With only 77 sleeps until the opening of Christmas at the Botanics, fans of seasonal festivities can look forward to a host of new and spectacular botanical-themed installations which will create this year’s awe-inspiring after-dark experience at the Royal Botanic Garden Edinburgh.
Running from 16 November to 30 December, Christmas at the Botanics will once again transform the Garden with a reimagined trail featuring new installations created by artists both local to Edinburgh and from around the world.
The latest new installations confirmed for the 2023 trail include:
Dragonflies will appear to defy gravity as they are suspended over the serene Botanic Pond. This installation of six dragonflies measuring almost two metres in length has been created by local artist, Martha Ellis, who has a studio in Edinburgh. Martha’s work takes inspiration from pop artist Roy Lichtenstein and contemporary Japanese artist Yayoi Kusama.
Fire Dancers will be part of this year’s Fire Garden and has been created by artist Maria Hingerty, previously associate director ofThe World Famous, one of the leading firework and pyrotechnic performance companies in the world. This unique installation takesinspiration from Maria’s own joyful memories of celebratory gatherings, representing the ideas of unity and hope that are associated with the festive period.
Also new for 2023 is the introduction of off-peak tickets. Available on selected evenings in November and December, these tickets enable visitors to make savings on their ticket purchase.
All the new and returning installations along the one-mile illuminated trail are low in energy and have been selected to complement the Botanics’ environment.
Simon Milne, the Regius Keeper of the Royal Botanic Garden Edinburgh, said: “This year’s transformed Christmas at the Botanics trail promises our visitors a new and impressive nocturnal Garden exploration and will be a fabulous festive outing for friends and families. I am very proud of our team’s artistic and fun creations that bring together Christmas, plants, light, and creativity.
“The introduction of off-peak tickets will enable more people to join us this year, and it is important to note that all profits from Christmas at the Botanics will help advance our national and international plant research, conservation, and education programmes.”
Tickets for this year’s show are on sale. For further ticket information, pricing, and timings, please visit www.rbge.org.uk/christmas. Visitors are encouraged to book in advance to guarantee their preferred timeslot.
Christmas at the Botanics is one of nine illuminated trails staged across the UK by leading events promoter Raymond Gubbay Limited, a division of Sony Music. Christmas at the Botanics is presented in partnership with the Royal Botanic Garden Edinburgh and creative producer Culture Creative.
The 2022 trail at the Botanics attracted its biggest audience, welcoming more than 95,000 visitors over its six-week run.
For more details visit www.rbge.org.uk/christmas and follow @mychristmastrails on Facebook and Instagram.
National Museum of Scotland Chambers Street, Edinburgh, EH1 1JF Open 10:00–17:00 daily
Beyond the Little Black Dress Until 29 Oct 2023 Special Exhibition Gallery, Level 3 Ticketed (concessions available)
From design classics to cutting-edge catwalk creations, this exhibition deconstructs the little black dress and examines the radical power of the colour black in fashion. The exhibition will chart a century of fashion in a series of themed, immersive displays. Iconic early pieces by Yves Saint Laurent, Dior and Jean Muir will be juxtaposed with recent looks by ground-breaking contemporary designers and brands like Gareth Pugh, Simone Rocha and Off-White.
Rising Tide: Art and Environment in Oceania Until 14 Apr 2024 Exhibition Gallery 2, Level 3 Free
Delve into the most important and pressing issue of our time, humanity’s damaging relationship with planet Earth. This urgent issue is felt especially deeply in Australia and the Pacific Islands where sea levels are rising due to climate change and the oceans are filling with plastic. Rising Tide considers our relationship to the natural environment through contemporary artistic responses to climate change and plastic waste by Indigenous Australian and Pacific Islander artists.
Uniquely Scottish Silver Until 26 May 2024 Grand Gallery Free
Uniquely Scottish Silver brings together five distinct Scottish silver object designs: mazers, quaichs, thistle cups, ovoid urns and heart brooches. Discover some of the earliest and rarest survivals within the Scottish silver smiths’ craft.
