Posts for January, 2024

Cancelled due to snow conditions…. 12.3.24

A full weekend demo-ing boards, backcountry seminars and BBQ at the Ravenscraig B&B Aviemore on the Saturday evening. It’s going to be a cracking weekend. Keep an eye on our socials for updates.

Every year since 1984, mushers from the UK have gathered in the forests around Aviemore for the biggest event in the British sled dog racing calendar, The Siberian Husky Club of Great Britain Aviemore Sled Dog Rally January 27th-28th will be the 40th anniversary rally and also the last ever SHCGB Aviemore Rally.

Organised by the Siberian Husky Club of Great Britain in conjunction with Forestry and Land Scotland and sponsored by CSJ specialist canine feeds, Leucillin, and Photizo Light Therapy .The race is run on forest trails around the beautiful Loch Morlich, in the shadows of the Cairngorm mountains.

From an original of only 12 teams, the race is now one of the most prestigious sled dog races in the UK . The race features teams of between two and eight dogs pulling their musher on a sled around a four to seven mile trail. If there’s no snow at ground level for the event, the races still go on with mushers using a three-wheeled or four wheeled rigs. There are eight adult classes and two children’s classes and mushers range from just 8 years old to over 60. Along with the Siberian Huskies, race dogs include Alaskan Malamutes, Samoyeds, Greenland Dogs and Canadian Eskimo Dogs – the pedigree breeds of dogs first bred to pull sleds in Arctic conditions hundreds of years ago

The trail is a designated cross-country ski course and is clearly defined. The Start lies just over the wooden bridge from the car park and runs parallel to the ski road for a short distance before entering the forest. The first part of the trail is quite demanding, but then runs along the loch side to the Finish without great problem.

Image credit Judy Wakker

Would you like to learn more about the night sky? Have you ever been night walking on Glenlivet Estate? Come and join the dark-side! Join us at The Carrachs Dark Sky Discovery site in the Tomintoul & Glenlivet Cairngorms Dark Sky Park for a small group (up to 8) night walk and stargazing session. We’ll look at stars, planets, and constellations and share resources for improving your celestial knowledge. After dusk the Braes of Glenlivet are an exciting place to walk and explore, and with eyes wide and senses alert you can experience the Estate like never before. Use you senses to listen for nocturnal animals and birds and marvel at the night sky.
The Glenlivet and Tomintoul area is one of the best places in the Cairngorms National Park to discover the wonders of the night sky. It is Scotland’s second International Dark Sky Park and the most northerly in the world.

Please note that there are no toilets or facilities on site but parking is plentiful. As we will be outside in February, please dress appropriately for cold and changeable weather. Lots of layers, along with gloves and hat will make your stargazing experience more enjoyable. Please also wear appropriate footwear for wet and wintry conditions.
In the event of inclement weather attendees will be emailed with updates on the day.

Suggested donation £10 on the night helps to support the Tomintoul & Glenlivet Cairngorms Dark Sky Park.
Supported by the Dorenell Wind Farm Community Benefit Fund.

How to get to the Carrachs car park:
Turn east off the B9008 at Auchnarrow (signposted for Scalan) and follow this road right to the end ensuring to follow sign for Chapeltown of Glenlivet. If you are using a navigation system, the postcode AB37 9JS will take you most of the way to Chapeltown of Glenlivet. Drive past Braeval Distillery and at the road end follow the 90-degree right hand turn which leads to the car park. This track is quite potholed and uneven in places so please proceed slowly and carefully.

Would you like to learn more about the night sky? Join us at Glenlivet’s Blairfindy Moor Dark Sky Discovery site in the Tomintoul & Glenlivet Cairngorms Dark Sky Park for a small group (up to 6) stargazing session. We’ll look at stars, planets, and constellations and share resources for improving your celestial knowledge.

The Glenlivet and Tomintoul area is one of the best places in the Cairngorms National Park to discover the wonders of the night sky. It is Scotland’s second International Dark Sky Park and the most northerly in the world. Blairfindy Moor is a great spot for stargazers and aurora hunters and is located just above The Glenlivet Distillery.
Please note that there are no toilets or facilities on site and parking is limited. As we will be outside in February, please dress appropriately for cold and changeable weather. Lots of layers, along with gloves and hat will make your stargazing experience more enjoyable. Please also wear appropriate footwear for wet and wintry conditions.

Suggested donation £10 on the night helps to support the Tomintoul & Glenlivet Cairngorms Dark Sky Park.
Supported by the Dorenell Wind Farm Community Benefit Fund.

Image credit: Sam Robinson

Would you like to learn more about the night sky? Join us at the Discovery Centre in Tomintoul for an all ages stargazing session. We’ll have a briefing in the Discovery Centre and we’ll pass out red head torches before walking down to a nearby stargazing site in a group to admire the visible planets, the stars of the winter hexagon and notable constellations. The Glenlivet and Tomintoul area is one of the best places in the Cairngorms National Park to discover the wonders of the night sky. It is Scotland’s second International Dark Sky Park and the most northerly in the world.

