2018 media releases

We are moving to a new management structure in our regions, part of continuing plans by the Trust to improve our visitor services and free up increased funding for conservation projects.

In the lead-up to Burns Night on 25 January this year, the National Trust for Scotland’s Robert Burns Birthplace Museum has been inviting performers to come to the place where he grew up, and record their own versions of his works, as part of the inaugural ‘Burns Sessions’.

The National Trust for Scotland received an incredible £200,000 in 2017, which allowed the charity to create two new all-abilities trails and a new adventure play experience at Culzean Castle & Country Park, thanks to the players of the People’s Postcode Lottery.

A small electrical fire has been extinguished at the National Trust for Scotland’s Craigievar Castle near Alford today (30 January).

The National Trust for Scotland today (2 February 2018) kicks off its urgent multi-million pound appeal to save the Charles Rennie Mackintosh-designed Hill House in Helensburgh, one of the most ambitious and important fundraising drives in the conservation charity’s history.

Staff at the National Trust for Scotland’s Newhailes House in Musselburgh acted swiftly to ensure its important collections were safe yesterday, after a leak was found coming from the top floor of the historic house.

A small electrical fire has been extinguished at the National Trust for Scotland’s Mar Lodge Estate near Braemar early this morning (19 February).

Weehailes Playpark, Musselburgh’s newest family-friendly visitor attraction, is gearing up to welcome its first visitors over the Easter weekend.

Conservation charity the National Trust for Scotland is warning visitors to Staffa that access to the world-famous Fingal’s Cave will be limited this spring. The concrete walkway which provides entry to the cave has been damaged by violent winter storms. As a result, entry to the cave on foot will not be possible.

The National Trust for Scotland is getting ready to celebrate Easter and the arrival of spring with its annual Cadbury Easter Egg Hunts. Dozens of events take place at the conservation charity’s properties from Culzean Castle in Ayrshire to Inverewe Garden in Wester Ross from 30 March to 2 April.

Following a consultation process, the General Managers of conservation charity the National Trust for Scotland are ready to bring in new regional operational structures.

Thought to have been inhabited since 5000BC, the small island of Canna off the south-west of Skye will be the location of a one-day symposium entitled ‘The Columba Connection’ on 9 June this year. Organised by the National Trust for Scotland’s Canna House Archives, the event will feature a programme of academic papers, guided walks and musical events, to be delivered in the appropriately named St Columba’s Chapel, the island’s “Shearing Shed” community space and in Canna House garden.

A young geography student and mountain bike enthusiast is set to follow in the footsteps of acclaimed Scottish naturalist Dick Balharry and travel abroad to further their studies, thanks to a new educational award from the National Trust for Scotland and the University of Highlands and Islands.

Members of the National Trust for Scotland are being offered the opportunity to apply to join the Board of Trustees of the conservation charity.

The National Trust for Scotland is getting ready to celebrate spring with their Daffodil Days event at Greenbank Garden.

The first events for over a decade take place on Fountain Court in front of the National Trust for Scotland’s property Culzean Castle. Two outdoor cinema screenings take place towards the end of April.

The National Trust for Scotland’s Culross Palace is offering you the rare opportunity to meet its needlework group.

Some of Scotland’s most recognisable public figures have thrown their weight behind the National Trust for Scotland’s most ambitious campaign ever with the aim of boosting member numbers by more than a third to 500,000, doubling paid visits to 1 million and increasing regular donors and member visits over the next five years.

Celebrate this May Bank Holiday weekend differently and enjoy all the fun of the Duck Race Extravaganza at the National Trust for Scotland’s Barry Mill.

Pupils from more than 13 local Aberdeenshire schools have been helping create a wildflower haven at the National Trust for Scotland’s Leith Hall near Huntly.

The National Trust for Scotland has called on the country’s fish farming sector to fix its pollution problems before contemplating further expansion.

Scotland’s largest conservation charity has welcomed the Scottish Parliament’s Stage 1 Report on the Planning (Scotland) Bill. But on the day of the report’s publication, the charity has expressed sorrow about the direct consequences of the existing flawed and iniquitous planning system.

An exhibition celebrating the work of one of the world’s best-known photographers begins this weekend at the National Trust for Scotland’s Pollok House in Glasgow.

The National Trust for Scotland’s Drum Castle in Aberdeenshire is continuing its reputation for bringing fresh, new exhibitions to the Shire’s art scene, with the opening of its newest show, Marian Clayden: Dressing up Drum.

A giant egg-like pod will appear at Newhailes in Edinburgh this week ( 23–27 May) as the National Trust for Scotland invites locals to tell the nation what they love about Scotland.

The National Trust for Scotland has marked the end of National Volunteers Week (1-7 June 2018) by launching a new project geared toward providing a tangible outcome for those who give up their free time to help the charity protect Scotland’s heritage.