National Museum of Scotland Chambers Street, Edinburgh, EH1 1JF Open 10:00–17:00 daily
Audio-Described Access Evening: Beyond the Little Black Dress 12 Sep 17:30 – 19:00 Special Exhibition Gallery 1, Level 3 Age 8+
Explore the Beyond the Little Black Dress exhibition supported by an audio-described tour of key objects, for those who are blind, partially sighted or visually impaired.
Film Screening: Fashion Reimagined 16 Sep 14:00 – 16:30 Auditorium, Level 1 Tickets £6 – £10 Age 14+
Join us for a screening of this 2022 documentary film following fashion designer Amy Powney of cult label Mother of Pearl, a rising star in the London fashion scene. Documentary Fashion Reimagined follows designer Amy Powney as she embarks on a three-year journey to create a sustainable clothing collection and transform the way we engage with fashion.
Medieval to Modern: Animal Illustration Workshop 16 Sep 10:15 – 16:00 Studio 2, Level 4 Tickets £5 – £6 Age 16+
Join natural history artists Rebecca Jewell and Sandy Ross Sykes to create your own artwork in the style of a Medieval Book of Beasts, inspired by our Library Archives and Natural History collections.
Magic Carpet: Maths in Motion Special 27 Sep 10:30 – 11:00 and 14:00 – 14:30 Grand Gallery, Level 1 Free with booking required
Bring your little ones for a fun session on the Magic Carpet exploring maths in motion. Discover shapes, numbers, time and more through songs, action rhymes, objects and sensory play. Suitable for children ages 2–4 and their adult helper.
In Conversation: Black British Design 27 Sep 19:00 – 20:30 Auditorium, Level 1 Tickets £6 – £10 Age 14+
Join Maria Casely-Hayford and Sequoia Barnes in a conversation exploring Black British fashion. Discover the trailblazing career of fashion designer Joe Casely-Hayford OBE in this conversation with Sequoia Barnes and Maria Casely-Hayford.
Fashionably Late 06 Oct 19:30 – 22:30 £16 – £22 including exhibition entry Strictly 18+
Our legendary Museum Lates return in October restyled for one night only as Fashionably Late. Join us for an evening of fun, frolics and fashion in the beautiful setting of the National Museum of Scotland at night.
National Museum of Flight East Fortune Airfield, East Lothian, EH39 5LF Open daily 10:00 – 16:00
Brick Sundays 03 – 17 Sep 12:00 – 16:00 Free with museum admission
Inspired by our current Brick History display, each Sunday we will have a different build theme. Choose to make something inspired by the theme or build your own creation. For something a bit more energetic, take part in our speed build challenge and see if you can make it to the top of the champions’ board.
Doors Open Day 2023 23 & 24 Sep 10:00 – 17:00 Free
Visit the museum for free over Doors Open Days East Lothian weekend and learn about the history of aviation from the First World War to the present day. Immerse yourself in interactive galleries, supersonic experiences and our historic hangars and airfield.
Conservation Hangar Tours Until 31 Mar 2024 Free with museum admission Booking required
See behind the scenes of the work carried out in the museum’s Conservation hangar with a guided tour and find out more about objects from the collection that aren’t normally on display.
National Museum of Rural Life Philipshill Road, East Kilbride, G76 9HR Open 10:00–17:00 daily
MooFest 16 & 17 Sep 10:20 – 15:30 Free with museum admission and Annual Pass
Join us for a celebration of all things cattle at the National Museum of Rural Life.New for 2023, this weekend of cattle-inspired activities, talks and tastings for young and old alike.
The 2023 UCI Cycling World Championships taking place in Glasgow and across Scotland is set to become the one of the most watched cycling events ever, with broadcast figures from the first four days of action showing record numbers of viewers are tuning in at home and abroad.
