Hirsel Visitor Activities
Today, the Homestead and the Hirsel Walks (open 365 days of the year) provide visitors to the Hirsel with a fascinating day out in the beautiful surrondings of Hirsel Estate Policies.
A Car Parking charge of £2.50 per car is made to visitors to the Hirsel - alternatively regular visitors may choose to purchase a Season Ticket at a cost of £15 per annum and become a Friend of the Hirsel - allowing them entry to the Hirsel's visitor facilities throughout the year.
Season Tickets can be purchased from either Carole at the Tea Room or Barbara at the Homestead Gift Shop.
The Museum
The Museum’s aim is to introduce visitors to what can be seen and heard as they explore the Estate and to provide some historical background, so that they can understand how people lived and worked at the Hirsel in the past, as well as discovering how different departments and operations affected each other, and the natural history of the Estate as a whole.
Arts and Crafts
There are a number of craft units at the Homestead, including a potter, glass worker, silversmith, and textile worker, along with an excellent shop selling a variety of locally produced arts and crafts - providing a wonderful opportunity for Christmas Shopping or buying that Bithday Present with a difference - throughout the rest of the year.
So come and have a browse, then ponder over a cup of coffee and a piece of home made cake in the Tea Shop, before deciding what to buy from:
Ticketty Boo
Angela welcomes you to Ticketty Boo! where she designs and makes individual/unique textile and wooden home accessories all handcrafted from her workshop at The Hirsel Homestead. She prides herself on making each item to a high standard using only the best materials. Attention to detail and customer care are paramount - all items are individually wrapped in tissue paper and ribbon making your purchase a special one for either yourself or a special gift for a loved one - for any occaison!
Open all year, from 11am to 5pm. Closed Tuesdays & Wednesdays
Telephone: 07970 396383 Website: www.tickettyboo.co.uk
Briget of Edinburgh
Laura Marsh moved "Bridget" from The Grassmarket, Edinburgh, to her wonderful new shop at The Hirsel Homestead. Where she specialises in handcrafted, affordable, designer jewellery made on the premises. Jewellery repairs are undertaken and individual commissions in Silver, Gold and Platinum are always welcome - please drop in and see her or give her a call.
Open all year, from 11am to 5 pm. Closed Tuesday and Wednesday.
Tel: 07867 748793 Website: www.briget-of-edinburgh.com
Julia Linstead Glass
Julia creates the most beautiful hand blown 24% lead crystal bowls and glassware etched with original detailed designs.
Often drawing her influences from the amazing local flora and fauna, Julia sketches from life before developing a unique pattern which is sandblasted into the surface of her colourful crystal bowls.
Julia also produces sculptural and commissioned pieces working with clients to design their own perfect bowl.
Julia relocated to The Hirsel in 1993 and from the beautiful and peaceful Scottish Borders has established an award winning business, sending work to shops and galleries throughout the U.K. and right across the world.
The workshop is typically open between 10:30am and 5pm six days a week.
Telephone 01890 882555 Website: www.julialinsteadglass.com
The Homestead Gift Shop
Barbara Dolan's Homestead Gift shop offers a wide range of locally produced, original and unusual crafts and gifts to suit all tastes. Select from a wide range of hand crafted wooden items, birds and animals. Also original paintings and prints by well known local artists including Kate Philp, Brian Turnbull and Mary Goulden. Beautiful soaps and candles all made in the Scottish Borders and much, much more...
Visitors can always be assured of a warm welcome from Barbara, a bit of chat and something to take home with them to remind them of their visit to the Hirsel!
Telephone 01890
Abbey Ceramics
Abbey Ceramics and Art features the work of Peter Lochhead and Carol Buchan - Established in 1986, Abbey Ceramics make colourful domestic pottery and fun wall-plaques from their studio at the Hirsel Homestead. The ceramics range includes mugs,jugs,bowls and many more items including wall-plaques with a marine theme.
Alongside the ceramics you will also find the artwork of Peter Lochhead and Carol Buchan - Peter specialises in the Borders and East Lothian coastline while Carol produces drawings of birds and horses
Telephone: 01890 883160 (Mobile 07765320735) Website: www.abbeyceramics.co.uk
Farm to Fork
The Homestead is the base (incorporating a purpose built classroom) for the Farm to Fork education program, run by the Estate in conjunction with the Co-Operatives Farms, providing farm visits and educating children about the impotance of Farming, Food and wherer it comes from.
For further details please contact Sally Fleming. Telephone: 07912 162841 Email: sally.fleming@co-operative.coop
Tea Room
There is always a warm welcome, from Carole and her Staff, at the Hirsel Cottage Tea Room! Set in the heart of Hirsel Estate, our traditional-style tearoom is the ideal place to visit and indulge yourself with our tasty cakes and scones or light nutritious lunches, all offered with a varied and wide range of teas, coffees and soft drinks.
Our all day menu provides items from traditional bacon rolls, to homemade sandwiches, salads and soups. Border cream tea and full afternoon tea are also available daily.
We try to support local businesses by sourcing fresh produce from local suppliers where ever possible. All of our food is freshly prepared and served by friendly and helpful staff and we always have a large selection of traditional home cooked daily specials and much more!
In addition to the main tearoom, there is a charming outside seating area in a secluded courtyard - which is lovely on a sunny day!
The Cottage Tearoom is open daily apart from Christmas day and New Year's Day - 10am to 4pm (Nov to Feb) & 10am to 5pm throughout the rest of the year.
Large parties and visitors to the Holiday Cottages can be catered for by prior arrangement - by ringing Carole Williams on 01890 883645.
The Studio
The Studio provides details of the Estates’ current day to day development activities, acting as a Show Home and Information Centre for the Leet Haugh and Birgham Haugh housing developments - providing details of the two schemes, with layouts, house types, prices, news and contact details for anyone interested in buying a new home in Coldstream or the Borders.
For further details of Leet Haugh see www.hudsonhirsel.com or email Jamie Hudson at: jamie@hudsonhirsel.com
For Birgham Haugh email Mark Richardson at: mark.richardson@studioristol.com
Walks
There are a number of way marked Estate walks (Crooks Walk, Lake Walk, Dundock Walk, Riverside Walk, Dunglass Walk) around the Estate Policies.
In the Spring, there are Snowdrops, Aconites, and later on acres of Daffodils. The birds (for which the Hirsel was made famous by Henry Douglas-Home know as “the Birdman”) resident and migrant (of which 170 separate species have been identified) nest in the woods in and about the lake.
From the middle of May, the Rhododendrons and Azaleas in Dundock Wood provide a kaleidoscope of breathtaking colours and scents - attracting visitors to the Hirsel from far and wide.
In October and November, the leaves start turning on the trees and shrubs, providing wonderful autumn colouring, as thousands of duck, geese, and gulls make their way to overwinter on the Hirsel Lake - for which it is designated as a Site of Special Scientific Interest.
Members of the local community who walk to the Hirsel from Coldstream are not formally charged – although there are a number of honesty boxes at the Homestead and in Dundock Wood, for those people who care to make a donation towards the cost and upkeep of the walks, policies and the Homestead museum.