VISIT THE NATIONAL TRUST FOR SCOTLAND

BROUGHTON HOUSE AND GARDEN

Off A711/A755, at 12 High Street, Kirkcudbright

This fascinating 18^th century house in the pleasant coastal town of Kirkcudbright, was the home and studio from 1901 to 1933 of the artist E A Hornel, one of the ‘Glasgow Boys’.  It contains many of his works, paintings by contemporary artists, and an extensive collection of Scottish books and local history material.  Hornel’s studio overlooks the delightful Japanese-style garden, still much as he created it.

Open: house and garden, 1 Apr to 31 Oct, daily 1-5.30. 
For further information Tel: (01557) 330437

Thomas Carlyle was born here in 1795, the year before Burns died.  The writer and historian was one of the most powerful influences on 19^th century British thought.  The interior is furnished to reflect domestic life in his time and has a notable collection of portraits and Carlyle’s belongings.

Open: Good Friday to Easter Monday, 1 May to 30 Sep, Fri, Sat, Sun, Mon 1.30-5.30
For further information Tel (01576) 300666

Threave is a garden for all seasons.  At 64 acres, it is best known for its spectacular springtime display of daffodils, but herbaceous beds are colourful in summer, and trees and heather garden striking in autumn.  Visitor centre with exhibition, shop and licensed restaurant.  Guided walks around both garden and estate.

Open: estate and garden, all year, daily 9.30-sunset. 
Walled garden and glasshouses, all year, daily 9.30-5. 
Visitor centre, exhibition and shop, 1 Apr to 31 Oct, daily 9.30-5.30, Restaurant, 10-5.
For further information Tel (01556) 502575

A tranquil garden offering herbaceous and mixed borders, lawns, vegetable and fruit areas.  Fine views of Melrose Abbey and the Eildon Hills.  The early 19^th century house (not open to visitors) was named ‘Harmony’ after the Jamaican plantation where its first owner made his fortune.

Open: 1 Apr to 30 Sept, Mon-Sat 10-5.30, Sun 1.30-5.30
For further information Tel (01721) 722502

Overlooked by the Abbey’s 15^th century ruins is the unique garden, where plants are made into beautiful dried flower arrangements for sale.  The adjacent orchard includes many varieties of historic apple trees.  Trust gift shop.

Open 1Apr to 30 Sept, Mon-Sat 10-5.30, Sun 1.30-5.30;
1 Oct-24 Dec, Mon-Sat 10-4, Sun 1.30-4 NTS shop,
9 Jan to 31 Mar, Mon-Sat 12-4; 1 Apr – 24
Dec, Mon-Sat 10-5.30, Sun 1.30-5.30

Discover here how the printing industry worked at the beginning of the century.  See the printing presses in action and try typesetting by hand.  Victorian office, reconstructed water wheel and many other historic items.
Gift shop.

Open: Good Friday to Easter Monday and 1 May – 3 Oct, Mon – Sat 10-1 and 2-5 Sun 2-5
Weekends in Oct, Sat 10-1 and 2-5, Sun 2-5
For further information Tel (01896) 830206

Stand on the shear 300-foot high cliffs between farmland and North Sea and watch countless sea birds far below.  This National Nature Reserve is the most important location for cliff-nesting sea birds in SE Scotland.  Car park, exhibition and tea room at nearby Northfield farmsteading.  Ranger guided walks.

Nature reserve and toilets open all year; exhibition, 1 Apr-31 Oct, daily 10-5. 
Parties by prior arrangement only. 
No vehicles on road to lighthouse except those carrying disabled, elderly or infirm.
For further information Tel ( 018907 ) 71443

One of Scotland’s major attractions – a perfect day out for all the family.  Robert Adam’s romantic 18^th century masterpiece – a real ‘castle in the air’ – is perched high on a cliff above the firth of Clyde.  The interior, with its spectacular oval staircase and circular saloon, is strikingly elegant.  In 1945 the top floor was given to General Eisenhower as a Scottish holiday home: today the Culzean castle apartments offer country house style accommodation, perfect for that special occasion.

