Posts for June, 2025

Famous Courageous John Roy Stuart poet and warrior in Love and War reinacted by Michael Nevin with Bill Taylor harpist Jason Faulkner bag piper and Sheena Farquhar folk singer

Step back in time and uncover the mystery of the Picts with the Glenlivet & Inveravon Heritage and Dark Sky Ranger. This engaging talk and tour will introduce you to the Pictish people, their unique art, and the symbol stones that continue to inspire centuries after they were carved.

Set within the ancient and atmospheric site of Inveravon Church—an important place of worship and pilgrimage for generations—we’ll closely examine the intricate carvings on the four remarkable Pictish stones discovered here. You’ll learn how these enigmatic symbols fit into a wider cultural story and how the Picts helped lay the foundations of modern Scotland.

This is an opportunity to connect with Scotland’s ancient past, surrounded by the stunning scenery of Speyside.

Practical Information:

Meeting point: Access to Inveravon Church and burial ground is via a single-track road off the A95, about half a mile north of the entrance to Ballindalloch Castle. Follow the brown tourist sign for the Inveravon Pictish Stones.

Parking: Available at the bottom of the drive and in front of the church building.

Family-friendly: Young visitors are often fascinated by the Picts and are warmly encouraged to attend. All children and youth under 16 attend free.

Inveravon Church is currently under threat of closure and sale by the Church of Scotland. The local community is working hard to preserve it as a heritage centre and community hub. Your support helps keep this unique site alive and accessible for future generations.

Please note that toilet facilities are not available on site. Public toilets are available in Cragganmore at Ballindalloch Station on the Speyside Way or in Aberlour.

Well behaved dogs may attend but must be leashed.

This event is generously funded by Foundation Scotland from the Dorenell Wind Farm Community Benefit Fund.

Enjoy an afternoon of poetry celebrating the languages of Scotland at Braemar Castle. Joining us will be Miriam Gamble and Peter Mackay for a special walk-through event, combining a reading and tour of the castle.

Miriam Gamble is a Northern Irish poet. She has published three collections with Bloodaxe Books, The Squirrels Are Dead, Pirate Music and What Planet. In 2020 What Planet was awarded the Piggott Poetry Prize, the most valuable poetry prize in Ireland. Miriam lectures in creative writing at the University of Edinburgh.

Peter Mackay is a Gaelic poet originally from the Isle of Lewis. His poetry collections are Gu leòr/Galore and Nàdar de/Some Kind Of. He has also written critical books on the work of Sorley MacLean, Wordsworth and Seamus Heaney. Peter lectures at the University of St Andrews and in 2024 was named the new Scottish Makar.

In association with the University of Aberdeen

Come and see / try heritage crafts in action. There will be demos across the site of traditional skills including rope making, spinning & weaving, waulking the cloth, tradition games and lots more!! Don’t miss the coracles on the Sawmill Pond and visit the Smiddy to see the Blacksmith in action.

No need to book just drop in and enjoy! There will be a full list of demos for each day available at reception. Activities 11am—1.00pm and 2.00—4.00pm each day. (Activities may differ on different dates.)

Our woolly celebration is back! Come and see spinning, weaving, natural dyeing & waulking the cloth. Have a go at knitting, crochet and other textile crafts. No need to book, just come along and enjoy the event!

Step back in time to 1745 as word spreads through the Highlands that Prince Charles Edward Stuart has raised his standard! Can Captain Fletcher’s patrol of redcoat soldiers make it to the safety of the nearby barracks before the Jacobites raise enough strength to stop them? Come and enjoy this weekend of living history – brought to the museum by the Alan Breck’s Volunteer Regiment. Programme of events is the same on both days, no need to book, just come along and join in the fun.

Come along and enjoy our annual Outlander Day! You can enjoy a programme of talks/demos including Andy the Highlander and Sarah Fraser discussing Andy’s book ‘Loch’s & Legends’, Marion from our Township team on 17 century dyeing and weaving, and a demonstration by the Badenoch Waulking Group.
Why not dress up and join in our costume competition? Spend time exploring our 1700s Township and meet the Inverness Outlanders Group. Hope to see you there!

Come and enjoy a behind the scenes look at our collection store in Am Fasgadh on one of our Store Tours, every Weds at 11am.

With over 15,000 objects in the collection, there’s plenty to see! Donations welcome, just pay what you can.

Places limited, booking essential – at HFM Reception, on 01349 781650 or highland.folk@highlifehighland.com.

Calling all knitters! We have an exciting new event exploring the art of natural dyeing together and learning about Cairngorms Connect along the way.

Discover Cairngorms Connect events are designed to give you an introduction to Cairngorms Connect while experiencing the landscape in different ways, in collaboration with local businesses and organisations.

Join us for an introduction to local plants, how to harvest them sustainably, and how to use them to dye wool.

Under expert guidance from Julie at Black Isle Yarns, we will learn how to use botanicals to safely and naturally dye yarn.We will then take a walk in local woods to talk about the types of plants we can use and how to identify them.

We will also share a light lunch featuring Cairngorms Connect Venison, prepared for us by a local chef.



All participants should wear sturdy shoes and clothing suitable for splashes and walking/working outdoors.

It is important that all people have equal access to Cairngorms Connect events. We are happy to provide for your requirements, wherever possible eg. BSL interpreters, off-road wheelchairs, adapted bikes etc. If you have any accessibility requirements, please get in touch.

We don’t want finance to be a barrier to people attending and so have made some tickets available for free – please take advantage of this if you need to.

Join us at The Ben Mhor Hotel for a night of Stand Up Comedy!

Brought to you by Monster Comedy, this night will feature some of the best up and coming comedians from around Scotland.

Robert MacGregor will host a show featuring performances from Marc Ross, Mike Hendry, Arnold Cavendish, Billy Bremner, and The Pirate King!