Posts for August, 2025

Join Lynn Cassells, co-owner of Lynbreck Croft, for an immersive learning day focused on planting, growing and working with trees, surrounded by the inspiring landscapes of the Cairngorms National Park.

As climate changes accelerates and weather extremes become more frequent, the need to create diverse, resilient landscapes grows ever more important. Trees play a critical role in the landscape, providing essential shade, shelter and forage, as well as slowing the flow of water off the hills, maintaining soil health and enabling food production.

This immersive learning day provides a unique opportunity to find out everything you want to know about tree planting, tree protection and woodland management at the multi-award-winning Lynbreck Croft, owned by Lynn Cassells and Sandra Baer. With 28 years of combined practical experience, Lynn and Sandra are creating a landscape at Lynbreck where trees and food production go hand in hand.

With practical hands-on learning opportunities and Lynn’s expert guidance, this course will help you to observe and understand the varied ways that trees are nurtured, managed and utilised on a working croft, emphasising their central place within a landscape that benefits nature, climate and people.

The 2025 theme is: Highland Games

Categories:

Cut Flowers: From your garden or picked while out walking. Any size,
Colour, or variety. Display in a vessel of your choice (vases, teapots, baskets,
jars, milk bottles etc).

Floral Art Displays: Express your artistic vision by creating a floral
masterpiece that represents the Highland Games.

Plants in Pots/Planters/Hanging Baskets: Pot plants, planters or hanging
baskets.

Fruit & Vegetables: Show off your home-grown delights, perfect or wonky.
Any variety, large or small, in baskets, boxes, or on their own. just ensure
they are home-grown and clean.

Crafts (Needlework and Handiwork): Anything you have created, or made
jointly as a group. Knitting, crochet, paintings, models, painted stones etc.

Home Produce: Jams, chutneys, wine, honey, home bakes. Anything
homemade. Produce will be judged at the start of the festival.

Children’s Competition: Let your creativity bloom! Create and submit your
own model inspired by the Highland Games.

These categories will be judged by the public (excluding Home Produce which will be judged by nominated individual). The winner of each category will receive a £20 cash prize.

Special features:

Floral Art Group Display: stunning Highland Games showcase exhibited down the middle of the hall.
Children’s Craft Groups: Held during the holidays to encourage children’s participation.

Photographic Slideshow: showcasing photos of the local area based on our festival theme you would
If you would like to participate, please send your photos to ballaterhorticulturalsoc@outlook.com. Selected photos will be featured in a slideshow that will be displayed throughout the festival weekend.

Open to Everyone!

Free entry in as many categories as you wish.

Fun for all ages.

For more details and to contact us􀀏 visit our Facebook page
Facebook.com/ballaterroyalhorticulturalsociety

Exhibits can be dropped off at the Victoria Hall on
Friday August 15th from 5-8pm and Saturday 16th from 8-9:30am

Sunday 17th: Voting closes 2 PM, Winners announced 3 PM, Raffle drawn 3:30 PM
We look forward to seeing you this summer at the Victoria Hall.

Join us for the fun of it!

A circular walk, led by RSPB archaeologist Jill Harden

Please come and join the Clan Macpherson Association’s talk in the Ballroom at the Duke of Gordon hotel at 13.30 on Friday 1 August by Dr Jim and Mairi Macpherson about James Macpherson (1736-96) – The Historian
Hear how James Macpherson, world-famous for translating and editing the tales of Ossian, was also an historian and a key figure of the Enlightenment

For organisers:
Set-up from 10:30am
Donations to Castle Roy suggested £5

After the roaring success of last year, we are so excited to be bringing back the ‘Gather Inn’, our Friday night pub night in the tipi. A space for you to unwind on a Friday evening and kick off your weekend in the right way, we’ll even have cold frothy draft beer on rotation by the brilliant organic Black Isle Brewery!

The tipi has always been the perfect space for gathering and enjoying a drink around the fire, but to top it off we will be joined (most Fridays) by ‘Highland Slice’ serving up tasty pizzas from his gorgeous horsebox. We don’t take bookings for the Gather Inn, just turn up, we have plenty of seats inside and out, kids welcome until 8pm. However, if you want to order pizzas, you need to pre-order with Andrew from the Tuesday prior through his website but he does sell out quick (see web link).

