Posts for January, 2024

Over two days and nights we will look for Dark Bordered Beauty in the Aspen stands of the Dee, Aberdeenshire. This species is scarce and will require a focused trapping effort as well as daytime searches. We will also operate traps at higher altitude to try for a couple of Scottish specialities. Target Species include Dark Bordered Beauty, Northern Dart and secondary species include Northern Arches, Cousin German, Chestnut-coloured Carpet, Grey Mountain Carpet, Pretty Pinion, Dark Tussock and Scotch Annulet. Two nights, two days, starting on the evening of 2nd August, finishing lunchtime 4th August.

The Mar Lodge Estate Open Day returns! This is when we fling open our doors and welcome anyone and everyone to the estate. All are welcome on the day.

You will be able to see inside the Stag Ballroom, have a tour of the historic lodge, walk around the lodge grounds, get up close to our estate vehicles, and hear all about our work here by meeting and chatting to estate staff.

All of our in-house teams will be on hand to chat, so you can meet the Stalking team, Ecologists, Ranger Service, Estate Maintenance and Visitor Services. So if you’ve got a question about stalking, or paths, or volunteering, or wildlife or weddings, or indeed any other subject you’ve been desperate to ask about but never had the chance, this is the event for you.

Refreshments will be available to purchase in the lodge (CASH ONLY), and the rangers will set up a free self-led activity to keep younger members of the family occupied.

The event is free, and open to all. Admittance to the ballroom is also free.

There is a small charge of £5 per person if you want to join a tour of the lodge itself (free to National Trust for Scotland, or National Trust members). Tours will be run every hour, throughout the day. You will be able to pay on the day, but if you want to pay in advance, you can do so here on Eventbrite. If you do pay in advance, please make sure you bring confirmation of your purchase with you on the day, otherwise you will still be charged £5 for admittance.

Visitors arriving by car will be able to drive over the Victoria Bridge for the Open Day. Signage will direct you via a one-way system towards the parking area, on the lawn next to the ballroom.

WE HOPE TO SEE YOU THERE!

I invite you to join me on a WOMEN’S WELLNESS RETREAT in the wilds of the Cairngorm National Park, voted one of the 20 top places to visit by National Geographic Traveller. You’ll sleep in a cosy mountain lodge nestled in beautiful Glenfeshie.

It’s a weekend designed to support, nourish and empower women who are trying to navigate their way through the Perimenopause/Menopause, who are curious and want to know more and know they will benefit from being around other like-minded people.
Bring a friend, family member or come solo…. pause – breathe – REBALANCE.
For more details go to my website yogacairngorms. com or my Instagram bio or email lindaolds86@gmail.com

From the foothills of the Cairngorms to Moray’s award-winning coastline you can enjoy long summer days discovering Moray’s natural, historical and cultural landscape.

Join us this Midsummer and explore the foothills of the Cairngorms and Moray!

There is lots more information on our website – go take a look at our awesome walks and events which include.

Credit James Stevens

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

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 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.

Join Cairngorms Astronomy Group and Tomintoul & Glenlivet Development Trust for a night of introductory stargazing and star stories during the new moon at Inveraven Church & Pictish Stones. Where do we get our stories of the night sky? What did the Celts see in the night sky? Come along to find out more and have a go trying out our community telescope.

Access to Inveraven Church is off the A95 about half a mile north of 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. We will be meeting in the foyer inside the church building before walking up to field above to access the telescope.

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

Suggested donation £5 on the night.

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