Blairvockie Farm, Ben Lomond

Endowment of Blairvockie Farm, an estate of over 5,600 acres, including the summit and most of the massif of Ben Lomond, purchased by NTS from the Forestry Commission. Situated on the east side of Loch Lomond, this land extends to 2,173 ha, and includes the summits of Ben Lomond and Ptarmigan to the north, and Beinn Uird to the south. The acquisition of the property by The National Trust for Scotland in 1984 was encouraged by public concern over the safeguarding of access to Ben Lomond. The property is held inalienably, and has an endowment, raised with support from the National Heritage Memorial Fund, the Trust’s Golden Jubilee Appeal Fund, and a specific appeal at the time of acquisition. The whole property is part of the Ben Lomond National Memorial Park (BLNMP), managed in partnership with Forest Enterprise and the Scottish Executive. The BLNMP was designated in 1995, and was the first National Memorial Park in Scotland. Its history dates back to 1950, when the area now covered by the park was purchased for the nation, through the National Land Fund, as a tribute to those who served in the Second World War. The property with the exception of the south and west slopes of Beinn Uird, forms the main part of the Ben Lomond Site of Special Scientific Interest, designated for its remnants of the full range of upland habitats from low to high altitude. The property also lies within the Loch Lomond and The Trossachs National Park (LLTNP), the Loch Lomond National Scenic Area and Loch Lomond Environmentally Sensitive Area. Ben Lomond is one of Scotland’s most acclaimed landmarks. The ‘Bonnie Banks’ are an iconic international image of Scotland encouraging many visitors to pass this way seeking out the views of the mountain. Ben Lomond’s popularity is attested by the thousands who flock to climb to its summit each year, or to enjoy the lochside at its foot. For centuries the name of the hill has been synonymous with that of the loch beside it, conjuring up images of the sweeping beauty of the Loch Lomond landscape.