Artisan cheese-maker Humphrey Errington has been farming for 25 years, working on 300 acres / 121 hectares on the western edge of the Pentland Hills near Carnwath. By way of diversification, he looked seriously at cheese-making in the early 1980s, with his now famous Lanark Blue being launched in 1985. His philosophy is that all the cheeses and other products they now make would have been traditional to this area of Scotland.

All his cheeses are made with raw milk and are suitable for vegetarians. Two are blue cheeses: Lanark Blue made from sheep’s milk, and Dunsyre Blue a creamy, sharp, award-winning, cow’s milk cheese. This particular variety is mentioned by the legendary Meg Dods in the early Scottish cookery book 'The Cook's and Housewife's Manual'. Meanwhile, his Lanark White is made from ewe’s milk, while the cheese Maisie’s Kebbuck, made from cow’s milk comes in honour of his mother-in-law who doesn’t like blue cheese!

The new product for 2005 is Fallachan (Gaelic for “lost treasure”.) - a tasty fermented alchoholic (13%) drink made from whey which is the by product left after the separation of the curd from the milk. Originally called 'Blaand', the fermented whey drink has been made in Scotland for centuries. Humphrey Errington has revived this ancient recipe, making, maturing for a year and bottling it on the farm using traditional methods, including the use of new oak casks.

Humphrey says” It’s unique, so you really need to try it for yourself. It doesn’t really taste like anything else. It is lightly toasted in colour. I would describe it somewhere between wine and sherry. But we think it is the natural partner for drinking with our Lanark Blue”

The cheeses and Fallachan are widely available in good delicatessens, cheese shops and farmers markets. He has many English outlets and even exports to the USA, Germany, Hong Kong and Dubai!

The farm employs 3 full-time and 3 part-time on the cheese-making side. His wife and daughter are both involved in the business. Visitors are welcome to visit the farm to discover more about the all aspects of the cheese making but they need to call in advance.

HJ Errington
Walston Braehead
Carnwath
ML11 8NE
T: 01899 810257

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