Adventure Details
EXCURSIONS, IMMERSION, AND OTHER FUN
Take the ferry to the Isle of Bute where you’ll enjoy amazing coastal views and historic sites such as Mount Stuart House and more.
Explore remarkable natural & historic sites along the Cowal peninsula.
Become part of the community for an evening as we sing with the community choir or join the local Scottish dance group, followed by a visit to the local pub.
Project Instructor
Eland Stuart
Eland Stuart is a master at saving Scotland’s built heritage. He has taken historic cottages from rubble back to their charming original configuration. Eland has a degree in Archaeology from the University of Glasgow. He also trained with the Dry Stone Walling Association (DSWA), building in dry stone rubble with no mortar, and gained expertise with lime at the Scottish Lime Centre.
Eland gained a Masonry Conservation qualification with Historic Environment Scotland and the Stonemasonry Department at the College of Building and Printing in Glasgow. He is a talented instructor, taking volunteers from novice to confidence.
Project Funders
AiP is actively seeking sponsors. Join us in saving Dunans remarkable Telford bridge and restoring the "castle".
Project Partners
Dunans Castle Ltd is committed to creating a sustainable business that contributes to the betterment of its local community. All profits are invested in restoration of the site, running the company, improving employment opportunities, and making a positive impact on the community as a whole.
Through its actions, Dunans Castle Ltd aims to improve local facilities and work with local partners to improve economic opportunities. Importantly, Dunans Castle is also committed to addressing the identified problem of access to cultural events in the area, specifically theater, cinema and museums.
Cost*
1 week:
DBL Rm US$1790
SGL Rm +US$400
2 weeks:
DBL Rm US$3400
SGL Rm +US$800
*Costs are per person.
Discounts!
Join us for one adventure in preservation, and you’ll receive a 10% discount on all subsequent adventures.
Additional Cost Information
Your fee includes:
Ground transportation between Glasgow Airport & Dunans Castle
Lodging during your session
Meals from dinner on Saturday of arrival through breakfast on day of departure, except meals on excursions
Excursions
Instruction from on-site expert
All participants are responsible for:
Travel to Glasgow
Visa if required
Meals during excursions
Travel insurance, including emergency evacuation coverage. Send AiP proof of purchase.
DUNANS CASTLE
GLENDARUEL, COWAL PENINSULA, SCOTLAND
Bridging Conservation & Climate
Registration closed - Join us in 2025!
Climate change issues merge with building conservation efforts as you learn hands-on skills to keep existing structures in use and save the architectural heritage of Scotland.
Argyll in the autumn is beautiful, with colorful woodlands and miles of amazing coastline. In the midst of this sits Thomas Telford’s 1815 bridge leading to Dunans manor house and “castle”.
As you cross the bridge, you’ll see the results of three years of hands-on conservation by AiP jammers. Working with masonry conservators, jammers succeeded in restoring the bridge’s upper walls and two of three dramatic arches. As you approach the manor house, you see evidence of more work by the castle. Come and immerse yourself in this beautiful backdrop as work to complete conservation of the castle’s curtain wall.
Unique Bridge and Climate Conservation Experience in Scotland
Dunans recently bought back 250 acres of the ancient Fletcher estate adjoining the castle and is working to create a native woodland. Reintroducing native species will increase biodiversity and contribute to ecological sustainability in the area. As part of this effort, the woodland will become a carbon off-set project securing over 20,000 tonnes of carbon from the atmosphere over the next century.
Funds generated from the sale of this tonnage will secure the next phase of renovation of the bridge and the “castle”, creating a unique multiplier, enriching both Scotland's built heritage and its environment.
The remarkable A-listed Dunans Bridge, providing access to the site since 1815, will be our focus in 2025. The arches, gargoyles and eight hexagonal piers, as well as its sheer height of 16 meters (52 feet), make it unique and of national importance.
Walk the woodlands with Charles Dixon Spain and learn about his efforts to combine the fight against climate change with sustainable tourism. Dounens was noted by cartographers as far back as 1590, with Dunans becoming the home of the Fletcher clan around 1725. Architect Andrew Kerr transformed the manor house into a mock castle in 1864, which was largely destroyed by fire in 2001. The goal is to bring the castle back for public use, with community event spaces on the ground floor and self-catering apartments on the upper floors to provide a sustainable future.
