Fall into Autumn Celebrations at Apple events across Scotland
The National Trust for Scotland is celebrating autumn harvest by inviting people to its annual Apple events across the country.
Article Source: National Trust for Scotland
Last Updated: 26 September 2024 14:20
The Trust is home to hundreds of varieties of apples, including many special, heritage species, and it carries out work year-round to preserve some of Scotland’s older and rarer varieties. To celebrate the arrival of autumn and harvest season, the conservation charity is hosting a series of events at many of its orchards across the country.
Colin Wren, Gardens & Designed Landscapes Manager at the National Trust for Scotland, said: “Our apple events across the Trust are a fun way to celebrate this wonderful fruit in a way that is enjoyable and engaging for people of all ages. With many games and activities, delicious food and drink, and of course the opportunity to explore our gardens, they offer something for everyone. But these events are also a way for us to enjoy this humble fruit and remind people not to take it for granted.
“We expect that a changing climate may affect many apple species so it’s important that we maintain the diversity of the fruits we grow. We want to ensure that these apples aren't lost, so we’re investing in a range of activities to conserve Scotland’s heritage varieties for generations to come.”
This year’s apple events include:
Pitmedden Garden – Ellon, Aberdeenshire
Sunday 29 September - 10:30 a.m. – 4:00 p.m.
Pitmedden’s orchard is home to more than 200 fruit trees, including the historical espalier apple trees that line its garden walls.
This year’s Apple Sunday event celebrates these humble trees with a day packed with autumnal fun for all ages, including music from Ythan Fiddlers, Tarves Folk Club, and Meldrum Academy; home baking, refreshments, and hot food; local craft and food stalls; woodturning demonstrations; face painting, storytelling, trails, and a craft area; and the Balloon Mannies and family lawn games. Guests can also treat themselves to some of Pitmedden Garden’s own delicious varieties of apples and pears.
Entry: a donation to the National Trust for Scotland; no booking required.
Falkland Palace & Garden – Falkland, Fife
Saturday 5 October – 11:00 a.m. – 4:30 p.m.
The 400-year-old orchard at Falkland Palace is bounded by willow beds and old apple, pear, and cherry trees are underplanted with lots of spring bulbs and a rich carpet of wildflowers.
This year’s Apple Day honours these heritage variety apples and guests can enjoy fresh apple juice from Falkland’s Apple Presse. They are even welcome to bring their own bottle to take some away. Apple Trees will also be on sale for those who wish to create their own apple harvest bounty.
Entry: a donation to the National Trust for Scotland is welcome; no booking required.
Harmony Garden – Melrose, Scottish Borders
Friday 11 and Saturday 12 October – 10:30 a.m. - 3:00 p.m.
Harmony Garden is a peaceful escape with manicured lawns, scented borders, and fruit and vegetable beds overlooking Melrose Abbey.
Guests at this year’s Apple Weekend can retreat to this beautiful garden to admire heritage apple displays; participate in nature activities hosted by rangers from St Abbs Head National Nature Reserve; enjoy printing workshops hosted by the team from Robert Smail’s Printing Works; and experience the Britannia XIV re-enactment group.
On Saturday only, there will be local market trader stalls, alpaca walks, and Gaita medieval music.
Entry: £1.00 booked in advance online or cash on entry.
Kellie Castle & Garden – Anstruther, Fife
Saturday 19 October – Apple Display: 10:00 a.m. - 5:00 p.m.; Lecture: 3:00p.m. - 4:00 p.m.
The walled garden at Kellie Castle is filled with a variety of fruit, flowers, and vegetables and is entirely cultivated using only organic methods. This year, the team is hosting the Apples of Kellie event, where guests are invited to see an apple display in the undercroft all day, as well as buy produce for sale, and attend a fun-filled talk celebrating all things apple in the afternoon.
Colin Wren, Gardens & Designed Landscape Manager at the National Trust for Scotland, will discuss the Trust’s collection of apples and how it is preserving them, from taking graft material from old trees to produce new, young trees, to doing DNA testing to establish the names of some of the older varieties that have proved difficult to identify from fruits.
Entry: £5.89 booked in advance online.
The Apple events support the National Trust for Scotland’s vision to care for, share and protect Scotland’s nature, beauty and heritage for everyone to enjoy, as outlined in its 10-year strategy, launched in 2022. These events help to deliver its engagement objectives to provide access and enjoyment for everyone.
Image: Falkland Palace Orchard
Image credit: National Trust for Scotland
Sponsored Links
Latest Glasgow News
Flight Club is giving out hundreds of prizes on the streets of Glasgow in October
The team behind the home of Social Darts is embarking on a nationwide charity tour in celebration of its 10th birthday and dishing out treats to its fans along the way!
READ MORE
GlasGLOW adds extra week after 35,000 tickets snapped up in days
City's biggest Halloween show extended as nostalgia-fuelled 'Miles Better' theme takes Glasgow by storm, with new dates on sale on Wednesday 17th September at 7.30am!
READ MORE
Wedding venue Crossbasket Castle unveils exquisite new menu curated by Michelin starred chef Michel Roux
Scotland's premier five-star luxury wedding destination, Crossbasket Castle, has unveiled a new decadent wedding menu crafted exclusively by world-renowned Michelin-starred chef Michel Roux.
READ MORE
Royal Conservatoire of Scotland graduate joins full cast of Death on the Nile at the Theatre Royal
The full cast has been announced for Agatha Christie's Death on the Nile which comes to the Theatre Royal Glasgow in February.
READ MORE
Spooky season returns to town with the announcement of Paisley Halloween Festival 2025
Paisley Halloween Festival will return to town next month to celebrate the spooky season with a packed programme of frightful fun for all the family!
