Posts for February, 2022

Our through hike goes from south to north cutting directly through the heart of Britain’s largest mountain range. The route will take us along the Lairig Ghru which is the best known hill-pass in Scotland. It climbs to an altitude of 835 metres and crosses through the central Cairngorms.

It is essentially a valley hike, so is sheltered from the worst of the elements and (if needed) bothies can provide extra protection. We will hike, wild-camp and cook as a team. Unpredictable weather will add to the test as we get these hard 30kms under our belt.

This trip will require a basic level of fitness and some experience with hiking in windy or rainy conditions. Our trips are not feats of endurance or about rushing up mountain peaks, they are immersive outdoors experiences, so there are always opportunities to rest and take in the views.

Our guides James and Scoob walk with you offering help and advice or sarcasm and negativity depending on the situation! We’ll laugh, we’ll swear, we’ll breathe the cleanest air, we’ll see hidden mountains and drink from clear mountain streams, we’ll have fun, we’ll learn and when we get to Aviemore we’ll drink the most well-earned beer of our lives. And we’ll leave with a story to tell and, after the blisters heal, a newfound spring in our steps…..

Our feral Konik ponies make light work of grazing the Marshes, keeping the habitat in tip-top condition for the special birds that live there.

Join us to learn all about them, before going on a short walk to find out about how they fit in with our wider work managing the reserve and our plans for the future.

Wednesday 2nd February
10am-12noon

This event is free, but booking is essential as places are limited by parking capacity – please email: insh@rspb.org.uk

(Our walk will be about 1 mile over uneven pathless terrain with one small, but fairly steep slope. Unfortunately this route is not suitable for wheelchairs or buggies. Wellies are essential as the entrance to the field regularly floods in winter – we do have a small number of pairs available to borrow, please let us know and we’ll see if we have your size!)

Join us for an epic spider hunt around Grantown Library and Storytime with some of your favourite 8-legged themed tales

Ages 3 -7
Please note – Children must be accompanied by an adult
BOOKING ESSENTIAL

For more details contact us:
grantown.library@highlifehighland.com
01349781630

saranne.bish@highlifehighland.com
07818 588 222

Join us at Grantown Library for an outdoor themed Storytime around the fire with your favourite Stick Man book

Ages 3 -7
Please note – Children must be accompanied by an adult
BOOKING ESSENTIAL

For more details contact us:
Grantown.library@highlifehighland.com
01349781630

saranne.bish@highlifehighland.com
07818 588 222

Join us at Grantown Library for a Storytime ‘out of this world’ with stars & the moon themed tales

Ages 3 -7
Please note – Children must be accompanied by an adult
BOOKING ESSENTIAL

For more details contact us:
Grantown.library@highlifehighland.com
01349781630

saranne.bish@highlifehighland.com
07818 588 222

Looking to make the move from summer to winter hiking? Our guided Cairngorm winter walking weekends are all about having amazing experiences in spectacular places. Join us and a bunch of other enthusiastic walkers for a memorable weekend in the mountains.

This two day guided experience will take place in the Cairngorms National Park. On the first day we will look at planning a day out (weather and avalanche forecasts, route choices, equipment selection), before heading out on the hills for a refresher on the skills required to travel in the mountains in winter. On our second day we will aim to tackle one of the larger peaks in the park, such as Ben Macdui, the second highest mountain in the UK.

Looking to make the move from summer to winter hiking? Our guided Cairngorm winter walking weekends are all about having amazing experiences in spectacular places. Join us and a bunch of other enthusiastic walkers for a memorable weekend in the mountains.

This two day guided experience will take place in the Cairngorms National Park. On the first day we will look at planning a day out (weather and avalanche forecasts, route choices, equipment selection), before heading out on the hills for a refresher on the skills required to travel in the mountains in winter. On our second day we will aim to tackle one of the larger peaks in the park, such as Ben Macdui, the second highest mountain in the UK.

Our guided Highland winter walking week is a great way of experiencing some of the best Scottish Munros.

The week starts in the Cairngorms with a day of winter skills training, looking at winter planning, equipment and practical skills such as crampon and ice axe use and ice axe arresting. On the second and third day we will attempt to tackle some of the highest mountains in the UK, such as Ben Macdui and Cairngorm itself.

On the fourth day we have a scheduled rest day on which people can spend time traveling from the Cairngorms to Lochaber/Fort William. Along the way there are various tourist attractions and tours which can be used to rest and relax, such as a distillery tour.

The final part of the week starts with an attempt to climb Ben Nevis, at 1345m the highest mountain in the UK, then on the last day a shorter mountain walk to round off the week before everyone travels home.

Day 1 Cairngorms Skills

Day 2 Cairngorm Summit

Day 3 Cairngorm Summit

Day 4 Rest/Travel Day

Day 5 West Coast Summit

Day 6 West Coast Summit

A degree of flexibility is important in winter, so this plan is subject to change based on weather and conditions during the week.

Join the Warden for this special tour, where you will get up close and personal with the wonderful waders and wildfowl that spend the winter on Insh Marshes!

– Experience parts of the site not normally open to visitors

– Find out more about our winter residents, including whooper swans, geese and goldeneye, and learn some ID hints and tips

– Learn about the maintenance of our wetland habitat and future plans for the reserve

This will be a walking tour (approximately 3 miles) and will go through rough ground which may be muddy, so sturdy boots or wellies are essential. Please also make sure you have suitable warm, waterproof clothing. We will stop for lunch out on the reserve, so please come prepared with a packed lunch and drinks. All levels of knowledge and experience are welcome.

Numbers are strictly limited and pre-booking is essential. Suitable for age 12+; children must be accompanied by an adult.

Do you have what it takes to be a red squirrel? Drop in, self-led event aimed at family groups. Follow the marked trail and see if you can solve all of the questions and complete the course. Event venue: Ralia Woods, Newtonmore. Park at Ralia café car park. Post code: PH20 1BD. Grid Ref: NN698967. Distance approx. 0.5km or so. Some rough ground and a steep slope. No unaccompanied children please.