Posts for May, 2024

Come and join us every Friday and Saturday in May for live music and a good craic! Check out out facebook page for any updates to the line up.

BERNARD BUTLER, NORMAN BLAKE AND JAMES GRANT are three of the most renowned and respected musicians in Britain. Bernard; songwriter-producer, Norman; a centrifugal force in TEENAGE FANCLUB and James; songsmith supremo of LOVE AND MONEY. They will play a selection of each other’s songs and will preview the first new material written together from their forthcoming album.

Kris Drever originally comes from Hrossey in the Orkney Islands. Over the years, he has taught himself to be a songwriter, guitarist and singer of note (and sometimes many notes).

As well as creating award-winning original songs and instrumental pieces with the trio Lau, he has had a fruitful solo career exploring the cracks between classic and modern songwriting and the traditional music that he comes from.

Those of a certain age will remember the popular 1960’s TV programme “Dr Finlay’s Casebook”. The stories of the colourful rural practice seem like a bygone age. In many ways they are but even today some GPs are modern-day Dr Finlays, working alone or with little support at the heart of their communities.

Now a major new exhibition in Braemar will take a close look at that history and trace the substantial changes in the provision of remote and rural single-handed general practice over the past 25 years.

”Dr Finlay I Presume?” has its roots in 1999 and a collaboration between the Royal College of General Practitioners and Dundee University. That resulted in the publication of ‘Single-Handed’, a book containing black and white photographic portraits of 46 single-handed GPs from throughout Scotland from Shetland to Stranraer with a written description of their background and experiences.

The exhibition includes some of the material from 1999. It traces how general practice / primary care services are now delivered in a number of remote and rural areas in Scotland which were originally featured in the book. It also revisits some of those doctors first interviewed in 1999 and asks where are they now.

Image credit BBC

Blair Castle in the heart of rural Perthshire is the stunning background to our annual Christmas Fair. Join us inside the Banvie Hall, the beautifully atmospheric ballroom and outside will be our tented Christmas village on the forecourt in front of the castle.

Beautiful art and crafts will tempt and delight with individuality and flair, wood work, metal work, antler art, textiles, art illustrations, pet snacks, decadent cushions, throws, ceramics, silk scarves. Locally designed jewellery featuring silver, beads, gemstones, resin and glass. Differing styles of art, exquisite wood turning, children’s clothes and exquisitely beautiful knitwear. Organic and vegan soaps & skincare, candles, reed diffusers and wax melts and a host of bee products – all lovingly created in Scotland.

A glorious selection of tempting foods awaits you at the Blair Christmas Fair. Fabulous confectionary from Kilted Fudge and delightful home bakes from Rabbit Hole Cakes. Delicious preserves from Spice Harmony and charming pickles from Zingy Tingy Beetroot and together with fresh game in the form of steaks, pies or sausages, appetising salmon and seafood and a wonderful selection of cheeses we have enough we hope to entice all foodies.

Our alcohol producers include a spectacular range of gins, rums, vodkas, craft beer and liqueurs.

Nae Bad with their delightful horse box will be in attendance with hot and cold refreshments, pancakes, paninis and cakes, Seasonal Flavour will be bringing their tasty range of artisan street food suitable for all ages, Henderson’s fine food has their spit roasted pulled pork and Auld Smokey with their range of wood fired pizza.

A full list of exhibitors will be available on social media prior to the event.

Credit Paul Booth

For almost 200 years, the Braemar Gathering has been a highlight of the sporting calendar in Scotland. Nestled beneath bucolic, heather-strewn mountains, it is the most prominent and well-attended Highland games in the world, drawing vast crowds from across the globe.

Held at The Princess Royal and Duke of Fife Memorial Park each September in the beautiful Cairngorms village of Braemar, it is the proud continuation of an ancient tradition of Gatherings here — one that can be traced back to the time of King Malcolm Canmore, over 900 years ago.

The Gathering has been run in its present form since 1832. Queen Victoria attended in 1848, and since then it has been regularly attended by the reigning Monarch and members of the British Royal Family.

Below the castle, a tented village will surround the side of the Castle, the mews, café, Balmoral gift shop and stable buildings with exhibitors from near and far vying for your attention with a wide range of beguiling Scottish crafts, food and drink.

A wonderful range of refreshments will be available from Balmoral’s newly refurbished cafes, alongside several street food vendors will be artisan tarts and cakes from the Highland Pâtissier and superb range of homemaking from Rabbit Hole Cakes.

There will be a fine selection of locally produced craft beer, wickedly tempting rum, gin, liqueurs, cider and vodka and the beautiful botanical spirits of Highland Boundary.

For the food enthusiasts amongst us there will be a fine range of home baking, delightful patisseries, exquisite macaroons, a sublime range of salmon, seafood and accoutrements, fresh game in the shape of sausages, steaks, loin cuts and pies. Surprisingly different home made meals, divine Deeside honeys, fabulous cheeses, any amount of mouth watering fudges, bespoke chocolates together with old fashioned confectionary and not forgetting truly delightful pickles.

With the Christmas season just around the corner, this would be such a delightful way to start exploring all the gift options our exhibitors have to offer.

This will be one of our largest events to date with a tantalising collection of artisan art and craft. The ranges will include aromatic candles, antler art, skincare and soaps, captivating ceramics and artworks, a fine array of beguiling jewellery, luxurious textiles, awe inspiring photography, charming stationery, recycled homeware, enticing stained glass, the loveliest of children’s clothes and the cutest of wooden gifts and toys to name just a few.

A full list of those taking part will be available on social media in the weeks leading up to the event.

We are so excited to be welcoming Harry Bird back to the tipi! Drawing on British folk, Americana and other world music genres, his live performances are an intimate cabaret of finely crafted songs, freewheeling anecdotes and good humour. Original, entertaining and thought provoking, his feel-good shows are not to be missed.

Harry Bird is an internationally acclaimed songwriter and has spent the last 15 years touring hundreds of venues all over Europe and beyond with his guitar, multilingual vocals and a passion for connecting with audiences of all kinds. Now based in Glasgow, after many years in the Basque region, his touring band is made up of bluegrass maestros Rain of Animals and Dundee favourite Sinderins’ Gavin McGinty.

Doors open at 7pm with music starting around 7.30pm and the bar will be open serving a selection of drinks and snacks. This is a standing gig, but please do let us know if you require a chair.

The following Art and Craftswill be on offer at this event –

Original paintings, ceramics, wood sculptures, photography, jewellery, handmade bags, soft furnishings, holistics, prints and cards, wooden gifts and a charity stall.

Refreshments will be available.

Free admission.

Rock the Night Away with Desperados – Eagles Tribute at Aviemore Resort!

Join us on July 13th for an incredible evening with Desperados – Eagles Tribute Concert! Immerse yourself in the legendary sounds of the Eagles, from “Hotel California” to “Take It Easy” and “Take It to the Limit.” Let’s rock the night away in style!

Make it more than just a night; turn it into an unforgettable experience. Ticket holders enjoy an exclusive 25% discount for a stay on July 13th at the 4-star Aviemore Resort. This includes breakfast and full access to our leisure facilities—perfect for extending the magic of the evening and waking up to the serene beauty of Aviemore, nestled in the heart of the Cairngorm National Park.

Desperados – Eagles Tribute #eaglesfans #visitcairngorms #aviemore – at Macdonald Aviemore Resort.