The extensive country park offers beaches and rock pools, a deer park, the Fountain Garden, Swan pond, parklands, gardens, woodland walks and adventure playground.  Fascinating restored buildings include the Gas Court, Ruined Arch, Viaduct, Ice House, a beautiful Camellia House, a unique pagoda and the stables restaurant.
Visitor centre facilities include two shops, two restaurants and exhibitions.  Ranger service events and guided walks.

Open: castle and visitor centre, 1 Apr – 31 Oct, daily 10.30-5.30.
Other times by appointment. 
County park all year daily 9.30-sunset.
For further information Tel 01655 760274
Ranger/naturalist service 01655 760269

The souter who inspired the character souter Johnnie in Burns’s famous poem Tam O’Shanter, lived and worked in this cottage.  The thatched building contains many relics, including a village cobbler’s tools.  In the restored alehouse in the garden, life-sized stone figures of characters in the poem sit ‘fast by an ingle, bleezing finely…ae market nicht’ much as Burns visualised them over 200 years ago.

Open: Good Friday to 3 Oct, daily 11.30-5;
Weekends in Oct, 11.30-5
For further information Tel 01655 760603 or 760671

Set around the 15^th century Geilston House, this charming garden was opened to visitors for the first time in 1998.  It has a walled garden with glasshouses, a heather garden, herbaceous and mixed shrub borders and a spectacular Sequoiadendron giganteum.  Paths through a wooded glen criss-cross the Geilston Burn, leading to a fruit and vegetable garden.

Open: 1 Apr to 31 Oct, daily 9.30-5.
For further information Tel 01389 841867

Within easy reach of city residents, this unique walled garden contains plants and designs of particular interest to suburban gardeners, including fountains and a woodland walk.  There is also a special area for disabled visitors.  Shop, gardening demonstrations and social events throughout the year.  The 18^th century merchant’s house in open most Sunday afternoons.

Open: all year, daily 9.30-sunset, except 25/26 Dec and 1 and 2 Jan. 
Shop and tearoom 1 Apr-31 Oct, daily 11-5;
1 Nov-31 Mar, Sat/Sun 2-4. 
House open 1 Apr-31Oct, Sundays only, 2-4, and during special events.
For further information Tel 0141 639 3281

Holmwood is possibly the finest domestic design by Alexander ‘Greek’ Thomson, Glasgow’s greatest Victorian architect.  It was built in 1857-8 for a local mill owner in a picturesque adaptation of Classical Greek.  Many rooms are richly ornamented in wood, plaster and marble, and visitors can see in progress the conservation and restoration of Thomson’s stencilled decoration and elaborate friezes.  Attractive grounds, audio tour, exhibition and study rooms.

Open: 1 Apr to 31 Oct, daily 1.30-5.30. 
Access may be restricted at peak times and the discretion of the Property Manager.
Groups MUST pre-book.
For further information Tel 0141 637 2129

Glasgow owes much to George and Thomas Hutcheson, from a local landowning family well known for their contribution to the ‘common good’.  In 1639-41 they founded Hutchesons’ hospital on this site as a home for elderly tradesmen and orphaned boys.

The present building was designed in 1802-6 by David Hamilton.  Major reconstruction work by John Baird in 1876 resulted in today’s elegant interior, completely restored and refurbished by the trust.  The hall is now available to hire for functions.  Shop and information room with audio-visual programme about the Merchant City, past and present.  Murray Johnstone will sponsor the exhibition on The Tiles, 24 Apr-23 May.

Open:  all year, Mon-Sat 10-5.  admission free
For more information Tel 0141 552 8391

Pollok Country Park, Pollokshaws Road, 3m south of Glasgow city centre.  Off M77 junction 1, follow signs for Burrell collection.

The Maxwell family lived at Pollok since the mid-13^th century.  Three earlier castles here were replaced by the present house after consultation with the renowned architect William Adam.  The house was extended in 1890 by Sir John Stirling Maxwell.  It now contains an internationally famed collection of paintings as well as porcelain and furnishings appropriate to an Edwardian country house.  Shop and restaurant.
The house is in Pollok country park, also the home of The Burrell Collection.

