The Pineapple 2nd February 2004

The intrepid explorer�s travelled up to the Pineapple today in Andrew�s new little navy Micra. We stopped only twice at motorway services on the way. Annandale my favourite motorway services as the views are stunning.
The Pineapple is a spectacular folly, built by John Murray the 4th Earl of Dunmore. He acquired the Elphinestone estate in 1754, two years before he succeeded to his title. He landscaped the garden and built the small central pavilion of just one storey with a projecting portico in the centre in 1761. He then added the Pineapple to the top during the 18th century. The exact date unfortunately is unknown, but probably around 1777.
Much later in 1973 the Earl and Countess of Perth gave The Pineapple and it�s gardens to the National Trust for Scotland and in the same year the Landmark Trust took a lease on it.
Sadly nothing else is really known about the Pineapple�s history as it was apparently an embarrassment to the people in the area at the time, so no one bothered to record anything about it.
We love it � it stands surrounded by fields, with it�s walled garden of fruit trees on the pavilion side and the lovely Fintry and Kilsyth hills to the other side. Oak and silver birch trees surround the parking area and the snowdrops are all in bloom beneath them. The little one track lane leading up to the Pineapple is in pink pebbles used so much in Scotland.
The Pineapple is the central structure of the building with a flight of steps leading up to it. A large door leads inside the Pineapple which is a lovely high domed sun room, wonderful to spend time in the summer I would think, but a bit too cold in February. In the evening the only lamp in there lights up the outside of the Pineapple beautifully.
To either side of the Pineapple are the aforementioned one storey buildings, on the left hand side as you approach from the car park is the east wing which houses the two bedrooms and the bathroom, all in typical Landmark style with old wooden floors and lovely old fashioned furniture in the bedrooms.
The west wing houses the kitchen, dining room and living room. Again these are wooden floored and the living room has a massive ornate old fireplace, lovely to snuggle up beside in the evening with a good book, a glass of wine and someone to cuddle. All the rooms have lovely views over the walled garden.
It seemed strange on our first evening here sitting cosily in front of the beautiful fire to have to don shoes and a coat to go outside and walk around the Pineapple to the other wing to go to the toilet or to go to bed, but it�s surprising how quickly you get used to this. It is so tranquil here, the only sounds are from the birds.
Airth where the Pineapple is located seems to have nothing to offer, apart from the Pineapple and an expensive looking hotel a mile or so up the road called Airth Castle, this sits at the top of a hill and is floodlit in the evening giving it a haunted castle from Frankenstein films air.
Otherwise all we found were a corner shop, a mini mart and an Indian curry, kebab pizza take away??! It smelled very appetising.