Posts for March, 2025

This spring foraging course is an invitation to learn about the edible and medicinal spring plants found in the grounds of Blair Castle & Gardens. Spring is a special time for foraging and this walk will give us time to celebrate the best of this season, as the plants wake from the winter providing the first flowers, leaves and nutritious seeds of the growing season.

The course consists of a 2.5 hour foraging walk, in which you will learn lifelong identification techniques, inspiring recipe ideas, and a wealth of ethnobotanical tales.
During the walk we will move through a variety of habitats – woodland, meadow, hedgerow and garden – taking time to connect with each surrounding environment, noticing their changing flora and subtle variations in character.

We will finish up with a wild tea and homemade cake and biscuits in Hercules Garden, with time to revise the plants learnt and how best to store them for future use.
All participants will also receive a personalised PDF containing information about all the plants met.
 
This course will give you:
How to safely identify over 15 edible and medicinal spring plants and trees
Methods and techniques for how best to work with them as food and medicine
A time of mindful walking among beautiful grounds
Exciting recipes to regularly include wild plants in your meals
What to bring:
Shoes that are comfortable and waterproof
Wet weather gear in case of rain
A basket or container

Meeting point:
Meet on the green in front of the castle, next to the ‘The Cannon’ coffee cart.
Date: 10th May 2025 or 11th May 2025
Time: 10.30-13.30
Cost: £45, kids go free.
 
FAQs:
Are children allowed?
Yes, but one child must be accompanied by at least one adult. (16+).
Are there toilets?
Yes, toilets can be found in the Banvie Hall next to the restaurant.
Are dogs allowed?
The pace of foraging walks is quite slow, so if you think your dog will be bored by lots of standing still – then this might not be the walk for them!
 
About foraging expert, Tamara Colchester
Over the past eight years, Tamara has studied wild plants, she explored how people can live off the land in the Northern Hemisphere, especially in the UK. She has gained incredible knowledge of plants, their food and medicinal benefits, and how our dietary needs change with the seasons.

Join us at Blair Castle & Gardens this Easter for some family fun. We have an Easter Egg Hunt at the castle throughout the school holidays and some extra special activities on Easter Sunday.

After all that Easter eggcitement why not head to the Tullibardine Restaurant for some Easter themed treats!

Easter Egg Hunt | 5th April – 22nd April

Inside the Castle
Join in with our Easter Egg Hunt inside the castle throughout the Easter holidays. Collect your prize from the shop upon completion!

Available for free with a Castle ticket.

Easter Sunday Fun Activity Day | Sunday 20th April | 11am – 3pm
Banvie Hall (The glass entrance doors at the far end of the Castle)
Meet the Easter Bunny at the Banvie Hall at 11am to guide you through our fun children’s activities this Easter Sunday. The events below will flow from one into the next and there are prizes for both competitions and the Egg Hunt.

– Easter egg decorating competition

– Easter egg rolling competition

– Easter Egg Hunt in Hercules walled garden

– Deer Feeding

Admission included with a Gardens and Grounds ticket.

Grab a bargain – Pop Up Charity Shop in aid of Boat of Garten Community Hall!

Date: Saturday 3 + Sunday 4 May
Time: 10:00-14:00, daily

Running alongside a Community Cafe!

WE NEED YOUR STUFF
Please donate to our Pop Up Shop…
We are hoping that you will have a clear out and let us find your unwanted items a new home. Please give us your bric a brac and household bits and pieces, quality clothing, outdoor equipment, etc. (Unlike the auction, we are unable to accept furniture or very large items)

Items can be delivered to the Hall during the week prior to the opening (from Monday 28th April). So, if you’re having a clear out just now, remember to keep it aside for us and donate it nearer the time!

Boat of Garten’s Family Fun Day is back!
Put the date in your diary today!

The day will be packed with family fun and games, a Makers Market and BBQ & Cafe with awesome cuisine plus lots more to be announced.

📅 Saturday 21 June 2025
⏰ 12:00-15:00
📍 Boat of Garten Community Hall

Contact Boat Hall:
📧 info@boathall.org.uk
☎️ 01479 831123

Are Car Boot Sales your ‘thing’? If so, book in for our first sale of the year – it’s in August this year!