Open: 1 Apr-31 Oct, daily 10-5’ 1 Nov-31 Mar, daily 11-4.
For further information Tel 0141 616 6410
Gardens, country park and Burrell collection open all year, daily. 
For further information Tel 0141 649 7151

145 Buccleuch Street, Garnethill, Glasgow

A typical Victorian tenement flat of 1892, a fascinating time capsule of the first half of the 20^th century.  It was the home of an ordinary shorthand typist, who lived up this ‘close’ for more than 50 years.  The flat retains many original fittings and family items, including the splendid original range, black and shining from the ‘Zebo’ polish.  In the parlour the table is set for afternoon tea and there is a rosewood piano – a sure sign of Victorian gentility!

Exhibition on ground floor about tenement life.

Open: 1 Mar to 31 Oct, daily 2-5;
Groups by appointment, weekday mornings only.  Very restricted parking.
For further information Tel 0141 333 0183

Open: Good Friday to 3 Oct, daily 1.30-5.30;
Weekends in Oct, 1.30-5.30.
For further information Tel 01505 705588

At the heart of Edinburgh’s world-famous New Town is Charlotte Square, Robert Adam’s masterpiece of urban design.  Three floors of No 7, The Georgian House, are furnished as they would have been around 1796.  Visitors can see a fascinating array of china, silver, paintings and furniture and, downstairs, the kitchen and scullery.

Video programmes on the history of the New Town and A Day in the life of the Georgian House.  Gift shop.

Open: 1 Apr to 31 Oct, Mon-Sat 10-5, Sun 2-5
For further information Tel 0131 226 3318

Gladstone’s land was the home of a prosperous Edinburgh merchant, Thomas Gledstanes in the 17^th century, it is authentically decorated and furnished to give visitors an impression of life in Edinburgh’s Old Town some 300 years ago.

Features are the remarkable painted ceilings and the reconstructed shop booth with replicas of 17^th-century goods.  Fine collection of 17^th century Dutch paintings.

Open: 1 Apr to 31 Oct, Mon-Sat 10-5, Sun 2-5
For further information Tel 0131 226 5856

Home of the Dalyell family since 1612, when it was built by Thomas Dalyell, an Edinburgh butter merchant who had made his fortune at the court of King James VI and I in London.  The House has a fascinating collection of portraits, furniture and porcelain, which reveals the life, and interests of one family through the centuries.

In the grounds enjoy the lovely panoramic views over the River Forth.

Open: House, 1 May to 30 Sep, daily except Fri, 1.30-5.30. 
All tours are guided and parties must be pre-booked. 
Parkland, 1 Apr to 31 Oct, daily 10-7; 1 Nov to 31 Mar, daily 10-4. 
No dogs in house or parkland, please, other than guide dogs.
For further information Tel 01506 834255

This attractive terraced garden is located in the historic village of Inveresk.  Most plants hold the Royal Horticultural Society’s Award of Garden Merit; highlights include a seasonally varied selection of flowering shrubs and herbaceous plants.  The garden provides the setting for 17^th century Inveresk Lodge, the oldest house in the village.

Open: 1 Apr to 31 Oct, Mon-Fri 10-4.30, Sat/Sun 2-5;
1 Nov to 31 Mar, Mon – Fri 10-4.30, Sun 2-5. 
No dogs in the garden please.  Cars may be parked only by garden wall.
For further information Tel 01721 722502

This three-acre walled garden beside 17^th-century Malleny House provides a peaceful haven from the bustle of nearby capital.  Dominated by four 400 year old clipped yew trees, the garden features fine herbaceous borders and a large collection of old-fashioned roses providing colour from June to September.  Malleny also houses the National Bonsai Collection for Scotland.

