Posts for May, 2026

Welcome to the tropical north, as Karawane returns to the Dell for a midsummer bash, and this time they are bringing a friend!
Joining them for this special session is Volta 45, a London-based DJ renowned for his unique style – a heady vinyl mix of jazzy and percussive sounds from Africa, South America and the French Caribbean. Volta 45 is a regular on the European and UK music festival circuit; he has got dance floors moving from Turin to the glorious fields of the Shambala Festival.
Karwane brings dancefloor music from around the world: highlife, cumbia, soukous, samba, salsa, funk, reggae, afrobeat, edits and originals to make bodies move and minds travel. Regulars on the Scottish festival circuit, and venues from beach clubs in Andalucia to the late-night clubs of Berlin, the Karawane DJs are constantly on the move, collecting music, and bringing people together.
This is a very special collaboration that we can’t wait for and we would love for you to come and dance with us! We will also be joined by the wonderful Penny Bun food truck to see to your Sunday lunch/dinner needs and the Dell bar will be running all day. Doors open from 12pm, with Karawane and Volta 45 playing from 2pm
Head to the link to book

The amazingly inspiring and entertaining Kristen Allan is back, this time with an intimate hands-on cheese making class where you will learn how to make milky soft pillows of mozzarella, creamy burrata and stringy stracciatella.
You will also explore creative ways to use the leftover whey, ensuring nothing goes to waste and be shown how to incorporate your freshly made cheese into a shared lunch, celebrating the flavours of the season and the satisfaction of food made by hand.
The day starts with coffee/tea and cake, and a chat about how the day will unfold. Then it’s time to roll up your sleeves and feel your whey through the curds. You work in small groups so there’s usually plenty of banter and laughter and time for one-on-one attention.
For more info or to book, please head to the link

In this hands-on class you’ll learn how to make feta (including marinated Persian feta), halloumi and mascarpone with the incredibly talented and very entertaining Kristen Allan. You’ll take a deep dive into the story of milk, beginning with life in the soil, how different seasons and type of animal influence it’s composition and how to source and select the best quality, local milk for making cheese.
You will receive recipes, notes and take home the cheese made in the class. A delicious lunch will be served and Kristen will share with you a collection of mouth-watering recipes that showcase the cheese we make in the class plus all her marvellous ways to use the leftover whey.
The classes are small and intimate with ample opportunity for questions, one-on-one guidance and all Kristen’s tips and troubleshooting tricks. All this can only, develop and strengthen your understanding and serve you well in your home kitchen.
Head to the link to book

Join nature and travel writer Joe Minihane for a one day writing workshop in and around the Dell’s tipi. This informal, friendly one day nature and memoir writing retreat is for anyone looking to tell their own story, whether you already love to write or are a beginner in search of inspiration.
With time to walk and explore the forest surrounding The Dell, chances for encounters with nature, and prompts designed to get creativity flowing, this will be a relaxed and informal day that will help you on your writing journey.
There will be writing exercises, one to one tutorials and the opportunity to share work with the group at the end of the day if you wish. You’ll leave armed with new ideas and work that you’ve made and can feel proud of.

Joe Minihane is a writer and journalist based in Sheffield. He is the author of Floating (Duckworth 2017), a memoir about wild swimming and mental health, and a recipient of the Society of Authors’ K Blundell Trust award. He has also written a series of guide books for the London-based publisher on Hoxton Mini Press, while his writing on travel and the outdoors has appeared in The Guardian, Sunday Times, Mail on Sunday, Lonely Planet and CNN.

