Posts for January, 2024

We will be showing the film ‘The Bough Breaks’ which has, at its heart, the work of visionary conservationist and ecologist, Alan Watson Featherstone. His charity, Trees for Life, has been restoring Scotland’s ancient Caledonian forest since the 1980s.

The film also explores the wider ‘Rewilding’ movement and how its model of large-scale forest restoration can mitigate some of the global conservation and climate crises currently threatening life on Earth.

Alan’s personal journey illustrates the urgency for more individual responsibility in the stewardship of our planet and the enormous legacy one man can gift to the future, by staying true to his personal vision.

This award-winning film (75mins) was produced by the small team at Mousehole films and the screening will be followed by a Q & A session with the film makers.

Tea and coffee will be available.

Contributors to the film include those listed below, who each explain how Alan’s approach has inspired them and why it is so important we follow his lead:

– George Monbiot (Orwell prize-winning journalist, activist and author of Feral and Regenesis)
– Roy Dennis MBE (pre-eminent conservationist and author of Restoring the Wild)
– Dr Duncan Halley (Norwegian Institute for Nature Research)
– Shaila Rao (Ecologist, Mar Lodge Estate/BBC Springwatch/Winterwatch)
– Dr David Hetherington (Ecologist and author of the Lynx and Us)
– Dr Louise Ross (University of Aberdeen’s School of Biological Sciences)
– Paul, Sophie and Louise Ramsay (Bamff Wildland)
– Lynn Bowser (Argaty Red Kites)
– Molly Doubleday (RSPB Capercaillie Advisory Officer)

I invite you to join me on a WOMEN’S WELLNESS RETREAT in the wilds of the Cairngorm National Park, voted one of the 20 top places to visit by National Geographic Traveller. You’ll sleep in a cosy mountain lodge nestled in beautiful Glenfeshie.

It’s a weekend designed to support, nourish and empower women who are trying to navigate their way through the Perimenopause/Menopause, who are curious and want to know more and know they will benefit from being around other like-minded people.
Bring a friend, family member or come solo…. pause – breathe – REBALANCE.
For more details go to my website yogacairngorms. com or my Instagram bio or email lindaolds86@gmail.com

Yoga class in our fabulous newly refurbished facility here in Ballater. Suitable for all ages and abilities. Bookings are essential to reserve your space.

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.

The event will only go ahead with a minimum of 4 guests – if the event is cancelled, your fee will be refunded in full.

Would you like to learn more about the night sky? Join us at Glenlivet’s Blairfindy Moor Dark Sky Discovery site in the Tomintoul & Glenlivet Cairngorms Dark Sky Park for a small group (up to 6) stargazing session. We’ll look at stars, planets, and constellations and share resources for improving your celestial knowledge.

The Glenlivet and Tomintoul area is one of the best places in the Cairngorms National Park to discover the wonders of the night sky. It is Scotland’s second International Dark Sky Park and the most northerly in the world. Blairfindy Moor is a great spot for stargazers and aurora hunters and is located just above The Glenlivet Distillery.
Please note that there are no toilets or facilities on site and parking is limited. As we will be outside in February, please dress appropriately for cold and changeable weather. Lots of layers, along with gloves and hat will make your stargazing experience more enjoyable. Please also wear appropriate footwear for wet and wintry conditions.

Suggested donation £10 on the night helps to support the Tomintoul & Glenlivet Cairngorms Dark Sky Park.
Supported by the Dorenell Wind Farm Community Benefit Fund.

Image credit: Sam Robinson

Would you like to learn more about the night sky? Join us at the Discovery Centre in Tomintoul for an all ages stargazing session. We’ll have a briefing in the Discovery Centre and we’ll pass out red head torches before walking down to a nearby stargazing site in a group to admire the visible planets, the stars of the winter hexagon and notable constellations. The Glenlivet and Tomintoul area is one of the best places in the Cairngorms National Park to discover the wonders of the night sky. It is Scotland’s second International Dark Sky Park and the most northerly in the world.

