Scotland: Crumbling castle being revived by owner with a grand design

For the 17th century Bishops of Glasgow and Galloway, the spot in the lush Clyde Valley was a welcome retreat from the grime of the city

An escape to the country for the holy men, as years rolled by the tower they knew as ‘Garyn’ expanded into an imposing Victorian baronial pile at the heart of one of the Valley’s many thriving fruit and vegetable farms.

But as Nicole Rudder climbed over a fence and trudged through overgrown gardens to its entrance porch, it had become a faded relic, with broken turret, weeds sprouting from the stonework and an empty space where the roof should have been.

That could be a ‘red flag’ moment, when most would turn on their high heels and head for the hills.

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Instead, in Nicole’s mind’s eye it was a sumptuous, grand manor with glamorous suites, New York style rooftop cocktail bar – a stretch, perhaps for some to envisage under bleak North Lanarkshire skies – and, importantly, a repaired roof.

Read more: Herald Scotland