Author Archives: Andrew Carmichael

Brit Stops takes off at Carmichael

For those of you that haven’t heard of Brit Stops it is a scheme whereby if you own a camper van and you purchase a book from Brit Stops you can then gain pre-agreed access to a whole world of great places to park your van overnight. We have been a Brit Stops site here at Carmichael for several years now and we have had some amazing customers in our farm shop & tearoom car park for overnighters.

For more information try looking at the Brit Stops website

Just had some feedback today from some lovely Brit Stops customers that we thought we’d share. Haste ye Back!

‘ Thank You! – Brilliant stop-over: loved every minute. Sunrise – WOW!’ – Jim B

 

Carmichael Estate Wild Roe Deer Loin wins gold

We are really pleased to announce that Carmichael Estate Wild Roe Deer Loin was awarded 2 gold stars by the prestigious Guild of Fine Food for the Great Taste Awards 2014. We knew the wild roe deer from the Estate was good when hung and butchered to prefect but this has now been certified by the judges of GTA 2014.

Judges described the venison loin as follows:

‘This meat is beautifully tender and juicy. The flavour is nicely gamy and long lasting.’

‘Delivers a very complex gamey flavour which judges like: great depth and length of flavour, wonderful texture for such a lean piece of meat.’

Wild roe deer is available seasonally from Carmichael Estate and it is an important part of our system that we cull them in sensible numbers to allow crops, trees and other wildlife to flourish. If you ever get a chance to try one these steaks they are truly divine! The ultimate venison product.

Venison Sausages top the market!

Dreich it might have been, but John Cooke from Slow Food Edinburgh still managed to persuaded 19 folks to spend some considerable time blind- tasting close to ten sausages at Edinburgh Farmers’ Market on Castle Terrace last weekend. They filled in a sheet recording their first choice, and in most cases, second and third choices too. Some even made specific comments on flavour, texture and so on. Slow Food then collated all the results, giving three marks for a first choice, two for a second, and one for a third choice.

The result?

Well, it must first be said that the competition had both venison bangers (two producers), beef, (one) and the rest plain pork. So, comparing apples with oranges so to speak, the two venisons came out equal top overall. Well done, Carmichael Estate Farm Meats and Seriously Good Venison.

They were followed by the single beef entry from Well-hung & Tender.

The pork sausages then had a top three of Ballencrieff, Reiver and Puddledub.

‘Not sure what this proves, except that the Market has lots of good sausages, and people are prepared to spend time trying them and chatting about it. Even on a rainy, rainy day.’ John Cooke – Slow Food Edinburgh

 

 

Glasgow 2014

Well it has been a busy busy time here at Carmichael with 100% occupancy across the self catering cottages, some great customers in the farm shop and tearoom and a special Commonwealth themed Glasgow Partick Farmers’ Market on Saturday 26th July.

What a great sporting event Glasgow 2014 was!  We are really glad that our guests managed to benefit from being ‘close enough to the action but not too close’.

We’d just like to say a big thank you to everyone who came to Carmichael over the last few weeks and haste ye back!

 

Carmichael Estate Farm Meats stall at Edinburgh Farmers Market

Delicious new season Carmichael lamb Now Available!

We now have our delicious Carmichael Texel Lamb available at all of the Farmers’ Markets we attend and in our farm shop on the A73 between Lanark and Biggar.

Our Lamb is delicious at this time of year as it has been grazing only the freshest tastiest clover rich grass at the foot of Tinto Hil. All of our lambs are born, reared and fattened and finished at Carmichael. We also have our own abattoir and butchery here allowing us to maintain total control over animal welfare during the rearing and slaughter process.

If your looking for a delicious ‘single malt’ lamb this summer for the BBQ look no further. Now also available through our online shop on www.carmichael.co.uk

Carmichael Tearoom main room

Tearoom Open 7 Days in July & August 2014

We are pleased to announce that our tearoom at the Carmichael Visitor Centre & Farm Shop will be open 7 days a week from Saturday 5th July.

We have an extensive menu of delicious hot and cold meals and snacks using our own meats and other local produce. The Tearoom is open from 10am to 5pm daily.

Specialties include our own venison, beef and lamb burgers as well as daily specials.

The tearoom also has free wifi internet, toilet facilities and a comfortable sitting area in the foyer.

 

 

All Self Catering Cottages at Carmichael to have Wifi internet by mid June 2014

Yes the modern world has arrived at Carmichael Estate and by the 15th of June 2014 we should have all 16 cottages wifi enabled for free to use web browsing during your stay.

A few years ago BT told us that there was no way we would ever have broadband in the cottages as we were too far away from the exchange and for many years we ran the Estate office on satelite broadband which was expensive slow and unreliable. We are now really pleased to be able to offer Wifi internet across all cottages although as we at the mercy of the telecommunications powers that be we unfortunately can’t guarantee it will always be available.

Free Wifi for all! We also have free Wifi available in the shop and tearoom from 10am to 5pm each day.

A drawing of a clan carmichael broken spear crest

Clan Carmichael Gathering 26 June – 2 July 2014

The latest in a series of  International Carmichael gatherings – each organised by Chief Richard and his family since 1983 – will be held at Carmichael Scotland in late June and early July 2014. Previous gatherings have been held at the rate of three a decade and this year’s event will be the second hosted by Chief Richard with son Andrew and grandsons Fraser & Aidan in support.

The theme this year will be to celebrate the second Great Scottish Homecoming Year (the first was in 2009) and the 700th anniversary of the battle of Bannockburn, which led to the creation of the Barony of Carmichael. The Scottish victory in this battle confirmed the Independent Nation of Scotland and the supportive families and clans were rewarded with land grants. Sir James Douglas was King Robert The Bruce’s right hand and the Carmichaels were kinsmen and neighbours in Douglasdale, and as such instrumental in the victory. If this battle had been lost we would not be here now and the origins of the Carmichael name would also have been lost!  This is a unique historical opportunity to celebrate in style.

We are in the process of planning the final detail of this exciting and unique Clan Experience. Tout Jour Prest!

Hungarian Vizsla Mega Whizz 2014

This year the Carmichael Estate once again hosted one of the countries largest gatherings of Hungarian Vizsla Dogs. The owners who came to Scotland Mega Whizz 2014 stayed in the self catering holiday cottages in tranquil surroundings of the Carmichael Estate and enjoyed a weekend of doggie catch ups, pub meals, quizzes and of course a long communal walk through the Estate before devouring a delicious Carmichael Meats BBQ.

This years event boasted 140 dogs on the walk and we served a BBQ to 205 people on Sunday afternoon which included lamb, beef and venison from the farm shop.

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Next years Vizz Whizz is already booked in and we are looking forward to it already.

If you are thinking of organizing a large event and need a venue with on site catering, accommodation in a relaxed rural environment please get in touch.