Freezing sea at Canna
The Trust, which cares for some of Scotland’s most loved castles and houses, is counting the cost of broken gutters, burst pipes and damaged trees and shrubs following last year’s record snowfalls and low temperatures. December was the coldest in 100 years, with plummeting temperatures, heavy snow, gale force winds and ice.
Properties from all over Scotland felt the impact of the Big Freeze and the scale of the damage at some places is only now becoming apparent. Some of the worst hit properties were:
· Threave Garden and Estate – the network of paths need repaired after melt-water seeped into the cracks, froze and caused the paths to crumble. It is estimated that the cost of these repairs is £15,000.
· Mar Lodge Estate by Braemar – ice and snow has removed slate from the roof and destroyed guttering around the property. The cost of replacement is estimated at £5,000.
· Canna – high winds have taken their toll – 100 mile per hour gusts ripped the roof from a croft building, removed tiles from neighbouring structures and, lifted the pier gangway from its tether and threw it into the handrail.
Chief Executive Kate Mavor said: “Like many householders, we’ve felt the force of the Big Freeze. With so many historic places in our care, we’re only now beginning to understand the size of the repair bill that this winter’s weather has caused.
“As a charity, we rely on our supporters to help us meet these unforeseen and unfortunate extra costs. A conservative estimate suggests that we could be spending in excess of £100,000 on extra repairs this year.
“Obviously insurance covers some of this, but to ensure that we can cover the costs comfortably and start work on immediate repairs, we do need extra help now to ensure that these heritage gems get swift care and repair and that they are ready to welcome visitors in the Spring.”