Open: 1 Apr to 31 Oct, daily 9.30-7; 1 Nov to 31 Mar, daily 9.30-4
For further information Tel 0131 449 2283

Open: Good Friday to Easter Monday and 1 May to 3 Oct, Mon – Sat 11-1 and 2-5, Sun 1.30-5;
Weekends in Oct, 1.30-4
For further information Tel 01620 860426

Relive the domestic life of the 16^th and 17^th centuries amid the old buildings and cobbled streets of this Royal Burgh on the River Forth.  The refurbished palace and garden date from 1597, and the study, beside the ancient Mercat Cross, from about 1610.  exhibition and video in the Town House on the burgh’s 400 years of history.

Open: Palace, 1 Apr – 30 Sep, daily 11-5. 
Town house and study, some dates, 1.30-5 and weekends in Oct, 11-5. 
Groups at other times by appointment. 
Tearoom dates as Town House, 10.30-4.30.
For further information Tel 01383 880359

The Royal Palace of Falkland, set in a medieval village, was the country residence and hunting lodge of eight Stuart monarchs, including Mary, Queen of Scots.  Built between 1502 and 1541, the palace is a superb example of Renaissance architecture.  It includes the beautiful Chapel Royal, and is surrounded by particularly fine gardens, built in the 1950s.  The Royal Tennis Court, reputedly the world’s oldest, is still used today.

Entry to an exhibition on the history of Falkland at the Town Hall is included in admission to the palace.  Gift Shop.

Open: palace and garden, 1 Apr-31 Oct, Mon-Sat 11-5.30, Sun 1.30-5.30. 
Groups at other times by appointment.  Town Hall by appointment only.
For further information Tel 01337 857397

This fine house was rebuilt in 1906 by the renowned Scottish architect Sir Robert Lorimer, for a Dundee industrialist, whose superb collection of French, Chippendale and Scottish furniture is also preserved here.

Fine paintings by Raeburn and Ramsay and eminent Dutch artists are on view together with Chinese Porcelain and bronzes.  Don’t miss the Edwardian laundry behind the house, which is set in a delightful garden.  Shop and tearoom.

Open: Good Friday to Easter Monday and 1 May – 3 Oct, daily 1.30-5.30;
Weekends in Oct, 1.30-5.30.  Gardens and grounds, 1 Apr to 31 Oct, daily 9.30-9;
1 Nov to 31 Mar, daily 9.30-4.30.
For further information Tel 01334 653127

This superb example of domestic architecture in Lowland Scotland dates from the 14^th century and was sympathetically restored by the Lorimer family in the late 19^th century.  The castle contains magnificent plaster ceilings and painted panelling as well as fine furniture designed by Sir Robert Lorimer.

Of particular interest are the Victorian nursery and the old kitchen.  The late Victorian garden has a selection of old-fashioned roses and herbaceous plants, cultivated organically.  Shop and tearoom.

Open: Good Friday to Easter Monday and 1 May to 3 Oct, daily 1.30-5.30;
Weekends in Oct, 1.30-5.30.  Gardens and grounds all year, daily 9.30-sunset.
For further information Tel 01333 720271

This beautifully restored tower, completed in 1497, is all that remains of the ancestral home of the Earls of Mar.  it was splendidly remodelled by the 6^th Earl and partly completed before his exile after the 1715 Jacobite uprising.

The tower retains rare medieval features – groin vaulting, timber roof structure, interior well and an underground dungeon.  Superb furniture and portraits of the Erskine family, including paintings by Jamesone and Raeburn.

Open: Good Friday to Easter Monday and 1 May to 30 Sep, daily 1.30-5.30
For further information Tel 01259 211701

From this battlefield the Scots ‘sent them homeward to think again’, when Edward II’s English army was soundly defeated by King Robert the Bruce.  The striking statue of Bruce is beside Borestone, by tradition his command post.

The kingdom of the Scots exhibition in the centre brings to life the wars of Independence and includes scenes of the Declaration of Arbroath.  Brilliant heraldic banners and an exciting audio-visual presentation add to the atmosphere.

