Posts for August, 2026

Make your own natural bird feeders using willow grown on the edge of the Cairngorms National Park. Learn basic weaving skills whilst creating a practical product to welcome birds into your garden! These attractive, multi-functional crafts can also be used in the kitchen to hold garlic, onions, fruits or dried flowers.

The workshop is about enjoyment and trying your hand at something new. Everyone is welcome, no matter your experience or ability.

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Minimum age 13+ years (under 16s must be accompanied by an adult, also on a bookable ticket).

If you have any questions or require assistance to book a place on this workshop, please phone 01479 873535.

Bookings close at 10pm on Wednesday 9 September 2026

Supporting arts and culture is a key part of our Cairngorms 2030 programme, made possible by The National Lottery Heritage Fund, thanks to National Lottery players.

Capercaillie and Session A9 fiddle player, Charlie Mckerron has been playing with Marc Clement and Tim Edey for over 20 years, and after playing with Ross Ainslie at various sessions Charlie asked him to join the group around 10 years ago.

Charlie explains, “the combination of the 2 guitar styles of Edey and Clement are electric and can only inspire and make you want to play!”

The musicians bring a world music backdrop to many of Mckerron’s compositions, which he likes to feature in his tours. As well as their guitars you can expect to hear the powerful voice of Marc Clement and Tim Edey’s brilliance on the melodeon. Ross Ainslie’s introduction to the outfit has been a great development. “His piping and whistle skills plus his love of contemporary, traditionally based composition is right up my street” says Charlie.

This combo likes to continually push and challenge each other. There is a musicial soulfulness, the fury of the up tempo madness and incredible improvisiation making every night a different experience. “I love the improvisation thrown in, there is freedom within the music”, comments Ross Ainslie.

Charlie, an award-winning composer, is at the moment working on his solo CD, which features some of the music from this line-up, as well as contributions from other Celtic and World musicians. “These intimate gigs are the perfect way to introduce some of our new music”, says Charlie.

You can expect a night of amazing music and entertainment from these award-winning musicians. Their virtuosity and the sheer joy of performing together will always shine.

“A joyous evening of virtuoso musicianship …” ​
Edinburgh Music Review ​​​​
“… played with emphatic vigour and precision”
​​​​​​​​The Scotsman

Scotland’s finest canoeing river tour (River Spey Descent) starts in the Cairngorms National Park. The River Spey is one of the most beautiful rivers in Britain, flowing through beautifully forested country and passing many famous distilleries such as Knockando & Glenfiddich. With time on our side, we will pay a visit to at least one of them for a “wee dram” of Speyside malt. Premier salmon fishing and an abundance of wildlife around its banks makes the River Spey one of the best in Britain. The highlight however will surely be its many fun & exciting Grade II rapids and it’s spectacular end at Spey Bay.

Important Information / Grade & Experience
The River Spey descent is a 5 day and 4 night river journey. By their very nature journeys on the water can be affected by weather and other environmental factors. Your guide/s may have to alter the itinerary to ensure group safety.

The Spey Descent is moderately challenging on mainly easy but fast flowing water. There are normally no portages required on this trip. It is suitable for water-confident people with little or no experience. We can offer 1 or 2 day canoe skills courses prior to your trip is you wish.

Let the good times ROLL! The screening sensation known as The Big Bike Film Night is riding into town with your bike films fix!!!

What’s it all about??? The Big Bike Film Night is on a mission- bringing the best cycling short films from around the world together for you.

Showcasing 2.5 hours of riveting bike films that have everything a cycle-centric audience could want – action, drama, humour, and plenty of inspiration; the evening is unashamedly and utterly, utterly, utterly designed and devised to delight the two-wheel devotee!

