Conservation charity the National Trust for Scotland is reporting unprecedented interest in its 2010 volunteer holidays.

Last year, nearly 350 volunteers signed up for the Trust’s popular Thistle Camp programme, grabbing the chance to get hands on conservation experience in some of Scotland’s most beautiful and remote locations, including Burg, Torridon and Rockcliffe.

As the charity prepares to open bookings for its 2010 batch of outdoor adventures, it has already received hundreds of queries from holidaymakers keen to get involved in conservation, and anticipates fierce competition for places.

And this year, the charity is expanding the number of places and offering some exciting new experiences for campers, like undertaking archaeological work at Culzean Castle and Country Park in Ayrshire and the opportunity to work in the shadow of some of Aberdeenshire’s most impressive castles and country houses.

The Trust is also extending the number of Thistle Camps running on Iona to give more people the chance to experience life on this beautiful island, learn more about its heritage and history and contribute to its conservation.

National Volunteering Manager Violet Dalton said:

“Every year our Thistle Camps grow in popularity and we are expecting 2010 to be a bumper season. Already, we’ve had hundreds of enquiries about the exciting programme we’ll be offering throughout the year.

“Our campers tell us that these ‘holidays with a difference’ are really rewarding, giving them the chance to enjoy new places and people and to make a real contribution to conserving Scotland’s heritage. Maybe that is why so many people come back again and again.

“And it’s great for the Trust too – we can spread the word about our charity and its work, get people involved and carry on with our vital conservation work to protect and promote Scotland’s heritage.”

Thistle Camps run from March through to October. They take place in locations all over Scotland and give volunteers the chance to get hands on with heritage work. Camps focus on a wide range of conservation work, from archaeology to fence repair and footpath building. Most camps offer basic accommodation and prices start at £60 for a one week camp.

The new brochure will be launched online on 18 January 2010 - www.nts.org.uk/ThistleCamps

Highlights for 2010 include:

CULZEAN CASTLE, Ayrshire - archaeology
Sat 11 – Sat 18 September

Culzean is a romantic 18th-century castle rising majestically from its clifftop location, with superb panoramic views over the Firth of Clyde. It has superb formal gardens, with around 600 acres of woodland and boasting 3 miles of varied coastline. There is an abundance of wildlife on the estate including deer, red squirrels, woodpeckers, badgers and hares.

Aerial photography has revealed traces of a large ditched enclosure in Upper Whitestone field at Culzean. Field walking has also recovered pieces of flint, shreds of pottery and three complete Neolithic stone axes. The crop mark enclosure is likely to be of later prehistoric date but every year the field gets ploughed which may be damaging the site.

This Thistle Camp will locate and excavate a series of trial trenches to test the extent, nature, and preservation of the archaeology. It is hoped that artefacts and suitable samples will be recovered which will allow the site to be dated. The excavation will involve a lot of heavy shovelling to remove topsoil and possibly part of the ditch fill.

IONA, Inner Hebrides
Sat 26 June – Sat 3 July

With its spectacular landscape of white sandy beaches, dramatic changing light and stunning views, Iona has long been a spiritual site. It was here that St Columba arrived from Ireland to spread Christianity to Scotland in 563 AD, and it is believed the Book of Kells was created here. Its beauty and serenity now draw Christian pilgrims and secular visitors alike.

The current inhabitants, numbering approximately 140, work in crofting, fishing, tourism and at the Abbey. While Iona was gifted to the Trust in 1973, the Abbey and other sacred buildings are managed by Historic Scotland. During the week you will be helping the upkeep of the island with a variety of tasks, probably including footpath work, painting benches, rebuilding a footbridge and repairing drystane dykes. Specific tasks will be decided nearer the time.