Posts for August, 2024

Join The SPIN Project to explore ancient woodlands and discover the conservation and restoration work taking place across the Cairngorms Connect partnership area to protect and enhance this landscape.

The route will be roughly 15km with some rough surfaces and is suitable for beginner mountain bikers.

Feel free to bring your own bike if you have one, but don’t worry if not – thanks to funding from the Endangered Landscapes & Seascapes Programme, bike hire from Backcountry Scot is included with your ticket, if needed.

Discover Cairngorms Connect events are designed to give you an introduction to Cairngorms Connect while experiencing the landscape in different ways, in collaboration with local businesses and organisations.

Please note the exact location of the event will be provided upon booking.

It is important that all people have equal access to Cairngorms Connect events.

We don’t want finance to be a barrier to people attending and so have made some tickets available for free or by donation – please take advantage of this if you need to.

Donations go towards our ongoing community engagement work, supporting more people to connect with this landscape. We’re able to offer these ticket options thanks to funding from the Endangered Landscapes and Seascapes Programme.

We are happy to provide for your requirements, wherever possible eg. BSL interpreters, off-road wheelchairs, adapted bikes etc. If have any accessibility requirements, please get in touch.

Join The SPIN Project to explore ancient woodlands and discover the conservation and restoration work taking place across the Cairngorms Connect partnership area to protect and enhance this landscape.

The route will be roughly 15km with some rough surfaces and is suitable for beginner mountain bikers.

Feel free to bring your own bike if you have one, but don’t worry if not – thanks to funding from the Endangered Landscapes & Seascapes Programme, bike hire from Backcountry Scot is included with your ticket, if needed.

Discover Cairngorms Connect events are designed to give you an introduction to Cairngorms Connect while experiencing the landscape in different ways, in collaboration with local businesses and organisations.

Please note the exact location of the event will be provided upon booking.

It is important that all people have equal access to Cairngorms Connect events.

We don’t want finance to be a barrier to people attending and so have made some tickets available for free or by donation – please take advantage of this if you need to.

Donations go towards our ongoing community engagement work, supporting more people to connect with this landscape. We’re able to offer these ticket options thanks to funding from the Endangered Landscapes and Seascapes Programme.

We are happy to provide for your requirements, wherever possible eg. BSL interpreters, off-road wheelchairs, adapted bikes etc. If have any accessibility requirements, please get in touch.

Discover Grantown-on-Spey, Capital of Strathspey and 18th century planned town during Scottish Archaeology Month. Local STGA guide and resident John, will describe the origins of the town, buildings and history. Followed by a route along the old military road through Scots pine woodland to the famous River Spey and Old Spey Bridge. Recounting tales of past events and local characters, the walk will return by a different route to the High St and Square.

Glenbeg or the small glen is located near Grantown-on Spey. A mixture of farmland and grouse moor, the glen has a rich history since the Bronze Age and more recently with clan Grant.
Join John on his guided walk during Scottish Archaeology Month, over a circular route following a tarred road and farm tracks, listening to past events, interpreting the landscape and with great views to the Cromdale Hills and the Cairngorrms.

John Halliday is a local Scottish Tourist Guides Association Green Badge holder for the Northern Highlands. Local to Grantown, his family have lived in the area for centuries. He regularly leads walks in and around Grantown and has written three books on Strathspey placenames, myths and legends.

Join Cairngorms Connect and friends for a day celebrating and exploring local forests and enjoying delicious local food.

We are excited to welcome you to our free outdoor festival celebrating local forests and sustainable local food. We’ve got a whole host of exciting activities planned for people of all ages and abilities, from guided walks to cooking demonstrations.

*Learn about the importance of deer management to restore local forests while enjoying a free BBQ with wild Cairngorms Connect Venison and other local, foraged, and gathered produce.
*Meet a local butcher who will teach us about preparing different cuts of venison and what they are best used for.
*Get hands on and help make Goldeneye Duck nesting boxes.
*Discover new ways to incorporate local food into your everyday meals with simple and inspiring cooking demonstrations from Scottish food expert Catriona Frankitti.
*Explore nearby Dell Woods on a guided walk with woodland and wildlife experts from NatureScot and learn more about how our local forests are managed to provide benefits for people and nature.
*Immerse yourself in the folklore and stories of the forest with Sarah from Strathspey Storywalks.
*Join in the many family-friendly games, crafts and activities throughout the day.
*And more to be announced soon!

Hill to Grill is an outdoor event, taking place in tents and on the Playing Field behind Nethy Community Centre, so please dress appropriately.

The event area is accessible for wheelchair users and buggies, but the grassy ground could be a little rough in places so please take care.

Join our guide Sue Sykes for a guided stroll around Dell Woods at Nethy Bridge, a short 10 – 15 minute drive from the Hotel. Possible sightings include Blue, Coal, Crested, Great and Long Tailed Tits, Greenfinch, Bullfinch, Chaffinch, Crossbill, Goldcrest, Robin, Siskin, Treecreeper, Wren, Great-spotted Woodpecker, Goshawk, Buzzard, Song Thrush, Red Squirrel, Roe Deer.

Meet our wildlife guide Sue Sykes for a guided stroll around Loch Garten and Loch Mallachie looking for some of our local and iconic wildlife. Possible sightings include Blue, Crested, Great and Long Tailed Tits, Greenfinch, Bullfinch, Chaffinch, Crossbill, Goldcrest, Robin, Siskin, Treecreeper, Wren, Blackbird, Great Spotted Woodpecker, Buzzard, Red Squirrel, Roe Deer and Goldeneye.

Join our wildlife guide Richard Thaxton for a guided stroll from the Hotel through Anagach Woods looking for some of our local and iconic wildlife. Possible sightings include Blue, Coal, Crested, Great and Long Tailed Tits, Greenfinch, Bullfinch, Chaffinch, Crossbill, Goldcrest, Robin, Siskin, Treecreeper, Wren, Great-spotted Woodpecker, Song Thrush, Buzzard, Red Squirrel and Roe Deer.

Meet our local wildlife guide Richard Thaxton at Strathdearn (Findhorn Valley) to look for some of the raptors and other wildlife that can be found there. Potential sightings include raptors such as Buzzard, Golden and White-tailed Eagle, Goshawk, Hen Harrier, Kestrel, Merlin, Sparrowhawk, Peregrine Raven and Red Kite but also Crossbills, Dipper, Goosander, Grey Heron, Pied and Grey Wagtail, Meadow Pipit, Mistle and Song Thrush, Red Grouse, Red-legged Partridge, Common Gulls, Redpoll and Oystercatcher, Curlew, Lapwing, Mountain and Brown Hare, Red Deer, Wild Goats, Red Squirrel.

Join our guide Simon Pawsey for a guided stroll around Dell Woods at Nethy Bridge, a short 10 – 15 minute drive from the Hotel. Possible sightings include Blue, Coal, Crested, Great and Long Tailed Tits, Greenfinch, Bullfinch, Chaffinch, Crossbill, Goldcrest, Robin, Siskin, Treecreeper, Wren, Great-spotted Woodpecker, Goshawk, Buzzard, Song Thrush, Red Squirrel, Roe Deer.