THE Merlindale Nature Festival took place at the weekend.

And horses from France and Belgium were show stars.

Stig, a black maned French Comtois mare, and Fin, from the Belgian Ardennes – owned by Steffi Schaffler, from Auldgirth in Dumfries and Galloway – pulled the mower driven by David Roycroft at the Drumelzier event.

Horse drawn mowers give a glimpse of the past.

Machines, introduced in the 19th century, revolutionised the way parks and country estates were managed.

Recently the team has also cut meadows at Abbotsford and Mellerstain House.

Ms Schaffler said: “It has taken me nearly 11 years to make this dream come true. A lovely event in a stunning area.”

David Lintott, the Merlindale Festival founder, said: “What has been particularly good this year is that the mowers were very successful at cutting the whole meadow.

“We were also supported by so many local groups.”

Among the stall holders were Upper Tweed Community Council’s Tess Goodwin on ‘Restorative Routes’, which grows wild flowers from seeds and hands them out to people to plant in roadside verges and their gardens.

Ms Goodwin said: “It is about putting the plants back in the ground for pollinators and connecting with people.”

Tess was also selling printed cards for donations towards the project.

Winners of a climate change award last year for Scotland’s Finest Woods was Future Forests.

And its officers Quinn Mackenzie and Lindsay MacKinlay were at the festival to talk through their projects.

Future Forests was formed five years ago and employs 20 people ranging from geologists and foresters to social media and tourism experts.

Mr MacKinlay said: “We plant native woodland forests, ranging from 15 hectares to 200 ha across Scotland, locally in Dumfries and Galloway and in North Yorkshire.

“We planted 10 per cent of all Scotland’s new plantings last year with a blend of native woodland.

“It is really nice to be at a small homegrown project like the Merlindale Festival and we have talked to a steady flow of people all afternoon.”

Tweeddale Red Squirrel Network organised walks and was popular with children who got involved in art activities.

Perhaps the most popular stall was Broughton Community Shop which kept festival goers fed and watered with venison and beef burgers, teas and coffees and a popular range of tray bakes.