Posts for February, 2025

You’ll taste four spirits including gin and rum made at Lost Loch Distillery near Aboyne on Royal Deeside, while listening to the story of the Lost Loch, how Haroosh began and why we made Scotland’s first absinthe, Murmichan. THIS EVENT WILL ONLY GO AHEAD IF THERE ARE 4 OR MORE PEOPLE BOOKED (if this event is cancelled, your fee will be refunded in full).

Join us for a monthly Wildlife Wander with our knowledgeable Volunteer Wardens to see some of the amazing wildlife at RSPB Scotland Insh Marshes NNR.

In April and May, we will see the lush green Aspen leaves trembling and hopefully a variety of bird species, including Curlew (which we may hear calling), Lapwing and Snipe (which could be displaying) and song birds singing through the trees. During sunny intervals early butterflies like Orange Tip and Small Tortoiseshell will be flying.

In June, the breeding season is well underway so young birds and other creatures like Roe Deer will be keeping their parents busy. Lapwing chicks will be feeding, running and hiding while relying on their camouflage and their parents to defend them. The marshes and trail are full of life and colourful scented flowers including orchids.

In July, the breeding season for birds is coming to an end, however there is still plenty of other life to be seen on the marshes and in the meadow. Colourful wildflowers include sweetly scented orchids, which attract beautiful butterflies and dragonflies. We will lookout for the scarce Scotch Argus butterfly which feeds on flowers like sunshine-yellow Rock Rose.

In August, the vibrant purple heather should be in full flower and Field Gentian may be coming into bloom. Wildflowers like Knapweed and Devil’s-bit Scabious provide nectar for butterflies. We will lookout for the nationally scarce Scotch Argus butterfly which breeds on the reserve and can be the most common butterfly to be seen this month. Dragonflies like Black Darter and the impressively large Golden Ringed may also be spotted.

September is a good time to look out for raptors like Hen Harriers hunting over the marshes. Buzzards are common and may be seen along the Tromie Trail. Butterflies and dragonflies will continue to fly as long as the weather is warm and sunny – Scotch Argus, Green-veined White, Red Admiral, Peacock and Black Darter are most likely. Many summer flowers have come and gone, but the blues and purples of Harebell, Devil’s-bit Scabious, Common Heather (Ling) and Bell Heather can be seen along the Tromie Trail. Other flowers may include the whites of Yarrow and Eyebright and the yellow of Lady’s Bedstraw.

We will meet in the RSPB Insh Marshes Car Park – what3words: ///epic.youth.venturing and grid ref: NN775998

Some areas may be rough underfoot. It is unfortunately not suitable for wheelchairs or buggies, and we recommend sturdy footwear.

Join Cairngorms Connect to get hands on doing practical habitat restoration work.

Help us to block up old, but still active, ditches on a small area of bog woodland in Glenmore Forest, using hand tools and wood. The aim is to hold more water in the peat, slow the loss of water from the site and to benefit the bog vegetation.

Tools and work gloves will be provided, as will instructions so no experience is necessary.

However, please note this is a physically demanding volunteering session, which includes walking roughly 2km to site and moving around on rough and wet ground with drainage ditches.

It is important that all people have equal access to Cairngorms Connect events. We are happy to provide for your requirements, wherever possible eg. BSL interpreters. If you have any accessibility requirements, please get in touch.

The UK Telecoms Industry has begun the process to migrate landline users to a digital service. BT Group has partnered with AbilityNet and Neighbourhood Watch Scotland to provide people in Scotland with the information they need to prepare for the switch.

To safely migrate all 7 million of its customers to Digital Voice, BT Group has invested significantly in an engagement campaign that aims to raise as much awareness as possible about the digital switchover with its customers across the UK. The BT engagement team are raising awareness regionally with newspaper and radio campaigns and by running a series of events through each region of the UK.

The roadshows are a platform where customers come along to find out more about digital voice and what it means for them and to answer any questions they may have and an opportunity to quash any myths out there.

Join AbilityNet to learn more about Digital Voice, why the change is taking place and what to expect when upgrading to Digital Voice. AbilityNet is a charity that supports older and disabled people. AbilityNet is proud to be a Disability Confident Leader. By supporting AbilityNet, you can help ensure disabled people and older people are not excluded from the digital world.

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Join us to celebrate Robert Burns, with bagpipes & a traditional address to the haggis.

Thursday 23rd January
7pm start
£47.50 per person including a dram.

Get your friends and family together and join us on Tuesdays in the Keiller Lounge for our weekly quiz nights. Our resident quiz master Martin will test your knowledge on a whole range of subjects. All welcome to come along, no booking is required.

Anna Wells was the first female to complete a winter Munro round last year and is also an accomplished climber and Alpinist. Adriana Brownlee is the youngest person to have scaled all fourteen 8000metre Himalayan peaks, summiting the final one last October at the age of 23. This certainly has all the ingredients for a fascinating and enthralling evening with two highly inspirational women. Don’t miss it! Braemar Village Hall. Licenced bar.

Please note there are two events on the same evening.

EARLY SHOWING: 6:00-7:30pm (doors @5:40pm) and LATE SHOWING from 8:00-9:30pm

Join Anna Wells as she shares her journey to become the first woman and fourth person to climb all 282 Munros in a single winter season. On March 13th 2024 , she completed the extraordinary challenge with a week to spare, in just 83 days.

Anna will delve into her climbing background and explore the motivations that drove her to take on the Winer Munro Round. Discover what she learned about resilience, commitment and finding joy in difficult conditions.

Alongside photos and videos, Anna will recount her preparation, strategy and most memorable days of the winter; Soaring highs with breathtaking sunrises to long lonely nights battling through blizzards.

Whether you’re an outdoor enthusiast or simply curious about Scotland’s wild places, join Anna for an evening that celebrates adventure and the power of setting big goals. The night will end with a Q&A, giving you a chance to ask questions about the journey.

Under 18s must be accompanied by an adult

Welcome to the event Cameron McNeish, ‘Home and Away’ happening on Sat Feb 01 2025 at Boat of Garten Community Hall!

Join us for an evening filled with adventure stories and outdoor inspiration from the one and only Cameron McNeish. Get ready to be entertained and motivated as Cameron shares his experiences from both ‘Home’ and ‘Away’.

He will be on hand for book signings, Kinrara Gin will be offering tastings of ‘Whiteout’ in the interval and the raffle has prizes donated by local Outdoor retailers. This is a fundraiser o behalf of Cardiac Risk in the Young (CRY). Don’t miss out on this exciting opportunity to hear from a true outdoor enthusiast. See you there!

The annual F3T Fly Fishing Film Tour is back in the UK and will be on the road from November with a top notch selection of short films that are sure to get you fired up for the season ahead!

This year there will be films that take you into the science of the Costa Marlin Project, to the deep depths of the jungle for massive Peacock Bass and will feature a Steelhead story with characters as rare as the fish itself, plus much more.

F3T is the original and largest fly fishing film event of its kind and is proud to be an annual community event for all anglers.

Doors & Event Bar will open at 5pm, The Fly Fishing Film Tour will get under way at 5.30pm.