In the first four days, more than two million viewers in the UK alone watched the action unfold live on the BBC with more than one million watching Austrian Valentina Höll and Great Britain’s Charlie Hatton become the Women’s and Men’s Elite Mountain Bike Downhill UCI World Champions in the stunning surroundings of Fort William.
A further peak of 800,000 viewers tuned into the dramatic men’s road race on Sunday 6 August, as Mathieu Van der Poel clinched the rainbow jersey, in front of a further 300,000 people who lined the route between Edinburgh and Glasgow and during the 10 laps of Glasgow’s tough city circuit.
With an average of 600,000 viewers, it was the highest UK television audience for a UCI World Championship Men Elite road race in recent years: an average of 350,000 viewers in 2020 (in Imola, Italy), 220,000 viewers in 2021 (in Flanders, Belgium) and 188,000 last year (in Wollongong, Australia).
The Track and Para-cycling Track competitions, held jointly for the first time, had an average of 500,000 viewers tuning in to watch the competition at the Sir Chris Hoy velodrome.
The total number of spectators to watch the cycling in person now exceeds more than 500,000, whether it’s witnessing the action on Scottish roads, at the BMX Freestyle Park at Glasgow Green, the Mountain Bike Downhill in Fort William, the Mountain Bike Cross-country Marathon in Glentress or Track and Para-cycling Track at the Sir Chris Hoy Velodrome, while millions more have tuned into the action from overseas.
The statistics on 2023 UCI Cycling World Championships official social media reflect the interest worldwide, with a reach of 4.6 million and more than 193,000 engagements with people liking, sharing and commenting on posts in the first four days of the event across the first four days. The 2023 UCI Cycling World Champs website has also had 400,000 unique users since the start of the event, with the schedule page being the most popular.
The numbers will no doubt be boosted by what is set to become a record-breaking women’s road race on Sunday, with thousands of fans expected to create a wall of noise around Glasgow once again, as the world’s leading female cyclists have the honour of closing the biggest event in the history of the sport.
Paul Bush OBE, 2023 UCI Cycling World Championships Chair, said: “After the many months and years of planning, it really has been special to see the number of fans making their way to the roadside, or into venues to watch the world’s best cyclists compete across all disciplines.
“The 2023 UCI Cycling World Championships has provided a wonderful opportunity to showcase to a global audience the stunning landscape and iconic locations Scotland has on offer across the length and breadth of the country.
“I want to say thank you to all our host regions for their contribution to shaping the goodwill and positive atmosphere across all our venues, but I also want to pay tribute to the incredible number of local fans who are showing the world why Scotland is the perfect stage for major events.
“I hope the crowds keep coming along in person and tuning into the excellent coverage being provided by the BBC, especially as we head into a huge occasion on Sunday as the women road racers compete to give these UCI Cycling World Championships the finale they deserve.”
UCI President David Lappartientsaid: “I have been visiting different competition venues since the beginning of the UCI Cycling World Championships so have experienced first-hand the fervor of on-site spectators.
“The television viewing figures from the first four days of competition demonstrate that the same passion and excitement are shared by cycling fans who cannot be present but are able to witness the action thanks to the event’s record television coverage. It is far from over, and I am convinced that the remaining competitions will be every bit as popular.”
Against the backdrop of the world’s biggest cycling event in history, discussions are taking place which aim to further boost equality, diversity and inclusion across Scotland’s world-renowned events sector.
The 2023 UCI Cycling World Championships has seen competitions for disabled and non-disabled athletes taking place alongside each other. This inclusive approach has helped to showcase and raise awareness of Para sport.
Yesterday in Glasgow Culture Secretary Angus Robertson hosted a roundtable with partners representing people with protected characteristics, such as race and young people, to explore ways to strengthen the approach to the planning, delivery and legacy of major events.
Along with a public consultation and stakeholder workshops held earlier in 2023, this will inform the refreshed National Events Strategy for 2025-2035.
Mr Robertson said: “It’s important that collectively we make most of the many benefits events can bring to the lives of diverse communities right across Scotland.
