Guided Woodland Wildlife Walk, Keiloch Braemar

Part of the Deeside Nature Festival 2025.
Wild Discovery’s Dan and Rachael will lead a walk at Keiloch, Invercauld in search of open pine forest birds, such as Crossbills, and other wildlife. We will enjoy a round-walk from Keiloch car park of approximately 4km. We will search for Crossbills and other woodland birds, birds of prey, butterflies and plants along this scenic route with views across Craig Leek and down to the River Dee. Profits from this walk will be donated to a relevant conservation charity.

Part of the Deeside Nature Festival 2025
Join Dan and Rachael from Wild Discovery for a guided walk at Glenshee looking for Mountain Hares, Ptarmigan and birds of prey. We will enjoy a walk up the Cairnwell and surrounds in search for Red Grouse, Mountain Hare, Ring Ouzel, Golden Eagle and a number of Arctic-alpine plants. If conditions are suitable we will endeavour to reach an area where Ptarmigan can be found. It may be possible to take the Cairnwell chairlift to this area if it is operating (at your own cost). Profits from this walk will be donated to a relevant conservation charity.

Run by Wild Discovery

Can you find all the eggs? Head to Highland Wildlife Park this April to egg-splore their family friendly Easter trail.

Complete the trail and win a prize!

Book tickets to Highland Wildlife Park today! Trail sheets are £2 per person.

For further information please contact [email protected].

Join us this Mother’s Day for a tour about our animals and the roles mum’s play! With the opportunity to get crafty with enrichment and get insider knowledge on our animal collection.

11am meeting point at our polar bear statue in the main car park. Tickets include entry to the park for the rest of the day.

For further information please contact [email protected].

Badenoch and Strathspey are getting ready to celebrate the start of the wader breeding season again!

The first of these enigmatic but sadly threatened group of bird species has already returned in the area. Soon they will start to fill the valley and the hills with their characteristic calls and songs.

Join us to enjoy local wader inspired arts and crafts, listen to expert presentations and get inspired by beautiful poetry and music performances.

Tickets are free of charge for this event but booking is essential. Please note entry to Highland Wildlife Park is not included.

This event will take place in our Learning Hive at Highland Wildlife Park.

For further information please contact [email protected].

Hop over to Highland Wildlife Park for a special pastry breakfast this Easter weekend with arts, crafts and activities for all the family to enjoy. Peter Rabbit™ will also be making an appearance for families to meet.

Prices

Adult £30
Child £25
Adult member: £20
Child member: £15
Under 3: £5
Under 3 (with activities and Pastries): £15

Tickets include entry to Highland Wildlife Park for the day.

For further information please contact [email protected].

Come for a Wildlife Wander with someone from our knowledgeable team to see some of the amazing wildlife that Spring brings to Insh Marshes.

March is a time when we can still see winter migrants like Whooper Swans and Greylag Geese. Wading birds will be returning in increasing numbers after their Winter absence so we may see or hear Oystercatchers, Curlew, Redshank and Snipe.

As we walk along the trail, woodland birds will be singing as they feel the stirrings of Spring. So we will listen and look for Blue Tits, Great Tits, Long Tailed Tits, Chaffinches, Mistle- and Song- Thrushes, whose songs may be joined by the drumming of woodpeckers.

Buzzards are fairly common and we may be lucky enough to see Hen Harrier hunting low over the marshes.

We will meet in the RSPB Insh Marshes Car Park – what3words: ///epic.youth.venturing and grid ref: NN775998

Some areas may be rough underfoot. It is unfortunately not suitable for wheelchairs or buggies, and we recommend sturdy footwear.

Join us for a monthly Wildlife Wander with our knowledgeable Volunteer Wardens to see some of the amazing wildlife at RSPB Scotland Insh Marshes NNR.

In April and May, we will see the lush green Aspen leaves trembling and hopefully a variety of bird species, including Curlew (which we may hear calling), Lapwing and Snipe (which could be displaying) and song birds singing through the trees. During sunny intervals early butterflies like Orange Tip and Small Tortoiseshell will be flying.

In June, the breeding season is well underway so young birds and other creatures like Roe Deer will be keeping their parents busy. Lapwing chicks will be feeding, running and hiding while relying on their camouflage and their parents to defend them. The marshes and trail are full of life and colourful scented flowers including orchids.

In July, the breeding season for birds is coming to an end, however there is still plenty of other life to be seen on the marshes and in the meadow. Colourful wildflowers include sweetly scented orchids, which attract beautiful butterflies and dragonflies. We will lookout for the scarce Scotch Argus butterfly which feeds on flowers like sunshine-yellow Rock Rose.

In August, the vibrant purple heather should be in full flower and Field Gentian may be coming into bloom. Wildflowers like Knapweed and Devil’s-bit Scabious provide nectar for butterflies. We will lookout for the nationally scarce Scotch Argus butterfly which breeds on the reserve and can be the most common butterfly to be seen this month. Dragonflies like Black Darter and the impressively large Golden Ringed may also be spotted.

September is a good time to look out for raptors like Hen Harriers hunting over the marshes. Buzzards are common and may be seen along the Tromie Trail. Butterflies and dragonflies will continue to fly as long as the weather is warm and sunny – Scotch Argus, Green-veined White, Red Admiral, Peacock and Black Darter are most likely. Many summer flowers have come and gone, but the blues and purples of Harebell, Devil’s-bit Scabious, Common Heather (Ling) and Bell Heather can be seen along the Tromie Trail. Other flowers may include the whites of Yarrow and Eyebright and the yellow of Lady’s Bedstraw.

We will meet in the RSPB Insh Marshes Car Park – what3words: ///epic.youth.venturing and grid ref: NN775998

Some areas may be rough underfoot. It is unfortunately not suitable for wheelchairs or buggies, and we recommend sturdy footwear.

During Froglets sessions you and your child will connect to the natural world through exploration of the park, sensory activities, stories, and songs about animals from around the globe. Specially developed for children aged 24-36 months, these sessions are designed to promote early learning and STEM development over a six week block. Your place also includes free entry into the park for you and your little one so you have time to explore and socialise with other parents and carers after each session.

Purchasing one ticket allows one adult and one child (aged between 24 and 36 months on the first session date) access to six 45 minute weekly sessions plus park entry after the event. The dates of thsi block are:

Tuesday 21 January 2025

Tuesday 28 January 2025

Tuesday 4 February 2025

Tuesday 11 February 2025

Tuesday 18 February 2025

Tuesday 25 February 2025

Please note, Froglets sessions will involve some travel around the park and (weather permitting) we will spend time outdoors during the sessions. Our sessions are designed with a flexible, no-pressure approach, so if you need to take time out of a session for any reason, you’ll be able to jump back into the activities whenever you’re ready.

We also run sessions for otjer age groups, so if this session isn’t right for your little one please look at Highland Wildlife Park Tadpoles (12-24 months) or Highland Widlife Park Frogs (3-5 years).

We offer a 10% members discount. If you are eligible for this discount, or have any other questions, please contact [email protected]!

Over the weekend before Halloween, stop by our carving cavern by the playpark to make our animals a spooktacular gift! Learn about the ways we use behavioural enrichment to care for animals and give them a terrifyingly tasty treat.

Saturday 26 and Sunday 27 October
10am – 2pm

£3.50 per pumpkin, whilst pumpkins last!