BY JOHN FITZGERALD
I was tickled pink or rather, frozen blue—well, I exaggerate—when the taxi I’d called from a nearby pub crawled onto the crunchy gravel in front of Blair House. Centerpiece of a 161-hectare spread of parkland and gardens, the estate, for rent to small groups on an exclusive use basis is located in Dalry, Ayrshire, a half hour by train from Glasgow’s bustling Central Station.
It was mid afternoon. The clouds were big, not as big as I’d seen them inching across the sky in the Highlands but big enough. Luckily, there were moments of sunshine to highlight Blair’s looming attraction, a 99-room great house that looked as if it could survive a major siege. Parts of Blair House date from the 11th century and I was thrilled at the prospect of spending two nights as a guest. I could just imagine the late Queen Mum clad in something tweedy popping out of the front door.
Instead, it was our hosts, Caroline and Luke Borwick, the estate’s owners, who introduced themselves. Borwick was a tad frosty at first since a companion and I had caught a later train from Glasgow and missed lunch. The dark aura of displeasure seemed to radiate from Borwick, a former captain in the Royal Scots Dragoon Guards and one time instructor at the Royal Military Academy Sandhurst who obviously put a premium on punctuality.
But Caroline, diminutive, vivacious and oozing the kind of grand informality that marked her breeding as a gentlewoman soon eased things along. Although Blair (not to be confused with Blair Castle at Blair Atholl, on Tayside) can be reserved for wedding parties or small groups of between 8 and 40 staying for a couple of nights, we had arranged through friends to visit during February. The estate is closed to reservations during the winter months.
Along with sky diving and going on a camel drive, neither of which I’ve accomplished, a stay, however brief, at a great house was definitely on my wish list. If the mood struck, we could also visit some of the sights in Ayrshire which is home to Troon, Prestwick and other excellent courses as well as an awesome coast line. The Burns National Heritage Park, named after the poet Robert Burns, born in Ayr in 1759, is also in Ayrshire and two great houses that Caroline had recommended to us in an earlier e-mail that were worth visiting.
The oldest manorial estate in Scotland that hasn’t been rebuilt, Blair has been in the same family for 800 years. Borwick inherited the property a few years ago from his aunt when she died. He and his wife moved north from England to take up the not inconsiderable duties and expense of running a large estate.
The couple, one of whose sons is a professional polo player lives in a restored stone carriage house not far from the main digs. Rooms in it can be rented on a B & B basis. The day we arrived, a handsome retriever sniffed excitedly around our feet and chickens clucked outside the carriage house’s windows while we were invited in for a late lunch of hearty soup.
Borwick was off that afternoon to a landowners association meeting down south but he took time to show us some of the property, leading us for a lengthy stroll across the grounds. Nor far from the big house stood a yew tree that is positively illustrious, having been planted, Borwick explained, at the time the Doomsday Book was compiled in the 11th century.
The house is furnished with comfortable sofas and chairs, books, paintings, framed photographs of family and dozens and dozens of collectibles of one type or another, including Napoleon figurines that graced the Napoleon-themed guest room opposite the one we were assigned. It some places, it seemed as if the ancestors had just left the room. One of the guestrooms is said to be where Mary, Queen of Scots, slept but that seems hardly unusual given the doomed queen’s amorous adventures.
Most of all, the house feels relaxed. Absent is the formality and pristine luxury you might expect to find in such grand surroundings. The drawing room dates from 1688 and seats 120 and, with its bookshelves, heavy drapes and sumptuous furnishings seems just the place to entertain the local gentry to an evening’s revelry.
Instead of using the Victorian era dining room and all the family silver, we took our very good meals seated at a small table in an intimate ground floor drawing room. With an inviting fire, the room’s generous size windows provided excellent views of the grounds.
Our spacious guestroom was painted powder blue and featured comfortable sturdy furniture and a selection of country life magazines. Each guestroom has been individually and imaginatively decorated by Caroline with an eye to unstuffy elegance.
From Blair, visitors can tour the islands of Arran, Bute and Cumbrae. Arran can be reached by ferry and has numerous walking and cycling paths and postcard scenery according to Caroline although we didn’t have time to make the excursion. She shared a splendid view of the island with us one day at sunset from a ridge on the estate and then introduced us to several of her son Malcolm’s polo ponies that are kept in Scotland between matches. With a 6 goal handicap, Malcolm is considered one of the best professional players in England.
Although it rained the second morning of our visit, we were game to explore two notable sights. For 100 English pounds, we hired a taxi for several hours which took us to the famous Culzean castle that’s perched on a cliff overlooking the Firth of Clyde. Robert Adams worked on the splendid interiors from 1777 to 1792 and they proclaim his exquisite taste in furniture, painted ceilings and architecture, notably, a magnificent oval staircase. In thanks for his services as Allied Commander-in-Chief during the Second World War, General Dwight D. Eisenhower was given the use of a spacious apartment on Culzean’s top floor while he lived.
Another of the Adams’s gems, Dumfries House, built between 1754-1760 with a Palladian frontage and two pavilions on either side was purchased in 2007 by a consortium of organizations headed by Prince Charles and including the Scottish government. Considered one of the UK’s most architecturally important houses, Dumfries, situated on 2,000 acres in Cumnock was up for sale and an auction set to be held to dispose of its precious contents when news reached the prince.
Fearful that a vital part of Scotland’s legacy would be lost, Charles stepped in and today, in the process of being restored, Dumfries is spectacular to behold, with Chippendale and Scottish furniture and dazzling rococo decoration that you just want to reach up touch. The house opened to the public in 2008.
The highlight of our two days though was Blair itself which despite its great size and with its layering of history exuded warmth and character at every turn.