Gold is lurking in Scotland’s hills – if you know where to look.
The Suisgill Estate allows recreation gold panning at certain times of the year at the Kildonan Burn, scene of the 19th century Sutherland Gold Rush.
Anyone looking to pan for gold has to purchase a permit and can hire a gold panning kit of pan, riddle and hand trowel from Timespan Museum in Helmsdale.
The Lowther Hills has been a destination for gold hunters for centuries: gold was first recorded in the Wanlockhead area during the reign of King James IV of Scotland,in the early 16th century. While gold from Crawford Muir was incorporated into the King James V’s crown, and gold coins minted in Edinburgh during his and Mary Queen of Scots’ reigns.
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The Museum of Lead Mining at Wanlockhead, and the Queensberry Estate Office at Drumlanrig Castle provide licences for anyone looking to try their hand at gold panning in the area.
Gold is also to be found in Glendevon, near Dollar – the British Geological survey found gold in the area in the 1970s – and across the Perthshire hills.
And gold has turned up at dozens of sites near Ben Inverveigh in Argyll, at locations spanning the area between Bridge of Orchy and Tyndrum.
While Cononish mine, near Tyndrum, is the setting for Scotland's only gold mine. Operated since 2007 by Scotgold Resources, the firm says it plans to be extracting around 2,000 ounces (57kg) of gold monthly, worth more than £3m, by the end of this year.
There can be rich pickings for some gold hunters: in 2019, the UK’s largest gold nugget, weighing 121.3g (4.2 oz) with an estimated value of £80,000, was found in a secret location.
The previous largest find, in 2016, was the 85.7g (3oz) Douglas Nugget, found in a Perthshire river.
Attractive as panning for gold might sound, almost all gold and silver found naturally in the UK belongs to the Crown Estate – which means panners could be liable for prosecution for removing any without appropriate licences and rights of access from landowners.
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