Go on a family Easter egg hunt this weekend

More than a thousand Easter eggs can be found during the popular Easter Egg Walk at Dumfries House in Ayrshire this weekend.

It will give people of all ages the opportunity to explore the estate’s woodlands, arboretum and walled garden while solving clues in the search for chocolate treats.

Hundreds of children and their families are expected to embark on the adventure in pursuit of more than a thousand Easter eggs kindly donated by Marks and Spencer, a supporter of Dumfries House through its work with The Prince’s Foundation.

Tickets priced £3 per child are available from the Visitor Centre from 10am-3pm on Friday (tomorrow), Saturday and Sunday. Visitors will be supplied with a map and clues in order to complete their conquest for confectionary. Tickets will be available on a first come, first served basis and the walk should take around an hour to complete.

The Chinese Bridge at Dumfries House Estate

Tania Bechelli, events assistant at Dumfries House, said: ‘Spring is a fantastic time to visit the estate as the flowers and trees begin to blossom, and our Easter Egg Walk proves particularly popular as it provides families with the opportunity to participate in a traditional custom for the time of year and to spend time together in beautiful surroundings.

‘We are very grateful to Marks and Spencer for their generous donation of Easter Eggs. As with all of our commercial ventures here on the estate, the proceeds will be ploughed into the work of our charity The Prince’s Foundation.’

Marks and Spencer has donated 1250 Easter eggs for the walk.

David Bates, regional manager at Marks and Spencer in Scotland, said: ‘“We’re thrilled to be providing eggs for such a hugely popular event. We hope visitors to the house will have a great deal of fun trying to find every single one of them!’

Dumfries House’s walled garden

Visitors to Dumfries House estate on Sunday, April 21, will also be able to experience East Ayrshire’s only Sunday Market, which purveys fresh, local produce and will feature, for the first time, a ‘zero waste’ clinic allowing guests to bring in clothing and household items for repair.

Dumfries House estate was saved for the nation by The Prince of Wales in 2007 and is now used to help people engage in learning experiences that promote confidence and personal development, as well as offer training in real-life skills to open up future employment opportunities.

The Prince’s Foundation, formed last year as a result of the consolidation of Dumfries House Trust and other charities, has its headquarters at Dumfries House.

From modest beginnings, Dumfries House is now the second-largest employer in East Ayrshire with more than 250 full-time and part-time staff across the house, estate and education and training programmes.