QUEENSBERRY ESTATE

Situated at the heart of the Queensberry Estate in the valley of the River Nith, Dumfries and Galloway, Drumlanrig Castle and its surrounds attract tens of thousands of visitors annually.

The estate surrounding the Castle enables expansive mixed land use, supporting Buccleuch’s key enterprises; forestry, agriculture, residential and commercial property, renewable energy sites (from windfarms to a potential pumped storage hydro system), hospitality and tourism, and sporting activities.

QUEENSBERRY ESTATE FORESTRY

Drumlanrig Castle sits within the largest scheduled designed landscape in Scotland, over half of which is woodland, and this must be maintained to the highest standard to ensure its preservation.

Buccleuch have had a continuous commitment to the natural environment and the diverse woodlands around the Queensberry Estate host a number of sites of special scientific interest (SSSI) and include Douglas Firs over 50m tall and a Giant Redwood grove. The managed forestry plantations are designed to consider the wider landscape and ensure biodiversity. All of the timber on Buccleuch’s estates are important for carbon sequestration and contribute to Buccleuch’s wider carbon commitment.

QUEENSBERRY ESTATE AGRICULTURE

Queensberry Estate’s in-hand farms, looked after by the estate team, host a number of sites of special scientific interest (SSSI) and are home to sizable hill and lowland sheep flocks and herds of cattle. The farms teams across the estates are conscious of Buccleuch’s commitment to the environment and constantly review their operations to drive down their impact and better support existing eco-systems and land use commitments. The estate’s tenanted farms also enable a number of families to live and work within the local communities

QUEENSBERRY ESTATE RENEWABLE ENERGY

The rugged landscape of the Queensberry Estate is the ideal location for windfarms and Buccleuch have helped facilitate these in the local area, including the two turbines now owned by the community group Propel. In addition, the former opencast mine site at Glenmuckloch has potential for a pumped storage hydro system. On the estate, Drumlanrig Castle is wholly heated by renewable energy obtained from a biomass boiler.

QUEENSBERRY ESTATE HOSPITALITY AND TOURISM

Visitors to Queensberry Estate are welcomed on a tour of Drumlanrig Castle, during the season, and can enjoy time in the gardens or adventure playground. Those wishing to spend longer exploring the numerous walks and mountain bike trails can book into one of the wonderful holiday cottages. The crowd-pleasing Galloway Country Fair is held in the shadow of Drumlanrig Castle and the estate has been used as a film set for the popular television series Outlander.

QUEENSBERRY ESTATE SPORTING AND SIMULATED GAME

The majority of Buccleuch’s sporting activities take place across the Queensberry Estate, with the natural hillside location attracting numerous visitors each year. There is also the opportunity to experience simulated game on the lower ground and fishing on the waterways.

Visit the Queensberry Estate Website