Now is a great time to get out and about to see the wonderful autumn colours in Loch Lomond and the Trossachs National Park.  And where better to stay when doing it than Appletree Luxury Self Catering Cottage in Croftamie.    The berries on the trees this year have been both abundant and bright - some say this heralds a cold winter.

A short stroll (about 100 yards) from the gate of Appletree Cottage takes you round the corner to a fantastic view of the Lomond Hills.  In this picture Ben Lomond is in the far distance between the two trees with its first dusting of snow just peeking above the nearer Conic Hill

DaA short stroll down to Croftamie village takes us onto an old path down to Dalnair House.  The path, a former service road but now much overgrown, runs alongside the catterburn.  The sun lights up the oranges, reds and browns of the autumn leaves fallen on the path ahead.  There is not another soul around in this enchanting and long forgotten part of the former Dalnair estate.

We find ourselves at the confluence point of the Catterburn (on the left) into the Endrick Water.  In the distance can be seen the former railway crossing which formed part of the Fourth and Clyde Railway running from Balloch to Stirling.  The bridge has been replace with a footbridge and the railway is now a tarmac footpath / cycle track.  Under the footbridge is a huge pipe carrying water from Loch Lomond to towns and cities in the east of Scotland.

​A short trip in the car takes us down to Balloch pier where the Maid of the Loch paddle steamer is undergoing restoration.
As we near the gangway to the former pleasure steam ship the view across the loch to the north east is stunning with Ben Lomond centre frame with its recent first dusting of snow.  This shot was taken during a couple of weeks of wonderful, clear, crisp autumn weather

The Maid of the Loch was the last steam paddle steamer to be built in the UK.  It was constructed in Glasgow then dismantled and transported by rail to Balloch at the south end of Loch Lomond where it was reassembled.  After serving decades as a pleasure cruiser on the loch, the ship made its last voyage in 1981.  Recently it has been refurbished and the original engine painstakingly reassembled by a team of dedicated volunteers

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When we visited last weekend the engine was turning once again.  Temporarily powered by a mobile steam boiler on the shore the piston rods and crank shafts could bee seen moving under power for the first time in nearly 40 years.  The team still have to find and install a permanent boiler on board but this is a question of serious funding which they are now pursuing.  It is great however to see progress and moving parts.

​Back home the farm orchard is looking great in its autumnal colours.  The tall yellow willow is beginning to shed a carpet of leaves on the orchard floor as the apple trees slowly follow suit whilst the bright red  Berberis hedge gives striking colour across the lower frame.
A cold winter is supposed to be good for an apple orchard.  So our fingers are crossed for a good harvest next year!

We’d been to Geilston before (see previous blogs) but never had it been as well attended as it was this apple day.  It was great to see.
​Despite there being many cars there was still plenty of space to park and we luckily managed to find a parking place close to the entrance.  The hut at the entrance doubles as a small shop and a ticket office. Earlier in the year we'd decided to take a year's membership with the National Trust for Scotland.  As NTScotland members we were entitled to free admission.  Non-members pay £7.50 for adult and £5.50 for concessions.  There are separate prices for family tickets. NTS by the way has reciprocity with the English National Trust. More information and directions can be found at the NTS Geilston website at: www.nts.org.uk/visit/places/geilston-garden

​Appletree Holiday Cottage is situated on Shandon Farm where we have planted 360 apple trees since we arrived nearly six years ago.  Hence the name Appletree Cottage..
Many of the apple trees are now bearing substantial fruit and we have started making our own Apple Juice and Jellies which are popular locally.
So it was with great interest we went over to the Apple Day at the nearby village of Cardross on the shores of the River Clyde between Dumbarton and Helensburgh.
The event was being held in Geilston Gardens - a National Trust for Scotland property.

The orchard at Geilston is well kept with around seven different varieties of apple including Katie, Discovery, Jonogold, Egremont Russet and Sunset.  The ground, having been a former vegetable garden is in obvious excellent condition as the abundant fruit shows few blemishes.

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.