It was at Gairnshiel Lodge that King George VI received his brother, the abdicated
Edward VIII. The King was holidaying at Balmoral, and since the abdication,
Edward was not received in any royal household. Wanting to see his brother and
knowing of the Lodge because he had often shot here, the King "borrowed" Gairnshiel
from the tenant and the two of them ate a fine meal in the dining room. We are
fortunate enough to have a copy of the Game Book for the period 1921 to 1932.
Along with containing signatures of King George V, Albert and Elizabeth (later
King George VI and Queen Elizabeth) it is a fascinating record of what was shot,
by whom and where. It was not uncommon to bag upwards of 200 brace of grouse
on the hills around Gairnshiel, a far cry from today, keepers agree.
