Posts for July, 2022

Experience Insh Marshes from a new perspective!

Under the guidance of an instructor from Loch Insh Outdoor Centre, our team member will lead this special guided tour through the reserve, where you can experience the unique habitats and species at Insh Marshes from the water.

Feel free to bring your own paddleboard if you have one, but don’t worry if not – Cairngorms Connect has kindly sponsored this event so equipment hire is included with your ticket, if needed.

Participants will also be welcome to claim 10% off a meal or snacks in the Boathouse Restaurant to refuel after the event.

Children over 12 welcome, under 18s with an accompanying adult. We will meet at the Loch Insh Outdoor Centre car park.

Join us after dark to discover more about the nocturnal species that live in our woodlands!

We will head out for an evening mammal walk in Loch Insh Woods, using night scopes and bat detectors to see who we can spot among the trees and by the loch.

Then we will retreat to the comfort of an apartment at Loch Insh Outdoor Centre with bats roosting in the rafters to watch them up close as they head out to feed.

Light refreshments will be provided by Loch Insh Outdoor Centre. Participants will also be eligible to claim 10% off a meal or snacks in the Boathouse Restaurant before the event.

Unfortunately the woodland paths and the apartment are not accessible for people using wheelchairs. Children over 12 welcome, under 18s with an accompanying adult. We will meet at the Loch Insh Outdoor Centre car park.

Celebrate the wonders of the night sky with a weekend of stargazing activities taking place across Tomintoul & Glenlivet Cairngorms Dark Sky Park in a new and exciting Star Party event. There’s something for everyone from complete novice up!

Our exciting programme includes naked eye stargazing and telescope viewing; talks; walks; mobile planetarium; film and a range of workshops and practical family friendly activities including bottle rockets, sun lab, meteorite handling, spectroscopy, and solar observing.

Activities will take place in a range of locations across Tomintoul and Glenlivet including Tomintoul Field of Hope and The Carrachs Dark Sky Discovery Sites, Tomintoul Lying-in Field, Tomintoul & Glenlivet Discovery Centre, Richmond Memorial Hall, Glenlivet Public Hall, and The Scalan. Full details can be found at our Eventbrite listing.

There is no better way to discover the natural beauty of the Cairngorm Mountains than by embarking on a guided walk. We offer guided experiences here at Cairngorm Mountain which are ideal for first time visitors and experienced hill-walkers alike. Explore the breath-taking Northern Corries on one of our summer/autumn ranger guided walks. This full-day guided experience journeys from the base of the resort across constructed footpaths and rough open ground into the heart of Coire an t-Sneachda.

You will hear stories of how the landscape was formed, learning of its vibrant history, the creatures that inhabit it and the flora and fauna that are an integral part of its eco-system all from our experienced rangers.

Our ‘Exploring the Northern Corries’ walk runs every Thursday until October, weather permitting. This full day experience will take you into Coire an t- Sneachda via constructed footpaths then onto more rugged open ground in search of the wildlife that thrives and survives in the mountain environment, returning to the car park by traversing onto the Fiacaill a’ Choire Chais then descending through the ski area.

Your guide will greet you outside the Day Lodge at approximately 10.15am. Please have your QR code tickets to hand and ready for scanning upon arrival. Your group will set off onto the mountain between 10.30 and 10.45am and return at approximately 3pm.

We can also provide packed lunches with 24 hours notice. Just ask for details on info@cairngormmountain.co.uk

Join us for a guided woodland wander. Our route will take us along the shore of Loch Garten, wind its way beneath towering pine trees and visit tranquil Loch Mallachie. We will listen for the chirps of crossbills and the trills of crested tits, look for tell-tale signs of red squirrels and explore the undergrowth of Caledonian pine forest.

The walk will follow footpaths and last roughly 3 hours, please wear sturdy footwear and dress appropriately for the weather. Covid safety measures will be in place, more details can be found on the website. Toilets will be available at the beginning and end of the walk. Well-behaved dogs, on a lead, are welcome.

Please arrive 15 minutes before the walk begins.

Starting from outside the Day Lodge at the top of the car park our experienced ranger will take you on a short walk from the Mountain Resort along the Northern Corries footpath.

Get out and explore Cairngorm Mountain safely in the hands of our friendly rangers. You will hear stories of how the landscape was formed, learning of its vibrant history and the flora and fauna that are an integral part of its eco-system. The route follows the Northern Corries path out to the Allt Coire an t-Sneachda burn crossing and returns to the car park covering a distance of 2km ( 1.2miles). Unfortunately, the mountain paths are not suitable for buggies or wheelchairs.

You’ll get the chance to stop for some breath-taking photos before reaching the burn crossing. It’s a beautiful spot where you can enjoy the peaceful sounds of nature, running water and the breeze of the wind. With dramatic views looking into the spectacular Northern Corries and down towards Glenmore, Rothiemurchus and Strathspey.

Exploring the history, folklore and uses of the plants, trees and mushrooms found in the Highlands of Scotland on a foraging adventure in Grantown.
Learn how dandelions can be made into honey, how alder was seen as the cursed tree, and why juniper was burnt in illegal whisky stills. We follow the foraging code: “Never munch on a hunch”.

Explore how the village of Nethy Bridge developed in the last hundred years on this guided walk.
Visit the old railway station, the poorhouse and the remains of the WW2 Canadian Timber Camp.
Hear stories of a train explosion, rowdiness at the Hotel and a murder of a policeman that shocked the nation.
Walk Details: 2.5 hours, 4.7km long. Pavement and forest paths.

Explore scenic Carrbridge with its picture-postcard old packhorse bridge and beautiful pine forest.
Hear stories of how Tom nan Ceann (the Hill of Heads) got its name, the Speyside Coach and the 1914 railway disaster.
2.5 hours, accessible to most, 3.6km.

Explore Inverallan and Ballintomb to find out what was here before the town of Grantown was established in 1765.
See the ancient Pictish stone of Inverallan and learn about the mysterious Picts.
Hear stories of the courts of Ballintomb and investigate the Neolithic standing stones.
2.5 hours with rough terrain (fisherman path) Moderate fitness required.