Wester Ross attraction gearing up for busy year; National Trust for Scotland's Inverewe Gardens sets out busy schedule for 2020
STAFF at a celebrated Wester Ross beauty spot are looking forward to a busy 2020.
The National Trust for Scotland site, Inverewe Gardens, will be joining in with Scotland-wide celebrations marking the Year of Coasts and Waters.
To mark the occasion, Inverewe House will he running a year-long "evolving exhibition" in the Summer House showcasing the biodiversity at the site and the waters of Loch Ewe, including an aquarium to show the underwater life of the area.
The ever-popular wildlife boat trips, which leave Inverewe Garden's jetty, will also continue in 2020, giving visitors the chance to spot some of the diverse species that are regularly spotted in the area – including sea eagles, seals, otters and creels containing crabs and lobsters.
Elsewhere, the calendar will also mark the return of such popular annual favourites as the spring rhododendron festival.
"Our springtime festival focuses on the superb national collections of rhododendron and also the world famous woodland collection of erythronium – and keep an eye open for the recently introduced red squirrels!" said a spokeswoman for the site.
"Families can explore the Global Trail which takes you around the world in one visit – and the chance to learn about this garden which was created from a barren wilderness in the 19th century.
"And the fascinating newly refurbished Inverewe House is a ‘must’ where you can even take away your own little memory of your visit with seeds to grow your own Inverewe flowers when you get home!"
The busy year at Inverewe comes as the National Trust for Scotland prepares to invest more than £2 million at another Wester Ross beauty spot, Corrieshalloch Gorge. The preservation charity is looking to build a visitor centre, expand car parking and increase the paths around the area of the gorge.
The charity had also hoped to spend £350,000 on a 20 metre tall tower and viewing platform at Inverewe, but confirmed last month that it had halted the project "for the time being" after ground investigations sparked concerns about the foundation footing.
The plans were well advanced, and Princess Anne even unveiled a foundation stone earlier in 2019. But the foundation concerns were expected to increase costs, sparking moves to mothball the proposals.
Both Corrieshalloch Gorge and Inverewe Garden have experienced booming visitor numbers in recent years off the back of increased interest in the North Coast 500, which passes the two sites.
For more information about Inverewe Garden, visit www.nts.org.uk/inverewe
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