Posts for April, 2026

Come together with Cairngorms Connect and friends to welcome summer and co-create a seasonal gathering!

Creative, collaborative, workshops on Saturday 25th April, where we’ll bring together ideas for a gathering on Friday 1st May.

When: Saturday 25th April 11am-3pm / Friday 1st May 4pm to 6pm

Where: Talla Nan Ros Hall, Kingussie

Who: For all ages

Free, drop-in. Family-friendly, no previous experience or knowledge required. You can attend one or both events.



Information:

Bealltainn is an ancient celebration of the end of winter and the beginning of summer, welcoming in the new light and warmth, marked by humans for centuries.

Join us in craft, song, movement and stories and celebrate our rich shared local heritage – coming together to co-create a gathering to mark Bealltainn on Friday 1st May.

We encourage everyone to bring their own music, song, poems, stories, costumes or any cultural references to share and celebrate together.

Come for a Wildlife Wander with someone from our knowledgeable team to see some of the amazing wildlife that late Summer brings to Insh Marshes.

September is a good time to look out for raptors like Hen Harriers hunting over the marshes. Buzzards are common and may be seen along the Tromie Trail. Butterflies and dragonflies will continue to fly as long as the weather is warm and sunny – Scotch Argus, Green-veined White, Red Admiral, Peacock and Black Darter are most likely. Many summer flowers have come and gone, but the blues and purples of Harebell, Devil’s-bit Scabious, Common Heather (Ling) and Bell Heather can be seen along the Tromie Trail. Other flowers may include the whites of Yarrow and Eyebright and the yellow of Lady’s Bedstraw.

We will meet in the RSPB Insh Marshes Car Park – what3words: ///epic.youth.venturing and grid ref: NN775998

Some areas may be rough and/or slippy underfoot. It is unfortunately not suitable for wheelchairs or buggies, and we recommend sturdy footwear.

Come for a Wildlife Wander with someone from our knowledgeable team to see some of the amazing wildlife that Summer brings to Insh Marshes.

The breeding season for birds is coming to an end, however there is still plenty of other life to be seen on the marshes and in the meadow. The Heather should be in full flower and Field Gentian may be coming into bloom. Wild flowers like Knapweed and Scabious provide nectar for butterflies. We will lookout for the nationally scarce Scotch Argus butterfly which breeds on the reserve and can be the most common butterfly to be seen in August. Dragonflies like Black Darter and the impressively large Golden Ringed may also be seen.

We will meet in the RSPB Insh Marshes Car Park – what3words: ///epic.youth.venturing and grid ref: NN775998

Some areas may be rough and/or slippy underfoot. It is unfortunately not suitable for wheelchairs or buggies, and we recommend sturdy footwear.

Come for a Wildlife Wander with someone from our knowledgeable team to see some of the amazing wildlife that Summer brings to Insh Marshes.

The breeding season for birds is coming to an end, however there is still plenty of other life to be seen on the marshes and in the meadow. Colourful wild flowers include sweetly scented orchids, which attract beautiful butterflies and dragonflies. We will lookout for the scarce Scotch Argus butterfly which feeds on flowers like sunshine-yellow Rock Rose.

We will meet in the RSPB Insh Marshes Car Park – what3words: ///epic.youth.venturing and grid ref: NN775998

Some areas may be rough and/or slippy underfoot. It is unfortunately not suitable for wheelchairs or buggies, and we recommend sturdy footwear.

Come and celebrate National Meadows Day with us on a walk to enjoy the beauty of summer wildflowers!

We will walk the Invertromie Trail and see lots of different flowers, from the common, such as Bird’s-Foot Trefoil, Bedstraws and Stitchworts, to the uncommon, such as Rockrose and Petty Whin. The highlight of the walk will be gorgeous Tromie orchid meadow where we will hope to see five species of orchid, including Heath Fragrant Orchid and Small White Orchid.

We will meet in the RSPB Insh Marshes Car Park – what3words: ///epic.youth.venturing and grid ref: NN775998

Some areas may be rough and/or slippy underfoot. This 5K/3mile route is unfortunately not suitable for wheelchairs or buggies, and we recommend sturdy footwear.

Feel free to bring a packed lunch with you as we will be having a lunch stop. There are no facilities to buy food on site – the nearest shops and cafes are in Kingussie.

Under 12s free.

Come for a Wildlife Wander with our knowledgeable Volunteer Wardens to see some of the amazing wildlife that Summer brings to Insh Marshes.

On this leisurely walk, the breeding season is well underway so young birds and other creatures like Roe Deer will be keeping their parents busy. Lapwing chicks will be feeding, running and hiding while relying on their camouflage and their parents to defend them. The marshes and trail are full of life and colourful scented flowers including orchids

We will meet in the RSPB Insh Marshes Car Park – what3words: ///epic.youth.venturing and grid ref: NN775998

Some areas may be rough and/or slippy underfoot. It is unfortunately not suitable for wheelchairs or buggies, and we recommend sturdy footwear.

Come for a Wildlife Wander with our knowledgeable Volunteer Wardens to see some of the amazing wildlife that Spring brings to Insh Marshes.

On this leisurely walk see the lush green Aspen leaves trembling and a variety of bird species, including Curlew (which we may hear calling), Lapwing and Snipe (which could be displaying) and song birds singing through the trees. During sunny intervals early butterflies like Orange Tip and Small Tortoiseshell will be flying.

We will meet in the RSPB Insh Marshes Car Park – what3words: ///epic.youth.venturing and grid ref: NN775998

Some areas may be rough and/or slippy underfoot. It is unfortunately not suitable for wheelchairs or buggies, and we recommend sturdy footwear.

Please note that there has been low levels of Avian Influenza (bird flu) on the reserve this winter. Do not touch any dead or unwell birds if you see any, make sure to stick to the paths and keep dogs on a short lead.

Everyone’s favourite Squirrel Club leader Hey Duggee will be visiting Landmark Forest Adventure Park for a special character appearance weekend.

Visitors to the park will have the chance to meet Duggee during appearances throughout the day and capture a memorable photo with the much-loved character.

Meeting Hey Duggee is included with regular park admission tickets, making it part of a fantastic family day out.

From 27 March to 19 April, Landmark Forest Adventure Park will host an EGGS-tra special Easter celebration filled with family-friendly activities across the park. Visitors can take part in a Peter Rabbit-themed egg hunt, a Golden Egg competition in Bamboozeleum, and a chick colouring competition in the Butterfly House, alongside fun Easter displays and photo opportunities in Wonderwood. Over the Easter weekend (3–6 April), there will also be spring-themed LEGO workshops and glitter tattoos in Dinosaur Kingdom. Guests are encouraged to capture their favourite moments and enter the Easter Photo Competition for a chance to win a £200 Amazon voucher.

Join us for a guided night walk in the Cairngorms National Park, led by a qualified Mountain Leader and certified Star Ranger. Begin with an engaging Dark Skies / stargazing presentation before heading out to explore the landscape in darkness. Discover the area’s rich history and nocturnal wildlife as you walk beneath some of the darkest skies in Scotland. When conditions allow, you’ll see constellations, planets, and the Milky Way in breathtaking clarity.

Travel in comfort aboard our private minibus — affectionately known as the Starship — with collection available from the Ballater area. You’ll be whisked away to a tranquil location for an engaging Dark Skies presentation, complete with hot drinks to keep you warm. Location of the event will be in the Ballater / Braemar area depending on winter road conditions and localised weather forecasts. You can choose to travel in your own vehicle if preferred and meet us / follow us to the chosen walk location.