Posts for February, 2023

Join us on this half-day workshop to explore Caledonian Pine forest to learn more about Scottish woodland bird specialities and their songs.
This is a not-for-profit workshop based in Upper Deeside.

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.

Join Glenlivet & Inveravon Heritage Ranger Lydia on a guided tour of the site and the mill buildings. In addition to being of historical interest, this beautiful corner of Glenlivet Estate abounds with oystercatchers, curlews, and lapwings in the spring and summer months – be sure to bring your binoculars if you have them.

This event is free but donations are appreciated and go towards the upkeep of the site.

Join us for a walk around Moray’s earliest surviving tower house 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.

“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.

Come along and celebrate our Dark Sky Park with a telescope session focused on galaxies.

Hopefully we’ll see our nearest neighbouring galaxy Andromeda, which is the furthest object we can see with the naked eye at 2.5 million light-years away!

Join us for tea, telescopes and brain tingling space facts…

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

Join us for an introduction to Pictish art and symbol stones.

As the clocks change and the evenings begin to lengthen again, join us for a special evening of yoga and nature connection at the gorgeous Kinrara House and reset for the coming Spring.

We will begin our evening in the beautiful grounds of Kinrara estate, walking through woodland looking over the Cairngorm mountains. Led by a local wildlife guide, we will learn more about the land we are walking through and looking at, and what Cairngorms Connect is doing to protect and restore it.

As darkness begins to fall, we will return to cosy Kinrara House for a candle-lit yoga session, led by local yoga instructor Jo of Wilderness Flow Yoga, who will guide us through a dynamic yoga flow, suitable for beginners.

To round off the evening we will share a delicious meal of Cairngorms Connect venison, prepared by The Pagoda. This local, sustainable source of meat is an important part of the habitat restoration story, and gives us another way to connect with the land we are in. (A vegetarian/vegan option will also be available.)

Booking is essential.

This year, the Cairngorms Nature BIG Weekend has evolved into a whole ten days of events, challenges, activities and fun across the National Park.

Running from the 12th-21st May, there will be family events, guided nature walks, adventure activities, Estate tours, conservation highlights and more!

Check out our new website for everything that is going on – ‘Cairngorms Nature’ on Facebook and Twitter are also great for updates!

Image credits Rachel Keenan/CNPA

Come and say goodbye to winter time and hello to Daylight Saving Hours in the magical landscape of the Northern Cairngorms. In collaboration with Alison from Adventures for the Soul, we’re marking the change of time with a trip back in time to walk around the Northern Cairngorms at twilight into night. We’ll be exploring our senses using some mindfulness techniques to give us the wow factor, and if we get clear skies, we’ll look at the universe and our place in it.

Winter is never far off in the Cairngorms. It is Britain’s highest, coldest and windiest plateau, retaining relics from the ice age. This time of year it could still be full winter up on the plateau. However, unless we get a calm night and some snow-free lower hills, we’ll be lower down in the forests among the pine.

During these evenings, we explore deep time geology, deep history, the stars and planets as well as our own senses walking at night.

Late winter, early spring in the Cairngorms is absolutely incredible. The winter snow often still glitters in the setting sun whereas it can get warm in the glens lower down during the day.

Join Cairngorms Astronomy Club and TGDT in The Square, Tomintoul for a moon viewing session.

We’ll have the Celestron telescope and a smartphone bracket that will allow you to take the moon home in your pocket!