📅 Sunday 24 August 2025
⏰ 12:00
📍 Boat of Garten Community Hall (playing field)

Our Car Boot Sales will happen in August (outdoor), October (indoor).

If you are interested in holding a stall, please get in touch.
Contact Boat Hall:
📧 info@boathall.org.uk
☎️ 01479 831123

£10 per car to be paid in advance

Are Car Boot Sales your ‘thing’? If so, book in for our last sale of the year! All indoors so we don’t need to worry about what the weather will be doing.

📅 Sunday 05 October 2025
⏰ 12:00
📍 Boat of Garten Community Hall (main hall)

Our Car Boot Sales will happen in August (outdoor), October (indoor).

If you are interested in holding a stall, please get in touch.
Contact Boat Hall:
📧 info@boathall.org.uk
☎️ 01479 831123

£10 per car/space to be paid in advance

The park will SPRING🪺🐥🐑 into life this Easter from the 31st March to the 21st April! Expect an EGGS-plosion of Easter themed activities, cracking competitions and prize giveaways. Our Wonderwood attraction has an Easter transformation and becomes Warrenwood! Where you can capture some truly unforgettable family moments at our interactive photo displays and trial multiple mini activities!

✨What are the daily Easter activities for 2025? See below👇

🐰Peter Rabbit themed egg hunt in Dinosaur Kingdom
🐣Chick Colouring Competition in The Butterfly House (Prizes: Easter Crafting Bundles)
🥚Golden Egg Competition in Bamboozeleum (Prize: Giant Lindt Bunny)
👒Easter Dress Up in The Growing and Shrinking Cabin
🐇Mini-Spring themed activities in Warrenwood (Wonderwood)

🌟Special Character Appearance🌟
Don’t miss the chance to get a photo with Peter Rabbit himself (5-6th April only)! He will be available for a ‘Meet and greet’ at intervals throughout those days at the Dinosaur Kingdom hut, so hop to it!

More egg-citing news, we are giving away a £200 Amazon Voucher! To the best Park photo sent in between the 31st March-21st April via our Facebook page. We can’t wait to see what our visitors are getting up to!

Plan NOW for an Easter adventure with 20 attractions to explore and amazing Easter fun for the whole family. All activities are included in the ticket, grab your great value day out experience by visiting us at www.landmarkpark.co.uk

The Clan Grant Society UK is hosting an International Gathering in Strathspey on Sunday 3 August – Sunday 10 August 2025. It is an opportunity for Clan Grant to welcome Grants from all over the world, rekindle the strong bonds of kinship and to re-connect with old friends.

It is very much an inclusive event and we hope that people with just an interest in the clan and its heritage will also engage and join us.

For those attending the week long Gathering there will be visits to places in Strathspey connected to the Clan as well as talks and social events. The Gathering will culminate at Abernethy Games on Saturday 9th August with the Clan March and meet up at the Clan tent.

In the evening, the Clan Dinner and Ceilidh will be held in Grantown-on-Spey. Please click on this link to the draft Programme for the International Gathering.

Big news for all Peter Rabbit fans! The beloved character from Beatrix Potter’s classic tales is making a special appearance at Landmark Forest Adventure Park on April 5th and 6th, 2025! 🐰✨

Join us for a fun-filled weekend where you can:

📸 Meet & Greet with Peter Rabbit and capture unforgettable photos
🎨 Take part in fun-themed activities

Peter Rabbit will be appearing at intervals on each day, so don’t forget to bring your cameras! 📷
Meeting Peter Rabbit is included with regular park entry tickets. Don’t miss this magical experience!

🐰 We can’t wait to see you there!

🎟 Book your park tickets today! www.landmarkpark.co.uk

Annual village gathering of Clubs and groups within Nethy Bridge, promoting ‘what’s on’ throughout the year. Together with village crafts people showcasing their wares there will be a spit roast, food stalls and tea tent with home baking, musicians, children’s events and activities