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Blog Archive 2009
Happy Christmas to You All
21 December 2009
Staff at Drumlanrig Castle, Gardens and Country Estate would like to wish all our visitors, both regular and passing, a magical and peaceful Christmas and health and happiness in the new year.
We look forward to welcoming you all next season for a great day out here at Drumlanrig, whatever your interests. Check out our website to confirm opening times and find out what will be going on to allow you to plan your days accordingly.
We were thrilled to have such a successful Christmas Market to end the year and look forward to more fun and frolics in the new year with some exciting new events and activities to cater for all interests.
Best wishes!
Festive Fun & Christmas Cheer at our Magical Christmas Fair
4 December 2009
Join us at Drumlanrig Castle this Sunday between 11am - 3pm for our Magical Christmas Fair which will feature a sparkling selection of stalls, traditional Christmas entertainment as well as a special visit from Santa Claus himself!
Held in the atmospheric Stableyard, you will be spoiled for choice for foodie gifts and festive supplies. Our Christmas Fair boasts over 30 artisan food and drink producers as well as a range of colourful stalls selling local arts and crafts and beautiful handmade gifts.
Enjoy the enchanting festive atmosphere with traditional Christmas entertainment including carol singing and musical performances, a visit from Santa, a letterbox for children to post their letter to Santa, festive Ranger activities and entertainment from Jason the Juggling Jester and Mary the Faerie.
Entry to the Christmas Fair is £2 per car.
Christmas Gifts ... with a difference!
16 November 2009
Stuck for an unusal gift for that special someone? Or for those difficult family members who seem to have everything? Never fear. Why not consider a voucher with a difference! Vouchers for our ever-popular Landrover Tours can be obtained from our staff at Drumlanrig Castle - why not give them a call on 01848 331555.
New for this year, we are thrilled to offer our new range of Buccleuch Sporting gift vouchers which can be viewed and purchased online from our gift directory at Buccleuch Sporting. Our wide range of exciting and unusual gift experiences include fishing, gundog and corporate opportunities. Each gift is presented in our exclusively designed card, with the specially selected experience detailed plus room on the back for your own personal message. If you prefer your recipient to make their own choice of gift experience, we have included a monetary value voucher for this purpose.
If you have any queries regarding our Buccleuch Sporting gift vouchers or would like to discuss a bespoke gift experience, please do not hesitate to contact Tracy MacPhee or Cecilia Pereira-Henry at the Sporting Office on 01848 600415 where they will be happy to assist you in your choice of gift.
If you would like more information on our gift experiences Contact Us
Never a Dull Day ...
5 November 2009
Although the Castle is closed to the public for the winter period, things don’t seem to quieten down much at Drumlanrig!
On the events front, this weekend saw 68 vintage cars pass through the grounds of Drumlanrig Castle on Saturday competing in one of the most popular rally events - The Rally of the Tests. As part of their journey north in their annual quest to capture the true spirit, style and sound of Fifties rallying, competitors carried out a challenging manoeuvrability test in the grounds of the castle which proved a great backdrop for this type of event.
On the wildlife front, our ranger service is spending time trapping grey squirrels. Drumlanrig is home to many red squirrels but due to their uncertain future, we need to protect them from grey squirrels which carry a virus that kills our indigenous red squirrel population. As part of a long-term conservation strategy that we hope will halt the spread of greys and encourages reds, we are asking members of the local community to call our ranger service (01848 331555) if they see a grey squirrel in the area.
Winter Opening at Drumlanrig
26 October 2009
The Country Estate at Drumlanrig Castle closed for the winter period at the end of September, however don't despair. Those wishing to use our excellent bike trails and walks at the weekends, will not be disappointed. The Stableyard Cafe will remain open on Saturdays and Sundays from 10 am until 5 pm and this year is being managed by Foodmakr whose delicious homemade and tempting, tasty dishes are renowned.
Continue to check out our Events over the winter and especially note our ever-popular Christmas Market which is to be held on Sunday 6th December for those special presents and early Christmas cheer. Details will follow shortly but don't forget to add the date to your diary - definitely something you won't want to miss!
Seeing Stars!
October 2009
We have fantastic news to share with you!
The good news comes at the end of a successful visitor season meaning we can end the season on a high note. The team at Drumlanrig have all worked very hard to earn the award by consistently exceeding visitor expectations and ensuring they provide the highest of standards. Now the hard work has paid off, we can reap the benefits!
We look forward to welcoming you to Drumlanrig next year when we re-open for an even bigger and better season.
Autumn Offers For All
25 September 2009
Take advantage of our special Autumn Offer and enjoy a reduced rate Landrover Tour whilst also taking advantage of the specialist knowledge of the rangers who work on the estate.
