Posts for April, 2025

Part of the Deeside Nature Festival 2025.
We will gather on the green in Ballater to look through the moth traps that will have been set the previous night. You will be introduced to a wide variety of beautiful and intricately patterned moths. This fun, hands on event will get you up close and personal to these wonderful creatures and is suitable for the whole family.

Run by Wild Discovery.

Part of the Deeside Nature Festival 2025
Join Dan and Rachael from Wild Discovery for a guided walk at Glenshee looking for Mountain Hares, Ptarmigan and birds of prey. We will enjoy a walk up the Cairnwell and surrounds in search for Red Grouse, Mountain Hare, Ring Ouzel, Golden Eagle and a number of Arctic-alpine plants. If conditions are suitable we will endeavour to reach an area where Ptarmigan can be found. It may be possible to take the Cairnwell chairlift to this area if it is operating (at your own cost). Profits from this walk will be donated to a relevant conservation charity.

Run by Wild Discovery

Experience the Speyside Way Ultras: two races, two epic adventures! Choose between a 50km run from Tamdhu Distillery to Buckie or a challenging 100km route starting in Aviemore and finishing in Buckie too. Immerse yourself in the enchanting beauty of pine forests, serene riverbanks, and rolling hills while passing historic distilleries that craft the world’s finest whisky!

Come and meet Cory the Talking Dinosaur and watch our adorable newborn baby dinosaur. And shhh… don’t wake the sleeping baby dinosaur resting in its cage in the hatchery!

All your favourite summer attractions will be open too, including the Tropical Hot House, Wonderwood, Ancient Forest Adventure, and Bamboozeleum. And don’t forget NetworX—Scotland’s first-ever aerial net challenge!

Ever wondered what it’s like to zoom through a giant cloud of foam? Now’s your chance to find out! During our legendary Foam Days at the Wild Water Coasters, you’ll experience an explosion of foamy fun that the whole family will love.

Choose your adventure on the Otter or Wild Cat slides—each offering a thrilling ride with a delightfully foamy surprise at the bottom. Don’t forget your camera as you’ll want to capture the unforgettable moment your loved ones emerge from their foam-filled boats. It’s a must-try experience you won’t want to miss!

“Glenlivet it has castles three, Drumin, Blairfindy and Deskie”. This easy guided 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 stunning views over one of Scotland’s most famous glens. 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 its heyday Blairfindy was a fine example of a three storey L-plan tower house and even today shows a remarkable degree of preservation. 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.

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 as there is often livestock on site.

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

Please note that toilet facilities are not available on site.

Every Thursday evening from April through to August Cairngorm Cycling Club has a road or gravel ride. Start location can be anywhere in the Strath between Kingussie and Grantown but will be publicised on the website. Guest riders are always welcome but must register for the ride by midnight the previous day and provide a contact phone number. The ride will be at a no-drop pace with riders looking after each other.

Try out cycling and discover local routes. Join our cycle leaders on rides tailored to your needs.

Try out cycling and discover local routes. Join our cycle leaders on rides tailored to your needs.