Open: site, all year, daily. 
Heritage centre and shop, 1 to 31 Mar and 1 Nov to 23 Dec, daily 11-3;
1 Apr to 31 Oct, daily 10-5.30
For further information Tel 01786 812664

This attractive little garden was once described as ‘the finest two acres of private garden in the country’.  First established in 1922 on the site of a former orchard, it contains an outstanding collection of rhododendrons, alpines, herbaceous and peat-garden plants.  These now attract gardeners and botanists from all over the world.

Open: garden and shop, 1 Mar to 31 Oct, daily 9.30 to sunset.
For further information Tel 01738 625535

The Trust has restored the buildings in Cathedral Street and the Cross to provide modern homes whilst retaining the architectural charm of the 17^th century exteriors.  Te Ell shop occupies pride of place near the Cross and stocks a wide range of imaginative gifts.  The Atholl Memorial Fountain completes the scene.

Open: Shop, 1 Apr to 31 Sep, Mon-Sat 10-5.30;
1 Jun to 31 Aug, Mon – Sat 10-5.30, Sun 1.30-5.30;
1 Oct to 23 Dec, Mon – Sat 10-4.30
For further information Tel 01350 727460

In 1689 the peace of this beautiful gorge was shattered by the first shots in the Jacobite cause.  The Highlanders were victorious but their leader ‘Bonne Dundee’ died early in the battle.  Perched on the shelf of the glen, the Visitor centre features ‘hands on’ natural history exhibits as well as models and maps of the battle.  In summer, the ranger service offers an exciting programme of guided walks.

Open: site, all year, daily.  Visitor centre, shop and snack-bar, 1 Apr to 31 Oct, daily 10-5.30
For further information Tel 01796 473233

Housing one of Scotland’s finest folk collections, this museum presents a vivid insight into how the rural workforce used to live.

Six charming 18^th century cottages contain the domestic section, and the agricultural collection is in the farmsteading opposite, illustrating changes in the Angus countryside in the last 20 0years.  One of the most dramatic artefacts is the restored 19^th century black horse-drawn ‘Glenisla’ hearse.

Open: Good Friday to Easter Monday and 1 May to 3 Oct, daily 11-5;
Weekends in Oct, 11-5
For further information Tel 01307 840288

This beautiful Georgian house, with panoramic views of the Montrose Basin, was designed by William Adam and built in 1730 for David Erskine, Lord Dun.  Lady Augusta Kennedy-Erskine, the daughter of William IV and the actress Mrs Jordan, also lived here and the house contains many royal mementos.  Superb plasterwork by Joseph Enzer.

In the courtyard are displays, a handloom weaving workshop, a Trust shop and a restaurant.  Children’s adventure play area, attractive Victorian walled garden, woodland walks and magnificent parkland trees.

Open: house and shop, Good Friday to Easter Monday and 1 May to 3 Oct, daily 1.30-5.30;
Weekends in Oct, 1.30-5.30. 
Restaurant opens at 11. 
Garden and grounds, all year, daily 9.30-sunset.
For further information Tel 01674 810264

The stout walls of Castle Fraser embody over 400 years of history.  Begun in 1575 by the 6^th Laird, the tow low wings emphasise the magnificence of the towers.  The striking simplicity of the Great Hall, with its immense fireplace, immediately evokes the atmosphere of past centuries.  Fine furniture, paintings, memorabilia, a beautiful walled garden, woodland walks, an adventure playground and a tearoom ensure your visit has many areas of interest.

Open: Castle, Good Friday to Easter Monday, 1 May to 31 Jun and 1 Sep to 3 Oct, daily 1.30-5.30;
1 July to 31 Aug, daily 11-5.30;
Weekends in Oct, 1.30-5.30. 
Tearoom, dates as a castle, but opens 12.30 when castle opens 1.30.
Garden, all year, daily 9.30-6; Grounds, all year, daily 9.30-sunset.
For further information Tel 01330 833463

Fairytale turrets, gargoyles of fantastic design, superb painted ceilings and the ancient horn of Leys given in 1323 to Alexander Burnett by King Robert the Bruce, are just a few of the exciting features at this most picturesque castle.  Its construction began in 1553 and took forty years.