You and other AiP jammers will work with Eland Stuart, learning the art of repointing with lime mortar, to complete conservation of the castle’s curtain wall.
“This was the perfect combination of adventure, travel, architecture, history and learning a trade from an expert. A great hands-on opportunity.”
Lodging and Meals
Lodging is at Tighnariddon located on the shore of Loch Riddon, a spectacular sea loch just 10 minutes from Dunans. Tighnariddon has two self-catering cottages, Shelduck Cottage with 3 ensuite bedrooms on 2 floors; and Teal Cottage with two ensuite bedrooms. The isle of Bute is nearby, where we’ll tour remarkable historic sites.
Delicious meals are prepared by a caterer, with meals largely made from local produce and meat. Lunch is served at the work site, and dinner served as a group meal at Tighnariddon. Breakfast food is provided for jammers to prepare. Options for vegetarians are provided upon request.
Schedule
Saturday: Meet AiP group in Glasgow for lunch & sightseeing; take van to Dunans at 3pm and settle into lodging.
Sunday: Day long excursion to sites such as Bute or Inverary.
Monday-Wednesday am: Tour of Dunans, skills training with Eland Stuart, repointing work on the curtain wall.
Wednesday pm: Excursion to sites on the Cowal Peninsula.
Thursday-Friday: Work continues on the wall.
Saturday: Jammers depart for Glasgow; airport drop off 11am.
Each day after breakfast, work begins at 9:15 am with a discussion of the day’s tasks and demonstration of skills as needed. There are breaks for tea and lunch; work ends about 5pm. Various evening activities are planned throughout the week.
Come to Scotland with AiP – travel, learn and preserve as you support this valuable social enterprise!
“Eland has been an excellent instructor. He is a delight to work with, extremely patient, very knowledgeable and encouraging.”
Costs
Your project fee of US$1790 for one week, US$3400 for two weeks, covers the cost of lodging in a double room, meals, excursions (meals on excursions not covered), materials & training, and transportation to and from Glasgow Airport. If you prefer a single room, an additional single supplement of $400 per week will be added to your fee.
Travel Details
If flying to the project, book your flight into the Glasgow Airport (GLA). Airport pickup is provided on Saturday of arrival.
Arrival time at the airport must be prior to 3pm on Saturday. We will explore Glasgow and eat lunch as we wait for everyone to arrive. The shuttle leaves for Dunans at 3pm. Saturday dinner is the first meal provided at our lodging and included in your fee.
Rental cars are available at the airport for those interested in having their own car. Drive time from Glasgow Airport to Dunans Castle is about 1 hour and 30 minutes.
Airport drop off is provided on Saturday of departure. Drop off is around 11 am, so schedule your departing flight accordingly.
September in western Scotland brings equal chance of sunny mild days or rainy days. So, we’ll look for sun and plan for rain. Daytime highs average around 69°F (15°C) with lows averaging about 48°F (9°C). Midges largely disappear by mid-September.
Rain gear is essential. Plan to bring waterproof/water resistant shoes, and waterproof jacket and pants. A waterproof hat may be helpful in addition to the jacket hood.
It can feel quite chilly working outside, so consider bringing sweaters to go under a down vest and/or down jacket. This can go under your rain jacket. Silk long underwear, wool socks and insulated work gloves can all help you stay comfortable. Sturdy close-toed shoes are required. You may want to dress up a bit for visits to the village and other site seeing, but plan for comfort.
If you have any questions or would like to chat with an AiP staff member about joining this cultural heritage experience, contact us at trips@adventuresinpreservation.org or call us at +1 303-444-0128.
“When I found Adventures in Preservation, I was so excited to see the work that you do – both the projects themselves and the educational and cultural opportunities they provide. As a recent preservation graduate, I have been exploring opportunities and career paths that exist in the field. Your company incorporates so many things that are important to me and have been on my mind – the hands-on experience, getting people involved in preservation, and travel beyond just tourism.”