Posts for May, 2026

The amazingly inspiring and entertaining Kristen Allan is back, this time with an intimate hands-on cheese making class where you will learn how to make milky soft pillows of mozzarella, creamy burrata and stringy stracciatella.
You will also explore creative ways to use the leftover whey, ensuring nothing goes to waste and be shown how to incorporate your freshly made cheese into a shared lunch, celebrating the flavours of the season and the satisfaction of food made by hand.
The day starts with coffee/tea and cake, and a chat about how the day will unfold. Then it’s time to roll up your sleeves and feel your whey through the curds. You work in small groups so there’s usually plenty of banter and laughter and time for one-on-one attention.
For more info or to book, please head to the link

In this hands-on class you’ll learn how to make feta (including marinated Persian feta), halloumi and mascarpone with the incredibly talented and very entertaining Kristen Allan. You’ll take a deep dive into the story of milk, beginning with life in the soil, how different seasons and type of animal influence it’s composition and how to source and select the best quality, local milk for making cheese.
You will receive recipes, notes and take home the cheese made in the class. A delicious lunch will be served and Kristen will share with you a collection of mouth-watering recipes that showcase the cheese we make in the class plus all her marvellous ways to use the leftover whey.
The classes are small and intimate with ample opportunity for questions, one-on-one guidance and all Kristen’s tips and troubleshooting tricks. All this can only, develop and strengthen your understanding and serve you well in your home kitchen.
Head to the link to book

Join nature and travel writer Joe Minihane for a one day writing workshop in and around the Dell’s tipi. This informal, friendly one day nature and memoir writing retreat is for anyone looking to tell their own story, whether you already love to write or are a beginner in search of inspiration.
With time to walk and explore the forest surrounding The Dell, chances for encounters with nature, and prompts designed to get creativity flowing, this will be a relaxed and informal day that will help you on your writing journey.
There will be writing exercises, one to one tutorials and the opportunity to share work with the group at the end of the day if you wish. You’ll leave armed with new ideas and work that you’ve made and can feel proud of.

Joe Minihane is a writer and journalist based in Sheffield. He is the author of Floating (Duckworth 2017), a memoir about wild swimming and mental health, and a recipient of the Society of Authors’ K Blundell Trust award. He has also written a series of guide books for the London-based publisher on Hoxton Mini Press, while his writing on travel and the outdoors has appeared in The Guardian, Sunday Times, Mail on Sunday, Lonely Planet and CNN.

Lunch and refreshments included. For more info or to book head to the ticket link

An hour of theatre and comedy with author and Mountaineer John D. Burns
In a remote Highland bothy, a traveller finds shelter from the storm. In his rucksack he has coal for the fire, candles to ward off the darkness, and a little whisky to bring some cheer. The wanderer invites you into his world.
In a unique piece of theatre, John tells stories of his wild journeys among Scotland’s mountains. There are near death adventures on ice wreathed cliff faces. Tales of dark deeds in distant bothies and even a brush with royalty. Yet in the heart of so much beauty there is conflict. Hear how working-class folk have fought to establish their right to wander the hills.
Come and join John, smell the woodsmoke and be transported to a world where all you have is what is packed on your back and the dreams that you follow.
John D. Burns is an award-winning mountain author and his books, Bothy Tales and The Last Hillwalker, have become acknowledged as classics among those who enjoy the outdoors. You can hear more of John and his wonderful guests on his podcast, Outdoors in Scotland.

Join acclaimed musician and composer Hamish Napier for a series of engaging folk music evening classes, designed for players who want to deepen their skills and explore traditional Scottish tunes in a welcoming group setting.

🎵 Expand your trad tune repertoire
🎻 Explore ornaments and variations to bring melodies to life
🎼 Learn how to arrange music for small folk ensembles

Open to people age 16+ who play a folk instrument at intermediate to advanced level.

Grantown Open Studios is an artist-led initiative rooted in collaboration, skill sharing and place, and returns from 1–4 May 2026, inviting visitors to experience the growing creative energy of Grantown-on-Spey and the surrounding area.

This artist-led event brings together 18 artists and makers, opening studio doors that are rarely accessible to the public and offering a unique opportunity to meet creatives in their working environments. Visitors can plan their journey in advance using the interactive map available at www.grantownopenstudios.com.

The event showcases an inspiring breadth of disciplines, reflecting the remarkable concentration of talent in the area. From contemporary abstract painting, ceramics and design to illustration, photography, wildlife art, leatherwork and paper art, Grantown Open Studios highlights both established and emerging creatives. Alongside studio visits, an expanded programme of partner venues and events will feature exhibitions, workshops, performances and talks, offering a rich and immersive cultural experience.

New for 2026, the Grantown Open Studios express – a free, bookable bus service – will connect venues across the programme, making it easier than ever to explore the full range of studios and events. This initiative enhances accessibility while encouraging visitors to engage more deeply with the creative community.

Grantown Open Studios is supported by the Cairngorms Trust, the Cairngorms National Park Authority, the Berryburn Community Fund and delivered in partnership with Grantown Business Association, whose support has been instrumental in enabling the project to grow.

Join us for a guided night walk in the Cairngorms National Park, led by a qualified Mountain Leader and certified Star Ranger. Begin with an engaging Dark Skies / stargazing presentation before heading out to explore the landscape in darkness. Discover the area’s rich history and nocturnal wildlife as you walk beneath some of the darkest skies in Scotland. When conditions allow, you’ll see constellations, planets, and the Milky Way in breathtaking clarity.

Travel in comfort aboard our private minibus — affectionately known as the Starship — with collection available from the Ballater area. You’ll be whisked away to a tranquil location for an engaging Dark Skies presentation, complete with hot drinks to keep you warm. Location of the event will be in the Ballater / Braemar area depending on winter road conditions and localised weather forecasts. You can choose to travel in your own vehicle if preferred and meet us / follow us to the chosen walk location.

Linda and Ian, armed with a large map of all the trails, take you on a tour of the Anagach Woods in Grantown-on-Spey and give insight to the latest activities and successes of Anagach Woods Trust. Organised by The Grantown Society – all welcome. Drinks may be taken through from the bar.

An evening dedicated to the joys of getting out in the cold.

Grab a seat for a screening of Patagonia’s latest snow films at Cairngorm Community Cinema, Aviemore, with special guests Lesley McKenna and Pete Whitaker.

From the magic of mastering the simple turn, to big walling in Greenland, to the power of passion and community, we’re proud to present short stories dedicated to the joys of snow motion and getting out. Popping up in Aviemore, for a Cairngorm Community Cinema special, Patagonia’s movie night will feature short films, talks and Q&As with special guests, Lesley McKenna, and climber Pete Whitaker.

The Grantown Society presents a talk by Eileen Stewart : The Merchant Adventurers of Strathspey – 18th Century Fortune-hunting Abroad. Eileen Stewart enlightened us last year on the life of Abbe Peter Grant and his assistance in Rome with the purchase of paintings for Castle Grant. This year Eileen will present an account of the research she has been doing into the local merchant adventurers who made it possible for the enterprising young men to travel to make their fortunes – in some cases anyway – in the mid 18th century. It brings together a really interesting and multi-faceted view of our local involvement in Atlantic trading.
Refreshments may be brought through from the bar.