“The UCI Cycling World Championships are a great example of how mega events like this can showcase our cultural diversity, boost accessibility and extend a warm welcome to all communities.
“The inclusion of Para sports in the Cycling World Championships has contributed significantly to the atmosphere. The competitive spirit and level of skill and dedication demonstrated by all athletes taking part side by side has been inspirational and an important part of the success of the event.
“We want our portfolio of world-class events to deliver positive economic, social, cultural and environmental benefits for everyone in Scotland.”
Scottish Labour’s Shadow Minister for Culture Foysol Choudhury MSP said that championships as such are an excellent opportunity to get more people into sports and showcase all that Scotland has to offer to the world.
The Lothians list MSP said: “With our fantastic landscape and cities as backdrops for the event, it’s been great to show the world exactly why so many of us are proud to call Scotland our home.
“Not only that, but it’s really helped to encourage sport, amongst young people and adults alike.
“We not only have breath-taking scenery if you want to cycle outdoors, but we also have excellent velodromes for indoor cycling.
“This is a great opportunity to embrace active travel as part of a healthy lifestyle and start cycling again-I know I’ve definitely been inspired to get back into the habit!”
As part of the build-up to the 2023 UCI Cycling World Championships, an £8 million Cycling Facilities Fund has been jointly invested by the Scottish Government and Sportscotland to support cycling communities and club facilities across Scotland.
Mr Choudhury continued: “To encourage active travel and sport, we need to make sure that everybody has access to the equipment and facilities needed to participate. That’s why funding to community and club facilities is so important.
“I would like to congratulate two projects from West Lothian – Balbardie Park Pump Track and West Lothian Cycle Circuit, Linlithgow – who have received awards of £45,433 and £636,011, respectively.
“I hope that my constituents can make use of the benefits that these funds can bring.
“Let’s all get inspired by the Championships this summer and join in to feel the Power Of The Bike! “
Scotland’s sensational illuminated trail Wondrous Woods is back this year in the spectacular new setting of Gosford House in East Lothian.
The event and its magical mascot Woody the Owl have found a new home at the magnificent country estate near Longniddry which has featured in the hugely-popular Outlander television series.
Designed and produced by the team at GC Live and delivered by technical partners, 21CC Group, the stunning lighting journey takes visitors through the winding mystical pathways of Wondrous Woods, starting at Gosford’s enchanting Lily Pond and Ice House.
Guests are invited to wander the 1.5km route of beautifully-lit trails which meander through ancient private woodlands and unseen gardens, past the Boat House and through the natural beauty of the landscape.
They will witness spectacular sound and lighting installations along the way and savour the superb sight of Gosford House illuminated in all its glory. They can then relax and join Woody in the Hay Field at Woody’s Nest for a bite to eat and a browse in the Woody Shop.
Geoff Crow, Director of 21CC Group said,“We are thrilled to be taking this magical lighting event to Gosford House.
“Paired with the beauty of such a magnificent setting, the trail is set to be a breathtaking feast for the senses. We are really excited about welcoming visitors back to Wondrous Woods and giving them a new perspective in a delightful venue.”
Gosford House has been home to the Earls of Wemyss since 1808 and opened its doors for events in 2010.
Alison Bombail, Venue Director comments:“We’re used to staging all sorts of wonderful celebrations here at Gosford House, but this is going to be something completely awe-inspiring, a really magical addition to our locality.
“We know what the wonderful people at GC Live can deliver and can’t wait to welcome the public to see the grounds illuminated in such a spectacular way.”
The magical illuminated adventure that is Wondrous Woods runs over Friday, Saturday and Sunday sessions from October 27 to November 19, including a special run during the last week, where sessions are extended to run from Thursday to Sunday.
Tickets are available to buy online at https://www.wondrouswoods.com/ticket-information with off-peak Friday and Sunday tickets priced at £12 per child and £19 for an adult. Peak tickets on Saturdays are £13 per child and £20 per adult.
