THEY are amongst the country's heritage jewels.

But the public will not be admitted until 2022 under a cost-cutting blueprint drawn up by National Trust for Scotland to cope with a £28 million funding shortfall caused by the pandemic.

Every one of its properties is currently closed and a phased reopening is planned.

It says 25 sites have the "potential" to reopen this year. These include Inveresk Lodge Gardens near Musselburgh and Preston Mill in East Linton, which featured in the TV adaptation of Outlander.

Others, like Pollok House in Glasgow, fortified Alloa Tower in Clackmannanshire and Falkland Palace in Fife, will not reopen until 2021.

In fact, none of the organisation's Fife properties will unlock their doors before then.

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And the final eight which will sit mothballed for longer include Souter Johnnie's Cottage, home to the shoemaker made legendary by Burns in Tam O'Shanter, and the Weaver's Cottage in Kilbarchan, Renfrewshire.

They also include Bannockburn visitor centre, as revealed in The National - though NTS says the battlefield and monuments will reopen "as soon as we are able" - Hill of Tarvit mansion in Cupar and the House of the Binns, Linlithgow.

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Stately Leith Hall, near Kennenthmont in Aberdeenshire, Alexander "Greek" Thomson's Holmwood House in Glasgow and Kippen Smiddy, in the Stirling Council area, will also remain locked up.

The National asked NTS if the decisions had been taken over social distancing practicalities or financial considerations.

A spokesperson replied: "Due to the loss of income resulting from the Coronavirus lockdown, as well as expected shortfalls and ongoing public health restrictions into next year and beyond, we’ve already confirmed that we expect only to be in a position to open around half of our built heritage properties this year, in addition to countryside, estates and gardens.

“The limited number of properties re-opening is also in part due to the fact that we have already missed some of the busiest parts of our visitor season even if lockdown begins to ease.

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“At this point we are in a formal consultation regarding our proposed workforce changes to adapt to significantly changed circumstances. We have assessed our portfolio to determine where it is feasible and financially prudent to re-open properties this summer and again, early in 2021. 

"A number of factors will be used to make final decisions, including the need for the Trust to operate within its significantly reduced financial means, taking account of enabling safe visiting within varied property types while also ensuring essential care and maintenance can continue.

“In relation to the Bannockburn visitor centre at this stage, we anticipate re-opening the wider battlefield and monuments as soon as we are able.”