Category - Bedrooms

Exploration, resilience, and community: The Polar Academy named as Carlowrie Castle’s 2025 Isobel Award winner

03rd June 2025

On 30 May 2025, we proudly presented the seventh annual Isobel Award to The Polar Academy, a Scottish charity transforming young lives through Arctic exploration.

 

Honouring Isobel Wylie Hutchison’s Legacy

The Isobel Award celebrates the legacy of Arctic explorer, botanist and author Isobel Wylie Hutchison, who grew up in Carlowrie Castle. Every year we honour her memory through this special award.

Each year, the winner of the award is an individual or organisation that has overcome adversity and created a lasting, positive impact in their community. The winner receives a bespoke hand-crafted trophy, a financial donation, and one year of operational support from the Carlowrie team.

 

A night of inspiration

This year’s ceremony welcomed 110 invited guests from across the charity and business sectors for an evening of inspiration and connection. Guest speaker Lise Wortley, adventurer and finalist on Channel 4’s ALONE, delivered a moving keynote on pushing boundaries and reimagining historical women’s expeditions.

 

About the winner: The Polar Academy

The Polar Academy stood out for its powerful mission to lift young people out of “invisibility” and help them build confidence, resilience and self-worth. The charity runs an intensive year-long training programme culminating in a life-changing expedition to Greenland. To date, over 240 young people and their families have taken part.

Working with schools across Scotland, each programme includes cold chamber training at Napier University, tyre-hauling preparation, and weekly check-ins with parents and teachers—ensuring that participants are physically and mentally ready for the Arctic challenge ahead.

Founder Craig Mathieson said: “For the past 12 years we’ve had the privilege of working with some incredible young people and their families from all over Scotland. We take ordinary young people, who have unfortunately experienced some sort of trauma in their life, such as bullying or bereavement and prove to them what they are truly capable of. At the Polar Academy, we don’t just change lives, we help them find purpose, resilience and belief in themselves”

 

Previous winners

Past recipients of the Isobel Award include children’s mental health charity With Kids, environmental advocate Amy Bray, and wellbeing organisation Art in Healthcare. See the full list of winners here.

433-year-old goatskin manuscript gives a glimpse into Carlowrie’s fascinating history

26th September 2024

Our team has recently revealed a remarkable piece of history related to Carlowrie Castle. While we always knew that Carlowrie Castle and the Carlowrie estate has a long and interesting history, we were blown away when an historian found an original title deed to the land dated 19 August 1591. 

The manuscript is hand-scribed onto traditional goatskin vellum and is written in Latin. From our research so far, we’ve discovered that it references several famous figures, including King James VI, who ruled over Scotland at the time and later went on to rule England as King James I. 

While more information is needed to understand the role this document has played in the history of Carlowrie, it has inspired us to delve deeper into the history of the land. We’re working with the National Library of Scotland and National Records of Scotland to uncover the unknown stories of the area.

It is believed that an earlier castle had once stood on the site of the present-day Carlowrie Castle, before falling into disrepair. It was Edinburgh-based wine merchant and Provost of Leith, Thomas Hutchison who, many years later, commissioned the building of the Carlowrie Castle we know today.

From its completion in 1854 to 1982, the castle was home to the Hutchison family, including renowned Arctic explorer, botanist and author, Isobel Wylie Hutchison.

When you’re next visiting us at Carlowrie Castle, ask us about our history. We’d love to share it with you.

You can read more about our history here.

Cowlowrie. Welcome to the herd.

04th October 2021

We have some new members of the Carlowrie team arriving this month from Perthshire.

Helping to keep the grass in the paddocks neat and tidy will be four new highland cows. We do of course have Florrie, our Highland cow sculpture, however these new beasts promise to be a lot more fun. We still need to find names for our cows and welcome any ideas – info@carlowriecastle.co.uk.

