Appletree Cottage is celebrating its third birthday
Opened in 2016 our luxury @self catering cottage for eight people has proved hugely popular with guests - many of whom make return bookings.  Others have asked to extend their stay after having spending the first night in the cottage.

We visited the fantastic Geilston Gardens (pronounced Jeelston) at Cardross in June and having been hugely impressed by the colour and variety of these gardens which are run by the National Trust for Scotland and with the help of a few professionals are tended by a group of volunteers.
During our last visit (see our blog of 20th June 2019) we admired the planting of the vegetable garden.  Everything in neat rows but all fruits and vegetables at an early stage.  We were looking forward to see how they'd grown in three months.
We were also intrigued by the wild flower meadow strips which although planted had at that time in June showed no sign of life.

​The plants all looked great - particularly given the long hot dry spell we had just had.
​After inspecting all the varieties of vegetable we went on to look at the  vast array of netted fruit bushes.  Everything from raspberries, blackberries, blueberries, Logan berries and many more.
It was tempting to try to sneak a taste of some of these beautiful looking berries - but no need - Geilston sells punnets of fruit and vegetables when they come into season at the entrance gates to the gardens.
After having explored everything fully we made our way down the path through a cavalcade of coloured borders to the apple orchard

From Appletree Cottage (Luxury Self Catering for eight people in Croftamie, Loch Lomond and the Trossachs National Park) to Helensburgh is an easy drive of about 30 minutes travelling via Balloch, Arden and Glen Fruin.  (A811, A82 then A818)

​As the building deteriorated further something had to be done.  So the decision was taken to encase the entire structure within a steel cage to protect it from the elements so that major repair work could be undertaken without fear of the sometimes severe west of Scotland weather causing damage to the fabric of the building.  The cost of the steel box and the new shop and cafe was £4.5 million.  It was estimated that the box would need to be in place for 10-12 years. 

​Almost all the furnishings and décor in the house are  entirely original. Many have been restored and some are awaiting restoration.
Of particular interest to us  were the lamp shades in the downstairs hallway.  These are made of coloured glass have have discs (also of coloured glass) which when  powered by the air rising from the  heat of the lightbulb revolve.  The revolving discs cast magical moving reflections of light upon the surfaces of the hall.  
​Hugely inventive.
Not sure if they work with modern low heat bulbs.

​The top floor of the building (which we didn't visit as it is out of bounds to visitors) was let to the Landmark Trust in 1978.  This body ran it as a holiday let until the National Trust for Scotland took it over in 2011.  We understand it can still be booked for holiday rental and can accommodate six persons. Although obviously not as comfortable and luxurious as Appletree Cottage Croftamie, in the famous Loch Lomond and the Trossachs National Park.! (www.lomondappletree.co.uk)

Outside the steel box we explored the gardens and greenhouse which are well worth a look, with their commanding views to the south across the river Clyde.
We also inspected the chainmail surround close up. ​Outside the gardens and the greenhouse are worth a look – as are the great open views across the clyde.
​Some of the grounds to the north were undergoing renovation but the rest were in prime condition

​Geilston Gardens are by the village of Cardross which is, on the road which runs along the northern shore of the River Clyde, about half way between Dumbarton and Helensburgh.  
It was a beautiful day and took us only a short journey (around 35 minutes) from Appletree Luxury Self Catering Cottage to get to Cardross.  A signposted road leads up from the main road to the car park. .  There was free parking at the gardens and a warm welcome from the National Trust for Scotland staff at their wooden hut at the entrance.  As we are members we gained free entry, however the fee for non- members around £7.50 for an adult with family tickets and other concessions available.
We collected our laminated plan and set off to explore.....

The Walled Garden is accessed through a small door in the wall to the west of Geilston House.  On entering the first thing that strikes you is the enormous 100ft high Wellingtonia tree in the centre of the lawned area.  The tree which is thought to be over 250 years old towers above the many herbaceous beds with their riot of colour.  The borders were in full bloom when we visited (15th June)  the many vivid colours providing a haven for bumble bees
On the northern wall of the walled garden is an ancient lean to greenhouse by Mackanzie and Moncur of Edinburgh dating back to the 19thcentury.  Still heated (by a modern oil boiler) it is home to many young vegetables, fruits  and flowers including the beautiful pink and white Phlox and the unusual and strikingly architectural Aednjum.which hadn’t come across before.
Adjacent to the glasshouse is a potting shed with an inscribed date above the door of with the date 1797 inscribed above the door.  
Stepping inside the potting shed we looked through the ‘secret’ window which has a stunning view of the Geilston burn as it crosses the weir.

Once through the gate a series of paths meander down to the banks of the Geilston burn.(river)  Steep sided, bordered by many colourful Rhodedendrons there are many secret hidey holes, nooks and crannies.
Down by the burn there are some fantastic red barked rhododendrons looking like witches hands pushing out of the ground.

Below us we could see the town of Helensburgh.
Just above Helensburgh there is a T junction and the path separates – to the west Rhu and to the east is Helensburgh
We took the Helensburgh branch.

Another beautiful day at Appletree Self Catering Cottage and we decide to drive up Loch Lomond to Glen Falloch and visit the Glen Falloch Falls which are also  known locally as “Rob Roy’s Bath Tub”
From Appletree we drove along the A811 towards through Balloch up to the roundabout with the A82.  This took us up the western shore of Loch Lomond with some spectacular views across the water towards Ben Lomond.

The sign leads us to a small car park where we leave the car and follow the track north through a pretty birch wood with the fast flowing river Falloch down on our right hand side.

Although many of our visitors chose the summer months to come and stay at Appletree Cottage in Loch Lomond and the Trossachs National Park, winter can have its own special and unique benefits.  Not least the fantastic weather we have been having this year.  Yes, we've had a few wild wet and windy days and a reasonable fall of snow in January, but other days have been warm and sunny with clear blue skies.

Having parked in the lay-by at Finnich Toll we take the gated road to the west. (there is a pedestrian gate which is accessible next to the vehicular gate, the latter of which is padlocked.  From there the road climbs gently, old tarmac giving way to a well made road recently refurbished to facilitate extraction of the timber from a wood about two miles away.  Other than the very occasional timber lorry there is little traffic on this road.
Already the views are vast - the Campsie Range to the south east with the distinctive Drumgoyne hill at its western end, at the bottom of which is the excellent and ancient Glengoyne Distillery.  The village of Killearn can be seen perched on the hill to the east with its landmark 103 foot high (31.4meters) monument commemorating the celebrated linguist, historian and humanist scholar George Buchanan who lived from 1506-1582)