IF you’re struggling for inspiration ahead of Father’s Day on 18th June then fear not, because Rosie Morton and Morag Bootland have compiled a list of some fabulous gift ideas. So, whether your Dad is an outdoor action man, a firm foodie or a style guru there’s sure to be something in Scottish Field’s Father’s Day Gift Guide that will make his Father’s Day extra special.
ARRAN Sense of Scotland Men’s Bath & Shower Gel Duo, RRP £30, www.arran.com
They might not admit it, but dads love a spa session just as much as mums. Treat Dad to ARRAN’s’ Machrie and Lochranza (two of their best-selling shower and bath gels) and he will emerge from the bathroom feeling refreshed and revitalised. Each gel is blended with essential oils and natural extracts and is inspired by Bonnie Scotland’s coastlines and landscapes. Lochranza has a heady base of patchouli and anise mixed with lemon and grapefruit, while Machrie is a heavenly, clean, crisp scent with sea salt, sage and rockrose.
Contigo Byron 2.0 SNAPSEAL Travel Mug (470ml), RRP £24, www.mycontigo.com
There’s nothing more frustrating than buying a new travel mug and finding that it doesn’t fit in your beloved old jalopy. Contigo have designed a mug that fits in most car cupholders and features an easy-to-hold grip. Whether Dad is heading out for a drive in the hills, going to smash a few golf balls at the local course, or just pottering about in his draughty garage, this Contigo Byron 2.0 SNAPSEAL mug will keep his cup of char hot for up to seven hours (or cold drinks cool for up to 18 hours) thanks to the Thermalock vacuum insulation. What’s more, not a single drop of liquid escapes… Goodbye leaking travel mugs, hello Contigo!
Pantherella Stanton Socks, RRP £30, www.pantherella.com
Stepping out in comfort and style, these recycled cashmere socks will add a touch of luxury to your dad’s wardrobe. They are a blend of cashmere (43%), wool (43%) and polyamide (14%), so won’t break the bank balance, but still feel like a real treat thanks to the sumptuously soft cashmere, long anklet length and signature ‘seamless’ toe. Stanton socks form part of Pantherella’s new range of sustainably conscious items and come in three beautiful, earthy colours (light grey, light sand and mid denim). Once your dad has tried these on once, he will never go back to his worn-out slippers!
Marshall ‘Middleton’ Speaker, RRP £269.99, www.marshallheadphones.com
These speakers are a ‘must-have’ – we just know that your dad is going to love them! They last for a hefty 20+ hours on a single charge, are portable, water-resistant and can be fully charged in just 4.5 hours. The sound is crystal clear and the treble and bass can be fine-tuned using the analogue controls on top of the speaker. (They can also be controlled from an app downloaded on your phone). Whether your dad is looking to blast floor fillers at his next big birthday, set the mood while cooking up a storm in the kitchen, or entertain the masses at his next summer BBQ, these Marshall speakers are seriously impressive and will give you huge brownie points.
Gordon Castle Engraved Bottle For Life, £30, www.gordoncastlescotland.com
If Dad is green-fingered and enjoys time in the garden, chances are his hands will be in need of a little TLC. Thankfully, Gordon Castle Estate (which is based near Fochabers in Moray) has the answer. Angus and Zara Gordon Lennox – who took over the running of the estate back in 2008 – have developed Gordon Castle’s spectacularly beautiful Victorian Walled Garden and now grow an array of plants and herbs that are used to make organic bath and body products. Their ‘Personalised Bottle For Life’ hand lotion (engraved with your own message) or ‘Engraved Bottle For Life’ hand lotion (with a pre-designed engraving) come in two heavenly scents – Flower Garden and Orangery. They contain pure essential oils and have no artificial fragrances, colours or parabens. What’s more, these gorgeous green glass bottles can be kept and refilled.
Rowallan Safari Large Weekender Grip Bag, www.tiso.com
Is your dad heading for a break with the boys? Or perhaps he goes on regular work trips? This beautiful bag – available from Tiso, one of Scotland’s top outdoor specialist retailers – is both practical and incredibly stylish, and is the ideal size for long weekends away. (54 x 30 x 26cm) It is made from top quality buffalo leather so feels incredibly luxurious. What’s more, it gets better with age! As the leather is used, it gets more characterful with the natural grain of the leather showing through. We also love the detachable crossbody strap which makes it easy to lug from tube stations to buses and hotels. The internal zip pockets are really useful for keeping valuables and travel documents safe. The attention to detail – right down to the cotton fleece fabric lining in tartan – is truly stand-out. Rowallan of Scotland is a renowned, reliable brand that creates timeless pieces, and your dad is sure to love this versatile bag for a long time.
Ariat Skyline Summit GT Waterproof Boots, RRP £175 www.ariat.com
These boots are comfy from the first wear, which is so unusual for leather walking boots which so often take weeks of painful breaking in. The leather feels soft and supple and the promise of being both breathable, yet waterproof has proven true during many dog walks, several day hikes and a camping trip. The dual-density Duratread sole is sturdy and the midsole has shock-absorption built-in to make even the most tricky terrain navigable with ease. They are roomy which allows space for walking socks.
Vango Pinnacle Wheelie Coolbox, £75 www.vango.co.uk
This cool box has a 30 litre capacity, allowing more than enough space for Dad to keep a beer or two cold on his next camping trip or BBQ. The handy telescopic handle makes it easy to move around providing your on fairly level terrain (although our Dad managed to pull this cool box into a forest camping pitch in the Trossachs without too much trouble). Our Dad loved the fact that the top is really easy to flip open and shut, unlike his last cool box. And despite the unexpectedly warm weather it did, as promised, keep its contents cool for three days. The drinks holders in the lid are a handy extra and Dad loved the little ledge that sits close to the base of the box that means you can prevent items like cheese and fruit from slipping down into the water at the bottom of the box as your ice melts.