Carlowrie Gardens development

04th July 2021

Behind everything at Carlowrie lies a story, our beautiful gardens are no exception. Tended by Isobel Wylie Hutchison throughout most of the 20th century, we are delighted to announce a programme of replanting and development.

We plan to reintroduce many of the plant species brought back to Scotland by Isobel, and enhance all of the beds with seasonal herbs and  rotational flowering plants that will guarantee colour all year round. Butterfly and bee friendly beds should see plenty of activity in the warmer weather.

Our team are working around each area and replanting for spring when we can all enjoy the outdoors again.

 

Carlowrie Stables conversion project started.

15th March 2021

We are very excited about our stables conversion project. The old stables building at the far end of the walled garden has planning permission to convert to 7 ensuite bedrooms each with their own access, meaning that we will have more accommodation for your guests to stay at the castle for your event.

The project was delayed due to the pandemic, but work has started now and is due for completion in spring 2022. Please keep an eye on this space for more updates and images as we progress.

Secret Rooms for Stimulating Stories

11th February 2021

I’m sure you are aware of our famous former resident, Isobel Wylie Hutchison. Explorer, author, botanist and all round early 20th century Scottish legend. If not head to google and then come pay a visit to our latest room in the castle.

We locked local artist Kelly Stewart in the turret room on the top floor for a couple of weeks at the start of the year. Kelly has been inspired by Isobel’s story and  produced the most beautiful 360 degree mural with snippets and tales of Isobel scattered around an arctic landscape.

It’s the perfect space to relax, reflect and take some time out from the hustle and bustle. Isobel’s own thoughts, copies of her publications and items from her life at Carlowrie are on show. For us, it’s a wonderful link to our past and a tale that needs to be told to generations to come.

Water of Life

15th December 2020

Christmas posed an interesting question – What happens when you run out of whisky?

You get more whisky of course.

After the huge success of our initial Carlowrie Malt at the start of lockdown, we embarked on a strenuous research mission to find another, even more special drop of the amber nectar. After many late nights and much discussion (probably) our expert panel unanimously decided on a smooth and fruity Highland 12 year old. A quick trip back to the label design and a subtle tweak or two saw the bottling of our new baby, 12 year aged single Highland Malt.

Guaranteed to warm the coldest of Scottish winter evenings and melt the hardest hearts, this is one to be enjoyed with kith and kin.

For more details or orders, please contact us info@carlowriecastle.co.uk  . Now where’s the gin…?

Isobel Plaque

06th March 2020

March 2020 is Women’s History Month and we are so proud to announce that our very own legend Isobel Wylie Hutchison has been recognised by Historic Environment Scotland for her incredible life achievements with a commemorative plaque.

The plaque will be displayed for all to enjoy at Carlowrie, Isobel’s home for 92 years, and we’ll be announcing soon when the unveiling will take place. Keep your eyes peeled.

To find out more about Isobel visit our IWH page.

UK Wedding Awards – Best Castle Venue

20th February 2020

We’re thrilled to be the winners of the Best Castle Wedding Venue at the UK Wedding Awards. A massive thanks to all our wonderful clients and friends who’ve experienced the unique Carlowrie hospitality and took the time to vote for us.

This award is testimony to the incredible team we have and the time and effort invested in our clients to ensure their special day is more than they ever dreamed off.

If you’re planning your special day or simply looking for inspiration, get in touch, we’d love to hear from you.

Isobel Inspired

31st January 2020

Andrew our CEO likes a challenge and committed himself to walk up Mount Kilimanjaro on the Machame route recently. He took on this feat after being inspired and encouraged by Isobel (Wylie Hutchison) and her incredible treks and expeditions.

Andrew took two items from our Isobel Wylie Hutchison Collection on his journey to the summit; our hand knitted, plant hand-dyed Carlowrie Jersey and our Hutchison Haversack made from Harris Tweed, the same kind of Harris Tweed Isobel used to wear.

This is Andrew’s first mountain expedition but we are pretty sure it won’t be his last.