Scottish Woodlands’ successful UK show season
A pole climbing champion, a full programme thanks to (mainly) great weather, and an in-box full of new client inquiries - show season 2026 was a busy and positive one for Scottish Woodlands Ltd.
Gregor Hamblin, Senior Harvesting Manager, provided a highlight as he scaled an 80ft Douglas fir tree trunk in just 16.28 seconds to win the Novice Tree Surgeon category in the pole climbing competition at the Royal Highland Show.
The pole climbing is always a highlight of the Forestry Arena, which was again sponsored by Scottish Woodlands this summer.
Over four days, clients and visitors flocked to the Arena - and to the Scottish Woodlands tent, sometimes to shelter from bursts of heavy rain!
At the Royal Welsh Show in Builth Wells, the UK's largest agricultural show, scorching weather did not stop visitors. Charles Gittins, Senior Forest Manager, reported steady engagement at the Flintshire Woodlands stand with clients, prospective customers, contractors, and colleagues. Key discussions focused on timber markets, the Sustainable Farming Scheme, and forestry sector recruitment.
Further north, Scottish Woodlands was also busy at the Turriff Show, Black Isle Show, and the Moy Country Fair - with full programmes at all three after some weather disruption in 2025.
Scottish Woodlands sponsored the drinks reception at the Scottish Land & Estates stand at Moy.
Local staff from our Melrose office attended the Scotsheep event this year, to speak with local farmers and landowners about opportunities for enhancing and diversifying their current land use. This year, the event was held at Wedderlie Farm in Berwickshire.
David Robertson, Investment and Business Development Director at Scottish Woodlands, said: “It’s been a great summer of shows, full of serious business chat, and laughter. Our team met many old clients and friends, and made numerous new connections too."
“It’s so important as a business that touches so many aspects of rural Scottish life that we are at the shows. Although our core business is forestry, and working with landowners, we deal with so many different areas. You could be talking to a wind farm developer or utility company about clearing trees at the shows, then five minutes later you’re chatting about peatland restoration or advising a farmer on woodland creation."
“Scottish Woodlands is right at the heart of rural conversations and will stay there - we’re already booking up our show stands for 2027, when we celebrate 60 years as a private business.”