A gentle tour through central Scotland, exploring some of the wonderful gardens on offer. Guests will be based at Birkhill or Myres Castle, both in Fife.
Sunday
Arrive after lunch, explore the garden and settle in. Dinner at Birkhill.
Depart for Edinburgh or independent travel.
Monday
Am - Visit Balcarres - home of the Earls of Crawford & Balcarres - 19th Century Baronial House with wonderful contents. 20 acres of famed gardens of many different styles. Lunch at Wemyss Castle - home of the Wemyss family for 1000 years and perched dramatically on the cliff tops overlooking the Firth of Forth. Beautiful old home, stuffed with lovely possessions and wonderfully interesting to tour with the owner dispensing lots of history. PM - tour the walled gardens and grounds. Tea with Roger Banks at Lobster cottage in Crail, followed by a lecture on weeds! Roger is a hugely colourful artist, who offers tea out of an assortment of cups and many an amusing tale. Dinner at Birkhill.
Tuesday
AM - Visit Glamis Castle for a tour of the Castle and the Italian garden - Home of Earl and Countess of Strathmore, childhood home of the late Queen Mother, Birthplace of the late Princess Margaret and setting for Shapespeare's Macbeth. Originally a Royal Hunting lodge dating back to 1372, Glamis was remodelled in the 17th Century and is built of pink sandstone. Lunch at Glamis in the Castle restaurant. PM - Tour the gardens of Marguerite Ogilvie at the House of Pitmuies near Forfar. A staggeringly beautiful garden, boasting a profusion of colour, some exceedingly rare trees and wonderful beds of different plants. A personal tour would be followed by tea in the house. Dinner at Birkhill.
Wednesday
AM - Visit Kellie Castle - very fine example of domestic architecture in Lowland Scotland and owned by the National Trust. Dates from the 14th Century and was sympathetically restored by the Lorimer family in the late 19th Century. The Castle contains magnificent plaster ceilings and painted panelling as well as furniture designed by Sir Robert Lorimer. The late Victorian garden features a fine collection of old fashioned roses and herbaceous plants which are cultivated organically. Lunch at Kinross House - probably the most beautiful Georgian house in Scotland and home to the Montgomery family, located on the outskirts of Kinross and overlooking Loch Leven. PM - tour the walled garden and then take a boat trip to the island where Mary, Queen of Scots was imprisoned, which can be seen from the house. Dinner at Craigsanquhar House Hotel.
Thursday
AM - Visit St Andrews for an explore of the old town, University and cashmere outlets. The Old Course can be clearly seen and guests can walk the hallowed ground of the Royal & Ancient. Lunch at the famous fish & chip shop in Anstruther, followed either by a). boat trip to Isle of Mey (depending on tides) where 20,000 puffins breed every year or b). Visit the garden of Willie Duncan, a well known radio personality and renowned as a World expert on apples! Visit Myres Castle in Auchtermuchty - home since 1999 of Jonathan and Jenny White and a recently restored 16th Century Castle. The formal gardens were laid out in the style of the vatican gardens to reflect the family's papal connections. Tour of the Castle and the gardens, floowed by tea. Dinner at Birkhill.
Friday
AM- Visit Rossie House, home of Judy and David Nicol. Tour the attractive 5 acre garden set in a dell. Move on to Dunbarney, home of Mr and Mrs. Ranald Noel-Paton to view their famous woodland garden filled with rare plants and where there is also a quarry garden. Lunch at Dunbarney, which is an Edwardian shooting lodge. PM - visit the Tower of Lethendy, an ancient hunting lodge that has been completely restored by a prominent Canadian family and boasting every modern facility, plus a private golf course, pool, tennis courts and extensive formal and woodland gardens. Truly a tycoon's pad!
Saturday
Morning - a leisurely walk round Birkhill - wild woodland gardens and bluebell walk through woods to Balmerino Abbey. Followed by lunch at Abercairney with Bill Drummond Murray, a well known local laird and owner of a large modern house (the original having been pulled down) which is stuffed with family portraits. PM - late afternoon visit to Drummond Castle Gardens, followed by a champagne reception on the terrace. Scotland's most important formal gardens and amongst the finest in Europe. first laid out in the early 17th Century by John Drummond, the 2nd Earl of Perth and renewed in the early 1950's by Phylis Astor, Countess of Ancaster. Farewell dinner at Roman Camp Hotel, Callander with the Dundees.
Luxury Vacations & Holidays - Vacations in Scotland - Vacations in England - Vacations in Ireland - Vacations in Wales
Vacations & Holidays in Castles- Scotland Castles - Castles in England - Irish Castles - Castles in Wales