The organisers of this year’s Green Home Festival are urging homeowners and the construction industry to “be brave” and embrace innovations like microwave heating to help build a more sustainable future and meet net zero targets.
Scotland’s second renewables jamboree will kick off in less than two weeks, delivering 11 free shows on low-carbon living as part of the official Edinburgh Festival Fringe.
Co-organiser Gordon Nelson, Scotland Director of the Federation of Master Builders, said: “Our upcoming show on microwave heating is the perfect demonstration of the bravery and innovative thinking that is needed by both the construction industry and homeowners if we are to build a sustainable future for Scotland.
“We know that we’ll need a combination of methods to meet both the retrofit challenge and the new-build heat standard and this new technology is one of the solutions that we should be having the courage to explore now.”
The microwave heating show will be delivered on the first day of the festival by Professor Sean Smith, Director of The Centre for Future Infrastructure and Professor of Future Construction within the School of Engineering at the University of Edinburgh (below).
Starting at 2pm on Monday 14 August, the event will focus on the origin of the new technology, how it works and how it could offer an alternative to traditional heating methods in our homes.
Mr Nelson went on: “It’s great for us to have this innovative solution explained this year as part of the Green Home Festival, and this technology could provide the rapid acceleration of low carbon heating for Scotland’s 1.2 million flats, given the short installation time and the fact that it links to existing radiators.
“We just need to be brave, adjust our mindsets and think outside the box when it comes to potential greener solutions like this.
“As well as microwaves, the Green Home Festival will also look at other innovations in home heating, such as hybrid systems, which combine new technology with traditional methods to reduce both costs and carbon footprint for the homeowner.
“And on a larger scale, we’ll be looking at the benefits of community heating networks and exploring how distributing heat to multiple buildings from a central source could do away with the need for individual boilers or electric heaters in every building.
“All this activity is designed to start a conversation about renewable living and to encourage homeowners to start thinking differently about how they will power, heat and run their homes in the years to come.
“It will also help demonstrate how the CICV has its finger on the pulse of future solutions to meet the climate challenge and is determined to help steer the wider construction industry down a more sustainable path.”
The festival is the latest in a string of practical and constructive initiatives launched by the CICV since its creation at the start of the pandemic in March 2020.
Made up of 28 trade associations, professional services bodies and companies, it has maintained a steady supply of information and practical advice to the sector as well as carrying out surveys, producing animations and posters, hosting webinars and maintaining close dialogue with Scottish Government ministers.
Full details, including how to book tickets for each event, are available on the Festival’s website at greenhomefestival.co.uk.
National Museum of Scotland Chambers Street, Edinburgh, EH1 1JF Open 10:00–17:00 daily
Beyond the Little Black Dress Until 29 Oct 2023 Special Exhibition Gallery, Level 3 Ticketed (concessions available)
From design classics to cutting-edge catwalk creations, this exhibition deconstructs the little black dress and examines the radical power of the colour black in fashion. The exhibition will chart a century of fashion in a series of themed, immersive displays.
Iconic early pieces by Yves Saint Laurent, Dior and Jean Muir will be juxtaposed with recent looks by ground-breaking contemporary designers and brands like Gareth Pugh, Simone Rocha and Off-White.
Rising Tide: Art and Environment in Oceania 12 Aug 2023 – 14 Apr 2024 Exhibition Gallery 2, Level 3 Free
Delve into the most important and pressing issue of our time, humanity’s damaging relationship with planet Earth. This urgent issue is felt especially deeply in Australia and the Pacific Islands where sea levels are rising due to climate change and the oceans are filling with plastic. Rising Tide considers our relationship to the natural environment through contemporary artistic responses to climate change and plastic waste by Indigenous Australian and Pacific Islander artists.
Japanese Contemporary Design Until 30 Jul 2023 Exhibition Gallery 3, Level 1 Free entry
From striking statement jewellery to prints and porcelain vases, this new free display considers how Japanese contemporary makers have combined innovative and traditional art, craft and design elements over the past five decades.