Groov-e Vienna portable DAB and bluetooth speaker, RRP £39.99 www.groov-e.co.uk
Perfect for summertime, this little radio and speaker comes into its own in the garden and while camping. It’s rechargeable, so there no need to buy batteries (although it can run off batteries too) and its small and light enough to fit easily into your camping kit. Dad charged this up for four hours before his last trip and despite listening to the radio for most of the day it still hasn’t run out of juice. He loved the fact that it could also double up as a bluetooth speaker and enjoyed subjecting the children to some of his ‘classic’ spotify playlists and later on some truly terrible Dad dancing. He was obviously impressed with the sound the Vienna produced, despite its small stature.
Outdoor Revolution Lumi Solar Mosi Lantern, RRP £29.99 www.outdoorworlddirect.co.uk
We all need a little help with the midges or mosquitoes (depending on how exotic your location is) over the summer and this portable light is perfect for popping in your tent to do away with any of the little blighters who might sneak in there in search of a midnight feast. The fact that it has a solar charging facility makes it really handy for camping trips, as does the fact that it doubles up as a lantern/night light. Once dispatched, the lantern has a self cleaning brush that sweeps away the beasties into a compartment at the base. Equally useful on the patio for summer BBQs.
Vango Vista Cinema Screen, RRP £50 www.vango.co.uk
Dad may well pretend that it is only the children who want to watch films of an evening while on a camping trip, but secretly he loves nothing better than cosying up inside the tent to watch the latest Disney offering with the family. This portable cinema screen works with any portable projector and can be anchored easily to your tent with its adjustable webbing anchors. The screen is crease resistant even if you fold it to ensure your viewing pleasure and it packs away to a tiny size to fit easily into your family camping kit. You can use it at full (120 x 160cm) or half screen size to suit your space.
Ariat Medal Polo Shirt, RRP £50 www.tiso.com
This is a really versatile and classic take on an old favourite. With moisture wicking and odour resistant qualities the Medal polo shirt is perfect for summer and everyday wear, but smart enough for dinner and drinks. Made from 95% cotton it’s unlikely that Dad will get hot under the collar and with grosgrain detailing on the inner button placket and inside the collar he’s sure to look as cool as he feels.
Wild and Game, RRP £35 www.wildandgame.co.uk
The way to a man’s heart is through his stomach, or so they say. So if your Dad is a bit of a foodie then he’s sure to be delighted to receive a feast of game. This special Father’s Day gift box from Wild and Game is packed with treats including venison and pheasant sausages, venison steaks, a rich pheasant, pistachio and port pate, a large and meaty huntsman’s pie with the crumbiest, rich pastry, venison salami, some fabulously mature and wonderfully named Glastonbury Twanger cheese and a selection of mini chutneys. Wild and Game is on a mission to ensure more game shot in the UK is consumed here, and with this box I’m sure they’ll win over the hearts, minds and stomachs of many more fans.
Total Wardrobe Care Moth Busting Kit, RRP £60 www.totalwardrobecare.co.uk
If, like me, your Dad if thoroughly fed up with finding holes in his precious cashmere sweaters then he’ll be eternally grateful for this handy kit. With a chrysanthemum spray to treat wardrobes, carpets and rugs, a moth box pheromone trap, a moth decoy that interrupts the moths’ breeding cycle and hanging sachets that smell wonderful and ward off moths. Total Wardrobe Care also produce a laundry liquid that is perfect for delicates, so it is ideal for washing woollens, with the scent of lavender, patchouli, cedarwood, laurel, rosemary, thyme and clove it will leave Dad’s sweaters smelling great to him but not to moths. It is natural, dermatologically tested and comes in a recyclable aluminium bottle.
Vango Summit 65 rucksack, RRP £95 www.vango.co.uk
Perfect for adventurous Dads, this Vango rucksack has enough space to squirrel away a tent, or hammock, warm clothes, food, essential midge spray and head for the hills. The 65 litre pack is made from recycled plastics, weighs only 2.1kg and features a shaped, adjustable harness to ensure it’s comfortable for Dad’s of all shapes and sizes. Other features that make this pack stand out are duraflex buckles which are easy to open and close, even with cold, wet hands; side compression straps to keep everything in place and walking pole attachments to keep your poles handy and secure at all times. The detachable rain cover (essential in Scotland all year round) stows away neatly in the base. A great value rucksack for Dad’s next adventure.
Coachbuilt whisky, RRP £42 www.coachbuiltwhisky.com
If your Dad has a penchant for the amber nectar or for fast cars then this is the ideal gift for him. Coachbuilt is a blend of whisky from the five main whisky producing regions of Scotland. The blend was launched earlier this year by whisky expert George Koutsakis and Formula One legend Jenson Button. On the nose its well-balanced with summer fruits and subtle spices, toffee, chocolate and a hint of citrus. There’s a touch of smoke on the finish with more of that toffee and fruit.
Ben Lomond Gin, RRP £33 www.benlomondgin.com
If Dad prefers an ice cold G&T to a whisky then you can make his Father’s Day very special with a personalised bottle of Ben Lomond. Produced using botanicals found around the Trossachs, you can choose from the original, blood orange and pink grapefruit, raspberry and elderflower or blackberry and gooseberry depending on your Dad’s taste. You can have your own personalised message engraved onto the bottle, making this the perfect gift whether it is Father’s Day, a birthday or an anniversary.
TAGS
FOLLOW US
