Christmas at Buccleuch’s estates
This Christmas, Buccleuch is celebrating the season with a programme of events and experiences at all four of its historic estates: Bowhill House in the Borders; Dalkeith Country Park in Midlothian; Drumlanrig Castle in Dumfries and Galloway; and Boughton in Northamptonshire.
Each estate will offer its own distinctive take on Christmas, combining centuries of history with family entertainment, festive shopping and seasonal food and drink.
Drumlanrig, Bowhill and Boughton are launching fairy and elf trails, which feature fairy and elf houses hidden among the trees, with characters and stories inspired by the history of the properties and the Buccleuch family. Young explorers can follow an adventure map, discover the characters and uncover the stories connecting them to the estates.
The trails will also come alive after dark on selected evenings, with illuminated trees, glowing fairy houses and lantern-lit pathways. All three trails open on Friday 4 December, with 50 per cent of ticket proceeds from their launch night supporting Cash for Kids charity’s annual Christmas appeal.
At Drumlanrig, Santa makes his arrival on 4 December, by horse and cart pulled by Blackstone Clydesdale horses. The estate is also the location for a three-day Christmas market and is running a programme of activities throughout the festive period, including Santa’s Grotto, Breakfast with Santa, children’s craft workshops and wreath-making sessions led by head gardener Robbie Black.
Dalkeith Country Park will be hosting its ‘WinterFest’, beginning with a festive shopping evening at Restoration Yard on Thursday 19 November, followed by its opening night on Friday 27 November, when Santa will officially switch on the Christmas lights.
Visitors can enjoy skating on the outdoor rink beside the Orangerie, meeting Santa in the Christmas cabin and wreath-making workshops. Families can also take part in the Santa Sparkle Dash, a 1k or 3k festive fun run in aid of Edinburgh Children's Hospital charity.
At Bowhill House, Santa will arrive by vintage tractor on Friday 4 December to launch the estate’s festive celebrations, including Santa’s Grotto, Breakfast with Santa, a screening of the film The Polar Express, gingerbread-house decorating workshops and wreath-making with Bowhill’s gardening team.
Boughton House in Northamptonshire will begin its festive season with a special launch night on 4 December, when Santa will make his entrance by tractor. Some of the other highlights include Santa’s Grotto, Breakfast with Santa, wreath-making workshops with florist Bloom in Scents and the opportunity to choose a British-grown Nordmann Fir Christmas tree. A Christmas arts and crafts market takes place on 12 and 13 December.
Photography: Edinburgh Business and Lifestyle, of Bowhill Estate
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