The 2026 treasure chest of films includes:
• a dazzling mountain bike ride exploring the breathtaking landscapes of Norway, embracing the magic of the midnight sun
• an inspiring film that captures the wettest, most miserable riding conditions imaginable
• a moving movie that follows a father and son’s journey as they take on one of life’s most meaningful milestones- riding a bike together as a family
• an immersive film that follows riders on the iconic ‘TransAtlantic Way’, a self-supported ultra-cycling event along Ireland’s Wild Atlantic Way
• a film that playfully delves into the world of fat bikes
• a tantalising look into a road cyclist’s life as he grapples with his career goals, other expectations of him, and pursuit of his physical limits
• a compelling story about perseverance, showcasing the challenges and triumphs of navigating daily life following a life-altering injury, and how adaptive design has transformed and enriched the journey forward
• a bold and uplifting story of an adventure activist, attempting to break the 24-hour Guinness World Record in downhill mountain biking- all to raise funds for reforesting foothills around Queenstown, New Zealand. Her relentless pursuit not only pushes the limits of endurance but also becomes a powerful symbol of resilience and environmental commitment
• and crowning the night off… we all love an underdog tale. This charming, funny, heartfelt film inspires us to believe that we all have the capacity to be unlikely heroes in our own stories. The audience is transported back to the nostalgic 1990s, to the slopes of the punishing Mont Ventoux, in Southern France, to witness the drama of a battle between two giants
ALL in the mix!

These short films are a great reminder of why we love to ride our bike; with stories that captivate us, stories that make us think, and most importantly of all- inspiring us to get out and ride. All celebrate the fun, adventure, and joy that cycling enables.

PREVIOUS ATTENDEE’S COMMENTS:-
“One of the most inspiring events of the year”
“Wow! If it comes to your town do NOT miss it. Something for everyone.”
“The Big Bike Film Night is always a wonderful, eclectic, wacky mix of films and I love it!”
“Inspiring | Breathtaking | Heartwarming | Quirky | Bonkers | Funny as F##k!”

HEALTH WARNING: Watching this collection may cause you to want to ride for no less than 1 second and no more than 24 hours per day. Potential side effects could also include buying a bike, bike gear, bike clothing, bike travel books, etc., etc., and longing to get lost with your bicycle. In addition to being entertaining, this event will inspire and lead to activities that improve your physical and mental well-being.

So…listen to the voice inside you; it’s telling you to go. Grab your mates, grab your tickets, GO ON… grab your bike and come along for the ride!!

For more details and to buy tickets visit www.bigbikefilmnight.nz

Get ready for an unforgettable in-person night of folk music at the historic Braemar Castle. Dive into the rich traditions of Bothy Ballads, where storytelling meets toe-tapping tunes. A rare opportunity to be part of a small audience in the 400 year old Braemar Castle. Come along, soak up the atmosphere, and enjoy a true taste of heritage and song!

RED | BLACK | BLACK | RED and the Space in between presents a diverse offering of 16 artists and 16 very different interpretations of the colours red and black.

The exhibition draws inspiration from Am Monadh Ruadh, the Gaelic name for the Red Hills of the Cairngorms, and Dubh, the Gaelic term for black or dark which appears in many names describing shadowed corries and dark landscapes.

Word repetition embedded within the title is one of intention. Rather than presenting red and black as opposites, it suggests a continuous exchange in between them.

The ‘space in between’ is where interpretations occur. It is a place of contrast and connection, where different artistic responses and disciplines meet and meaning remains open to interpretation.

Many of the selected works explore themes of fire, charring, darkness and resilience. Although the exhibition was conceived long before the devastating recent wildfires, the collection now resonates in ways we could never have anticipated.

What began as a simple invitation to explore two colours has become a timely exhibition about landscape, memory, awareness, loss, change and renewal.

Cathy Haworth has been a fixture of the Spey Bank Studio since we opened in 2022. She has designed beautiful exhibition graphics for all of our show, brought the Cairngorm Friends to life and even created our logo.