The star object is Hitomi Hosono’s A Large Pine Tree Pool, a sculptural porcelain bowl with complex hand-carving made and acquired in 2019. Further highlights include Junko Mori’s intricate New Pinecone Silver Organism, and colourful body adornments by jeweller Suō Emiko’s adapted from metalworking and engraving techniques traditionally used in the making of Japanese sword fittings.
National Museum of Scotland Chambers Street, Edinburgh, EH1 1JF Open 10:00–17:00 daily
Experts Radio Lab 8 Aug – 24 Aug Various days and times Hawthornden Court Free, drop in
Experts Radio Lab and the accompanying Listening Station is a free, drop-in experience, set within our pop-up radio studio at the National Museum of Scotland. Interviews are shared live to an audience of fellow interviewees, their families and anyone who’s curious. Share your expertise with us or come along and learn from the masters! You never know what you’ll learn. A production by Alice Mary Cooper and Company.
Museum Late: Fringe Fridays 11 Aug & 18 Aug 19:30 – 22:30 £16 – £22
Fringe Fridays are back! Enjoy a unique flavour of the Fringe and explore the museum after hours. From comedy and cabaret to music and magic, handpicked performers will showcase highlights from their acts across two adults-only extravaganzas, alongside bars and entry to our summer exhibition, Beyond the Little Black Dress. Acts across the two nights include the Black Blues Brothers, Sunshine on Leith, Cirque Afrique and many more.
BSL Access Evening: Beyond the Little Black Dress 15 Aug 18:00-19:30 Standard exhibition entry prices apply
Part of Edinburgh Deaf Festival, join us after hours for a Deaf-led BSL tour of key objects in the Beyond the Little Black Dress exhibition.
From design classics to cutting-edge catwalk creations, this exhibition deconstructs the little black dress and examines the radical power of the colour black in fashion. The tour will last around one hour with the chance to explore the exhibition independently afterwards.
Morning Curator Tour: Rising Tide 16 – 24 Aug 09:15-10:00 (doors open at 09:00) Ticketed
Join curator Dr Ali Clark for an exclusive morning tour of our Rising Tide exhibition, delving nto the stories behind the exhibition and explore the innovative and artistic responses to climate change and plastic waste by Indigenous Australian and Pacific Islander artists. Add a voucher to upgrade your experience with refreshments in one of our museum cafés.
Audio-Described Access Evening: Beyond the Little Black Dress 12 Sep 17:30 – 19:00 Special Exhibition Gallery 1, Level 3 Age 8+
Explore the Beyond the Little Black Dress exhibition supported by an audio-described tour of key objects, for those who are blind, partially sighted or visually impaired.
Film Screening: Fashion Reimagined 16 Sep 14:00 – 16:30 Auditorium, Level 1 Tickets £6 – £10 Age 14+
Join us for a screening of this 2022 documentary film following fashion designer Amy Powney of cult label Mother of Pearl, a rising star in the London fashion scene. Documentary Fashion Reimagined follows designer Amy Powney as she embarks on a three-year journey to create a sustainable clothing collection and transform the way we engage with fashion.
National Museum of Flight East Fortune Airfield, East Lothian, EH39 5LF Open daily 10:00 – 16:00
Big Build Weekend 26 & 27 Aug 10:30 –16:30 Free with museum admission
Inspired by our current Brick History display, take part in our mass participation Big Build alongside LEGO experts Warren and Teresa Elsmore. You will be building part of a 3-metre-tall Saturn V rocket, the only launch vehicle to carry humans beyond low earth orbit to the moon, which will then become part of the Brick History display until November.
Brick Sundays 3 – 17 Sep 12:00 – 16:00 Free with museum admission
Inspired by our current Brick History display, each Sunday we will have a different build theme. Choose to make something inspired by the theme or build your own creation. For something a bit more energetic, take part in our speed build challenge and see if you can make it to the top of the champions’ board.
