Posts for February, 2024

Grantown Society historical talk: The Grants and the Jacobite Rebellions by Chris Grant (…and…. who were the Grants of Shewglie?). A presentation from local family research – with stories of loyalty, betrayal and much more! (Refreshments purchased at the bar may be taken through to the Osprey Room).

Exhibition of art produced by members of the Society of Badenoch & Strathspey Artists

“Glenlivet it has castles three, Drumin, Blairfindy and Deskie”. This guided walk will take us to the 16th century tower house of Blairfindy and begins outside the iconic Glenlivet Distillery. On the walk in we’ll enjoy stunning views over one of Scotalnd’s most famous glens. You’ll learn a bit about Glenlivet’s rich history and some whisky history too.

Blairfindy Castle was completed in 1564 by John Gordon. In 1586 Blairfindy passed to the Earls of Huntly, another branch of the family, who used it as a hunting seat. A panel above the arched doorway bears the Gordon arms and this date. In its heyday Blairfindy was a fine example of a three storey L-plan tower house and even today shows a remarkable degree of preservation.

A project to stabilise Blairfindy Castle took place in 2019, funded through the Tomintoul & Glenlivet Landscape Partnership, a programme supported by the National Lottery Heritage Fund. The castle is now open to visitors for the first time in decades and has been specially adapted to encourage nesting birds and pollinators.

Please park at the The Glenlivet Distillery car park. The walk will start from outside the stillhouse under the green signpost marked ‘Blairfindy Castle 1/2 mile’ (see last photo).

Access is by foot along a dedicated track. Please wear appropriate footwear and clothing for changeable weather.

Toilets are available inside The Glenlivet Distillery Visitor Centre.

Children are very welcome to attend.

Well behaved dogs are welcome.

We would like to express thanks to Foundation Scotland, who fund this event through the Dorenell Wind Farm Community Benefit Fund.

Join us for a walk around Moray’s earliest surviving tower house reputed to have been built for Scotland’s vilest man- Alexander Stewart, the Wolf of Badenoch. Drumin Castle is an impressive medieval fortification standing on a commanding bluff overlooking the confluence of the River Livet and the River Avon. Once we get to the castle, you’ll learn a bit about the architecture, history, and the notorious Wolf, whose evil deeds continue to cast a long shadow in Moray’s history.

“Cathedral and Toun

Wyld wrath did engulf

Lone Lochindorb Castle

The lair of the Wolf”

This castle has recently reopened after masonry repairs. Access to the first floor is once again possible via a narrow, stone staircase. Sensible footwear is recommended.

Please park at the The Drumin Castle car park. This short circular walk will start from the Drumin Castle sign in the lower car park. Access is by foot along a pedestrian trail and will return by a set of steps. Please dress appropriately for changeable weather.

Toilets are not available on site.

Children are very welcome to attend.

Well behaved dogs are welcome.

Funded by Foundation Scotland from the Dorenell Wind Farm Community Benefit Fund.

Heritage Ranger talk: Inveraven Church & Pictish Stones

Join Glenlivet & Inveravon Heritage Ranger Lydia for an introduction to Pictish art and symbol stones. We will be looking at four Pictish Stones discovered in the churchyard of Inveraven, which has been a site of spiritual practice and pilgrimage for centuries. This tour will provide an overview to Pictish art and culture and will show how the Picts contributed to the shaping of modern Scotland.

Access to Inveraven Church is off the A95 about half a mile north of the entrance to Ballindalloch Castle, and can be found by following the brown tourist sign directing visitors down the single track road to the Inveraven Pictish Stones.

Parking is available at the bottom of the drive before you arrive at the church or in front of the church building.

As we will be outside, please dress appropriately for changeable weather.

Children are very welcome to attend. Please note that toilet facilities are not available on site.

Well behaved dogs may attend but must be leashed.

Funded by Foundation Scotland from the Dorenell Wind Farm Community Benefit Fund.

We’re very pleased to be presenting this short film about the multi-generation snowsports-loving family, of Olympian Lesley McKenna, and their lives in the Cairngorm mountains.

Commissioned by Patagonia, directed by Hannah Bailley and shot by Rupert Shanks.

This will be followed in the lounge by our folk session, kicking off at 9pm.

Tickets here: https://thrawnastubbornlyscottishsnowf-0653.splashthat.com/

This is a two-day workshop, based at Badaguish Outdoor Centre, covering the fundamentals of painting landscapes in oil. We will be learning how to create landscape paintings with depth, strong composition and beautiful colour in oil. The workshop will also cover the fundamentals of painting in oils, including how to use solvents and mediums, as well as techniques and application of paint.

Suitable for beginners or those who have some experience of painting in other mediums.

Our studio for the weekend will be the large and bright conference space at Badaguish Outdoor Centre, near Aviemore. Badaguish is situated in a woodland clearing, with views of the Cairngorm mountains. We will be making the most of our stunning location and will be painting outside in the local area, as well as spending time working in the studio.

This is a two-day workshop covering the fundamentals of painting landscapes in oil. We will be learning how to create landscape paintings with depth, strong composition and beautiful colour in oil. The workshop will also cover the fundamentals of painting in oils, including how to use solvents and mediums, as well as techniques and application of paint.

Suitable for beginners or those who have some experience of painting in other mediums.

Our studio for the weekend will be the large and bright conference space at Badaguish Outdoor Centre, near Aviemore in the Cairngorms National Park. Badaguish is situated in a woodland clearing, with views of the Cairngorm mountains. We will be making the most of our stunning location and will be painting outside in the local area, as well as spending time working in the studio.

Accommodation is not provided, but there are several accommodation options on-site at Badaguish, including heated camping pods for individuals and couples and forest lodges for larger groups. These can be booked on their website here or by emailing bookings@badaguish.org.

More information and booking at www.shonacammack.com/workshops

Blythe Duff recently celebrated 40 years in the industry. Her career has spanned award-winning theatre, television, radio and film.

We will be showing the film ‘The Bough Breaks’ which has, at its heart, the work of visionary conservationist and ecologist, Alan Watson Featherstone. His charity, Trees for Life, has been restoring Scotland’s ancient Caledonian forest since the 1980s.

The film also explores the wider ‘Rewilding’ movement and how its model of large-scale forest restoration can mitigate some of the global conservation and climate crises currently threatening life on Earth.

Alan’s personal journey illustrates the urgency for more individual responsibility in the stewardship of our planet and the enormous legacy one man can gift to the future, by staying true to his personal vision.

This award-winning film (75mins) was produced by the small team at Mousehole films and the screening will be followed by a Q & A session with the film makers.

Tea and coffee will be available.

Contributors to the film include those listed below, who each explain how Alan’s approach has inspired them and why it is so important we follow his lead:

– George Monbiot (Orwell prize-winning journalist, activist and author of Feral and Regenesis)
– Roy Dennis MBE (pre-eminent conservationist and author of Restoring the Wild)
– Dr Duncan Halley (Norwegian Institute for Nature Research)
– Shaila Rao (Ecologist, Mar Lodge Estate/BBC Springwatch/Winterwatch)
– Dr David Hetherington (Ecologist and author of the Lynx and Us)
– Dr Louise Ross (University of Aberdeen’s School of Biological Sciences)
– Paul, Sophie and Louise Ramsay (Bamff Wildland)
– Lynn Bowser (Argaty Red Kites)
– Molly Doubleday (RSPB Capercaillie Advisory Officer)