Sir Mark Jones will take the chair at the National Trust for Scotland

The National Trust for Scotland has appointed a keen walker as its next chair.

Sir Mark Jones will take over from Sir Moir Lockhead as head of the conservation charity in August.

The trust owns large tracts of Scottish uplands, including 46 munros and extensive areas of Glen Coe, Ben Lomond, the Mar Lodge estate and Ben Lawers.

Sir Mark is currently chair of the Pilgrim Trust, the Historic Scotland Foundation and the Patrick Allan-Fraser of Hospitalfield Trust. He also owns the Golden Hare bookshop in Stockbridge, Edinburgh which was recently named independent bookshop of the year at the British Book Awards.

The new chairman was the director of the National Museums of Scotland from 1992 to 2001. He then became the director of the Victoria & Albert Museum in London.

He said: “It has never been more important to understand our history and heritage and to protect our natural environment. I am delighted to be working with the National Trust for Scotland which does all of this so well.”

Sir Mark paid tribute to the achievements made by Sir Moir Lockhead who has held the position since April 2015. He said: “There has been great progress under Sir Moir’s stewardship and I thank him for his contribution to caring for Scotland’s heritage over the past four years.”

Sir Mark will take up his new post on 9 August.

Once in the post, is keen to go to St Kilda – a place that he has long wished to visit, but so far has not managed the trip. A keen walker, he is also looking forward to exploring the mountains which are in the care of the conservation charity, and visiting properties with his three grandchildren.