Posts for August, 2022

“Glenlivet it has castles three, Drumin, Blairfindy and Deskie”. This Heritage Ranger led castle 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 fantastic views over the glen. 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.

Research has shown that the castle was probably burned by troops after the Battle of Culloden in 1746, and it was never repaired or occupied after this time. 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 , Smugglers Trails’.

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.

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

This imposing tower is reputed to have been built in the late 14th century for one of Scotland’s vilest men- Alexander Stewart, the Wolf of Badenoch. Drumin Castle is the earliest surviving tower house in Moray and stands on a commanding bluff that overlooks the confluence of the River Livet and the River Avon. This castle has recently re-opened to the public after masonry repairs.

Please park at the The Drumin Castle car park. This short circular walk will start from the Drumin Castle sign. Access is by foot along a pedestrian trail and will return by a set of steps. There is also a narrow set of stone stairs to climb from the ground floor to the first floor of the castle. Please wear appropriate footwear and clothing 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.

Grantown has a long and important military history. One element of this was the Home Guard in its various forms through the years. Dr Steve Goodall, following extensive research, will present this story at the Society’s October meeting. This is free and open to all who are interested.

Grantown was founded as a manufacturing town, particularly for making woollen and linen goods and this evening’s presentation will examine some of the industries, the sites and the stories.

Following the Society talk on the 16th September, this walk will take in some of the sites of Grantown’s industries and provide some of the stories about the industrial past of what was founded as a manufacturing town. Booking is not necessary but anyone with mobility difficulties who could not normally manage the route can contact the organisers, well in advance, and it may be possible to provide appropriate assistance in the form of an all-terrain buggy.

Meetings are held at 10:15am on the first Thursday of each month where we discuss our latest favourite reads with tea, coffee & biscuits

A special community event in Dufftown, presented by leading Scottish folk performers, Hamish Napier (Grantown on Spey folk musician and composer) and musician/storyteller David Francis (Associate Director, TRACS (Traditional Arts and Culture Scotland). This event launches a year long arts project in Dufftown in partnership with the Peoples’ Parish.

Music from local performers, storytelling from David Francis, followed by a concert from the Hamish Napier Trio (with Patsy Reid and Innes Watson) who will perform music from Hamish’s award-winning album The Woods. The night will close with a Ceilidh Dance fuelled with stovies and the all important raffle!

Ashley Fripp is now an annual fixture at TOMS. He will play a programme of Mozart, Liszt and Chopin

Join artist and historian, Dr Charles Fletcher and Curator, Dan Cottam on a walk up into the past of the abandoned crofts on Dava Moor. A walk on the beautiful and terrible moor that set the scene for Maurice Walsh’s novel ‘A Key above the Door’ celebrating the novel’s 100 anniversary for Scotland’s Year of stories. The stories of the people who
lived on the moor and the landscape itself are told as we journey to find the scene of the crime where Walsh begins his tale.

Exhibition of members photographs