Posts for March, 2026

Scottish League Orienteering event with full range of courses.

Easter Sunday Fun Activity Day | Sunday 5th April | 11am – 4pm
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 at the Deer Park |12.30pm and 2.30pm

Admission for the above activities are included with a Gardens and Grounds ticket.


Easter Sunday Tractor Rides –
Hop on board for an exciting tractor ride around Blair Castle Estate, see what wildlife you can spot on your 15-20 minute tour.

Tours will depart at 2pm, 2.30pm, 3pm, 3.30pm.

£5 per person in addition to a Gardens ticket | 2-4 year olds – free

Book inside the castle entrance hall.

Unfortunately, our tractor rides are unsuitable for under 2’s and dogs are not permitted.

This autumn foraging course is an invitation to learn about the edible and medicinal autumnal plants and fungi found in the grounds of Blair Castle & Gardens. Autumn is a special time for foraging and this walk will give us time to celebrate the best of this season, join us as we discover many different varieties of mushroom, nutritious nuts and seeds and succulent berries.

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.

Meeting point: Meet on the green in front of the castle, next to the ‘The Cannon’ coffee cabin.

The Atholl Gathering and Highland Games will return to Blair Castle on Sunday 24th May 2026.

The Atholl Highlanders officially open the Highland Games with a ‘March On’, led by the sound of their pipes and drums.

Strongmen from around Scotland take centre stage to battle it out. Events include tossing the caber, putting the shot and throwing the hammer. There are plenty of other attractions, such as highland dancing, tug o’ war and piping competitions.

Trade stands, delicious food and drink vendors, and a handful of children’s rides make for a fun day out for the whole family. Don’t miss the races for both children and adults, and pack a picnic blanket to secure your spot on the hill.

Your ticket includes access to Blair Castle’s Gardens and Grounds.
Reduced entry tickets to Blair Castle will be available to purchase from the Entrance Hall on the day.

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.

Meeting point: On the green in front of the castle, next to ‘The Cannon’ coffee cabin.

Soul Embers is a four-night Spring Equinox retreat held at Badeguish within the ancient landscape of the Cairngorms National Park. This intimate immersion offers protected space to slow down, reset, and reconnect with your intuition through nature. Through elemental ceremony, guided and solo nature immersion, sacred glasswalk and firewalk, Equinox threshold work, and deeply held circle, you’ll step away from noise and responsibility to listen more honestly to yourself. With comfortable and warm rooms, nourishing shared meals, and a largely phone-free environment, Soul Embers supports nervous system restoration, grounded courage, and a conscious new beginning aligned with the season you are stepping into.

Come for a Wildlife Wander with someone from our knowledgeable team 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 / 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.

Every morning in the springtime, one of nature’s greatest choirs is performing. Experience the marvel of birdsong amidst Abernethy’s ancient Caledonian pinewoods in the company of our rangers, who will guide you through one of nature’s wonders and explain who is singing and why.

After a gentle walk along our trails by the loch, hot drinks and a light breakfast will be provided at the Loch Garten Nature Centre.

Please bring appropriate outdoor clothing and footwear. An accessible all-terrain wheelchair is available for use if required.

No dogs are permitted on this event.

Join us for a magical dawn chorus walk at Loch Garten, followed by an exclusive early morning viewing of the Ospreys from the Nature Centre.

Meeting in the car park, we will head out on a short, gentle walk around the edge of the loch. As the forest awakens, we’ll take in the sights and sounds of the Caledonian pinewood at dawn, learning to identify the different birds that make up the dawn chorus.

After the walk, we’ll return to the Nature Centre for an exclusive morning viewing of the Osprey nest as the sun rises. Dawn can be one of the most active times for Ospreys, with birds often returning to the nest carrying fish, and in April, birds can be seen sky dancing overhead as they set up their territories.

Inside the Nature Centre, you can relax with tea, coffee, and a pastry while enjoying views of the nest, watching live cameras, and learning more about the history of ospreys at Loch Garten and the ecology of these remarkable birds.

Join us for a magical dawn chorus walk at Loch Garten, followed by an exclusive early morning viewing of the Ospreys from the Nature Centre.

Meeting in the car park, we will head out on a short, gentle walk around the edge of the loch. As the forest awakens, we’ll take in the sights and sounds of the Caledonian pinewood at dawn, learning to identify the different birds that make up the dawn chorus.

After the walk, we’ll return to the Nature Centre for an exclusive morning viewing of the Osprey nest as the sun rises. Dawn can be one of the most active times for Ospreys, with birds often returning to the nest carrying fish, and in April, birds can be seen sky dancing overhead as they set up their territories.

Inside the Nature Centre, you can relax with tea, coffee, and a pastry while enjoying views of the nest, watching live cameras, and learning more about the history of ospreys at Loch Garten and the ecology of these remarkable birds.