Conservation Hangar Tours Until 31 Mar 2024 Free with museum admission Booking required
See behind the scenes of the work carried out in the museum’s Conservation hangar with a guided tour and find out more about objects from the collection that aren’t normally on display.
National Museum of Rural Life Philipshill Road, East Kilbride, G76 9HR Open 10:00–17:00 daily
Nature Track Packs Until 31 Aug 10:00 – 17:00 Borrow from the ticket desk Free with museum admission and Annual Pass
Explore more at the National Museum of Rural Life this summer with our Nature Track Packs. Each pack contains fun ideas and activities to encourage children to engage all their senses to explore the countryside on a walk up to the farm.
MooFest 16 & 17 Sep 10:20 – 15:30 Free with museum admission and Annual Pass
Join us for a celebration of all things cattle at the National Museum of Rural Life.New for 2023, this weekend of cattle-inspired activities, talks and tastings for young and old alike.
Conservation charity reveals the epic three-month journey of Mar’verick, the rare white-tailed eagle which hatched at Aberdeenshire’s Mar Lodge Estate before journeying across Scotland
Adventure, fun and exploring new places is the order of the summer at the National Trust for Scotland, with Mar’verick, the rare white-tailed eagle, taking members, visitors and other supporters in Edinburgh under his wing.
Mar’verick, born at Aberdeenshire’s Mar Lodge Estate and named after Maverick, the iconic fighter pilot in the film Top Gun, has been closely monitored since birth as part of the RSPB Scotland’s East Scotland Sea Eagle introduction project, allowing the National Trust for Scotland and the RSPB to form a map documenting his travels around the country.
Until 2020 white-tailed eagles had not been bred successfully in Deeside, making it even more special to have this rare raptor species nesting at Mar Lodge Estate.
The National Trust for Scotland hopes that not only will this unique tracking data help experts to monitor the growth of Scotland’s white-tailed eagle population – which is an endangered species – but also inspire people to follow the adventures of Mar’verick around Scotland this summer.
Data provided by RSPB Scotland shows the eagle has travelled from Mar Lodge Estate in Aberdeenshire up across the north of Scotland and all the way down to the isle of Arran, between January and April 2023. In just a three-month period, Mar’verick visited over 20 Trust places.
Mar’verick’s adventures and visits have inspired the conservation charity to call on the people of Edinburgh and the surrounds to follow his example and support its work to protect, share and enjoy nature, beauty and heritage this summer, by visiting some of the most unique and special places in Scotland.
In Edinburgh this summer, visitors can experience a range of activities for all ages across Newhailes, Georgian House, Gladstone’s Land, Inveresk Lodge Garden and Malleny Garden. Moving further afield, the House of the Binns near Linlithgow is hosting a Young Historians at the Binns tour, specifically created for children aged four to 11 years old, on Saturday 8 July.
The popular Doghailes and Carhailes events are back at Newhailes on 30 July and 27 August respectively, offering a fun-filled day out for canine and car lovers. The Georgian House, in the heart of the city centre, recently opened a new exhibition on Raeburn’s Edinburgh, giving new perspectives on the life and work of one of Scotland’s most prolific artists and the city and times he lived in, running throughout the summer months.
Meanwhile, visitors to Gladstone’s Land, the Royal Mile, can take part in a range of tours – from Tables Through Time, which is focused around food, through to an Intimate Lives tour, telling tales of the history of desire in Edinburgh’s old town. Throughout the summer period, visitors can cool off by enjoying an ice cream or a cold drink in the café that was inspired by the building’s rich trading history.
Stuart Maxwell, Regional Director for Edinburgh and the East at the National Trust for Scotland, said: “The summer months are upon us and it is fantastic to see so many supporters, visitors and members enjoying our places.
“It is our charity’s privilege to share Scotland’s nature, beauty and heritage with everyone, and we are very grateful to all of our supporters who make this possible. By being part of the National Trust for Scotland, and visiting our places, you are helping protect, share and enjoy the outdoor spaces and incredible historic buildings where memories are made.