One of the North East’s most popular running events is back this year with a brand new sponsor, Aberdeenshire-based Plant Integrity Management Limited (PIM). The newly named PIM Half Marathon at Crathes Castle is a firm fixture in the Aberdeenshire events calendar, with 700 runners taking part every September.

The National Trust for Scotland, the country’s leading independent conservation charity, today (3 June 2018) announces its most ambitious-ever programme for investment and activity, with plans to spend almost £60 million on Scotland’s built and natural heritage over the next five years.

On World Environment Day (5 June 2018), the National Trust for Scotland has unveiled ambitious plans to help tackle climate change, beginning with the restoration of woodland and peatland on the Isle of Arran.

Today (Thursday 7 June), National Trust for Scotland announces that its fundraising campaign to save Charles Rennie Mackintosh’s globally renowned masterpiece, the Hill House in Helensburgh, has reached £900,000 worth of donations. The announcement is made on the 150th anniversary of the architect’s birth.

A blue poppy grown at the National Trust for Scotland’s Branklyn Garden in Perth has taken a top gardening accolade this week.

The National Trust for Scotland’s Glasgow Conservation Volunteer Group will be hard at work protecting Scotland’s heritage for future generations this summer.

Following confirmation from Police Scotland that they are investigating the theft of a claymore sword from Canna House, the National Trust for Scotland has issued the following statement.

The fate of one of Scotland’s most important dune habitats now lies with Scottish Ministers after Highland Council voted to approve plans for a golf course at Coul Links near Embo in East Sutherland this afternoon (20 June 2018).

Fo'c'sle is a dining experience which has recently opened at the National Trust for Scotland’s Culzean Castle & Country Park.

Headlined by Idlewild’s Roddy Woomble playing a solo set, the Upside Doon Music Festival returns to the gardens of the National Trust for Scotland’s Robert Burns Birthplace Museum in Alloway on Saturday 23 June.

This July, Folksy Theatre will visit the National Trust for Scotland’s Threave Garden and Estate with two of their open-air theatre productions.

The National Trust for Scotland’s team at Ben Lawers are inviting the public to get involved in a Bioblitz event on Saturday 14 July, as part of a new campaign by TV naturalist Chris Packham.

The National Trust for Scotland’s St Abb’s Head National Nature Reserve is hosting a public Bioblitz event on Wednesday 18 July as part of a new campaign by TV naturalist Chris Packham.

This July, The Three Inch Fools will visit the National Trust for Scotland’s Hill of Tarvit Mansion with an outdoor performance of a Midsummer Night’s Dream.

A group of MSPs visited the National Trust for Scotland’s St Abb’s Head National Nature Reserve this week, to show support for Scotland’s wildlife.

The National Trust for Scotland’s Drum Castle is getting ready to count up its species at a Bioblitz event later this month.

The National Trust for Scotland has today (Tuesday 9 July 2018) revealed the first public sketches of its new proposed viewing tower at the award-winning Inverewe Garden in Wester Ross.

This July, The Three Inch Fools will visit the National Trust for Scotland’s Fyvie Castle with an outdoor performance of A Midsummer Night’s Dream.

Alice, the Mad Hatter, the Cheshire Cat and the White Rabbit all went down the rabbit hole at the National Trust for Scotland’s Playful Garden at Brodie Castle last night (12 July).

Car lovers from all over Grampian are expected to attend one of the region’s biggest car shows held at the National Trust for Scotland’s Drum Castle.

Circus Sensible will be setting up their big top tent at the National Trust for Scotland’s Robert Burns Birthplace Museum this July.

The next generation of countryside rangers have given their expert approval to a series of footpath upgrades at the Linn of Dee at the National Trust for Scotland’s Mar Lodge Estate, the UK’s largest National Nature Reserve.

This July, Bard in the Botanics will visit the National Trust for Scotland’s Robert Burns Birthplace Museum with their open-air theatre production of Shakespeare’s Much Ado About Nothing.

This July, the HandleBards will visit the National Trust for Scotland’s Greenbank Garden with their outdoor performance of Romeo and Juliet.

This weekend, the National Trust for Scotland’s Pollok House will play host to a comedy extravaganza!

A brand new sculpture inspired by the shelterbelt at the National Trust for Scotland’s Inverewe Garden, Wester Ross, is the focal point of a new exhibition in its Sawyer Gallery.

A team of archaeologists working with conservation charity the National Trust for Scotland have discovered the first clear evidence for human activity during the Bronze Age on the dramatic Hebridean island of Staffa.

On Saturday 18 and Sunday 19 August, Pollok House will be hosting its first ever Vegan Market.