Just over 300 years later, Sir James and Lady Burnett created no less than eight colourful gardens within the walled garden.  Visitor centre with interpretive displays, restaurant, shop and plant sales, six woodland walks and an adventure playground.

Open: 1 Apr to 31 Oct, daily 11-5.30; plant sales, some dates, but weekends only in Oct. 
Other times by appointment only. 
To help you enjoy your visit for safety reasons, admission to the castle is by timed tickets. 
Garden and grounds, all year, daily 9-sunset.
For further information Tel 01330 844525

FYVIE CASTLE

Off A947, 8m south-east of Turriff and 25m north of Aberdeen

The castle’s magnificent façade is a fine introduction to its 500 years of history.  Its five towers bear witness to the five families who lived here.  The castle boasts the finest wheel stair in Scotland and there is a superb collection of arms and armour and paintings, including works by Batoni, Raeburn, Romney, Gainsborough, Opie and Hoppner. In the grounds stroll around the picturesque lake, or visit the restored 1903 racquet court and bowling alley, the Victorian earth closet and the Ice house.  Shop and tearoom.

Open: Castle, Good Friday to Easter Monday, 1 May to 30 Jun and 1 Sep to 3 Oct, daily 1.30-5.30;
1 Jul to 31 Aug daily 11-5.30;
Weekends in Oct, 1.30-5.30. 
Grounds, all year, daily 9.30-sunset

For further information tel 01464 831216

This elegant mansion house – a rare gem among the castles of Aberdeenshire – boasts sumptuous Victorian interiors in the 1880s ‘Adam Revival’ style, beneath a crisp Georgian exterior.

Fine furniture, paintings and objects d’art reflect the interesting and important lives of the generations of Gordon earls and marquesses of Aberdeen who have lived here.  A delightful terraced garden of rosebeds and herbaceous borders leads into a magnificent country park with lakes, walks and monuments. Services in the chapel most Sundays throughout the season.  Shop and restaurant in the Stable Block.

Open: House, Good Friday to Easter Monday and 1 May to 3 Oct, daily 1.30-5.30,
Weekends in Oct, 1.30-5.30; generally guided tours, Mon-Sat. 
Shop and stables restaurant, Good Friday to 3 Oct, daily 11-5.30;
Weekends in Oct, 11-5.30. 
Garden and country park, all year, daily 9.30-sunset.

For further information tel 01651 851440

For further information tel 01464 831216

For further information tel 01651 842352

A haven of peace on the west coast, Arduaine Garden is most spectacular in the late spring and early summer when the rhododendrons and azaleas are at their best.  Informal perennial borders display colour throughout the season.  Enjoy a pleasant walk through the woodland garden to the coastal viewpoint, or relax in the water garden.

Open: all year, daily 9.30-sunset.

For further information tel 01852 200366

Often remembered as the scene of the massacre of part of the Macdonald clan by soldiers of King William’s army in 1692, Glencoe also offers a dramatic backdrop for climbing and walking.

Red deer, wildcat, golden eagle and rare arctic alpine plants can be found among the breathtaking peaks and spectacular waterfalls in the glen.  Display on the history of mountaineering in the glen, video programme on the massacre, shop, snack bar and picnic area.

Open: Site, all year, daily. 
Visitor centre, 1 Apr to 18 May and 1 Sep to 31 Oct, daily 10-5;
19 May to 31 Aug, daily 9.30-5.30

For further information tel 01855 811307
Or ranger/naturalist on 01855 811729

The monument is set amid superb highland scenery at the head of Loch Shiel.  It was erected in 1815 in tribute to the clansmen who fought and died in the Jacobite cause; Prince Charles Edward Stuarts standard was raised near here over 250 years ago in 1745. Exhibition Glenfinnan and the ’45, and commentary in four languages about the Jacobite campaign.

Open: Site, all year, daily. 
Visitor centre, shop and snack-bar, 1 Apr to 18 May and 1 Sep to 31 Oct, daily 10-5;
19 May to 31 Aug, daily 9.30-6

For further information tel 01397 722250

Woodland garden open all year, daily 9-sunset. 

