A lot of people would assume that Scotland's weather is not great for growing fruit and thankfully they'd be wrong.
Scotland's fertile land and temperate climate are perfect for many types of fruit and those who produce them are more than happy for you to get involved.
Perfect for making jams, desserts or eating on their own Scotland's fruits are nutritious and plentiful and best of all, they are great fun to pick.
Here are some of the best places (by region) to pick - and buy - some of the best Scottish fruit:
(Rutherford Farm, Kelso, TD5 8NP)
Picture: Walter Baxter/Geogrpah
One of Scotland’s oldest, family-run fruit farms in the heart of the Scottish Borders, Border Berries grow all of their fruit outside with no heating or polytunnels. Situated on the A699, midway between St Boswells and Kelso, the farm also offers a café and picnic area.
Fruits on offer:
Strawberries, raspberries, blackcurrants, redcurrants, gooseberries and tayberries. You can also pick your own peas from late July onwards.
Opening times
Fruit field: open 7 days from 10am - 7pm
Cafe: open 7 days from 10am - 5pm
Pick your own available from early July onwards, fruit availability dependent on season.
(Montrose, DD10 9EW , 01674 830226)
Picture: Charlton Farm
Charleton Farm has been a family run business since 1946, when Robert (Findlay) McQuistan bought the farm.
Situated about a mile north of Montrose, the farm offers a coffee shop and fresh vegetables as well as fruit. There's also options to buy containers for picking, if you forget your own.
Opening times
Open every day from 10am to 4pm.
Fruits on offer:
Raspberries, strawberries, redcurrants, blackcurrants, whitecurrants, gooseberries, brambles, tayberries, apples, plums, damsons, yellow raspberries, purple raspberries and blueberries.
Pick your own available from the end of June through to August, fruit availability dependent on season.
(South Belton, Dunbar, EH42 1RG, 07960537132)
Picture: Trip Advisor traveller
Belhaven Fruit Farm is based in East Lothian to the South East of Edinburgh, on a beautiful stretch of the Scottish coastline.
The Rennie family have used the natural sun trap in Dunbar to produce amazing fruit for generations. The farm also produces IceDelight, a unique, luxuriously creamy dessert as healthy and "tasty as real fruit", created using an authentic Italian recipe.
Fruits on offer:
Strawberries, Redcurrants, Gooseberries. Redcurrants and brambles will be available later on in the year.
Opening times
Monday to Saturday– 9.30am to 6pm. Sunday 9.30am to 5pm
Pick your own available from the end of June through July.
(Near South Queensferry, Edinburgh, 0131 319 1048)
Picture: Craigie Farm
Generations of kids and their parents have made a visit to West Craigie to pick their own fruit as part of their summer calendar, the farm is very popular and you'll generally find it quite busy.
The farm offers a cafe and deli and plenty of activities to keeps kids - big and small - happy.
Opening times
Open 7 days, 9-5pm.
Fruits on offer:
Strawberries, raspberries, gooseberries, blackcurrants, redcurrants, brambles, tayberries and Victoria plums. There are also peas available to pick from July.
Pick your own available from the end of June through to August, fruit availability dependent on season.
(Cairnie House, Cupar, KY15 4QD , 01334 652421)
Picture: Cairnie
A popular local landmark, Cairnie Farm offers a maze, farm activities, a farm shop, a tea room and a holiday cottage.
Opening times
Open 7 days from early March. The Farmshop, Tearoom & Funyard are open from March – June 10am-5pm, July-August 9:30-5:30pm, September-October 10am-5pm and November – December 10am – 4pm, Friday – Sunday.
The Mega Maze opens 13 July-31 October (last entry 4pm daily).
Fruits on offer:
Strawberries (4 varieties), Raspberries (3 varieties), Red/Blackcurrants, Gooseberries, Tayberries, Cherries and Brambles.
Pick your own available from July, fruit availability dependent on season.
(Dairsie, by Cupar, KY15 4SW , 01334 870233)
Very first of the Gooseberries starting to come through now. Only a few mind. Hopefully get going in a week or so. #goosies #grozet #goosegogs pic.twitter.com/AtjF1BMWgl
— Pittormie Fruit Farm (@PittormieFarm) June 17, 2018
Pittormie Fruit Farm is a small intensive family run farm situated in the heart of North East Fife.
Pittormie also Heather Ales range of fruit beers and Cairn O Mohr’s range of fruit wines as well its own free range eggs. The farm also has a nursery with bedding plants available to buy.
Opening times
Open daily from 8am - 8pm
Fruits on offer:
Raspberries, strawberries, blackcurrants, redcurrants, tayberries, brambles, gooseberries (red and green), loganberries and blueberries. Also plums, apples, pears, rhubarb.
Pick your own available from June to October, fruit availability dependent on season.
(Dunning, PH2 0QL , 01738 730242)
Picture: Martin Ragg/Geograph
Broadslap is a small family run fruit farm nestling within the Earn valley in the shelter of the Ochil hills in rural Perthshire.
Renowned for their raspberries, Broadslap also offers a great selection of vegetables.
Opening times
Open daily from 9-5.30pm. Pick your own open from 10 June 2019 from 9.30 - 5pm.
Fruits on offer:
Strawberries, raspberries, redcurrants, blackcurrants and gooseberries
Pick your own available during July and August, fruit availability dependent on season.
(Mill of Montague, Balbeggie, PH2 7PR)
It's no surprise that Perth is home to some of the country's best Pick Your Own farms and experienced fruit grower Jamie Watson has been growing soft fruits on his farm in Central Scotland for over 25 years.
Fruits on offer:
Strawberries, Blackcurrants, Gooseberries and Redcurrants. There's also farm vegetables; new potatoes, broccoli, cabbages, cauliflowers and peas.
Pick your own available between 9am to 5pm every day during the berry picking season
(East Yonderton Farm, Walkinshaw Rd, Renfrew PA4 9LP)
Picture: Yonderton Farm
This is an excellent little family run soft fruit farm found just beside Glasgow Airport.
Located near near Inchinnan, Renfrewshire, East Yonderton has been growing soft fruit since 1926.
Opening times
The farm is open Monday to Friday 10am till 8pm and Saturday and Sunday 9am till 5pm for Pick Your Own.
Fruits on offer:
Strawberries, Raspberries, Blackcurrants, Gooseberries and Redcurrants.
(Wester Hardmuir, Auldearn, Nairn IV12 5QG)
Picture: Wester Hardmuir Fruit Farm Facebook
This family-run fruit farm and shop has been serving the local community since 1989 with ready to buy soft fruit as well as pick your own.
The farm shop also sells a range of homegrown vegetables, picked fresh each morning as well as other local produce.
Opening times
The farm shop is open seven days 9am to 5pm until the end of December.
Fruits on offer:
Raspberries, black, red and white currents, loganberries, tayberries, brambles, strawberries, apples, plums and cherries.
