Posts for December, 2024

Join us on December 14th and 15th for an unforgettable weekend brimming with holiday cheer. We’ve got festive decorations, Christmas-themed activities, and a special visit from Santa Claus and his reindeer!

Meet Santa and His Real Reindeer!
Get ready to meet Santa and six of his favourite reindeer—yes, real reindeer! Visit Santa’s festive crew between 12 – 3 PM on both days. Enjoy a special meet-and-greet, sleigh ride-by and the chance to see the reindeer being walked.

Discover Our Winter Attractions
Alongside the Christmas festivities, come along and enjoy our winter attractions, including:

Stroll through the Tropical Hot House: A warm escape filled with exotic plants and greenery.
Test your balance skills on NetworX and The Red Squirrel Trail: Adventures for thrill-seekers of all ages.
Encounter life-size dinosaurs: A Jurassic experience you won’t forget.
Challenge your mind in the Bamboozeleum and Wonderwood: Mind-bending fun for curious minds.

Torchlight parade and dance at The Stance! 11.15pm torchlight parade from the top of Gynack Gardens to the market stance with a piper. Fireworks, free dram and stovies!

The event is to be based from the beautiful setting of Mar Lodge, three miles to the west of Braemar. With an excellent choice of terrain the area is superb for ultra running with many well maintained trails, tracks and paths leading you into the heart of the mountains.

​The Cairngorms Ultra Trail takes you on a journey through this wild & majestic landscape right in the heart of the Cairngorms. The route provides some stunning, remote, mountainous scenery. This will be a unique experience in a wild massif.

Experience extensive views across to the vast plateau around the Cairngorms’ most dramatic corries & summits, including Ben Macdui, Braeriach & Cairn Toul, the UK’s second,third & fourth highest mountains

Visits both the major Cairngorm Lairig passes – the Lairig an Laoigh and Lairig Ghru

Through the magnificent Caledonian pinewoods of Glens Derry, Luibeg & Quoich.

Join us at Macdonald Aviemore Resort on Saturday 22 February 2025 for another unforgettable evening with Desperados, one of the finest Eagles tribute bands.
After a sold-out show in July 2024, we are thrilled to bring back the magic of the Eagles once again. Expect all the hits, including “Hotel California,” “Lyin’ Eyes,” “Take it to the Limit,” and so many more…

Doors 7.30pm
Showtime starts: 8pm

Turn the Night Into an Unforgettable Experience
Enjoy an overnight stay on Saturday 22 February 2025 including breakfast from just £118 per night, and take advantage of exclusive benefits as a ticket holder.

What’s Included
25% off the bed and breakfast rate for an overnight stay in either a king or twin room at the 4-star Macdonald Aviemore Resort
Full hearty Scottish breakfast the next morning
Unlimited access to our indoor heated pool, sauna, and gym
Free parking

Join us at Macdonald Aviemore Resort on Saturday, 15 March 2025, for an unforgettable evening with Abbamania, Europe’s leading Abba tribute band.

Experience their outstanding vocals and electrifying musical performances in the Osprey Arena.

Abbamania’s tribute to Abba is a sensational two-hour show featuring record-breaking and
timeless hits from “Waterloo” to “Dancing Queen,” “Mamma Mia,” “Fernando,” and “Chiquitita.”

So, dust off your platforms, put on your flares, and join us for an unforgettable night and get ready to dance in the aisles and relive the glory of the ’70s!

As a valued ticket holder, you’ll receive an exclusive 25% discount from £109 per night based on two people sharing a room at the 4-star Macdonald Aviemore Resort from 14th – 16th March 2025, including a delicious breakfast each morning of your stay.

St Andrew’s, Aviemore and Alvie and Insh churches invite you to follow the glowing trail as it guides you through Alltnacriche’s grounds, with live action scenes to take you back in time to Jesus’ birth. Join the jostling at the Inn! Come across the wise men reflecting at their evening’s camp site! Discover the shepherds settling down for the night, BEFORE their big fright! And come to the very simple stable.

Hot drinks and mince pies served at the end of the trail.
Free entry, but donations welcome.
Last entry at 5.30 pm

Come along and enjoy a fun one hour class where kids will use existing pre cut stencils or cut their own (with help of accompanying adult) and screen print a wooden Christmas bauble.
This is a fun way for kids to try screen printing and take home a ‘me made’ product that you can keep for years to come that will add a personal touch to your Christmas decorations.

Cairngorm Community Cinema – Kneecap w/special guest.

We are back, for take two! Cairngorm Community Cinema is bringing the magic of independent and art-house films to the heart of the Highlands, making use of the screen at the Spey Valley Cinema.

For our second event, we are showing the conversation fire starter of a film “Kneecap”. The true story of the Belfast trip who become unlikely figureheads of a civil rights movement to save their mother tongue.

Doors at 6.40pm, film start 6.45pm Plus we will have a special guest joining us for an after film chat.
Community-owned but operated in partnership with Spey Valley Cinema and supported by the BFI and Film Hub Scotland, Cairngorm Community Cinema aims to create a space where the community can gather, discover new perspectives, and enjoy film.

At just £5 a ticket, we’re making it accessible to all. Tickets only available on the door, so just show up! 18+ only.

Join Cairngorms Astronomy Club and Tomintoul & Glenlivet Development Trust on Sunday, January 12th at 6:30 pm for an evening telescope taster session. We’ll be looking at the Moon and Mars in the constellation of Gemini. We’ll also be looking at prominent winter stars and constellations and will share resources for improving your celestial knowledge.

The Glenlivet and Tomintoul area is one of the best places in the Cairngorms National Park to discover the wonders of the night sky. It is Scotland’s second International Dark Sky Park and one of the most northerly in the world. Please meet at the Discovery Centre at 6:30pm. We’ll then be walking a short distance down to a suitable viewing location in a group with red head torches that will help your vision adapt to the darkness.

As we will be outside in the highest village in the Scottish Highlands, please dress appropriately for cold January conditions and changeable weather. Sturdy footwear, lots of layers, along with gloves and a hat will make your stargazing experience more enjoyable. If conditions are unsuitable on the day of the event the organiser will email attendees.

Toilets are available in the Discovery Centre.

Would you like to learn more about the night sky? Join Cairngorms Astronomy Club and Tomintoul & Glenlivet Development Trust on Friday, January 10th at the Discovery Centre in Tomintoul at 5:30pm for a Seven Sisters, Stars, and the Moon afternoon telescope taster session. The Pleiades star cluster, famously known as the Seven Sisters or cataloged as Messier 45 (M45), is one of the most recognizable sights in the night sky. We’ll also be looking at Jupiter, at stars and constellations and will share resources for improving your celestial knowledge. Please meet at the Discovery Centre at 5:30pm. We’ll then be walking a short distance down to a suitable viewing location in a group with red head torches that will help your vision adapt to the darkness.

The Glenlivet and Tomintoul area is one of the best places in the Cairngorms National Park to discover the wonders of the night sky. It is Scotland’s second International Dark Sky Park and one of the most northerly in the world.

As we will be outside, please dress appropriately for cold January conditions and changeable weather. Sturdy footwear, lots of layers, along with gloves and a hat will make your stargazing experience more enjoyable. If conditions are unsuitable on the day of the event the organiser will email attendees. Toilets are available in the Discovery Centre.If conditions are unsuitable on the day of the event the organiser will email attendees.