For further information tel 01599 566325

This imposing castle – a typical 16^th century tower house with 17^th and 19^th century additions – stands in rich Moray parkland.  The interior has an unusual plaster ceilings, a major art collection, porcelain and fine furniture.  A woodland walk by a large pond gives access to wildlife observation hides.  In springtime the grounds are carpeted with many varieties of daffodils for which Brodie Castle is rightly famous.

Open: Castle, shop and tearoom 1 Apr to 3 Oct, Mon to Sat 11-5.30, Sun 1.30-5.30;
weekends in Oct, Sat 11-5.30, Sun 1.30-5.30.  Other times by appointment. 
Grounds all year, daily, 9.30-sunset.

For further information tel 01309 641371

No name in Scottish history evokes more emotion that that of Culloden, the bleak moor which in 1746 saw the hopes of the young prince Charles Edward Stuart crushed, and the end of the Jacobite rising, the ‘Forty-Five’.  The Trust is restoring the battlefield to its state on that fateful day.  Exhibition of weapons and objects associated with the Rising, audio-visual programme in six languages, bookshop and self-service restaurant. Raised maps for the visually impaired, induction loop and audio-visual channel for the hard of hearing.  Guided tours of the battlefield and living history displays in Leanach Cottage during the summer.

Open: Site, all year, daily. 
Visitor centre, 1 Feb to 31 Mar and 1 Nov to 31 Dec, daily 10-4;
1 Apr to 31 Oct, daily 9-6.

For further information tle 01463 790607

One of the most isolated inhabited islands in Britain, home of the world-famous knitwear and now to many other traditional crafts.  This beautiful island gives unrivalled opportunities for the study of birds, flora and fauna, and archaeology, and for seeing traditional crofting methods and conservation of the environment in action.

Open: all year.

Further information from Fair Isle Lodge and Bird observatory, tel 01595 760258

Open: 1 May to 30 Sep, Mon - Sat 11-1 and 2-5, Sun 2-5

For further information tel 01381 600245

Where in Scotland will you see the tallest Australian gum trees in Britain, sweetly scented Chinese rhododendrons, exotic trees from Chile and Blue Nile lilies from South Africa, all growing on a latitude more northerly than Moscow?  The answer in Inverewe, a remote corner of Wester Ross, but also a sheltered garden blessed by the North Atlantic Drift.  In a spectacular lochside setting among pinewoods.  Osgood Mackenzie’s Victorian dreams have produced a glorious 50-acre mecca for garden lovers. There is a visitor centre, a well-stocked shop, plant sales and a spacious licensed restaurant with woodland views.

Open: Garden, 15 Mar to 31 Oct, daily 9.30-9; 1 Nov to 14 Mar, dialy 9.30-5. 
Visitor centre and shop, 15 Mar to 31 Oct, daily 9.30-5.30. 
Guided garden walks, 15 Apr to 15 Sep, Mon to Fri at 1.30. 
No dogs in the garden. No shaded car parking.

For further information tel 01445 781200

Kintail and West Affric account for some 26,600 acres of the Trust’s countryside property.  The five sisters of Kintail and the Falls of Glomach are part of this magnificent walking country, which contains ten Munros.  The path through the property was once the main drove route from Skye to the rail links at Inverness.  Red deer, eagles and other wildlife can be seen in profusion.

Open: Estate, all year, daily. 
Countryside centre at Morvich, 1 May to 30 Sep, daily 9-10

For further information tel 01599 511231

Here you can climb on Torridonian sandstone some 750 million years old on the enormous bulk of Liathach, which has seven tops, and the massif of Beinn Alligin.  In addition to their scenic splendour, these mountains attract geologists and naturalists from all over the world. A trust countryside centre with an audio-visual presentation on scenery and wildlife is sited at the junction of the A896 and the Diabaig road.  A deer museum and herds of red deer and highland cattle are nearby.

Open: Countryside centre, 1 May to 30 Sep, Mon-Sat 10-5, Sun 2-5. 
Estate, deer park and Deer Museum, all year, daily.

For further information tel 01445 791221