Tag: National Trust for Scotland

National Trust for Scotland: ‘Love this place, leave no trace’

New campaign asks for visitors help to protect the places we all love

The National Trust for Scotland is urging visitors to ‘Love this place, leave no trace’ in a new campaign which aims to protect areas of scenic beauty near Edinburgh and encourage visitors and campers to minimise their impact on these places.

Scotland’s national conservation charity launched the campaign in a bid to address some of the serious issues faced at the properties and wild locations it cares for.

Over the past year, when lockdown restrictions have lifted, National Trust for Scotland staff have been delighted to welcome record numbers of visitors to world-renowned areas of natural beauty, including St Abb’s Head on the east coast.

People have been able to explore and discover the treasures on their own doorstep with the national conservation charity, which for 90 years has cared for and protected many of the country’s most loved places, following Government advice on Covid-19 and social distancing.

With international travel still uncertain, Trust staff and volunteers anticipate high-levels of visitor numbers in the months ahead.

The cumulative effect of large numbers of people visiting the countryside can lead to unintended damage and the Trust has addressed this with campaigns highlighting the impact on local wildlife and ecosystems and providing advice on how to visit safely and responsibly.

However, staff have witnessed a rise in anti-social behaviour which is endangering the natural environment, harming local communities, and having a devastating effect on long-term conservation projects.

Fences and trees have been uprooted and used for firewood. Trust teams have been forced to deal with an unprecedented rise in littering and both human and animal waste. Livestock and wildlife have been attacked and ‘worried’ by dogs running loose and irresponsible parking has seriously impact on the landscape and local people.

The charity is now launching a new campaign urging people to ‘Love this place, leave no trace’ and raise vital funds to support repairs and also help people understand how to minimise their impact on these beautiful places.

Ciaran Hatsell, Head Ranger at St Abb’s Head explained: “As the restrictions ease, we’ve seen a dramatic increase in visitors to our coastal nature reserve, resulting in mass amounts of litter being left behind.

“Not only is litter awful for the planet and keeping our spaces green, but it is also very dangerous for the beautiful seabird colonies we have at St Abb’s Head, in addition to many of the wildlife and sea creatures that call St Abb’s Head home.

“It’s not just litter being left behind, but human waste too. Clearing this up was not a task I ever thought I’d add to my job description! An immediate biohazard for other walkers and campers, human waste also pollutes the land and bacteria can leach into the local water table.”

Ciaran added: “In truth, it takes an enormous amount of work to conserve Scotland’s iconic mountains, woodlands and coastlines, which we all love. As a charity, we can only protect these places with your support.”

The National Trust for Scotland is urging people to get out and visit the locations and properties it cares for responsibly. To help, rangers have drawn up ten top tips – which you can read below.

You can donate online and find out more about ‘I love this place, leave no trace’ and the work being done in your local area at: www.nts.org.uk/leave-no-trace

The Top Ten Tips from National Trust for Scotland rangers to ‘Love this place, leave no trace’:

1. COME PREPARED WITH A PLAN B

Move on if it’s too busy or car parks are full.

2. PARK WITH CARE

Please do not damage verges or obstruct other vehicles, narrow roads, passing places or field gates.

3. LEAVE NO TRACE

Take your litter home and never leave rubbish beside a full bin.

4. STAY ON PATHS TO HELP PROTECT HABITATS

By avoiding bypassing muddy patches, you’ll reduce the risk of erosion spreading.

5. REMEMBER FOOTPATH ETIQUETTE

Need to let someone past? Step to one side, then step back onto the path again.

6. THINK YOU MAY NEED TO ‘GO’ WHILE YOU’RE OUT?

Come prepared with a bag and sealable container to take away human waste and soiled tissues safely.

7. CHOOSE YOUR CAMPING SPOT CAREFULLY

Give busy areas a rest and take as long to clear up as you take to set up.

8. USE A STOVE INSTEAD OF LIGHTING A FIRE

This will help prevent wildfires, scorched earth and tree damage.

9. KEEP DOGS UNDER CONTROL OR ON A LEAD

This ensures your dog will avoid disturbing wildlife or livestock.

10. LEAVE SOMEWHERE EVEN BETTER THAN WHEN YOU FOUND IT

Bring a litter picker and collect rubbish while you’re out.

We hope you have a great time exploring Scotland’s beautiful landscapes. Please share these tips with your family and friends!

Food for thought!

Gladstone’s Land launches first historical food tour

After opening to the public for the first time last month following a £1.5m restoration, the National Trust for Scotland’s Gladstone’s Land at the top of Edinburgh’s Royal Mile is introducing its first ever interactive historical food tour next week (Wednesday June 9). 

