1 Jun 2020

A huge thank you to our supporters

A group of people stand and sit on a cliff top. In the background are dramatic cliffs and a blue sea, with white waves crashing against the rocks.

St Abb’s Head NNR

In the midst of these challenging times, we want to say a big thank you to all those who are supporting us – it means the world to us.

We know these past few months have been very difficult, and we just wanted to take a moment to thank you for your continuing support as well as share some reminders of the amazing things your membership and donations are helping to protect in Scotland.

Habitats for over 1 million seabirds

A puffin perches on a cliff on Fair Isle.

Puffin on Fair Isle

2020 is the Year of Coasts and Waters, and we’ve been celebrating our amazing places with lochs, rivers and coastlines. Nearly 20% of Scotland’s seabirds nest on National Trust for Scotland islands and coastal sites – that’s the equivalent of 8% of all seabirds in Europe. Thanks to your support, we look after the homes of graceful gannets, remarkable razorbills, keen kittiwakes, gorgeous guillemots ... and puffins of course, to name just a few! Our Turning the Tide appeal is helping us develop some resilience to climate change and protect some of our most iconic wildlife species.

300,000 precious objects

A felted model clockwork pig. It stands on two legs and is playing a drum. It wears blue dungarees. The wind-up metal key hangs from its trotter.

A clockwork pig at Kellie Castle

From hair pins, 90-year-old jars of jam and inky pieces of type to world-famous oil paintings, original Mackintosh furniture and handwritten Burns manuscripts, each and every object in our care tells a story about Scotland – and connects us to our heritage. We love sharing these with you, both at our places and in galleries on our website.

1,600 historical buildings

Craigievar Castle

From the enormous Fyvie Castle to a tiny ice house hidden on the Culzean estate, we look after a huge range of buildings, which showcase almost every architectural style in Scotland’s history. Our irreplaceable buildings tell old stories and inspire new ones ...

46 Munros

An aerial view of mountain peaks, showing ridges and steep grassy sides.

Kintail

Nearly 1 in 6 of Scotland’s highest mountains are in our care. With the support from our members and donors to the Footpath Fund, we’re able to facilitate access to these beautiful spaces as well as protecting and conserving the wildlife that makes them their home.

38 major gardens and designed landscapes

A gravel path leads through a walled garden towards an urn. Colourful flowerbeds line the path.

Threave Garden

Always happy to offer some inspiration and friendly tips, our gardening teams care for over 100,000 different species from all over the world. The solace provided by these beautiful spaces is especially significant in difficult times. Take a look at our glorious gallery of blooming flowers if you’re in need of a quick pick-me-up.

8 National Nature Reserves

Looking out across the bay from the beach on Hirta, St Kilda. Smooth boulders are in the foreground, before golden sand and then a turquoise sea. A yacht is anchored in the bay.

St Kilda UNESCO World Heritage Site and NNR

All across Scotland, our National Nature Reserves are places of extraordinary natural beauty. From the spectacular sea caves of Staffa all the way up to the towering mountain tops of Glencoe, you can experience Scotland at its most breathtaking. And in all the different habitats in our care comes an abundance of rare and remarkable wildlife.

Scotland’s Big 5

Red squirrel

You don’t need to travel around the world for a spectacular safari experience – Scotland has it all! Scotland’s wildlife Big 5 are the golden eagle, red deer, harbour seal, red squirrel and otter – and we look after all of them at a number of our places. Inverewe and Brodick even have all five!

World-leading expertise

A man stands holding a large square mallet by a large block of stone. He is in a glass building. He wears protective glasses and an apron.

Stonemason at work

Thanks to your support, we have expert staff who make sure that all visitors can expect a fascinating experience and that the highest standards of conservation are applied. We promote best practice and, through our apprenticeship programmes, ensure that specialist traditional skills are not lost. We’re able to inform and shape government policy making and we’ll always champion the protection of Scotland’s built, natural and cultural heritage.

Pioneers

A view of the Hill House from inside the chainmail box structure. The roof walkways are visible, with people walking across them.

The Hill House Box

Thanks to the generous assistance from our members, friends and supporters, we built a chainmail box around the Hill House to save this Mackintosh masterpiece! Find out more about this pioneering conservation project. Plus, have you heard about how gin is helping us to protect Mar Lodge Estate?

New projects to inspire future generations

An artist's impression of the stables and courtyard, with silhouettes of people walking up the path, and a horse and cart standing by the archway.

Artist’s impression of the new facilities at House of Dun

Although we’ve had to hit pause for a wee while, we have some amazing projects planned for 2020. Corrieshalloch Gorge is going to get a visitor centre, which will help share the history and wildlife stories of this dramatic National Nature Reserve. And plans at House of Dun are well underway for a new visitor experience that will bring to life the fascinating collection from the Angus Folk Museum.

Iain Hawkins, General Manager for the North East, says: ‘The House of Dun is one of the Trust’s most exciting projects and we’re raring to go ... it’s our fervent hope that we’ll soon be able to get on with realising our plans and sharing this unique place and its wonderful natural setting with visitors.’

Thanks to your support, our beautiful places and spaces will remain protected and cared for in the coming months. We can’t wait to welcome you back once it’s safe to do so.