Category - Events

Picnic & Praise at Carlowrie Castle

The sun was shining, the Castle grounds were bursting with new life and it was the perfect day to spend with loved ones.

Our third annual picnic & praise, which we host at Carlowrie Castle in partnership with our local parish church, was an idea born after lockdown with the sole purpose of bringing people together and building our community.

It’s a fantastic afternoon where the local community of Kirkliston come together and enjoy good food, live music, children’s activities and worship. This year there were over 300 of us enjoying each other’s company, sharing stories and plans for the future.

This event is an important date in the diary for the Carlowrie Group as giving back is at the heart of each business and charity that the group has created.

The Isobel Award Winner 2023

We were delighted to present Art in Healthcare, The Isobel Award on 30th May 2023 at Carlowrie Castle.

Each year we commemorate Isobel through The Isobel Award, now in its fifth year. The aim is to celebrate and support unsung hero’s that work within the community to bring change. Whether an individual or organisation, The Isobel Award represents Isobel’s values, her grit and determination and her deep held faith in community, nature, and human kindness to overcome adversity.

Art in Healthcare is a charity working across Scotland to improve health and wellbeing for individuals and communities by providing opportunities to experience and engage with high quality visual art, artists and creativity.

Isobel experienced loss and grief throughout her early life, which affected her mental wellbeing, and it was art, creative writing and nature that helped her recover. We look forward to supporting Art in Healthcare’s ongoing work with hospitals, care homes and community mental wellbeing and drawing on the power of art and creativity to transform lives and nurture human connections. We believe Isobel would approve!

Our very own Vineyard in the heart of the Loire Valley

With building works well underway and ready to welcome our first guests in October 2023, we are excited to present Domaine de la Citardière Vineyard and Cottages.

Located in the heart of the Loire Valley, just south of Saumur, the Domaine de la Citardière vineyard and two guest cottages are a must for all wine-lovers. Tucked away down a cypress tree-lined drive, the vineyard has picture-perfect views, flavour-packed wines and a rich history dating back to the 15th century.

Designed exclusively to host one group at a time (sleeping up to 12 guests), our cottages offer guaranteed privacy. During your stay, you will have sole use of the cottages, pool and sun terraces, so you can truly relax and unwind. If you’ve ever dreamed of slowing down and escaping to your own private vineyard, we have the perfect place for you.

Citardière offers the best of both worlds when it comes to dining. The cottages are self-catering, however we can also provide your very own in-house chef to cater for you and your guests, paired with the perfect wine, of course!

Find out more HERE.

Top Wedding Venue in the World by Grazia!

We are beyond excited to have been named one of the ‘Best Wedding Venues Around The World’ by Grazia. And, not only one of the top 8 venues in the world but the only UK venue to be chosen.

We love nothing more than making each couples dreams come true and the team work tirelessly to make it happen, so this is for them.

We are blown away by all the messages we have received from our Carlowrie couples, partners and industry colleagues, congratulating us on this very special shortlist.

Find out what Grazia had to say HERE.

The Isobel Award 2022.

It’s almost time for The Isobel Award ceremony, and we are getting excited. Established by Carlowrie Castle in 2019, The Isobel Award invites entries from people committed to making a positive difference in their communities, whether that’s through sports, arts, culture, education, or activism.

Previous winners include Scottish children’s literacy charity, The Super Power Agency; British Paralympian, adventurer and author, Karen Darke; and young environmentalist Amy Bray, who founded the charity, Another Way.

The award ceremony will be held on Thursday 19th May at Carlowrie Castle and promises to be an exciting and inspiring afternoon.

Link to: The Super Power Agency

Link to: Another Way

Celebrate with our Citardière Crémant

Speaking of tasty treats, here at Carlowrie from May 2022 we’ll be serving sparkling Crémant wine from our vineyard in the Loire Valley, France. The Domaine de la Citardière vineyard became part of the Carlowrie Group in 2020 and is managed by Madame and Monsieur Martin, who have a huge interest in biodiversity and habitat conservation. During the winter, we’ve been pruning back the vines while they are in their dormant phase. This process, known as renewing the vines, ensures that they maintain their strength and vitality, so they can grow flavour-packed grapes. The vineyard produces red, white and rosé wines and two sparkling Crémant wines.

The Citardière Crémant we’re currently serving has delicious summery notes, and is the perfect sparkling drink to toast a special event.

The guest houses at Domaine de la Citardière vineyardour sleeps 14-person plus staff and will be finished by end of 2023. So, if you’re dreaming of a relaxing escape with sweeping vineyard views, please keep an eye on our website and Instagram for updates.

Host your next corporate event with us.

Are you looking to create an impact with your next corporate event? Carlowrie Castle is just the place to inspire and impress your guests. Our experienced events team will organise everything you need, whether that’s canapés and drinks for 25 or fine dining for 400. When you book your event at Carlowrie you can be confident we’ll provide you with everything you need to make a lasting impression.

Located just outside Edinburgh, a 15-minute drive from the airport, we’re perfectly positioned for delegates flying into the city. We have beautiful rooms at the castle for overnight guests and can help you arrange further accommodation nearby if required.

Cowlowrie. Welcome to the herd.

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

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.

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.