the northwest Highlands. The stunning collection of plants continues to flourish under our care and this year, to mark the centenary of Osgood Mackenzie's death, a new exhibition at Inverewe visitor centre tells the story of his life and achievements. Inverewe Garden Gin (£45 for 70cl) is available from the gift shop at Inverewe Garden and online at nts.org.uk/shop
BOTTLES INTO BAGS l Vegan-friendly Roka backpacks, bags and wallets are weather-resistant, durable and sleek. They make brilliant accessories for a visit to any of our places. They’re eco-friendly too: each backpack is made by recycling at least 12 plastic bottles. nts.org.uk/shop
l The Roka Paddington Crossbody Bag (£40) is perfect to just grab and take with you on your day. It measures 23cm in diameter and has several zipped pockets.
l The Roka Carnaby Sustainable Wallet (£25) is made from recycled Taslon material, and will keep your cash and cards safe and organised. SUMMER 2022 � 71
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In the shops, 1
l Available in several shades, including Airforce Blue and Plum, the Canfield backpack has a padded pocket that can accommodate a 15” laptop.
I love this place, 1
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
Crarae is a very special place for Chris Birt (pictured with his wife and son, below)
Patron HRH The Prince Charles, Duke of Rothesay KG KT GCB OM Chairman Sir Mark Jones Chief Executive Phil Long OBE The National Trust for Scotland is a charity, independent of government, supported by legacies, donations and member subscriptions. Scottish Charity Number SC 007410
ART
NTS Magazine Editor Emily Rodway nts.editor@thinkpublishing.co.uk Sub Editor Judy Diamond Art Director John Pender Assistant Editor Angela McManus
PRODUCTION
‘I HAVE LOVED THIS GARDEN FOR DECADES’
Commercial Partnerships Director Sonal Mistry sonal.mistry@ thinkpublishing.co.uk 020 3771 7247
A walk around the magical woodland Himalayan garden at Crarae is filled filled with family memories for life member Chris Birt
CLIENT
HOW LONG HAVE YOU BEEN VISITING CRARAE GARDEN? I have loved the garden, by Loch Fyne in Argyll, for decades. My parents lived on the other side of the loch, in Strachur, and a trip to Crarae was my mother’s favourite day out. HOW OFTEN HAVE YOU VISITED OVER THE YEARS? By the time my parents moved to Strachur, I was a student at Cambridge. I’d go there frequently – I had a boat and used to do a lot of mackerel fishing, and I always enjoyed visiting with the family too. The garden came into the care of the National Trust for Scotland in 2002. Although it is quite a journey from my home in Strathpeffer, I have visited several times since. I even managed a trip in the summer of 2020, in the brief period between lockdowns when travel was permitted. The garden has suffered from landslides brought on by extreme weather in recent
Senior Commercial Partnerships Manager Elizabeth Courtney elizabeth.courtney@ thinkpublishing.co.uk 020 3771 7208
years, and work to bring it back to how it should be continues.
WHAT MAKES CRARAE GARDEN SUCH A SPECIAL PLACE?
It’s a beautiful hillside garden with many Himalayan plants, shrubs and trees. I love the mountainous nature of it and the burn that runs down the middle of the garden. It is a wonderful, peaceful place to visit.
DO YOU STILL REMEMBER YOUR PARENTS HERE?
After my mother died, we placed a bench in the garden in her memory. Much later, after my father died, the Trust were kind enough to allow us to replace the seat with a new one, in memory of my parents, my nephew Richard and my daughter Lara. The original seat is now in my back garden, so I can enjoy it all year round.
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 by Hamish Campbell, taken at Culzean Country Park during filming of this year’s Trust television advert 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.
Remember a loved one while supporting our conservation work: nts.org.uk/campaigns/plant-a-memory
72 � SUMMER 2022
BLACK YELLOW MAGENTA CYAN
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