At Glensaugh the darkest days of the year have coincided with the early onset of winter. Regular night frosts have been a feature of recent weeks and Loch Saugh has been frozen over for some time.

Since Rudolph the Red-Nosed Reindeer guided Santa’s sleigh through the fog on Christmas Eve with his glow-in-the-dark nose, people have pondered the secret behind his luminous nose. Now scientists at The Macaulay Land Use Research Institute in Aberdeen think they may have found the answer: Lichens. [continue reading ... ]

Glensaugh had an early taste of winter when a cold northerly outflow brought snow showers and 48 hours of sub zero temperatures.

It is believed by some biblical scholars to be the manna that saved the Israelites from starvation after escaping from Egypt. Nowadays the little-known lichen is largely unnoticed by the public, despite its heavy presence in hillwalkers? Favourite haunts. The Macaulay Land Use Research Institute in Aberdeen has produced the first ever guide to montane heathland lichens to give a beginner’s insight into these bizarre yet fascinating organisms found in the mountainous areas of Britain. [continue reading ... ]

If you have a hillwalking enthusiast on your Christmas list but are struggling to find a suitable gift, the pocket-sized, waterproof Montane Heathland Lichen Guide is the perfect gift. Priced at £9.99, the guide was produced by The Macaulay Land Use Research Institute in Aberdeen, and provides hillwalkers with the ultimate guide to lichens and how to identify different species while out walking on the mountainous areas of Britain. [continue reading ... ]

Glensaugh is continuing to de-stock in advance of the onset of winter.

At Glensaugh we are about to start another production year as our Texel tupps (rams) will shortly be introduced to the flock of crossbred ewes.

The pre-winter destocking of Glensaugh continues with the recent sale of 43 suckled calves. Improved prices for finished cattle have strengthened demand for stores.

We have continued to sell lambs from Glensaugh at prices a little ahead of those of 2007.

As the grouse shooting season gets under way, two scientists involved in high-profile studies of hen harriers and red grouse at Langholm Moor in Scotland have called for field trials of a “ceiling” on harrier numbers in an attempt to end the long running conflict between conservationists and grouse managers. [continue reading ... ]