Toilets are available in the Discovery Centre and limited amenities also are available in Tomintoul. As we will be outside in February, please dress appropriately for cold and changeable weather. Lots of layers, along with gloves and hat will make your stargazing experience more enjoyable. Please also wear appropriate footwear for wet and wintry conditions. If conditions are unsuitable on the day of the event the organiser will email attendees.

Suggested donation £5 on the night helps to support the Tomintoul & Glenlivet Cairngorms Dark Sky Park.

Image credit: Sam Robinson

Following the Badenoch and Strathspey Pipe Band and Santa with his reindeer from the fire station, down Grampian Road. Finishing at the Cairngorm Hotel with a singalong with Speysound Radio. Culminating in a fireworks display

Outsider Events are excited to bring to you a bigger and better 4th edition of Blair Castle Trail Weekender on the 31 May – 2 June 2024.

The 2024 event features a wider range of trail races and exciting edition of our outdoor cinema, and range of live music on the Saturday evening…

Staged within the grounds of the iconic Blair Castle on the Atholl Estate, this weekend of trail running has races from Kids, 7km right up to the 60km ‘Full Tilt Ultra’.

All respective races start at the event village based in the grounds of Blair Castle which nestles at the base of the Cairngorm national park.

From here on out, depending on your choice of race, runners either loop round past Hercules Gardens and back to the start, fork off up the winding Glen Tilt or head toward the 1009m high summit of Ben Dearg. Which trail will you take?

Join us at the Field of Hope Dark Sky Discovery site in the Tomintoul & Glenlivet Cairngorms Dark Sky Park for an all ages stargazing session. We’ll look at stars, planets, and constellations and share resources for improving your celestial knowledge.

The Glenlivet and Tomintoul area is one of the best places in the Cairngorms National Park to discover the wonders of the night sky. It is Scotland’s second International Dark Sky Park and the most northerly in the world. Car parking and interpretation panels can be found at Tomintoul Field of Hope. Whether you are an amateur astronomer, experienced telescope user or casual stargazer, you will get some amazing views of the northern night sky during the darker months of the year.

Toilets and amenities are available in Tomintoul. As we will be outside in January, please dress appropriately for cold and changeable weather. Lots of layers, along with gloves and hat will make your stargazing experience more enjoyable. Please also wear appropriate footwear for wet and wintry conditions. If conditions are unsuitable on the day of the event the organiser will email attendees.

Suggested donation £5 on the night helps to support the Tomintoul & Glenlivet Cairngorms Dark Sky Park.

Join Cairngorms Astronomy Group and Tomintoul & Glenlivet Development Trust at Glenlivet’s Blairfindy Moor Dark Sky Discovery site in the Tomintoul & Glenlivet Cairngorms Dark Sky Park for a small group (up to 6) stargazing session. We’ll look at stars, planets, and constellations and share resources for improving your celestial knowledge.

The Glenlivet and Tomintoul area is one of the best places in the Cairngorms National Park to discover the wonders of the night sky. It is Scotland’s second International Dark Sky Park and the most northerly in the world. Blairfindy Moor is a superb destination for stargazers and aurora hunters and is located just above The Glenlivet Distillery.

Please note that there are no toilets or facilities on site and parking is limited. As we will be outside in January, please dress appropriately for cold and changeable weather. Lots of layers, along with gloves and hat will make your stargazing experience more enjoyable. Please also wear appropriate footwear for wet and wintry conditions. Participants will be emailed by the organiser on the afternoon of the event if conditions are unsuitable.

Suggested donation £10 on the night helps to support the Tomintoul & Glenlivet Cairngorms Dark Sky Park.

Supported by the Dorenell Wind Farm Community Benefit Fund.

Join Cairngorms Astronomy Club and TGDT in The Square, Tomintoul for an all ages telescope moon viewing session. The first quarter moon is a great time to view and learn about the moon. On the 19th it will be in the vicinity of Uranus and the terminator will be close to the large craters Ptolemaeus, Alphonsus & Arzachel.

The Glenlivet and Tomintoul area is one of the best places in the Cairngorms National Park to discover the wonders of the night sky. Not only does this remote area have stunning dark skies but it also has easy access allowing everyone to enjoy a night sky brimming with stars.

We’ll have the Celestron telescope and a smartphone bracket on the night that will allow you to take the moon home in your pocket!

If the weather isn’t suitable on the day, we’ll endeavour to run an alternative session on the 20th of January.

As we will be outside in January, please dress appropriately for cold and changeable weather. Please also wear appropriate shoes for wet, and wintry conditions.

Suggested donation £5 on the night helps to support the Tomintoul & Glenlivet Cairngorms Dark Sky Park.