National Trust for Scotland

National Trust for Scotland NTS cares for the places that make people smile. Support our charity so we can keep sharing them with everyone

The National Trust for Scotland is the charity that cares for, shares and speaks up for Scotland’s magnificent heritage. We’re Scotland’s largest membership organisation and we’re independent from government. Since 1931, we’ve pioneered public access to and shared ownership of some of the most magnificent buildings, collections and landscapes in Scotland. We care for ancient houses, battlefields, castles, mills, gardens, coastlines, islands and mountain ranges, as well as the plants, animals and birds that live there. Without our involvement, many of these places and things would have been lost forever to the passage of time, development and the elements. We believe in protecting Scotland’s nature, beauty and heritage, and sharing our amazing places with everyone. A shared heritage is the cornerstone of any strong culture. Scotland is blessed with a wealth of stories, values, objects and landscapes that, over time, have been woven together to unite communities, forge traditions and nurture our unique national spirit. Simply put, our work keeps this heritage safe. Every day, our members, volunteers and staff help us to look after an astonishing variety of things. We’re the proud guardians of over 300,000 precious artefacts, so they’ll still be here to inspire many generations to come. We look after 46 Munros, helping to protect rare species like ptarmigan and golden eagles, while also providing safe and sustainable access. We’re the custodians of 38 gardens, 27 castles and houses, and 8 National Nature Reserves. We care for miles and miles of coastline – home to over 1 million seabirds! We conserve 76,000 hectares of countryside, from the most northerly island in Shetland to the Solway coast. We do it

The National Trust for Scotland is a charity registered in Scotland (Reg No: SC007410)

What are your favourite traditions for a Scottish Halloween? 🤔🎃👻
06/10/2026

What are your favourite traditions for a Scottish Halloween? 🤔🎃👻

Did you know you could get valuable life advice from red squirrels? 🤔Q3 and Q4 are active quarters for reds. They’ll spe...
05/10/2026

Did you know you could get valuable life advice from red squirrels? 🤔

Q3 and Q4 are active quarters for reds.

They’ll spend the autumn months stockpiling a snack cache for when food is scarce in winter, burying food across their patch which can be sniffed out later with their excellent sense of smell.

This sets them up for success – on more than one level!

Occasionally, they’ll forget where they squirreled away their stash. Their preferred treat of nuts and seeds remain in the ground and grow into trees, naturally expanding the squirrel’s habitat.

But in order to maximise productivity during this busy period, reds spend their downtime resting.

They’ll make their nests, called a drey, nice and cosy for regular naps (often making more than one in case it’s found by predators or damaged by storms.)

This helps reduce their energy needs without having to go into full hibernation until spring.

So, be more like a red this autumn! Goalmax! 💪 Nap! 😴 Snack! 🍫 Repeat!

📸 Ewa Piniarska

4 cosy-feeling places to visit this autumn!📍 Weaver's Cottage: This is Weaver’s Cottage in Kilbarchan. It was built in 1...
04/10/2026

4 cosy-feeling places to visit this autumn!

📍 Weaver's Cottage: This is Weaver’s Cottage in Kilbarchan. It was built in 1723! It was a home and a workplace right up until 1954, with textiles like tartan, linen and silk coming out of its stone walls. Today, you can watch traditional crafts come to life on a two-hundred-year-old handloom – or have a go yourself! 📸 Simon Stones

📍 Kellie Castle: This is one of the best castles to see in Scotland, especially if you’re an art fan! It was a family of designers and architects who saved it from ruin in the nineteenth century. They added the elaborate plaster ceilings and painted paneling, turning it into a comfortable family holiday home. 📸 Marion Mitchell

📍 Robert Smail's Printing Works: If you’re searching for unusual things to do in the Scottish Borders, why not try your hand at typesetting at this operational letterpress printers in Innerleithen? It’s the oldest working one in the UK! A living museum, very little has changed since the 1800s. 📸 David

📍 Burns Cottage: Robert Burns and Scotland are synonymous, and the best place to get close to his genius is his birthplace in Alloway. Scotland's National Bard began life in a three-room cottage – from our Robert Burns Museum, journey through landmarks known to Burns. Like Brig o’ Doon! 📸 Robert Burns Birthplace Museum NTS

We think places that make people smile are worth caring for – support us so we can keep sharing them with everyone.

03/10/2026

Want ideas for good walks in Scotland? Introducing: Inverewe Garden!