Our ‘Gather Inn’ nights will run from the beginning of April to the end of October, minus the odd Friday where we have other events running . A friendly reminder that if you’re coming with kids, please keep them supervised at all times, particularly on the play area.

The Gather Inn will NOT be running on the following dates:
29th August
4th and 18th September
24th October

Orienteering event in the streets and parks of Grantown on Spey. Use the map to navigate your way around the controls. Participate individually, in pairs, or as a family. Children under 16 must be accompanied on the course by an adult. Getting started support available for new comers.

Join Us for our Annual Christmas Market!

Get ready to soak up the festive spirit at our cozy Christmas Market!
Stroll through charming stalls filled with handmade gifts, seasonal treats, hot drinks, and holiday cheer.

Perfect for families, friends, and anyone who loves the magic of the festive season.
📅 5th December 2025
📍 Boat of Garten Community Hall
⌚ 4pm-7pm
🎁 Free entry | Local Artisans | Food & Drink

Bring your holiday spirit and shop local this season – See you there! 🎅🤶🛍️

If you have products you would like to sell at our market, do get in touch – info@boathall.org.uk / 01479 831123

The Big Bike Film Night is back in Boat of Garten on its mission – bringing the best short cycling films from around the world together for you.

Showcasing 2.5 hours of riveting bike films that have everything a cycle-centric audience could want – action, drama, humour, and plenty of inspiration. The evening is unashamedly and utterly, utterly, utterly designed and devised to delight the two-wheel devotee!

The 2025 treasure chest of films includes:
• an exhilarating film that redefines what’s possible on a gravel bike on technically challenging terrains
• a celebration of grit, camaraderie, and the beauty of “Type 2 Fun”, this film is an ode to the ride, not the finish line
• a captivating film that promises to take you on a journey of compassion, community, and the joy of cycling
• an uplifting film that follows a group of adventurers who gather to cycle from town out to the local Ski Field and back, carrying all their gear, with the purpose to raise awareness about the climate impact that comes with travelling and adventuring
• an inspiring mountain bike ride through back country Queenstown, New Zealand that is both poetic and meaningful
• a life-changing experience for a group of friends who undertake a trip to a bothie in the Scottish Highlands to show what can be achieved by people with disabilities in relation to having adventures
• a film, set in Pakistan, that celebrates the art of “winging it” and how travelling by bicycle and the power of exploration can obliterate preconceptions and contribute to understanding others
• and a classic Kiwi story of a young trail blazer participating in a gruelling six-day mountain bike rally, exploring his boundaries with his own signature entirely unsupported style – fueled by a penchant for chocolate milk and a single-minded approach to making it happen ALL in the mix!

These short films are a great reminder of why we love to ride our bike; with stories that captivate us, stories that move us, and most importantly of all – inspiring us to get out and ride. All celebrate the fun, adventure, and joy that cycling enables.
So…listen to the voice inside you; it’s telling you to go. Grab your mates, GO ON… grab your bike and come along for the ride!!

PREVIOUS ATTENDEE’S COMMENTS:
“One of the most inspiring events of the year”
“The Big Bike Film Night is always a wonderful, eclectic, wacky mix of films and I love it!”
“If you haven’t experienced the cinematic excellence of The Big Bike Film Night – then YOU MUST!!!”

Doors and Bar open from 6.15pm, Film starts at 7pm.
Licenced bar | cash/card sales

Join me for a creative workshop where we will explore different printing techniques using screen printing, LEGO printing, nature and recycling.

July 28th – Screen print with Lego dots to create your own unique prints
July 29th – Be inspired by nature and print using found objects outdoors or simply take inspiration from colours and shapes outdoors to screen print adventure patches
July 30th – Bring along some of your recycling and get creative making patterns, shapes and print a wooden wall tile
July 31st – Bring along your own T-shirt and design and screen print your own unique design

Classes run from 9am – 3pm (bring your own lunch) and cost £38 per day per child or book all four days in advance for £140
Suitable for children age 8 – 16