This year (2019) sees the 50th anniverary of Neil Armstrong's epic steps as the first Man on the Moon.  Let's not forget his co-astronauts, Buzz Aldrin and Michael Collins who were with him on that incredible journey.

It's nice to have something to celebrate such an occasion and Emma Bridgewater produced a very colourful Moon Landing Half Pint Mug in honour of it.

This product is no longer available sadly - but take a look other wonderful produts on Emma Bridgewater's website - she has a sale on (up to 40% off discontinued items and a lot more offers too!). 

Plus - why not look at a calendar with a space theme to see your loved one through 2024?  

Take a look at the CalendarClub.co.uk and their selection!  

This summer the National Trust for Scotland has joined up with Lidl to give you a season of exciting adventures!

The Lidl Book of Big Adventures is full of activities and inspiration for the holidays.  You can find your Lidl Book of Big Adventures at participating Lidl stores in Scotland and its participating places – there’s a map here to show you where they are.

To pick up your stickers, visit one of the participating places.  It’s free for members to visit, and family membership begins from just £6 a month.

And there’s plenty for kids to do with a National Trust for Scotland Family Membership, with adventures playgrounds and parks to explore.  Those who are between 2 and 5 can learn about nature through games, crafts and play with Nature Nippers at Glencoe.   There are great indoor attractions for those days when it’s raining, and you can get out on wildlife walks and spot wildlife – who can spot the most?  Imagine hiding in a wildlife hide and spotting a seal or an otter!

Types of Family Membership

With the National Trust for Scotland, there are two types of family membership.  You can join as a family with one adult and up to 6 children; or with 2 adults and up to 6 children.

At Culzean Castle, youngsters give the first edition of The Lidl Book of Big Adventures a go
©National Trust for Scotland

National Trust for Scotland Member benefits include:

• Free entry to National Trust places in Scotland
• Free or concessionary entry to National Trust organisations properties worldwide, including England, Wales and Northern Ireland
• Parking at National Trust for Scotland car parks with downloadable passes as soon as you join
• Publications including a subscription of the members’ magazine, enewsletter and Guide.

If you’re on the road in Scotland, why not use National Trust for Scotland properties as stop-off points where the kids can run around for a while and get a proper break from the car? 

Give a Family Membership to the National Trust for Scotland today

The National Trust for Scotland protects some of Scotland’s most precious historic places and landscapes.  Battlefields, ancient houses, mills, gardens, castles, coastlines, islands, mountain ranges – these are just some of the examples of places the charity works to protect.

Some of these are off the beaten track. One of the key projects the Trust has been involved with is that of the seabirds on the island of Canna.

To protect Canna’s beautiful seabirds, the National Trust for Scotland, the EU Life Fund, the Royal Zoological Society of Scotland and the Scottish Natural Heritage funded an important project.

Research undertaken by the Highland Ringing Group and the Trust had discovered that manx shearwaters and other seabirds on Canna were dropping in number.

Manx Shearwaters were dropping in numbers; 
now they are returning, thanks to the work of this project

Brown rates were preying on seabird nests – and some birds were abandoning the places they’d used as breeding sites for years.  They were nesting in caves and on ledges, moving to more inaccessible sites.   And yet their numbers continued to fall.  BY 2005, only 1 or 2 pairs of shearwaters survived in these isolated areas or inaccessible sites.   Yet in the 1980s, 1,500 pairs of these birds had been recorded. 

So in 2005, a project was funded to eradicate Canna’s brown rates.   A New Zealand team, supported by volunteers, set up and replenished bait stations.  The team recorded when and where the rats were taking the bait.  By March 2006, it was thought all the rats had gone – and two years later, the island was declared to be rat-free.  Canna is now quarantined to ensure that the rats don’t make a come-back.

Razorbills resting on a cliff edge

And now, manx shearwaters are coming back to Canna and breeding successfully.  Puffins and shags have also increased in number, which is great news.

Today, Canna’s coastline supports over 20,000 breeding seabirds.  It’s also home to lots of wild creatures from porpoises and whales to puffins and eagles – and it also has a small crofting community.

To get there, you can take a passenger ferry from Mallaig (no cars).

Join the National Trust of Scotland or give a gift membership and you can help the Trust continue its work to protect beautiful places in Scotland. 

It's really important to encourage future generations of people who care about our beautiful places and landscape.

A number of organisations have junior memberships, and the National Trust has introduced a Junior Membership which you can give a youngster as a gift.

It wants to encourage young people to care about our nature and heritage, and foster a love for conservation and the outdoors.

The Trust also wanted to offer a flexible membership which would support grandparents and relatives who help with child-care regularly. 

The benefits of junior membership include:

• Unlimited free entry to all the places the Trust looks after, inside and out 
• An age-appropriate welcome pack
• Special guides for junior members to plan your next adventure
• Ongoing inspiration, tips and seasonal ideas online

There are different welcome packs for primary age children (0 to 11) and secondary age youngsters (11-17) but they won't receive Junior members won’t receive free car parking, the Handbook or the National Trust Magazine.  Memberships are just £10.00.

Under 5s can continue to enjoy the Trust places for free :-) 

Treat a young person to a Junior Membership to the National Trust