Conference Tours
Angus Glens & The Mearns Tour
Rolling fields and gorgeous glens are the backdrop to this tour and three farms with rich history and thriving agritourism businesses.
GLEN CLOVA HOTEL
Host – Lesley McArthur
Agritourism
The Glen Clova Hotel is one of Scotland’s few agritourism hotels, on a farm in one of the beautiful Angus Glens at the foot of Glen Doll. The hotel has been owned and run by the Niven family since 1922.
Glen Clova Hotel has 10 rooms in the main hotel, 8 steading rooms, 9 luxury lodges and 2 additional houses. The hotel has a restaurant and bar and being located in the heart of Glen Doll, it is a welcome sight for hill walkers after climbing nearby Munros (the name for Scottish mountains over 3000 feet high).
The Niven family has recently invested in a new wedding and events venue which can host 150 people. The hotel is also used for corporate events.
Farm
Glen Clova Hotel is located within a 7000acre working hill farm producing Scotch Beef and Scotch Lamb. The Niven family also run a lowland farm next to the sea at Carnoustie on the Angus coast where they grow crops, including potatoes.
WESTERTON FARM
Hosts – David Gammie, Fiona & Doug Smith, Ross Adamson
Agritourism
Westerton Farm started farm retail in 2017 with a small, honesty-based hut, “The Spud Hut”. In April 2021 a larger farm shop opened selling a wider range of farm produce and local food and drink.
The farm runs many events throughout the year including farmers markets, open days, and a large pumpkin patch during October. On a daily basis the farm shop offers a place to come and enjoy a coffee or lunch and recently the business has started offering, “Feast Nights” with long table dining using the farm’s own produce.
Westerton is one of Scotland’s four Agritourism Monitor Farms.
During the farm tour to Westerton a number of other local farmers will be on site showcasing their produce with a farmers market. Westerton is growing salads which Global Agritourism Conference delegates will enjoy during lunch at the conference venue.
Farm
Westerton Farm is a 400-acre farm in South Aberdeenshire, farmed by father and daughter, David Gammie and Fiona Smith. Fiona’s cousin, Ross, leads on the farm retail side of the business. The farm grows barley, wheat, potatoes, pumpkins and a range of vegetables. The farm has been in the family since the 1920s.
The vegetables are all grown by hand and no chemicals are used.
Visitors to the farm can undertake “pick your own” vegetables all year round including pick your own “tatties”, which is the Scottish name for potatoes.
350 acres of spring barley are grown each year and some of that barley ends up nearby at Fettercairn Distillery, five miles from the farm, producing a sought-after malt whisky.
Collaboration is a key theme with the farming business. The combine is jointly owned and shared by three neighbouring farms. Fiona’s husband Doug, farms his own family farm at Drumsleed two miles from Westerton. Doug and his family rear award winning pedigree Simmental cattle and some of the meat is sold directly to consumers via a vending machine on farm and via Fiona’s farm shop.
CASTLETON FARM
Hosts – Ross & Anna Mitchell
Agritourism
Castleton Farm is run by husband and wife Ross and Anna Mitchell. Ross leads operations in the farming business while Anna leads a team in the large farm café and farm shop.
The Mitchell family opened a seasonal farm shop and café in 2004 in an old filling station at the nearby village of Fordoun, selling soft fruit as well as local meat, cheese and vegetables. It was so successful that a shop and cafe was built on the farm, being further extended in 2013 to increase the number of seats in the café, extend the farm shop and to add an additional production kitchen.
In 2020 a spacious and airy conservatory was added to the café giving easy access to the farm-themed playpark and creating a dog-friendly destination in the countryside.
Farm
The Mitchell family has farmed at Castleton since the 1900’s.
Castleton Farm is a 1200 acre arable and fruit farm in South Aberdeenshire, the largest soft fruit farm in the area and one of the most northerly soft fruit growers in Scotland. Over 700 acres are farmed with regenerative agricultural practices including direct drill instead of ploughing.
Strawberries, raspberries, blueberries and cherries are grown and are harvested 9 months of the year, supplying multiple large retailers. 6% of total sales are direct to consumer via the farm shop. The farm also grows arable crops, cut flowers, flax for fibre and manages woodland.
The business has invested heavily in biomass and renewable energy production providing heated greenhouses and helping to manage electricity costs for the farm. Over 550 employees from all over the world work on the farm and many are housed on site. Turnover from sales of soft fruit is in excess of £14 million.