Food is a strong theme throughout the 500 year old townhouse which now has a coffee shop and ice cream parlour on the ground floor, inspired by the building’s long history as a place of commerce and catering. 

The ‘Tables Through Time’ tour follows the lives of three women that lived and worked at Gladstone’s Land, telling the story of changing tastes in food in Edinburgh’s Old Town and the impact of trade, class and fashion on people’s diets. As well as hearing about these people, the conservation charity will also be inviting guests to sample some of the food and drink these individuals may have consumed. 

Claire Grant, the National Trust for Scotland’s Operations Manager for Edinburgh said: “It’s impossible to think about Gladstone’s Land without thinking of food. It has been at the centre of Edinburgh’s spice and coffee trade, it’s been a tavern, it’s been a home.

“From the ice cream flavours served to the spices that sit in the tables in the coffee shop, we’ve taken inspiration from the flavourful history of the building, its residents and its many uses over the centuries, to create a place people will love.”

Based on specially-commissioned research from Lindsay Middleton, PhD researcher in food history at the University of Glasgow and University of Aberdeen, the tour goes from a 17th century kitchen on the first floor, an 18th/19th century draper’s on the second floor and a 20th century boarding house on the third floor. 

Visitors will get to taste the likes of bannocks sweetened with fruit, sugar or honey; parlies, a type of ginger biscuit named because they were a favourite with members of the Scottish parliament; and ‘donkey tea’, toast steeped in hot water.

After the tour, visitors can try out an ice cream flavour developed especially for the property. The elderflower and lemon curd ice cream has been created using research about the flavours and tastes that would have been associated with Gladstone’s Land over the years. 

Food historian Lindsay Middleton (above) said: “Historical food is something we are becoming increasingly interested in, whether it is history week on the Great British Bake Off or reading recipes in historical cookbooks and marvelling at strange ingredients and cooking techniques. Scottish food does have a rich and varied history. In the harsh climate, Scottish people have had to be creative with food. 

“On the Tables Through Time tour, we look at three women who lived in Gladstone’s Land, and how food and drink figured in their lives. Considering the different foods that would have been cooked and eaten within the property throughout its history will show how food, life, and work have always been linked.” 

Tickets for the tour can be booked at https://nts.cloudvenue.co.uk/tablesthroughtime

For more information about Gladstone’s Land, go to:  www.nts.org.uk/visit/places/gladstones-land

New life for Newhailes

 House reopens with brand new visitor attractions

After years of planning and specialist conservation work, the National Trust for Scotland’s Newhailes House has opened its doors for the first time since 2018. The conservation charity has also introduced a brand-new visitor experience inside the house and opened new catering facilities on the estate. 

The Palladian Villa, which was forced to close its doors in February 2018 due to a sprinkler system malfunction and a moth infestation, is a house frozen in time, with original furnishings and possessions from more than 300 years of inhabitants.

The house has undergone a programme of restoration work to be able to welcome visitors again and the stable block on the estate has been refurbished to create a new welcome centre and café. Visitors can also enjoy Weehailes Playpark and The Dairy – a brand new takeaway ice cream parlour and coffee shop.

The dairy premises once provided milk, cream and butter for all that lived and worked on the estate, and today visitors can enjoy a selection of ice creams, cakes, old-fashioned sweets and hot and cold drinks. In addition to The Dairy, Newhailes is now home to the Stables café, with outdoor and indoor seating and serving up breakfast, lunch and an array of delicious cakes and pastries. 

The team at Newhailes have developed three brand new visitor tours, one of which can now be pre-booked on www.nts.org.uk.

The first tour explores the last 150 years of habitation at Newhailes and the Trust’s role in saving the house and estate for future generations to enjoy.

The second tour sheds further light on the property, telling the tales behind the art collections and objects in the house. The final tour is targeted at families and explores the home through storytelling and is suitable for those with young children. 

Claire Grant, Operations Manager for Edinburgh, said: “We’ve been taking steps to revitalise Newhailes since before 2018 and plans were further delayed when the pandemic hit. We wanted to create a new experience that the local community could enjoy, in addition to offering a good quality food and drink experience.

“We’re really excited to be welcoming visitors back to Newhailes House after what has been a very long period of closure and we hope they enjoy some of our new additions, like our Dairy and Stables Café. So many people love this place, and we’re really pleased to be able to welcome visitors from near and far back once again. 

“All of our properties across Edinburgh and the Lothians have been making visits as safe as possible. Pre-booking is in place at a few sites and there are smaller groups for house tours. We’d highly recommend booking your slot to Newhailes in advance to avoid any disappointment.”

Newhailes House is open for the 20th century tour Wednesday to Sunday, the Dairy is open 10am-5pm, the Stables Café and shop are open 9am-5pm and Weehailes Playpark is open 10am-5pm, with last entry at 4 pm.