What was once a wild stretch of land framed by mountains and lochs became one of the most beautiful gardens to visit in Scotland – but this in-and-out trail takes you beyond the paradise of plants and into the wilderness of the North West Highlands.

📍 Where: Kernsary Path, Inverewe Garden, IV22 2LG
📈 Difficulty: Moderate
⏰ Time: 2hrs
📏 Distance: 5.5mi / 9km
↗️ Ascent: 710ft / 214m

You'll start at the edge of the garden's visitor centre, meandering through native woodland toward Loch Kernsary. There are even good views of the Munros in Torridon (on a clear day!)

What's on your bucket list of places to see in Scotland? 🤔📍 Glenfinnan Monument📸 Alison Watterson
02/10/2026

What's on your bucket list of places to see in Scotland? 🤔

📍 Glenfinnan Monument
📸 Alison Watterson

01/10/2026

It's officially spooky season! 🎃👻 What's everyone's plans for October? 🤔

📸 The Hill House NTS

A famous painting that disappeared for centuries. 🧑‍🎨A house clearance and an auction that solved a mystery two hundred ...
30/09/2026

A famous painting that disappeared for centuries. 🧑‍🎨

A house clearance and an auction that solved a mystery two hundred years in the making. 🕵️

This week on the podcast, Jackie Bird is on the case of a thought-to-be-lost portrait of Robert Burns by Henry Raeburn. How did one of the most iconic images of the bard remain missing until 2025? 🤔

🎧 Spotify: https://brnw.ch/21x63Y7
🎧 Apple: https://brnw.ch/21x63Y6

5 of the best places to visit in autumn in Scotland!🍂 Glencoe: This is one of the most scenic places in the Scottish Hig...
29/09/2026

5 of the best places to visit in autumn in Scotland!

🍂 Glencoe: This is one of the most scenic places in the Scottish Highlands! Wondering what to see in Glencoe Scotland? We’d suggest starting at our Visitor Centre! It’s a gateway for exploring big hill walks, easy hikes and our work to care for this epic place. 📸 Hannah Ketts

🍂 Robert Burns Birthplace Museum: Robert Burns and Scotland are synonymous, and the best place to get close to his genius is his birthplace in Alloway. Scotland's National Bard began life in a three-room cottage – from our Robert Burns Museum, journey through landmarks known to Burns. 📸 Niall Penman

🍂 Threave Garden: Are you searching for things to do in Dumfries and Galloway? Threave has been created over the years by students of our School of Heritage Gardening, and there's always something to see! Threave Gardens Café is a must for treats made using fresh produce from the walled garden. 📸 livingacrochetedlife

🍂 Newhailes: Are you searching for interesting places to visit around Edinburgh? There's always something to do at Newhailes House and Gardens Musselburgh – an eighteenth-century mansion with a treasure trove of curiosities, a second-hand bookshop and a café to explore. 📸 Shawna

🍂 Glenfinnan Monument: In terms of the most scenic spots in Scotland, it doesn’t get more iconic than Glenfinnan Monument Scotland. It’s a moving tribute; 8 months before the Battle of Culloden, 1,200 Highlanders gathered here and pledged their allegiance to Bonnie Prince Charlie. 📸 Maria Isabel

We think places that make people smile are worth caring for – support us so we can keep sharing them with everyone.

Did you know adders give birth to live young? 🤔 (Unlike other species of snake who lay eggs.)The females have spent the ...
28/09/2026

Did you know adders give birth to live young? 🤔 (Unlike other species of snake who lay eggs.)

The females have spent the summer basking in sunny spots to help keep their developing babies warm and in August and September, the next generation is born!

They're completely independent from day one; young adders can even live off an internal egg yolk through winter hibernation, so their first meal may not be until spring!

If you cross paths with an adder this autumn, please admire from a safe distance. They may be little, but they can bite if they feel scared. If you're a dog owner, please consider keeping your dog on a lead.

📸 NTS Arran Ranger Service

27/09/2026

Your daily digital detox. 🥰 Why not stay here for a moment and watch the autumn leaves fall at Killiecrankie? 😍

A part of the Pitlochry Path Network in Highland Perthshire, this river gorge is a great spot for forest walks in Scotland – and you might cross paths with a red squirrel on one of the woodland trails!

We think places that make people smile are worth caring for. So, support this place for the future so we can keep sharing it with everyone.

Address

Edinburgh

Opening Hours

Monday 9am - 5pm
Tuesday 9am - 5pm
Wednesday 9am - 5pm
Thursday 9am - 5pm
Friday 9am - 5pm

Telephone

+441313857490

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