Read the latest about what’s happening at Carlowrie Castle.

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

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.

Our Executive Chef, David Millar, Wins Scottish Chef of the Year 2025

We’re beyond proud to share that our Executive Chef, David Millar, has been named Scottish Chef of the Year 2025 at the Scottish Culinary Championships.

The competition, held in Glasgow as part of ScotHot, put some of Scotland’s most talented chefs through a high-pressure challenge, testing their creativity, precision, and ability to turn incredible ingredients into award-winning dishes.

David’s menu, which featured sustainably sourced venison from Ronay Island, won over the expert judging panel with its bold flavours and expert craftsmanship.

David said: “To win the Scottish Chef of the Year is the result of years of hard work, months of planning, and hours and hours of run-throughs. Within the chef community it’s a very prestigious honour and I’m over the moon to take the title. To have the judges eat my food that I was happy with was massive for me, I have zero regrets.’’

A Rising Star in Scottish Cuisine

David has been making waves in the culinary world, most recently competing on the 20th anniversary series of Great British Menu, where he took on some of Scotland’s top chefs. His skill, creativity, and passion for seasonal, local produce have set him apart as a chef to watch.

Since joining Carlowrie Castle, David has taken our dining experience to new heights, crafting unforgettable menus for luxury weddings, corporate events, and private stays. His focus on sustainability and seasonality aligns perfectly with Carlowrie Castle’s B Corp certification, reflecting our commitment to ethical, responsible hospitality.

A Proud Moment for Carlowrie Castle

Our Operations Director, Keith Taylor, said: “David’s creativity and dedication make him a true force in Scottish hospitality. His commitment to crafting outstanding dishes using sustainably sourced and local produce is admirable and his leadership and expertise have elevated our entire kitchen team, inspiring a new level of excellence. This award is very well deserved, and we couldn’t be prouder.”

Winning Scottish Chef of the Year is a massive achievement, and we’re so lucky to have David leading the way in our kitchen. If you’ve been a guest at Carlowrie, you’ll know firsthand why he took home the top prize!

We can’t wait to see what’s next for David and the Carlowrie Castle dining experience.

Want to experience David’s award-winning food?

Whether you’re planning a wedding, corporate event, or private stay, Carlowrie Castle offers an unforgettable setting, paired with world-class cuisine.

Contact us today to book.

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

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.

Barbecues, music, and community connection at our Picnic and Praise event

Every year during the warmer summer months we welcome our local community and parish church to Carlowrie Castle for a family-friendly day in the sunshine. Our Picnic and Praise event is an afternoon of inspiring talks and music, delicious food, children’s entertainment, and the opportunity to come together for prayers. 

At our fourth annual Picnic and Praise this August, we welcomed hundreds of members of our local community to join us for a fun-filled afternoon. We loved seeing familiar faces around the barbeque, enjoying the performances, and exploring the gardens. 

This year the event sponsored our charity The Breakfast Bothy, which provides hot meals, vital services, and connection to people experiencing homelessness in Edinburgh and which recently opened a charity shop. Our Picnic and Praise guests generously donated money, clothing, books, bric-a-brac and more. We sincerely thank all those who donated to our charity. Your donations go a long way in supporting people in need.

Spotlight on mental health at our Isobel Award ceremony

At our sixth annual Isobel Award ceremony we had the privilege of celebrating a wonderful charity that goes above and beyond to support children with their mental health.

That charity, and this year’s winner of The Isobel Award, is With Kids.

The Isobel Award honours the legacy of renowned botanist, explorer and author, Isobel Wylie Hutchison, who defied convention in the 1900s and chose a life of solo adventures, community giving, and endless wonder for the natural world. Carlowrie Castle was Isobel’s family home and the place she would return to after each of her adventures.

Each year Carlowrie Castle presents The Isobel Award to an individual or group who has overcome adversity and made a positive impact on their community. The award includes a grant towards their work and a year of dedicated support from our team.

This year’s event had a focus on mental wellbeing and joining us as our guest speaker was TV personality and mental health advocate, Gail Porter. Gail shared her honest and raw experience with her own mental health in a moving and memorable speech.

With Kids is a small charity that provides crucial mental health support to children and their families during difficult times. They work closely with communities, schools, and other agencies to foster healthy development, ensuring children can grow up to be happy and healthy adults. We look forward to supporting their work throughout the coming year.