Tarbert Castle is for keeps
The castle’s trust and its volunteers make sure that it is not only preserved, but kept as an incredible community asset for the village and visitors alike
A labour of love is taking place in Tarbert, all year round, with plenty of work to do in 2024.
Its ancient castle has stood guard over the harbour and the surrounding waters for centuries and now it is the village’s turn to take care of it.
Tarbert Castle Trust helps maintain the castle and the heritage park alongside with its woodland, orchard and sculpture park.
The major piece of work for 2024 is going to be replacing the steps from the keep to the entrance of the orchard. They have reached an age when there is no other option but to renew.
As the castle is an ancient monument it is a like-for-like replacement; otherwise a lot of consultations and paperwork would be involved. The trust has applied for help from the Community Fund for this work.
Another repair will be to the honey hexagon in the sculpture park.
People might not appreciate that some of the helpers who keep Tarbert Castle looking good are four-legged. A flock of Hebridean sheep keep the grass short; these living lawnmowers in turn have a rota of humans who help look after them. Once they have been sheared their fleeces go to the local spinning group to be carded and spun.
In winter, when the grazing becomes poor, the sheep are given a food supplement; donations help pay for this.
Keeping the vegetation under control is an ongoing task; with plenty of rhododendron and bracken bashing, plus volunteers donning waders and heading into the water to show the pondweed who is boss.
Younger generations have their part to play and each year the Tarbert Academy S5 pupils have a group which goes along to the castle to help.
Students, also, have been at the castle for work experience, getting hands-on and assisting with sheep care and the orchard.
Work is always ongoing to keep the floodlighting at the castle in good order.
The trust members have already updated and switched the castle floodlighting system over to LED to consume less energy. The Christmas star at the castle is always a favourite.
Work parties are on the first Saturday of each month from 10am, and volunteers are always welcome. Just turn up on the day or contact secretary@ tarbertcastle.info.
Strimming the long grass is one of the activities volunteers take part in over the summer.
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