Niall Bowser
Stirling and Forth Valley
Farm: Argaty Estate, 1300 acres of upland, 2/3 LFA. 80 Aberdeen Angus x and Shorthorn x cows. 760 Lleyn and Lleyn x ewes.
Agritourism: Argaty Red Kites started in 2001; Central Scotland’s only visitor centre where red kites, a spectacular bird of prey, are fed daily. Excellent viewing and photographic facilities for kites, squirrels and woodland wildlife.
I graduated from Oxford University in 1977 with a degree in French and German. While there Lynn and I met up and were married in 1980. Son, Tom, appeared in 1983 followed by Catriona (Treenie) in 1986.
After university I trained at the Royal Military Academy Sandhurst and served for 5 years in the Scots Guards, stationed for 10 months in Munster, Germany and then in London.
One month after being married I was stationed in Belfast for 5 months during the troubles.
I left the army in 1982 and came home to Argaty to help out my father. One year at the ESCA on a bluffers guide to farming course preceded a process of massive change as we endeavoured to modernise and rationalise. In 1986, we inherited Argaty and started to farm in our own right.
Since then I have:
Set up Stirling Farmers’ Market
Been chairman of the Forth Valley Branch NFUS
Served on ELU committee Vice chairman Forth and Clyde Regional
Board Director Paths for All Partnership
4 years as chairman of Caledonian Marts at the start of the new regime.
1990 became involved selling Prattley Mobile Sheep Yards. Sacked in 2012.
2012 became Scottish and North of England distributor for Rappa Mobile sheep yards.
2018 won the RSPB’s Nature of Scotland Award in the best wildlife tourism category. Shortlisted in the Food and Farming category.
2021 became farmer adviser to Eadie Bros for their Clipfitter lamb castration clips
2021 the first ever translocation of beavers from conflict areas to unenclosed habitat was achieved on Argaty. This has been a huge success from Agritourism point of view, with tours proving hugely popular and over 50% of holiday cottage lets quoting the beavers as the reason for renting.
Meant now to be retired. Well……