Glenholm Wildlife Project
Scottish Borders Scenery and Wildlife at its Best
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Glenholm Wildlife Project |
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Scottish Borders Scenery and Wildlife at its Best |
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Visit Glenholm in the Scottish Borders and see southern Scotland's wildlife
close up. The Glenholm Wildlife Project has something for everyone. You can
watch
the birds around the Glenholm pond from your vantage point in the project hide.
There is also an artificial otter holt waiting for the local
otters to take up
residence. Or relax and watch the same wildlife on
television from the warmth of the tea room and lounge at the Glenholm Centre. If
you're feeling a little more energetic take a stroll on one of four clearly
marked and interpreted walks that explore the farm. And for our younger visitors
the Millennium Wood has some great surprises in store if you
search a little.
The Glenholm Wildlife Project is a partnership of business interests within Glenholm, land owners and managers of the farm on which the project is based, and young people from the local school and wildlife watch groups (see who we are).
The lead partner is the Glenholm Centre which was established in 1998 on Cardon Farm, as part of a rural diversification programme. The Centre, located on the western edge of the Scottish Borders region (see map), is set up as a guesthouse and residential computer training centre which specialises in computer holidays for people at any level of computer expertise. The Centre also has facilities to host meetings and small courses for other businesses.
The position of the Glenholm Centre at the centre of Cardon farm has meant that guests to the Centre have always been given the opportunity to walk around the farm and explore the surrounding area. The President of the National Farmers Union, when opening the Centre in 1998 commented that the Centre was an ideal venue for the town to meet the country and understand each other. To this end, a walking brochure was developed with a map of the farm and some suggested walks on it.
Wildlife has always been important when farming Cardon. Over the years we have tried to farm with sensitivity towards the wildlife but recognise that more can be done to encourage wildlife to cohabit with the productive elements on the farm. It has also been an important element when advertising the Centre as a guesthouse. Guests to the Centre revel in the remote and untouched feeling of the glen and a lot of residents return to relax in the quietness and beauty of the place.
The overall objective of the Glenholm Wildlife Project is to encourage more people to enjoy the glen, improve the wildlife habitat within the area, and provide better facilities and interpretation for visitors, all within a working farm. Success will be measured by tourism, farming and wildlife coexisting together and thriving off each other.
The project was
officially launched on 3rd June 2005 when Lord David Steel of Aikwood planted a
birch tree near the project hub at the Glenholm Centre. A second tree was
planted by children from Broughton Primary School, one of the partners.
The project comprises three main activities: the wetland watch area; the woodland watch area and a series of mainly but not exclusively upland walks. For the more energetic there is even a challenging pitch and putt for visitors to try their hand at. Access to all of these areas is free (although golf clubs and balls are available for hire from the Glenholm gift shop). In addition a tea room and small gift shop have been established which, alongside the guest house accommodation of the Glenholm Centre, will service these activities and fund the maintenance and development of the project. The location of each activity is shown on the following map of Cardon Farm.
© Glenholm Wildlife Project