READ MORE
Edinburgh Spanish Film Festival returns for its 12th edition
Edinburgh Spanish Film Festival returns for its 12th edition on the big screen in Edinburgh, Glasgow, Stirling and Inverness from 1st to 19th October 2025.
READ MORE
Matilda the Musical comes to Glasgow for the first time
The Royal Shakespeare Company's smash hit production of Matilda The Musical, based on Roald Dahl's beloved book, will come to Glasgow for the very first time in 2026!
READ MORE
Cineworld 4DX Rewind returns for 2025
Cineworld is excited to announce the return of 4DX Rewind this September across Cineworld 4DX cinemas nationwide!
READ MORE
A jewellery store in Glasgow Fort is doubling in size following investment
Family-owned national diamond, jewellery and watch retailer, Beaverbrooks, is doubling the size of its Glasgow Fort store with a £1.3m investment.
READ MORE
Forget a boring beige Christmas in Glasgow...
This festive season at SWG3, Bongo's Bingo is transporting everyone back to the time where coloured tree lights and flammable tinsel ruled supreme!
READ MORE
Final countdown to the AJ Bell Great Scottish Run 2025 is on
Scotland's greatest running event, the AJ Bell Great Scottish Run, will return to Glasgow next month, and there’s still time to secure your place.
READ MORE
Popular Sunday BBQ returns to Glasgow favourite Sebbs
One of Glasgow's favourites is flipping the idea of a traditional roast on its head with the return of its Sunday BBQ later this month.
READ MORE
Marstons and Tom Shepherd join forces once more to serve up the best ever pub pie
Marston's and Michelin-starred chef Tom Shepherd have teamed up once more to serve up The Best Ever Pub Pie to locals across the country.
READ MORE
Edinburgh Fringe smash hit Oran embarks on first UK tour
Òran, the award-winning sell-out hit of the 2024 Edinburgh Fringe embarks on its first ever UK tour this autumn as company Wonder Fools take their work to a host of venues across Scotland.
READ MORE
SOAPYFEST raises thousands for Beatson Cancer Charity and Marie Curie
The Barrowland Ballroom was filled with love, laughter, and music as friends, family and supporters came together for SOAPYFEST, raising over £18K in support of Beatson Cancer Charity and Marie Curie
READ MORE
M&Ds teams up with Zombie Infection for a heart pounding, live action horror attraction
M&D's is set to transform into Scotland's Scream Park with the launch of Zombie Checkpoint, a live action immersive horror experience creating a heart racing adventure not for the faint hearted.
READ MORE
Topgolf Glasgow launches new field goal challenge game this autumn
Topgolf Glasgow is bringing a taste of the gridiron to Scotland this autumn with the launch of its brand-new Field Goal Challenge game.
READ MORE
GlasGLOW sells over 20,000 tickets in first hour as fans rush to relive 80s magic
GlasGLOW fever has gripped Glasgow once again, with more than 20,000 tickets for this year's GlasGLOW's Miles Better show snapped up within just 60 minutes of being released.
READ MORE
Iconic films to take centre stage at Vue venues in Scotland
Iconic movies celebrating key milestones this year are returning to Vue for a limited run - including Steven Spielberg classic Jaws.
READ MORE
20 expert sessions at The Scottish Homebuilding & Renovating Show
The Scottish Homebuilding & Renovating Show will be packed with expert speakers when it returns to the Royal Highland Centre, Ingliston on 4th – 5th October 2025.
READ MORE
A Taste of Loch Lomond Book launches with live cooking demo at the Loch Lomond Food & Drink Festival
Love Loch Lomond will officially launch its new publication, A Taste of Loch Lomond – Stories and Flavours from the Bonnie Banks, at the Loch Lomond Food & Drink Festival on Sunday 7th September.
READ MORE
Even more acts added to Tenement Trail 2025, set to take over the East End on Saturday 11th October
Multi-venue music festival taking over Glasgow's East End this October confirms Dead Pony and 14 new acts!
READ MORE
2025 Aye Write programme announced as tickets go on sale for annual book festival
Tickets will go on sale for Aye Write, Glasgow's long-established and much-loved book festival, at 11am today.
READ MORE
Seriously fun ideas for your work Christmas Party
It might only be September, but the C-word is not too far away, so it's time to start thinking about planning the annual office Christmas shindig before everything gets booked up!
READ MORE
Birds Fried Chicken launches collaboration series with Corner Shop
Birds Fried Chicken is taking its signature Southern-style fried chicken out of its natural Shawlands habitat and into new, unexpected settings with the launch of Rare Birds!
READ MORE
Buchanan Galleries champions Zero Waste Week with retailer initiatives for conscious consumers
Buchanan Galleries is marking Zero Waste Week (1 – 5 September 2025) by showcasing the centre's wide range of sustainable retail initiatives!
READ MORE
Business Gateway launches its first ever Scottish Start Up Month
Business Gateway, Scotland's national business support service, has launched Scottish Start-Up Month, a nationwide campaign to celebrate Scotland's entrepreneurial spirit.
READ MORE
Pop up play town brings big imaginations to little ones
A new role-play experience is popping up in community venues across Greater Glasgow this month bringing pint-sized professions and plenty of pretend fun to preschoolers and their families.
READ MORE
Local musicians to perform at outdoor charity concert at Nostrana restaurant
Summer may be over, but music festival season is still here, with an exciting outdoor concert in aid of Mary's Meals taking place in Glasgow's West End on Sunday 7th September.
READ MORE
Double the thrills this Halloween at Glasgow Science Centre
Glasgow Science Centre is inviting budding detectives down to the Clyde-side this October to help them solve the murder of the millennia – with a science twist.
READ MORESponsored Links
Sponsored Links