With the rich colours of Autumn out in force, it is an ideal time to explore the country estate. Not only are the colours appealing to the eye, but our woodlands are diverse with specimen trees from around the world and examples of native semi-natural woodland which supports a large variety of wildlife. Red squirrels, otters and an interesting array of birdlife including pied flycatchers, woodpeckers and owls are regularly spotted on our trips.
Our Drumlanrig Autumn Offers also extend to the Plant Centre, the Castle Gift Shop and the Cycle Museum Shop. Pick up a plant from our Plant Centre to brighten up your garden (up to 25% off) or treat yourself to interesting gifts from our Gift Shop (up to 15% off) or discover nostalgic curios and toys for kids and adults in the Cycle Museum Shop (up to 50% off).
The Farmers' Market, which returns this Sunday 27th September, provides visitors with yet another opportunity to pick up a purchase! Our monthly farmers market sees an average of 20 stall holders and is renowned for its colourful array of stalls selling a wide variety of locally grown goods.
Something for Everyone this Weekend
18 September 2009
Look out for the finale of the Scottish Cross Country Mountain Biking Championships 2009 here on the Estate at Drumlanrig on Sunday 20 September (Practice Day on the Saturday). This is an important date in the SXC calendar for the 200 + contenders hoping to earn a place on the podium. It is also a wonderful experience for the young novice or enthusiastic entrant in the Juvenile race and super fun for the spectator.
This year, Drumlanrig Country Estate is also providing exciting and stimulating outdoor activities for visitors over the weekend. Try your hand at orienteering on Saturday or canyoning on Sunday and Paleoquest will also be on hand with their survival skills.
Contact Visitor Services for further details on Tel 01848 331555 or email on enquiries@buccleuch.com
Fungi Forage and Farmers' Market
9 September 2009
As the summer comes to an end and the season starts its journey towards autumn, the colours at Drumlanrig turn to deep, rich autumnal tones.
Although we didn’t have as many summer BBQs as we’d hoped, every cloud has a silver lining and the rainfall over the summer months proved great for mushrooms and fungi foragers.
Thanks to the wet weather, mushrooms will be in abundance covering the woodland floor of the Queensbury Estate. On 13th September, we would like to invite you to join the Ranger Service on a Fungi Forage and discover the difference between puffballs and stinkhorns!
With autumn comes harvest, and with harvest thoughts turn to food. With this in mind, we would like to remind you that our monthly farmers’ market will return on Sunday 27th September. The Farmers' Market sees an average of 20 stall holders and is renowned for its colourful array of stalls selling a wide variety of locally grown goods.
End of Season Sale
8 September 2009
The Drumlanrig Plant Centre and the Gift Shop are holding their ever-popular end of season sale so hurry along and catch some of those excellent bargains.
Castle Closed
31 August 2009
Drumlanrig Castle has now closed after an exciting season with visitor numbers well up on last year, despite rather more rain than was expected for this time of year. Forecasters do say, however, that there is to be an Indian Summer so there is still time to venture out into the Gardens and Country Estate which remain open until the end of September, 10 am to 5 pm.
We still have some great events taking place like the Fungi Forage, Scottish Cross Country Mountain Biking Championships, Autumn Woodland Walk and the Farmers Market so make sure you put these dates in your diary. Visitors can also enjoy the Cycle Museum, Bike Hire, Snack Bar, Gift Shop and Stableyard Studios until the end of the month as well as the excellent walks and bike trails which are a must for the enthusiast as well as the casual user. And remember, if you get muddy don't worry, there are always the showers to clean you up.
Welcome
12 August 2009
New children's castle tours, a children’s gardening club, a new look at the Scottish Cycle Museum and a range of local produce in the new Gift Shop and on the menu in the Castle Tearoom are just some of the reasons for visitor numbers growing at Drumlanrig this year and for the great visitor feedback on our new range of experiences.
Other reasons include a dynamic and new range of events including
Events still to come this season include a number of ranger led activities, our truly traditional farmers’ markets, two outdoor activity weekends and All That Jazz Weekend at Drumlanrig, a fantastic 2 day evening dedicated to food and jazz taking place on the 22nd and 23rd August.
We're also looking forward to autumn where the country landscape here at Drumlanrig puts on a show of autumnal colours well worth seeing.
The visitor services team look forward to welcoming you at Drumlanrig whether your interest is in wildlife, history, heritage, outdoor activities or simply enjoying a great day out.
We will regularly update this site with information on upcoming events, wildlife we have spotted and much, much more – so make sure you come back for more!