Posts for June, 2023

Discover the stories of the hidden 18th Century seminary of Scalan and the lives of those who lived and worked there when it was farmed during the 19th and 20th Centuries.

Soak up the atmospheric character of the landscape. Wander around the seminary building which provides information on how the Catholic faith was kept alive in this small glen as well as peeling wallpaper fragments from when it later became a home for those working the site as a farm.

See inside the two mill buildings, including areas that are usually locked, and get a glimpse of what everyday life was like for those who lived and worked here during the 19th and 20th Centuries from their own hands. The wooden walls are daubed with handwritten, dated snippets of everyday life.

The left behind objects tell their own tale of those who lived and worked here. The restored waterwheel will also be turning bringing back the sounds of the past. Videos will be playing which provide information on the whole history of the site and the surrounding Braes of Glenlivet.

There will be volunteers onsite to answer questions and bring the history of the site alive with their own stories, memories and knowledge. Drop in anytime between 1 and 4 pm.

Parking is at the Carrachs Car Park with a 0.5mile (approx) walk along a farm track to the site. There is one parking space for restricted mobility only onsite, but please note this is accessed via a rough farm track and the site is not fully wheelchair accessible.

Donations to the Scalan Association on the day are most appreciated and help them to care for this special place.

Children are very welcome to attend.
Toilets are available on site. There is also a picnic area and benches.
For further information please contact scalanseminaryandmills@gmail.com and look out on Facebook.

Scalan was originally the site of a secret Roman Catholic seminary where priests, known as ‘heather priests’ were trained in 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 members of the Scalan Association and Glenlivet & Inveravon Heritage Ranger Lydia on a guided tour of the site and the mill buildings. In addition to being a special area of historical interest, this area of the Glenlivet Estate 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 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.

Donations to the Scalan Association on the day are most appreciated and help them to care for this special place.

Children are very welcome to attend.
Toilets are available on site in 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. Please be aware that there may be cattle present on the walk in.

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

Whether you live nearby or are visiting from further afield, our aim is to inspire and help everybody to connect with nature.

This season, we’re piloting a limited series of immersive forest walks (also known as forest bathing) that have been specifically designed to provide a rich experience of Abernethy Forest. Even for those who already love the outdoors, many say that forest bathing differs dramatically from their usual experience of being in nature.

Our guided forest bathing walks are specifically designed to provide opportunities to quietly connect with the details of nature, and relax, restore, and recalibrate.

Join Glenlivet & Inveravon Heritage Ranger Lydia for an introduction to 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 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.

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

Children are very welcome to attend. Please note that toilet facilities are not available on site.

Well behaved dogs may attend but must be leashed.

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

Looking to reconnect with nature and embrace your creative side?

To celebrate our summer exhibition, The Forest, we’re holding a special one-off workshop, combining the ancient Japanese practice of shinrin yoku (AKA forest bathing) and ceramics.

Running on Friday July 7, 10am-2.30pm, you’ll start the day with a session led by Highland Quietlife in beautiful Anagach Woods in Grantown-on-Spey. Cath will lead you through ways to find a connection with the forest and trees around you.

Then at the Spey Bank Studio, our lead tutor Angus Grant will show you how to make a pinch pot, using natural objects to add texture to your clay.

And best of all – Angus will glaze and fire your ceramics and you’ll get them to keep as a memento of the day.

Setting off at around 7pm on the Saturday night from the Cairngorm Ski Centre Carpark, we will head onto the Cairngorm Plateau. As we do so we will witness the last light of the day and the sun setting at approximately 9pm. As we ascend into darkness, we will use torches and night navigation skills to summit the highest mountain in the Cairngorms, Ben Macdui.

At this time of year in the Cairngorms, the nights are short so it won’t be long until we are able to witness the sun rising again. Before this happens we will make time to appreciate the night skies with opportunities for night photography and, if we’re lucky, to witness the natural phenomenon of noctilucent clouds.

Before we head back down to the car park, we take time to enjoy the setting with hot drinks (brewed by your guide) This is a great opportunity to have a wee blether and take in the dawn from an elevated mountain setting.

Come for a Wildlife Wander with someone from our knowledgeable team to see some of the amazing wildlife that Summer brings to Insh Marshes.

The breeding season for birds is coming to an end, however there is still plenty of other life to be seen on the marshes and in the meadow. Colourful wild flowers include sweetly scented orchids, which attract beautiful butterflies and dragonflies. We will lookout for the scarce Scotch Argus butterfly which feeds on flowers like the sunshine-yellow Rock Rose.

Some areas may be rough underfoot. It is unfortunately not suitable for wheelchairs or buggies, and we recommend sturdy footwear.

Come for a Wildlife Wander with someone from our knowledgeable team to see some of the amazing wildlife that Summer brings to Insh Marshes.

The breeding season for birds is coming to an end, however there is still plenty of other life to be seen on the marshes and in the meadow. The heather should be in full flower and field gentian may be coming into bloom. Wild flowers like knapweed and scabious provide nectar for butterflies. We will lookout for the nationally scarce scotch argus butterfly which breeds on the reserve and can be the most common butterfly to be seen in August. Dragonflies like black darter and the impressively large golden ringed may also be seen.

Some areas may be rough underfoot. It is unfortunately not suitable for wheelchairs or buggies, and we recommend sturdy footwear.

Up the riverside and into the forest, looking at the flowers in bloom at the moment

Forest Bathing in Spring brings with it glorious sunrises that slowly unfold across calm lochs and the dawn chorus bursts into life above us. Although we’ll be starting early, awakening our senses as the day breaks will give us the perfect chance to start our day connecting with nature.

Forest Bathing, or Shinrin-yoku is the practice of immersing yourself in nature; ‘bathing’ in the awesome goodness that trees release into the atmosphere; reaping the benefits from magic little things called ‘phytoncides’ and receiving mental calmness from the fractal patterns, vibrant shades of green and calming blues around us – what better place to do this than the Cairngorms National Park.

During a Forest Bathing session you can expect to be out for about 1 ½ hours, walking at a slow pace in nature and I will guide you through a series of ‘invitations’ aimed at opening your senses and reconnecting you with yourself and the environment around you. We spend time sharing what we are noticing to the group and finish with tea and snacks to bring our experience to a close and thank the land we have been supported by during the session.

During a guided forest bathing session, you can expect to walk less than a mile at a slow pace. The small group ensures we can feel supported and take our time as we wake up with the day.

This event is part of the Cairngorms Nature Festival which runs from 12 – 21 May 2023. It’s a ten day festival with over 80 exciting events across the Cairngorms National Park celebrating the incredible landscapes and nature found here.

To see full event details and book events please visit: https://www.cairngormsnaturefestival.co.uk