Toilets are available in the Discovery Centre and limited amenities also are available in Tomintoul. As we will be outside in February, please dress appropriately for cold and changeable weather. Lots of layers, along with gloves and hat will make your stargazing experience more enjoyable. Please also wear appropriate footwear for wet and wintry conditions. If conditions are unsuitable on the day of the event the organiser will email attendees.

Suggested donation £5 on the night helps to support the Tomintoul & Glenlivet Cairngorms Dark Sky Park.

Image credit: Sam Robinson

Join us in Blair Castle’s Ballroom for a recital of piano, song and a little pipe music interspersed with excerpts from Kitty’s life story. The concert is to celebrate the centenary of the Duchess of Atholl (Duchess Kitty’s) election to Parliament, she was the first Scottish woman MP and you can read her full story here.

Musicians:

Dida Condria (International prize winner and finalist of Young Musician of the Year (Keyboard) 2022 Colleen Nicoll – soprano Muriel Johnstone and Lavinia Gordon – piano Garry West – bagpipes
When? Friday 8th December, 4pm – 5pm
Entry: £15, and includes tea and mince pies after the concert. Tickets can be purchased in advance here.

Music in Blair Atholl

Music in Blair Atholl was set up some 30 years ago as a small organisation with charitable status to bring classical music of a high standard to the Highlands of Scotland where it had little representation. At that stage Sebastian and Henrietta Thewes were living at Strathgarry where they had converted 18th Century farm buildings to include a small concert hall seating 100.

Since the sale of Strathgarry their concerts moved to Lude House, Blair Atholl, home of Andrew and Lavinia Gordon, and have now moved to the Ballroom of Blair Castle, with occasional concerts at the Village Hall and Kilmaveonaig Church, Blair Atholl.

We’re launching this winter’s snowsport season on Saturday 16th of December with a joint film night in Braemar Village hall.

On offer, 3 new freeride films by Faction Skis just released for the 23/24 season.

The evening kicks off at 7pm, so come along and dream a bit of how good your skiing is and how good the season is going to be.

There will be some prize draws and some new Faction skis to check out.

The event is licensed with a choice of refreshments available from the Braemar Brewery Co.

Aims of the course
Birdsong may be the most difficult thing to grasp and yet is one of the most useful ways to identify birds, so the aim of the course is to help you feel more confident in the identification of a selection of our most commonly heard birds. A small number of species actually make up the vast majority of birdsong you hear and we shall focus on learning these, whilst also giving you a way forward in the ‘how to do it’ of learning songs and calls, with lots of tips and hints. We shall also cover the difference between songs and calls and explain why birds sing and call in the first place. ​

What to Expect
The course is based near Aviemore in the Cairngorms National Park and runs over two days, with a day in the ‘classroom’ and a day in the ‘field’.

The ‘classroom’ day will cover why birds sing and call and give you plenty of hints and tips on how to learn birdsong and how these can help your birdwatching.

The ‘field day’ will be in suitable habitat for a variety of species, to put into practice what was learned the day before.

Prior to the course date you will receive joining instructions detailing the structure of the weekend and what to bring with you. You will need binoculars and if you have a telescope, you may find it useful. We recommend the Collins Bird Guide for identification purposes, but if you have another field guide, please bring it with you.

Aims of the course
Raptors are notoriously difficult to identify as views may be brief or distant and many are similar in shape. The course helps you recognise the various species and compare those that are tricky to tell apart, covering all regular UK species of raptor, with a focus on those found in the Cairngorms National Park including scarcer ones. It will give you a way forward to improve your raptor identification skills, with tips on what to look out for when out in the field.

​What to Expect
The course is based near Aviemore in the Cairngorms National Park and runs over two days, with a day in the ‘classroom’ and a day in the ‘field’.

The ‘classroom’ day will cover all aspects of raptor plumage, structure, flight, habitat and some calls, how to tell the difficult species apart and a host of other useful hints and tips.

The ‘field’ day will be out in suitable habitat for a selection of species, to put into practice what was learned the day before.

Prior to the course date you will receive joining instructions detailing the structure of the weekend and what to bring with you. You will need binoculars and if you have a telescope, you may find it useful. We recommend the Collins Bird Guide for identification purposes, but if you have another field guide, please bring it with you.