GLAMIS CASTLE’S first visitors of the 2005 tourist season were rendered virtually speechless by the Strathmore family welcome party that greeted their arrival on Saturday.

As part of a genealogical expedition north of the border, Mark and Carol Burton from Daveyhulme, near Manchester decided to take the chance to visit the castle after learning it was open over the weekend, but didn’t expect to be met at the front door by three generations of the family whose home Glamis has been over more than six centuries.

Awaiting them were Mary, Dowager Countess of Strathmore, her son, the 18th Earl, with his partner Damaris and the latest, tiny branch of the Strathmore’s own family tree—the couple’s son Toby, born six weeks ago.

On his first public engagement, baby Toby stole the show , but the Burtons admitted they were captivated by the whole experience at Glamis and the warm reception they received.

“I’m researching my family tree and we were staying about 15 minutes from Glamis so we decided to go there when we found out it was open,” said Carol, whose Scots family connections are in Ayrshire and Aberdeenshire.

“We hadn’t expected anything like this but the family were very friendly, very nice and the baby is lovely. It was an honour to be welcomed like we were.”

A signed guide book will provide the couple with a permanent reminder of the weekend surprise.

Castle general manager David Adams was also on hand to welcome the couple as the first guests in what he hopes will be another bumper season at Glamis as the attraction strives to continue its upward trend in visitor numbers. About 120,000 flocked through the gates last year.

“They were first-time visitors to Glamis and what was also nice for us is that they are from south of the border because the English market still makes up the largest proportion of our visitors, around 45%,” he said.

Having just been the centre of focus of the 25-part BBC2 magazine programme Castle In The Country, Glamis is hoping to reap the benefit of small screen fame.

“We had four people from Southampton in during the morning who said they had seen the programme and wanted to come to Glamis, so we’re delighted that it is already generating that interest, and with one-and-a-half million viewers a day for the programme we hope that will continue,” Mr Adams said.

“I think the programme has really helped to put the whole of Angus on the map because it was not just about Glamis. Folk will have learned about the Arbroath smokie and Forfar bridie and all the other items which were featured.

“That could be a great boost for the whole area because people coming here will be staying locally, shopping in our shops, and I think what also came across in the programme is the warmth and friendliness of the area.

“Last year Glamis attracted an extra 5000 visitors from our first winter opening and I think part of that was down to the fact that we were just determined to make it work.

“But what was good about the winter was the amount of support we received from local people.”