A Seriously Fun 5K is coming to the National Trust for Scotland’s Castle Fraser this September.

Over 400 members of the public took part in archaeological excavations at the National Trust for Scotland’s Crathes Castle and Castle Fraser over the last two weekends.

To commemorate the 100-year anniversary of the final days of World War One, gardeners at National Trust for Scotland properties across the North East of Scotland have cultivated striking memorial displays of Armistice flowers to remember those who lost their lives.

National Trust for Scotland President Neil Oliver visited Glencoe to recognise the site as Scotland’s newest National Nature Reserve (NNR).

Archaeologists working for the National Trust for Scotland have uncovered the remains of a medieval doorway leading into the caves underneath Culzean Castle on the Ayrshire coast.

A dedicated member of staff who slept overnight in an Aberdeenshire castle has been awarded a prestigious award by the charity he works for.

A volunteer who has devoted many hours of her time to protecting one of Fife’s heritage treasures – Kellie Castle - has been awarded a prestigious award by the National Trust for Scotland.

Last weekend, art lovers came together for a special competition at the National Trust for Scotland’s Culzean Castle.

Conservation charity the National Trust for Scotland is opening its glorious Branklyn Garden in Perth up for free to all visitors this weekend (29–30 September).

A fantastic new playpark inspired by the stories and setting of the National Trust for Scotland’s Crathes Castle opened at the historic Aberdeenshire site this weekend.

The National Trust for Scotland is creating even more Halloween fun this year as its popular ‘Creepy Crawl’ event, in partnership with oats company Stoats, expands to additional spine-chilling sites.

A series of family-friendly walking events, hosted by the National Trust for Scotland, are being set across the exhilarating backdrop of Wester Ross in the Scottish Highlands this October.

Supporters of the National Trust for Scotland will, for the first time, be able to make contactless donations to the charity, thanks to a new partnership with Bank of Scotland and Visa.

Dedicated volunteers and staff at the Musselburgh mansion Newhailes have made a significant step in its recovery following a flood in February 2018, with almost 600 historic books returned to the house.

This October Macbeth comes to the National Trust for Scotland’s Hill of Tarvit Mansion & Garden.

There’s a fruitful autumn planned at the National Trust for Scotland’s Brodick Castle, as the historic estate hosts a series of fun, outdoor family events all inspired by the castle’s long and intriguing history.

Work on a major project to transform the visitor experience at the National Trust for Scotland’s Glencoe Visitor Centre gets underway this week.

The National Trust for Scotland’s Robert Burns Birthplace Museum in Alloway has retained its rating as a five star visitor attraction from VisitScotland.

Results of a survey on attitudes to Scottish landscapes, carried out by the National Trust for Scotland.

The National Trust for Scotland’s Pollok House welcomes ‘This Lad o’ Pairts’, an exhibition funded by the Heritage Lottery Fund’s Stories, Stones and Bones programme, which will reintroduce Sir John Stirling Maxwell to the people of Glasgow.

The National Trust for Scotland’s Hill of Tarvit Mansion and Kingarrock Hickory Golf Course have an impressive schedule of festive events planned in the five-week run-up to Christmas.

The team at the National Trust for Scotland’s Falkland Palace invite you to join them for their late night Christmas shopping events.

Mrs Claus arrives at the National Trust for Scotland’s Pollok House on Saturday 1 December, for a month of merriment.

The National Trust for Scotland is celebrating after finding out it has retained its Investing in Volunteers accreditation.

Charles Rennie Mackintosh fans can buy Christmas gifts inspired by the architect’s unique aesthetic and support the charity who are working to save one of his most iconic designs.

The National Trust for Scotland’s Conservation Volunteers work all year round to support the charity’s efforts to care for Scotland’s natural treasures. The winter season of projects has now been announced and are open to all to take part.

The National Trust for Scotland’s Drum Castle is gearing up for the festivities with its Christmas Festival, a new take on its beloved Holly Fest.

Dance the night away this Christmas at the National Trust for Scotland’s Robert Burns Birthplace Museum.

Christmas comes to the National Trust for Scotland’s Tenement House in Glasgow’s Garnethill this weekend (Saturday 15 December and Sunday 16 December).

The National Trust for Scotland’s Culloden Battlefield and Visitor Centre steps into the new year with important industry recognition. The site of one of Scotland’s most important historical events has been awarded the coveted Museum Accreditation status by Museums Galleries Scotland, the national development body for the museum sector in Scotland.

A water feature first built in the late 19th century has been revived at Crathes Castle, after a programme of conservation and repair work by the National Trust for Scotland.

If you go down to the woods at the National Trust for Scotland’s Castle Fraser, you’re in for a big surprise, as some topiary animals that are more at home in Africa than Aberdeenshire have come for a visit.