“Over the coming months, we have some exciting projects coming to fruition which will give our supporters even more experiences to share this summer. Mar’verick has proven himself to be the Trust’s number one adventurer, visiting over 20 places since the beginning of this year.
“With a place for every interest, age and passion, we can’t wait to see people rise to Mar’verick’s challenge and see how many Trust places they can visit over the coming months. Through the careful conservation work the Trust is doing across Scotland to restore natural habitats and create the right environments for wildlife to flourish, the charity’s places are home to a wide range of thriving wildlife and continue to welcome new species, such as hen harriers and white-tailed eagles.”
Following the launch of its 10-year strategy, Nature, Beauty and Heritage for Everyone, in March last year, the National Trust for Scotland has focused on caring for Scotland’s special places, providing access and enjoyment and being a sustainable charity, including the restoration and reopening of House of the Binns, creating visitor facilities at Corrieshalloch National Nature Reserve, and unveiling an innovative new garden at Pitmedden which is adapted for a changing climate.
This work is possible thanks to the support of members and donors. To support the conservation charity’s work to care for Scotland’s special places, become a member at www.nts.org.uk. Prices start from £3.20 for those aged 16 to 24, £5.50 for adults and £4.85 per month for those aged 60 and over.
For more information on the National Trust for Scotland, or the events taking place in your area, visit: www.nts.org.uk.
Award-winning influencer will turn up the heat on ‘fast fashion’ and urge homeowners to be more eco-friendly as part of Edinburgh Festival Fringe
TV presenter and award-winning designer Anna Campbell-Jones will urge Scotland’s homeowners to make their kitchens green as well as clean in a special stage show as part of this year’s Edinburgh Festival.
Anna will take centre stage on the first day of the week-long renewables jamboree in a show entitled Ingredients for a Greener Kitchen, dismissing the trend for ‘fast fashion’ and encouraging homeowners to make their cooking spaces more eco-friendly instead.
The renowned interior designer said: “I am delighted to be taking part in this year’s Green Home Festival and help raise the profile of eco-friendly living for consumers across Scotland.
“Finding greener ways of designing, decorating and renewing our homes will be vital for us all going forward and creating more low-carbon kitchens will be a key part of that.
“In particular, I feel passionately that the era of ‘fast fashion’ for interiors must come to an end. Kitchens are a significant contributor to unrecyclable landfill and I’m going to talk about alternative approaches to the concept of what we mean by ‘getting a new kitchen’.”
She will now share a stage alongside experts from Scottish Water, plumbing body SNIPEF, electrical trade association SELECT and James Alan Construction, who will share their first-hand knowledge and advice on what to consider when planning and renovating a kitchen.
Festival co-organiser Gordon Nelson, Scotland Director of the Federation of Master Builders (FMB) said: “We are delighted to welcome Anna to this year’s Green Home Festival and look forward to hearing her invaluable input and expertise on greener living.
“Like all our shows, Ingredients for a Greener Kitchen will deliver a wealth of practical advice, focusing on the vital areas that can make kitchens eco-friendly – water efficiency, electrical efficiency and sustainably sourced materials and units.”
Mr Nelson added: “With all the events now confirmed, the second Green Home Festival is shaping up to be as big a success as last year’s inaugural event.
“With a strong focus on accessing funding and saving money, our experts will offer practical demonstrations of low-carbon technology that consumers can put into action as we move towards becoming a net zero nation.”
The Green Home Festival is the latest in a string of practical and constructive initiatives launched by the CICV since its creation as the Construction Industry Coronavirus (CICV) Forum in March 2020.
Made up of 28 trade associations, professional services bodies and companies, it has maintained a steady supply of information and practical advice to the sector as well as carrying out surveys, producing animations and posters, hosting webinars and maintaining close dialogue with Scottish Government ministers.
Tickets for all Green Home Festival events are free and can be reserved here. The series finale of Scotland’s Home of the Year can be viewed again here.
