Brodick Castle, Country Park and the mountain range of Goatfell could be described as the archetypal National Trust for Scotland property, exhibiting all the elements that the Trust aims to conserve from both the built and natural heritage -impressive collections, designed landscape and wild land.
Brodick Castle, with its magnificent gardens and policies, rises majestically above Brodick Bay. Once owned and created by the Dukes of Hamilton, one of Scotland’s grandest aristocratic families, the property derives much of its significance from this association. The Castle is of national importance for its architectural and archaeological interest, and the gardens have three National Collections of Rhododendrons.
Brodick Country Park, which covers 72 hectares, was designated the first Island Country Park in Scotland in 1980 and is jointly funded by North Ayrshire Council and Scottish Natural Heritage. The CountryPark forms part of the designed landscape surrounding Brodick Castle and with its mosaic of native woodland, gorges, ponds and mature parkland, is of considerable local natural heritage value.
Goatfell is of local, national and international significance for the quality of its landscape, geology/geomorphology and the opportunities it provides for walking and mountaineering in a dramatic and challenging upland landscape. Its extensive tracts of moorland are recognised as having European importance and most of the Goatfell Property is designated as a SSSI (for geological and ecological features) and SPA (for hen harrier and other upland bird species), as well as being part of the North Arran National Scenic Area.
Nature of Change 