Posts for August, 2022

The DSUK Race the Train in association with Cairngorm Runners is back for 2022 and it is full steam ahead!

Join us in the 7Km trail run, to race to the finish against the Strathspey Railway steam train from Boat of Garten along the Speyside Way to Aviemore. Much of the race, especially the second half, runs by the railway track, if you hear the train coming you’d better stoke your engine and sprint for the finish!

Whether you have been a runner your whole life or just starting out, taking part in Race the Train for DSUK is a fantastic opportunity to test your progress while competing not only with your fellow runners, but with the traditional Highland steam train all while supporting Disability Snowsports UK.

The DSUK Race the Train event is a wonderful team-building event or an enjoyable challenge for the solo runner. It also promises to be a wonderful day out for spectators too, find a spot-on route and cheer the runners.

Come and join in the fun in our 1700s Township on Outlander day – back after 2 years! Come dressed as your favourite character and enjoy traditional skills/crafts with other fans in our Township.

Scalan was originally the site of a secret Roman Catholic seminary where priests, known as ‘heather priests’ were trained during the 1700s when Catholicism was prohibited.

Following the departure of the priests in 1799, Scalan reverted to a farm. Two steading buildings were built housing corn threshing mills which served the Glenlivet farming community. The threshing machines and water wheels are still in place along with a wealth of historical graffiti telling the story of farming life in the 19th and 20th centuries. A major project to conserve the mill buildings took place in 2019, restoring the waterwheel and lade in North Mill and improving visitor access to the site. This was funded through the Tomintoul & Glenlivet Landscape Partnership with funding from the Heritage Lottery Fund.

Join Glenlivet & Inveravon Heritage Ranger Lydia on a guided tour of the site and the mill buildings. You will learn about the history of the site and the mill buildings and we’ll touch on the history of illicit whisky distilling and smuggling too. In addition to being of historical interest, this area abounds with oystercatchers, curlews, and lapwings in the spring and summer months – be sure to bring your binoculars if you have them.

We will be meeting in the Carrachs car park at 1:00pm before proceeding by foot along a farm track, 1km from the car park at the end of the public road. Please wear appropriate footwear and clothing for changeable weather.

Children are very welcome to attend.

Toilet facilities are available during the summer months.

Well behaved dogs are welcome in the mill buildings, but are not permitted in the seminary. Please note that sheep and other livestock live on site.

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.

Funded by Foundation Scotland from the Dorenell Wind Farm Community Benefit Fund.

Join Glenlivet & Inveravon Heritage Ranger Lydia for a talk on Pictish art and symbol stones. We will be looking at four Pictish Stones discovered in the churchyard of Inveraven, which has been a site of spiritual practice and pilgrimage for centuries. This tour will provide an overview to Pictish art and culture and will show how the Picts contributed to the shaping of modern Scotland.

Access to Inveraven Church is off the A95 about half a mile north the entrance to Ballindalloch Castle, and can be found by following the brown tourist sign directing visitors down the single track road to the Inveraven Pictish Stones.

Parking is available at the bottom of the drive before you arrive at the church or in front of the church building.

As we will be outside, please dress appropriately for changeable weather.

Children are very welcome to attend.

Well behaved dogs may attend but must be leashed.

Funded by Foundation Scotland from the Dorenell Wind Farm Community Benefit Fund.

Please note that toilet facilities are not available on site.

“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 , Smugglers Trails’.

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.

This imposing tower is reputed to have been built in the late 14th century for one of Scotland’s vilest men- Alexander Stewart, the Wolf of Badenoch. Drumin Castle is the earliest surviving tower house in Moray and stands on a commanding bluff that overlooks the confluence of the River Livet and the River Avon. This castle has recently re-opened to the public after masonry repairs.

Please park at the The Drumin Castle car park. This short circular walk will start from the Drumin Castle sign. Access is by foot along a pedestrian trail and will return by a set of steps. There is also a narrow set of stone stairs to climb from the ground floor to the first floor of the castle. Please wear appropriate footwear and clothing for changeable weather.

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.

Following the Society talk on the 16th September, this walk will take in some of the sites of Grantown’s industries and provide some of the stories about the industrial past of what was founded as a manufacturing town. Booking is not necessary but anyone with mobility difficulties who could not normally manage the route can contact the organisers, well in advance, and it may be possible to provide appropriate assistance in the form of an all-terrain buggy.

Make your family’s day (or potentially year!) that little bit more amazing with a 1-hour BattleZone outdoor laser tag experience. Where you’ll team up with other comrades (or families as they are more commonly known) for some tactical, adrenaline-fueled fun.

BattleZone is perfect for getting the kids away from their computer games and enjoying an outdoor gaming activity the whole family can participate in. With multiple lives and re-spawns, no one has to sit this one out!

In 2 teams, you’ll enter the woodland to sneak, crawl, hide and outwit the enemy. With a 250-meter shooting range, you’ll need to think tactically while the ultra-bright OLED screen on your weapon displays ammo and life as you play a diverse range of games and scenarios. Have you got the skills to survive?

Join us for a Family Paddling sessions on our purpose built paddling pond – a great environment for beginners.
We’ll introduce you to a range of crafts including open-top Canadian canoes, stand-up paddleboards and our mega SUP!
These sessions are great for beginners looking to dip their toes into the world of paddlesports. Suitable for all aged 3+ years.

Or take a trip down the River Spey! Surrounded by beautiful Cairngorm peaks, whether you’re a family, or perhaps a group of friends, our canoeing sessions are a real crowd pleaser!
Suitable for ages 7+ years, you’ll be provided with all the kit you need for a safe and enjoyable paddling experience.

Or enjoy 1-hour hire of our stand-up paddle boards out on our large, purpose-built pond.
The waters are calm and inviting, perfect for those looking for their first stand up paddle.

Thrive Bike Friday 23rd September to Sunday 25th September 2022

Kate Allum and Susan Stewart



Thrive Bike is an action packed long weekend of energy, excitement and entertainment.

Our goal is to motivate people to cycle, improve their wellbeing, and help the local community prosper while protecting our environment. With a range of organised rides, events and attractions, all people are welcome and respected at Thrive Bike. Along with our business partners Cyclehighlands, Astar Digital and BioCom, we love Ballater and want to see its community benefit from adventure tourism.

At Thrive Bike we have top bike brands offering demo rides including Headline Sponsor Kona and Project Sponsor Merida.

We have guided electric and non-electric mountain bike rides for adults, including women only, and children. Our partner, Eguide Scotland, provides a mix of guided rides so there is an opportunity to get on a bike no matter your ability. Scottish Adventure are facilitating two road rides in The Ballater Dash and The Ballater Reliability Rides.

The Ballater Dash is a personal challenge designed to test your route planning, navigation and riding skills at your own pace and ability. The Ballater Reliability Rides are self supported on a choice of organised routes. Riders navigate their chosen route and complete the course without external help, other than from fellow riders. We recommend stopping to take photos, or for cakes and coffee!

We have a children’s play area; Stunt Show, Climbing Wall, Sender Ramps and a host of other things to do for non-bikers. You will also learn more about how you can take care of your personal wellbeing and contribute to the community, economy and environment in the Thrive Zone. The Food Zone provides a chance to replenish your energy at one of the local food vendors.

Profits from Thrive Bike will be invested in the local trail network by working with landowners, the Aberdeenshire Trail Association and existing, sanctioned projects.

As we go to press we are securing Guest Speakers and more activities so please visit the website and find us on social media.