The founder of the concept of National Parks was a Scot - John Muir (1838-1914) from Dunbar. When John was 11 years of age his family emigrated to the USA and he studied botany in long walks across his adopted country. He became enthused by the natural beauties of the Yosemite Valley in California which he studied extensively between 1868-74. Campaigning for its preservation, he secured Cogressional approval for its declaration as a National Park in 1890, later succeeding in adding 148 million acres of forest land as parkland. Nowadays there are approximately 3,000 National parks worldwide but until 2002 none in John Muir's native land.

 

Scotland's first National Park, Loch Lomond and The Trossachs National Park, was officially opened last July by the HRH The Princess Royal and is already proving to be a major draw to the area. The Park encompasses an area of more than 700 square miles, stretching from Callander in the East to Dunoon in the West and from Tyndrum in the North to Balloch in the South, including some of Scotland's most famous locations.

 

Situated on the 'Bonnie Banks' of Loch Lomond near Balloch, the £60m Loch Lomond Shores complex has welcomed more than 400,000 visitors since it was officially launched along with the Park. As well as the large format presentation 'Legend of The Loch', the complex now boasts a successful retail crescent including a branch of the prestigious store Jenners of Edinburgh which is proving popular with visitors and locals alike.

 

The National Park Gateway Centre adjacent to the Loch Lomond Shores complex acts as an orientation centre for visitors to the Park and is set to become the third busiest tourist information centre in Scotland. The Centre includes interactive and plasma screens and other forms of interpretation to help visitors understand the history, geography and wildlife in the Park area. Similiar displays are also being introduced in tourist information and visitor centres in and around the Park.

 

The website www.justoutstanding.co.uk contains a wealth of varied information about both Scotland's first National Park and the second which will coverThe Cairngorms.

 

This week's recipe, Rhubarb Custard Tart, can be enjoyed warm or cold and can be included in a picnic hamper when paying a visit to Scotland's beautiful outdoors during the summer months.

 

Rhubarb Custard Tart

 

Ingredients : 1 lb (500 g ) rhubarb; 12 oz (375 g) short pastry; 2 eggs; 2 fl oz (50 ml) double cream; sugar to taste

 

Line a 9 inch (22 cm) flan with short pastry and fill with neat rows of tightly packed fruit about 1/2 inch (1 cm) thick. This takes about 1 lb (500 g) rhubarb. Bake at 400 deg F/ 200 deg C/ Gas Mark 6 till the fruit is almost soft. Mix the eggs, cream and sugar to make the custard, pour over fruit and finish baking, When cool, sprinkle with icing sugar and serve warm or cold. Serves 4.