Polmaise Castle was owned by the Murray family but when the last of the line, Mrs Murray passed away the house fell into disrepair.
The army used it for target practice and what is now left of this stately home is the rubble that you now see.
The big trees were planted on the estate and the remains of the gardens can still be seen on the Hill.
I hope that you have enjoyed the Gillies Hill experiences and will return again and again to the Hill where flora and fauna abound. Apart from our lovely Roe Deer, we occasionally see foxes, squirrels, weasels and the rogue mink. In the evening hours, perhaps you’ll be the fortunate enough to spot a badger!
Overhead we see Buzzards, Woodpecker and Woodpigeon. In the Spring and Autumn you might be lucky to spot a wren and from the top you might see a Peregrine Falcon.
Although the Silver Birches dominate the area there are a number of Oak, Ash, Willow, Poplar, Aspen and our native Scots Pine. You can also see some impressive introduced species of Coast Redwood, Sierra Redwood, Norway Spruce, Douglas Fir and Western Hemlock.
The area also boasts many species thought to be indicative of “Ancient Woodland,” a forest which has existed for hundreds of years and which contains a high diversity of flora and fauna.