Lunch and refreshments included. For more info or to book head to the ticket link

An hour of theatre and comedy with author and Mountaineer John D. Burns
In a remote Highland bothy, a traveller finds shelter from the storm. In his rucksack he has coal for the fire, candles to ward off the darkness, and a little whisky to bring some cheer. The wanderer invites you into his world.
In a unique piece of theatre, John tells stories of his wild journeys among Scotland’s mountains. There are near death adventures on ice wreathed cliff faces. Tales of dark deeds in distant bothies and even a brush with royalty. Yet in the heart of so much beauty there is conflict. Hear how working-class folk have fought to establish their right to wander the hills.
Come and join John, smell the woodsmoke and be transported to a world where all you have is what is packed on your back and the dreams that you follow.
John D. Burns is an award-winning mountain author and his books, Bothy Tales and The Last Hillwalker, have become acknowledged as classics among those who enjoy the outdoors. You can hear more of John and his wonderful guests on his podcast, Outdoors in Scotland.

Dinner is our love language!

Let’s gather for an evening of long table feasting, with new & old friends.

Cooking with fresh and colourful Spring produce for our take on an Italian supper & there will be a fully stocked bar operating on the evening.

Our menu will be influenced by Pasta Grannies! If you haven’t come across their Instagram – have a look, you’ll go down a pasta making rabbit hole. We’ll be chanelling our inner Nonnas who’ve passed down authentic family recipes through generations. Of course, with a nod to the fantastic local produce on our highland doorstep.

3 courses – £50pp (subject to £1.25 transaction fee)

Friday 29th May @ 7pm

The Apiary, Newtonmore Golf Club, Newtonmore

We cater for vegetarians – any other dietary requirements, please get in touch before booking! As always, the menu will be a surprise for the evening.

Will you be able to spot our life-size wild brick sculptures nestled around Highland Wildlife Park this spring?

Perfect for families, brick fans and animal lovers alike, this exhibition offers a chance to marvel at the artistry, take fun photos and explore the park in a whole new way.

Celebrate the holiday with our brick sculpture experience which inspires creativity and wonder – one brick at a time!

A live musical performance tracing the emergence of dragonflies from water to air — including a guided RSPB site visit.

Almanac: Part 1 (Emergence)
Boat of Garten Community Hall, Saturday 13 June 2026

Almanac is a new large-scale project by composer Thomas Butler, commissioned by Red Note Ensemble, using contemporary musical performance to mark events in the natural world.

Across four seasonal, immersive works presented in locations throughout Scotland over 12 months, the project brings together ensemble, voice, electronics and field recording to explore ecological cycles, seasonal change, and the disruption of natural rhythms in a time of climate crisis.

Almanac: Part 1 (Emergence)
The first chapter of Almanac focuses on the emergence of dragonflies and damselflies as they transition from water to air. This new performance combines live music with flute, clarinet, viola and percussion, and field recordings to trace this moment of transformation, shaped by ecological research and the surrounding landscape.

Each ticket includes
• A guided site visit to a nearby bog with an RSPB guide to observe dragonflies and damselflies (transport provided by bus)
• A live performance of Emergence
• A Q&A with composer Thomas Butler

Part exercise, part social group, part exploration of the beautiful place we live in. Joy Rides are all about using your bike to get around and passing on the magic of time spent on two wheels to anyone that wants to join in, regardless of ability, confidence or equipment. When there’s good conversation and the chance for a cake stop, the riding doesn’t always have to be priority number one!

Rides are led by a qualified, experienced ride leader, who will plan the route to be suitable for all participants and will carry the necessary tools and equipment to sort out any trail-side mishaps. Routes will take in quiet road sections and multi-use off-road trails. You don’t need to be a mountain biker to join in, and almost any bike will be suitable, from hybrid/town bikes through to mountain bikes and e-bikes.

Part exercise, part social group, part exploration of the beautiful place we live in. Joy Rides are all about using your bike to get around and passing on the magic of time spent on two wheels to anyone that wants to join in, regardless of ability, confidence or equipment. When there’s good conversation and the chance for a cake stop, the riding doesn’t always have to be priority number one!

Rides are led by a qualified, experienced ride leader, who will plan the route to be suitable for all participants and will carry the necessary tools and equipment to sort out any trail-side mishaps. Routes will take in quiet road sections and multi-use off-road trails. You don’t need to be a mountain biker to join in, and almost any bike will be suitable, from hybrid/town bikes through to mountain bikes and e-bikes.