A drone image illustrates the incredible sunflower trail on a farm near Perth that has become the city’s hottest summer tourist attraction.
The shot, captured by Scotdrone, shows a 30-minute walking route through the seasonal crop carved in the shape of a map of Scotland on Gloagburn Farm, Tibbermore.
The circular trail includes games for families and there is another optional 30-minute walk through a ‘wriggly path’ on completion of the main walk.
Its design and concept is the brainchild of Crawford Niven, who works on the farm with his father Ian.
Crawford is at pains to emphasise that the trail is strictly ticket-only after its introduction last summer proved overwhelmingly popular.
Huge queues of traffic forced the premature closure of the trail “for responsibilities to the local community, neighbours and staff”.
This year’s trail has been sold-out every day since it opened a week ago. The sunflowers should be in bloom for four weeks so there is still time for locals to explore the route – as long as they purchase a ticket in advance from the farm’s website.
“Everyone is enjoying it,” Crawford said. “Even if the weather isn’t good, if you come prepared and are out in a nice big field of yellow sunflowers you will have a good time.”
This article gives some background to the trail and explains what visitors can expect and where they can get a ticket.
‘My dad drove behind me with the lawnmower’
Crawford was determined to make the 2022 sunflower trail a better version of last year’s event.
As well as the new ticketing arrangements, the Scotland outline was a progression from the more arbitrary 2021 version.
“It was quite tricky to do,” Cameron said. “We work with a company in the south who provide the GPS for our tractors. I gave them a phone call and said ‘I have an idea, any idea how to do it?'”
He sent the company a file locator that was uploaded onto their iPad.
“Then I walked around the field and marked it out with 2.5cm accuracy,” he added. “My dad drove behind me with the lawnmower.
“Last year there wasn’t a specific shape – there was just a random track. This year we wanted to make a shape of it to get the nice aerial image so we went for Scotland.”
Field contains 250,000 sunflowers
Gloagburn Farm contains more than 1,000 acres of mixed arable and pastoral farmland.
The trail field was planted in the spring on a 13-acre plot and contains more than 250,000 sunflowers, averaging 4ft tall.
It is located close to the farm shop, which is run by Crawford’s mother Alison and brother Fergus.
Scotland is not known for its sunflowers, but Crawford is happy with this season’s crop.
“The hint is in the name – sunflowers begin with the word sun and you don’t get too much of it in Scotland so not many are grown here,” he explained
“They are a little shorter than last year because it has been a dry summer up to now. But the heads are still good.”
‘Two parents and two kids can enter for a tenner’
There are three games in the trail that correspond with notable Scottish locations on the map.
At Edinburgh there is Jumbo Jenga, horseshoe pitching is at Glasgow and Ben Nevis hosts bale stacking.
Visitors can also pay to pick their own sunflowers at one for £1, five for £4 and 10 for £7.
Entrance to the trail is £5 for adults and free for under-12s. Dogs are allowed on leads and there is access for prams and buggies.
The trail offers more than just a financial boost, says Crawford.
He added: “Farming is being pushed towards sustainability and focusing on the environment.
“Sunflowers offer so much biodiversity. The bugs and beasties there are unbelievable.
“As farmers we tend to forget that the majority of people don’t get to enjoy the countryside loads.
“We may take it for granted so to offer them the chance to go outside, walk around the field and offer them a good time for a couple of hours – two parents and two kids can enter for a tenner – gives them a great day out.
“I must also thank all the staff for putting in a big shift over sunflower season too.”
Tickets – where and when they are available
Tickets are currently sold-out until Sunday but more will be made available this weekend on this link for next week.
Crawford also has a YouTube channel in which he documents the process of creating the sunflower trail.
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