This week we travelled in the BTCV mystery bus (complete with funky bonnet wreath) for some seasonal fun in the spectacular grounds of Hopetoun House in South Queensferry.
Each morning the smell of hot coffee drew Peter the ranger out of his grand abode on his trusty buggy, and some of us were treated to a bumpy ride around the estate.
Surprise tasks included clearing carpeted moss and scrub from 18th Century tiled dog kennels (once home to the hungry hounds of Hopetoun) and assisting with the removal of giant classical French tapestries dating from 1670 in the ballroom!
More muddy escapades saw us digging a 10 metre long trench and expertly re-arranging boundary walls, clearing large amounts of an invasive woody plant beginning with the letter ‘R’ (which in the spirit of Sarah’s lunchtime quiz we will leave you to puzzle over), felling some very young sycamore and of course making a big blazing fire each day which kept us all toasty.
Lashings of hot christmas pud and mince pies, low winter sunshine through the veteran trees, flurries of snow and sightings of red deer made the week a real treat. Tis the season to be jolly! ho ho ho…..
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