April 20 2016

Calling all red toorie hat wearers to the launch of Tom and Rhona Weir’s Mountain Garden on Loch Lomondside

An invite is extended to everybody to don their red toorie hats and attend the formal opening of Tom and Rhona’s Mountain Garden, the latest addition to the iconic Tom Weir’s Rest and Statue site overlooking Balmaha Bay, on Saturday, April 30.

The stunning mountain garden, located beside the Tom Weir Statue, will be formally opened at 2pm by actor, US National Park ambassador and John Muir impersonator Lee Stetson, and Scots Magazine editor Robert Wight. All are welcome to come to this free event and view the garden, named in honour of the late Tom Weir, Scotland’s most loved mountain man, and his 96 year old widow Rhona.

Tom’s popular red toorie hats are expected to be a common sight on the day, and will be on sale to those who do not have their own ones to bring along and wear with proceeds going to help with the ongoing maintenance of the site.

Lee Stetson will also be sharing some fascinating short stories on the life and times of John Muir who was an inspirational figure for Tom who was awarded the first ever John Muir Award in Scotland for his lifetime achievement in inspiring so many people to enjoy Scotland’s great outdoors as a result of his talks, writings and broadcasts over 50 years.

The garden marks the completion of the £130,000 transformation of the former picnic site which has been leased to the Friends of Loch Lomond and The Trossachs by Stirling Council. The garden has been designed by landscape specialist and Scottish Campaign for National Parks Chairman, Ross Anderson and developed by locally based Sandy Fraser’s outdoor landscaping team.

The garden features a range of typical mountain plants, as well as a selection of stones and rocks collected near the Highland Boundary Fault which runs through Loch Lomond in close proximity to Balmaha. Feature stones include white quartz from Ben Lomond, and state slabs especially engraved by one of Historic Environment Scotland’s apprentice stonemason Lara Townsend with quotes about the wonders of Loch Lomond that were written by Tom 50 years ago, appearing in articles in the Scots Magazine. The event will also see the unveiling of the fifth and final storyboard at the statue site, with the other four having been launched earlier this month.

James Fraser, Chairman of Friends of Loch Lomond and The Trossachs, said: “This event is an integral part of a visit by Lee Stetson as part of the centenary celebrations of the US National Parks Service, and also another opportunity to remind everybody of how Tom Weir became Scotland’s most loved mountain man. It is also a fitting way to mark the completion of work at the Tom Weir’s Rest site which has become firmly established in a relatively short period of time as one of Loch Lomond’s top visitor attractions with over 100,000 visitors so far.”

Susan Taylor, Administrator of the Tom Weir Memorial Group, said: “This is an event that is the culmination of many years of hard work fundraising by lots of volunteers and ordinary Scots and folk from further afield who are passionate about Tom Weir’s contribution to popularising Scotland’s great outdoors for everyone to enjoy and appreciate.

“We will keep everything crossed for good spring weather and remain optimistic that this will be another great Tom Weir celebration event with a large turnout on the day – in terms of people and Tom’s signature red toorie hats.”

There will be limited catering on site on the day and a bucket collection with the proceeds being used to help maintain the popular Loch Lomondside site.

Source Url: http://www.lochlomond-trossachs.org/looking-after/launch-of-tom-and-rhona-weirs-mountain-garden-on-loch-lomondside/menu-id-483.html