Pre-booking is advised – visit www.nts.org.uk.

Gladstone’s Land reopens for a taste of the past

One of the Royal Mile’s oldest buildings, the National Trust for Scotand’s Gladstone’s Land, starts a new chapter of its 500 year-old history as it re-opens to the public today after a £1.5m restoration, including a brand new coffee shop and ice cream parlour, continuing the spirit of the building’s long commercial use.   

At the top of the Royal Mile on the Lawnmarket in the heart of Edinburgh’s Old Town, the six storey tenement represents a new approach from the conservation charity, with visitors actively encouraged to connect with the property by interacting with the exhibits to find out about its fascinating history. 

Items can be picked up, chairs sat on and drawers and cabinets can be opened to reveal secrets about the property’s past. Interactive food tours are also planned for later in the month where visitors can even taste what our predecessors would have eaten. 

Rescued from demolition by the Trust in 1934, over the last 40 years the focus had mainly been on the life and times of merchant Thomas ‘Gledstanes’. He bought the building in the early 17th century, extended it and commissioned its famous Renaissance-style painted ceilings. 

Now though, thanks to years of meticulous historical research led by visitor services managers Dr Kate Stephenson and Anna Brereton (pictured ), the lives of other residents of the property over the centuries are being told too, with three floors of rooms laid out to reflect how they would have lived and worked.

The real-life stories of individual residents and the trading history of the address shows the rise and decline of the address and also reflects the fortunes of the Old Town as a whole, bringing Gladstone’s Land to life in a wholly new way.

Based on the will of wealthy 17th-century merchant John Riddoch, one room shows the recreation of his stockroom with the likes of ginger, sugar, pepper and cinnamon abounding. Another space shows a drapers based on the surviving trade accounts of a late 1700s business trading in silks, laces and printed cottons, including costumes for visitors to try on. 

A whole new floor of Gladstone’s Land is opening for the first time, presenting an early 20th-century boarding house inspired by Mary Wilson, a widow who in 1911 placed a newspaper advertisement offering a room in her apartment as suitable lodgings for ‘two or three respectable men’. 

On the street level, a new coffee shop has been created which is peppered with references to the property’s past. Gladstone’s Land can lay claim to be the oldest continually trading place of commerce in Edinburgh and the coffee shop (an important part of Edinburgh’s culture for centuries) continues that tradition. 

As well as the decoration of the space and ingredients in dishes inspired by the property’s past, the ice cream parlour on the same floor includes a specially created ice cream flavour. Researchers developed elderflower & lemon curd as the property’s first bespoke flavour, using documents related to the first sales of ice cream in Edinburgh in the 1900s and tastes associated with the property’s history.

Self-catering apartments on the upper floor have also been redesigned to create beautiful flats for holiday lets, profits from which will support the Trust’s wider conservation activities. 

General Manager for Edinburgh & East Stuart Maxwell said: “When we closed in February 2020 we expected that we’d be opening the doors to the new Gladstone’s Land in August last year but world events took over. We’re really pleased to reveal what’s been going on behind the hoardings and give people the chance to reconnect with this incredibly special place. 

“Work really started many, many years ago when the team came up with the idea of shifting the focus away from the prosperous merchant who owned the property to the people who actually lived and did business there and who may resonate more so with people today. By poring over documents such as wills, ships’ logs, trade accounts and newspapers we’ve been able to put together an incredibly detailed portrait of the individuals who inhabited the property over the last 500 years. 

“And we’re then presenting it in a way that is quite new for the Trust. Visitors are allowed to touch almost everything in the property and there are surprises at every turn for the curious. As well as the sense of touch, the immersive experience will involve sight, smell and taste too. There’s something there for everyone, from the specialised historian to the first-time museum goer. 

“We know how much people love Gladstone’s Land and we can’t wait for them to reconnect with its impressive history, and explore the new experiences that have been added to bring those centuries to life.”

www.nts.org.uk

www.nts.org.uk/visit/places/gladstones-land

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Edinburgh Trust properties get ready to reopen

Conservation charity the National Trust for Scotland has confirmed that most of its built heritage as well as estates and gardens across Edinburgh and the Lothians will be open for visitors from the end of April, in line with the easing of lockdown rules.

Many outdoor locations have been accessible for exercise all through the winter, including the grounds at Newhailes and Inveresk Lodge Garden.

The charity has shared plans for opening built heritage at Georgian House in Edinburgh, Preston Mill in East Lothian and Newhailes House in Musselburgh from 30 April onwards, providing Scotland continues to progress out of lockdown as planned.