Now she will take us into her world, with a series of paintings based on the Highland landscape. Cathy’s paintings are always colourful and have a story to tell. We are looking forward to dedicating a space in our gallery to her work.

ll for One – and One for All! Alexandre Dumas wrote five Musketeers novels, the first appearing in 1844. They have enjoyed enormous popularity worldwide and are not just textbook examples of the Historical Romance but also hilarious pastiches of that genre. This one, the first, remains the greatest. Young D’Artagnan is desperate to join Athos, Porthos and Aramis as an elite Musketeer of the King’s Guard. To prove himself he plunges headlong into a thrilling adventure to retrieve the Queen’s jewels, race the clock to restore Her Majesty’s honour, survive the machinations of scheming Cardinal Richelieu, and cross swords with the deadly Milady de Winter. Set against a sweeping panorama of 17th century France at war, it’s a whirlwind of excitement, comedy and ingenious storytelling. Romance! Intrigue! Murder! Betrayal! Revenge…! It’s got the lot! With a reputation for staging some of the finest swordplay in the business Illyria’s The Three Musketeers promises to be more dazzling than ever!

Running time: 135-minutes (approx.), including a 20-minute interval.

Recommended for ages 8+. Play contains scenes of peril, politics and passion! Younger children welcome, if they’re brave enough…

Bring your own seating/rug, suitable clothing and picnic.
Well-behaved dogs on leads are permitted. Venue is wheelchair accessible.

Doors open at 6:00PM
Show starts at 7:00PM

Tickets also available at the Gallery.

Frederick, accidentally apprenticed to Pirates as a child, is indentured to the Pirate King until his 21st birthday. On the day he reaches 21 he leaves the ship, announcing that he now intends to dedicate his life to the Pirates’ destruction. The Pirate King checks the contract’s small print – and realises that as Frederick’s birthday is 29th February on a leap year he has only had four birthdays and is actually indentured for another 63 years. With only the Penzance constabulary to protect him, will Frederick be forced to serve the pirates until he is 84? And will his sweetheart, Mabel, wait for him that long? Performed by a six-strong cast of actor/singers with fully orchestrated accompaniment,

The Pirates of Penzance boasts such gloriously memorable songs as “To be a Pirate King!”; “Modern Major General” and “A Policeman’s Lot is Not a Happy One”. With razor sharp satire and glittering wit, it remains as fresh as if it had been written today.

Running time (approx): 120-minutes (inc 20 minute interval)
Recommended for all ages.

Bring your own seating/rug, suitable clothing & picnic. No umbrellas please!
Well-behaved dogs on leads are permitted.
Venue is wheelchair accessible.
Car parking 100m from performance area.
Event Details
Doors Open at 6:00PM
Starts at 7:00PM

In this play Shakespeare explores Love in all its guises. Four pairs of soulmates meet in the mysterious Forest of Arden. One pair leap straight into bed. Another pair are instantaneously dumbstruck by each other’s beauty and pledge their undying troth. The third pair torment each other: he showers chaste love upon her which she haughtily rejects – yet secretly she enjoys the flattery. The fourth pair go further still, playfully blurring their roles and identities to such an extent that flirting becomes more pain than pleasure, and Love itself is pushed to the limit of its endurance – and beyond.

Throughout the summer Shakespeare’s iconic comedy will be performed where its action is set – in the great outdoors, by a 5-strong cast of classically trained professional actors.

Multi international award-winning Illyria has an unmatched reputation for excellence, forged over three decades, that dominates the outdoor touring theatre sector. Join them this summer for a memorable night of laughter and romance under the stars.

Running time (approx): 140-minutes (inc 20 minute interval)
Recommended for all ages.

Bring your own seating/rug, suitable clothing & picnic. No umbrellas please!
Well-behaved dogs on leads are permitted.
Venue is wheelchair accessible.
Car parking 100m from performance area.
Event Details
Doors Open at 6:00PM
Starts at 7:00PM