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The Cairngorms National Park

Grade of trip and walks - easy to moderate

The Cairngorms National Park is one of the wildest and highest areas of Britain with a unique wildlife. The high plateaus are located in this vast landscape of rolling mountains and corries, supporting heather moorlands and alpine grasslands. This is where we may find the elusive snow bunting and dotterel.  The mountain tops and plateaus are often covered in snow except for a few months in the summer and this time enables us to explore the more remote areas.  Our trips are very easy going and we cater for all levels of fitness and ability.

This is a place to escape to, tranquillity, nature at first hand and expert guides to show you the highland glens and pinewoods where we may see wildcat and pine marten. The Caledonian Pine woods in Deeside support wildcat, pine marten, red squirrels and red deer. Our venue is in the heart of the park and is a wonderful place to observe wildlife with red deer, wildcat, golden eagle, and Scottish crossbills among the things you may see. The River Dee provides a wonderful breeding ground among the many gravel banks for oystercatcher, golden plover and ringed ouzel.

Our base is Wild Cottage on Balcorrach farm, the home to the Cairngorm reindeer herd with owners, Tilly and Alan Smith.  The farm is part of Glenlivet estate on the eastern side of the Cairngorms and is much quieter than the western A9 Aviemore area.  Therefore teh eastern glens and moors tend to be less disturbed and are home to the Scottish wildcat, a species we have seen on several occasions in the last few years.  We visit a number of possible wildcat haunts and hopefully may get a glimpse of this the most elusive of all the British mammals.

We also visit the Morrone Birkwood NNR a rich birch wood with abundant juniper. This NNR also supports some rare wildflowers such as twinflower and the more common chickweed wintergreen.

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