Chief Executive Philip Long OBE said: “Everyone at the Trust is looking forward to welcoming our visitors back to the beautiful places we protect. Across Edinburgh and the Lothians, our teams are hard at work preparing for reopening and giving everyone a warm, and of course, safe welcome.

“Our charity is very grateful to the Scottish Government, our members and donors whose support and generosity means we can re-open more properties than we’d thought would have been possible this year. So many people love these places and after such a difficult year, all of us at the Trust are pleased to be able to share this positive news, and so many of our special places once again.”   

The Trust is urging anyone planning to visit to check the latest opening information on www.nts.org.uk before travelling, as some properties have different opening patterns this summer.

The website also contains information for visitors on the safety measure that will be in place for visits – 

https://www.nts.org.uk/stories/what-to-expect-when-visiting-our-places ,

as well as sharing its top tips for visiting responsibly

– https://www.nts.org.uk/stories/top-10-tips-for-visiting-our-countryside-places.

Caring for countryside costs the charity millions each year. Supporters are being asked to donate to help the Trust help nature, now and in the future.

Find out more at: www.nts.org.uk/help-nature.

Government steps in to support National Trust for Scotland

Funding to protect jobs and assist the re-opening of iconic heritage sites closed during the coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic has been announced by the Scottish Government.

A support package worth £3.8 million is to be made available to the National Trust for Scotland (NTS) to aid the heritage organisation’s recovery from the impacts of COVID-19. The funding will secure nearly 200 critical jobs and will allow NTS to retain a broad range of expertise in countryside and ranger services in addition to curation and education.

The package will also support the reopening of 33 heritage sites this month, rather than the 27 the Trust originally planned.

The funding comes with the condition that NTS works with the Scottish Government to consider the long-term sustainability of its operations and review its business model for future challenges.

The NTS has been badly impacted by the COVID-19 pandemic and was forced to close properties which has resulted in a lack of income from membership, investments and fundraising.

Culture Secretary Fiona Hyslop said: “This has been a deeply difficult time for staff at National Trust for Scotland. Since the difficulties at the Trust emerged, I was absolutely clear that any support from Government would be to support jobs.

“The severe impact of the pandemic means that unfortunately not all jobs can be saved but this funding will go far to protect as many critical roles across the National Trust for Scotland estate as we can.

“The funding will also ensure that some sites proposed for long-term closure by National Trust for Scotland can instead be reopened, and enjoyed once again by communities.

“The NTS is responsible for promoting and protecting many of Scotland’s most important natural and built sites, which are crucial to our heritage and tourism sectors. Many issues remain, however I am committed to working with the new leadership to ensure the Trust is in a better position to continue this vital work in Scotland.”

Approximately 188 compulsory redundancies, in addition to 44 voluntary redundancies, are still expected to be made by NTS as a result of the severe impacts of COVID-19.

National Trust for Scotland Chief Executive Phil Long said: “I want to offer my profound thanks to the Scottish Government and particularly to Cabinet Secretary Fiona Hyslop. The Trust has faced the worst crisis in its 90-year history.

“The Cabinet Secretary’s task group with Scottish Enterprise enabled us to produce a plan that showed, with help, that the Trust could endure as a charity, continuing to care for Scotland’s heritage and contributing to our society and economy.

“My joy at this announcement is tempered by the fact that the devastating effects of COVID-19 mean we still must say goodbye to friends and colleagues.  I wish it were not so, but redundancies are unavoidable, although this support helps keep them to the absolute minimum. 

“Through consultation on emergency measures we received invaluable advice from staff and others on functional expertise we must retain.  Consequently, we’ve come up with a resilient operating model to weather continuing uncertainty and, through support from government and many individuals, enable us to look forward.”

Prospect National Secretary for Scotland and Ireland Richard Hardy said: “Prospect very much welcomes the Scottish Government’s £3.8m support package. As a Union we have campaigned hard for such an intervention, and we pay tribute to our reps, members and the public who have kept the situation at the Trust very much at the forefront of the news.

“We welcome the Government and Trusts decision to use the money to support earlier re-opening of properties, and the saving of jobs that will ensue. At the end of the day however, we cannot and should not lose sight of the fact that over 200 people are still losing their jobs and this is bad news for the economy, for heritage and for Scotland.”

The NTS manages a range of built and natural heritage sites including one UNESCO world heritage site at St Kilda. It makes a critical contribution to tourism and to local economies and communities, particularly in many rural areas.

The funding support and consultation outcomes will enable NTS to open or partially open more properties than originally hoped, with some welcoming back visitors in a matter of weeks.  Following staff consultation, the NTS will confirm details of those properties soon.

The funding comes as part of the £97 million in UK Government consequentials for the culture and heritage sector.

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