Posts for June, 2025

The Braemar Folk Festival returns for it’s fifth year with an absolutely stellar line up of artists performing evening concerts in the stunning atmosphere of St Margaret’s Braemar as well as fringe events in various cosy venues around the village from foot stomping sessions to instrumental workshops.

Further details and the line up will be posted in due course. Keep an eye on the website!

The Braemar Literary Festival, curated and staged by the Fife Arms in collaboration with The Queen’s Reading Room was established in 2022 and now returns for its fourth year.

Turn the page on your next big adventure and visit us in our storybook setting from 26th September to 28th September for a weekend celebrating the power and quiet beauty of the written and spoken word and the creative use of text across all artforms.

We have a stellar line up for 2025 and are delighted to be joined by acclaimed author and actor Sir Stephen Fry, prolific and best-loved author Sir Alexander McCall Smith, bestselling writer Monica Ali and the author/screenwriter of global sensation ‘One Day’, David Nicholls. Food writer and critic Tom Parker Bowles also returns alongside restaurant critic and columnist Giles Coren, as part of our fantastic literary line up plus

THIS EVENT HAS BEEN POSTPONED AND WILL NO LONGER TAKE PLACE TODAY (SUNDAY 29TH)

Lego fans and families! What does “Home” mean to you?
What could a home in the Cairngorms National Park look like? A cabin? An eco house?
Perhaps a tree, nest, drey or dam? A river?
Use the bricks available in the National Park’s Ballater space to build something new, then leave it to inspire others and form an exhibition for all to see over the summer.
All children must be accompanied and adequately supervised by a responsible adult.
Adults do not have to be accompanied by a child 🙂
Free | Donations to Ballater Lego Club welcome
Builds will be displayed until mid-September
No booking required but space is limited in the public area.
If it looks busy, please come back later 🙂

The Mikeysline 10th Year Anniversary Comedy Tour is making its stop by KINGUSSIE, at the BADENOCH CENTRE, on FRIDAY 25th JULY, show starts at 8pm!!🎭
This tour is a fundraiser for the incredible work done by Mikeysline over the last 10 years, with all profits from this night goes directly to this amazing cause!🐝
This will be an outstanding night of Stand-Up Comedy that you won’t want to miss!😄
⭐⭐Get your tickets right NOW!!!⭐⭐

An opportunity for local S1-S3s (for the 2024-25 year) interested in art, creativity and this amazing landscape.

Landscape Creatives is an opportunity for local young people to explore art and creativity through different landscapes, habitats and species. Based at Badaguish Outdoor Centre and working outdoors as much as possible through a series of workshops, we’ll create and reflect on the wellbeing and positive futures of landscapes we’re all part of.

Free to attend and no special skills required, just a keen interest in exploring and learning about nature in creative ways, including choreography, film-making and drawing.

We are asking young people interested in taking part to complete a short expression of interest form, available on our website: https://bit.ly/LandscapeCreatives

Deadline for expressions of interest: Wednesday 25th June 2025.

We are so delighted to be welcoming back The Three Inch Fools to The Dell for what is always such a fun filled evening for all the family. The Most Perilous Comedie of Elizabeth 1 is a stage set for regicidal rivalries, devious dramatics and plotting playwrights.

The performance will be on our lawn on the evening of Sunday 6th July, with plenty space for you to bring your own picnic rugs and deck chairs. You are very welcome to bring your own food, but we will be running a bar so no BYOB.

Head to the link to get your tickets and not miss out on the fun – early bird tickets available until 31st March

The Craft Fayre at Blair Atholl Village Hall is in its 5th year.

They support makers, bakers and creators from the local area whom showcase and sell what they make.

They gather together in the hall once a month over the season.

Please wonder down if you’re in the area and show our great community some support.

Enjoy four open-air cinema screenings, in the picturesque setting of Balmoral Castle’s North lawn.

During the day, included in the General Admission ticket, the whole family are invited to enjoy a film screening on the North lawn.

The screenings will be ‘Paddington in Peru’ on the 26th July, and ‘Moana 2’ on the 2nd August.

There will be other activities available throughout the day, such as a Birds of Prey display, the return of our Balmoral BBQ, and other stalls and attractions still to be announced.

Bring your camping chairs, blankets and refreshments to enjoy an outdoor screening of Wicked on the 26th July, and The Greatest Showman on the 2nd August, on Balmoral Castle’s North lawn.

Food and snacks can be purchased from the Balmoral BBQ, as well as other food stalls.

This is a separate ticketed event, permitting entry to the grounds from 5pm, for a 6pm screening, on the day in question.

“Glenlivet — it has castles three: Drumin, Blairfindy and Deskie…”

Step back in time and explore the hidden histories of Glenlivet on this easy, guided walk to the recently conserved 16th-century tower house of Blairfindy.

We begin at the world-famous Glenlivet Distillery, where our journey through one of Scotland’s most iconic glens begins — a landscape once shaped by powerful families, illicit distillers, and whisky smugglers.

On the way, enjoy stunning views and discover:

· Tales of smuggling and illicit stills in the hills of Glenlivet
· The strategic role of castles like Blairfindy
· How Glenlivet became a name known around the world for whisky

Blairfindy Castle, completed in 1564 by John Gordon, is a remarkable L-plan tower house — still standing proud after centuries. Thanks to recent conservation efforts by the Tomintoul & Glenlivet Landscape Partnership and the National Lottery Heritage Fund, the castle is open to visitors for the first time in decades and now also supports nesting birds and pollinators.

Meeting point: Outside the Glenlivet Distillery Stillhouse
(under the green signpost marked “Blairfindy Castle ½ mile”)

Parking: Available at the Glenlivet Distillery car park

Booking advised: Reserve your spot in advance or email to confirm Heritage Ranger availability.

Suggested donation: £4 (supporting local heritage tourism – free for under-16s)

Family-friendly: Children love castles — and they’re very welcome!

Join us for a history walk through the world-famous glen of Glenlivet.

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