Posts for October, 2023

Come and enjoy our annual Halloween Trail around the Museum!

See if you can spot ten pesky pumpkins who have taken root in some of our buildings!

£1.50 per trail, including a prize.

No need to book, just turn up and join in the fun!

“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’ (see last photo).

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.

Hosted by the Cairngorm Hotel.  

Join us for Aviemore’s annual free fireworks display outside the Cairngorm Hotel.  

This year with every adult main meal children under 12 will receive a complimentary hot chocolate and popcorn.  Available all day on Wednesday 5th November.

The display starts at 6pm.  Restaurant & bar open before and after the fireworks. No ticket required.

Moray’s earliest surviving tower house is reputed to have been built for Scotland’s vilest man- Alexander Stewart, the Wolf of Badenoch.

Drumin Castle is an impressive medieval fortification standing on a commanding bluff overlooking the confluence of the River Livet and the River Avon.

Once we get to the castle, you’ll learn a bit about the architecture, history, and the notorious Wolf, whose evil deeds continue to cast a long shadow in Moray’s history.

This castle has recently reopened after masonry repairs. Access to the first floor is once again possible via a narrow, stone staircase. Sensible footwear is recommended.

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.

Surrounded by spectacular Highland scenery and into the heart of the spectacular Cairngorm Mountains, this race really showcases what this amazing area has to offer.

Extensive views across to the vast plateau around the Cairngorms’ most spectacular corries & summits, including Ben Macdui, Braeriach & Cairn Toul, the UK’s second,third & fourth highest mountains

Visits both the major Cairngorm Lairig passes – the Lairig an Laoigh and Lairig Ghru. Through the magnificent Caledonian pinewoods of Glens Derry, Luibeg & Quoich. Experience this Wild & Remote Area with Support from a Great Event Team.

Date: Saturday 1st June 2024 Distance: 60km Ascent: 1146m/3760′ Start Time: 0800

Event Venue: Mar Lodge, Mar Lodge Estate, Braemar, Aberdeenshire, AB35 5YJ.

The event start & finish will be located here.

Entry Fees: Special Early Bird Price: to 30th November: £60 From 1st December: £65 (+ 4% onine entry fee)

Entries: As this a conservation area entries will be limited. Minimum entry age 18 years old.

Event briefing notes will be published HERE approx five days before the event.
Please check these as there will generally be no further information emailed to participants prior to the event.

Registration: This will be based from Mar Lodge. Numbers will be issued at registration.

​Registration will be available both Friday (1600-1830 approx) & Saturday 0630-0745.

Sarah White from the RSPB will talk about Cairngorms Connect – Landscape Scale Restoration. Open to all.

Join Santa and his reindeer through the streets of Grantown on Spey on the evening of 23rd December at 19.00 for a 19.30 start as we celebrate the festive time of year. Torches (both flame and battery) will be available to purchase and will accompany your atmospheric stroll through the town to The Square. Here there will be some carol singing to end the evening on fine song. There will be the opportunity to meet with Santa and his reindeer and chat to the Cairngorm Reindeer staff.

Our last market of the season – lots of locally produced food, drink, crafts and gifts. Come and have a mooch around our wonderful wares – there will be Christmas gifts ideas and delicious treats in abundance!

On December weekends in the run up to Christmas, our Paddocks are filled with tinsel and decorations, kids can complete a festive quiz (please bring a pen!), and Santa himself comes to visit. We don’t run a grotto as such – instead Santa wanders round the exhibition area greeting visitors as he goes (occasionally he even has chocolates to hand out!).

As always, around four of our beautiful reindeer will be on display, though please note that they are across the other side of a fence and we don’t guarantee that they will come over to be patted. There is also an informative exhibition with lots of information about our herd, reindeer in general and other wildlife in the vicinity.

The Paddocks are self guided and are perfect for children and for visitors who are unable to go on the Hill Trip. They are wheelchair and pushchair accessible, and as well as being able to see the reindeer, there is lots of information about every aspect of reindeer. Do bear in mind that the daylight does start to go from about 4pm onwards in mid-winter, and while there are floodlights in the Paddocks, visibility will unavoidably be a bit reduced.

Please note that whilst you will get a close up view of the reindeer here, there is no direct contact with them and no opportunity to feed them.

Come and enjoy our annual shinty tournament which sees local youth teams compete to win the coveted Am Fasgadh Quaich!