CAIRNGORMS The Wildlife of the Cairngorms National Park www.wild-scotland.co.uk
The Wildlife of the Cairngorms National Park
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Golden eaglePine martenOspreyScottish crossbillCrested titBlack grouseRed deerPtarmiganRed squirrelDotterel
WIlDlIfe HIGHlIGHtS JAN feB MAR APR MAy JuN Jul AuG SePt OCt NOv DeC
Day 2
LeavingBallaterontheA939,keepaneyeoutforgoldeneaglehuntingformountainhareandredgrouse.ContinuetoTomintoulanddropintotheGlenlivetEstateInformationCentretofindoutmoreaboutwildlifeontheestate.Arrangementscanbemade(inadvance)with“GlenlivetWildlife”foraguidedearlymorningvisittoablackgrouselekinAprilandearlyMay.FollowsignstoDelnaboandthespectacularAilnackGorge,Scotland’slargestglacialmeltwaterchannel.Theareaaroundthegorgeishometoroedeer,redsquirrel,redgrouseandreddeer.HeadoutofTomintoulontheB9008.About3milesalongthisroadatFeithMusachduringthespringisanexcellentplacetoseebreedinglapwing,curlew,redshank,oystercatcherandsnipe.ContinuepastTomnavoulinandturnrightthroughTombae,whereroedeerandbrownharebrowseamongstthebirches.StopattheendoftheroadbytheRiverLivettospotdipper,greywagtail,commonsandpiperand,duringlateautumn,spawningsalmon.
Day 1JointheA93fromAberdeenasitheadswestalongRoyalDeeside.AtAboyne,followsignstoGlenTanarNationalNatureReserve(NNR),wheretheancientCaledonianpinewoodshouseawidevarietyofplantsandwildlifeincludingScottishcrossbill,abirduniquetoScotland.Afewmilesfurtherwest,ospreysareoftenseenfishingatMuirofDinnetNNR,whereottersarealsoactive.Atripoutwith“WalkDeeside”willallowyoutoexperiencetheuplandhauntsofreddeerandgoldeneagle,or,foralessstrenuousactivity,joina“landroversafari”withaBalmoralRanger.JustbeyondBallater,followthenarrowB-roadtoLochMuickandLochnagarwildlifereserve,hometoreddeerandgoldeneagle.EndyourdaynearBraemaratMarLodgeEstatehometoavarietyofwildlifefromredsquirrelstoreddeerandbreedingwaders.
Day 3
FromGrantownonSpeyheadoutontheB970toAbernethyForestNNR,thelargestnativeScotspinewoodinBritain.ViewospreyontheirtreetopnestatLochGartenbetweenAprilandAugust.Therarecapercailliecanalsobeseenhereatanorganisedviewinghide,justaftersunriseduringAprilandMay.ScottishspecialitiessuchasScottishcrossbillandcrestedtitcanbeseenthroughouttheyearintheforestnearby.Gooutforthedaywithawildlifeguidefrom“SpeysideWildlife”or“HighlandWildlife&BirdwatchSafaris”toseeptarmigan,dotterelandothermountainwildlife,orforestspecialities,suchasScottishcrossbillandcrestedtit.HeadtoRothiemurchuswhereoneoftheirlocalguidescantakeyououttoenjoythespecialwildlifeontheestate,orexperienceospreyscomingintofishattheirfishery.SpendtheeveningatSpeysideWildlife’sforesthidetoseeanimalsthatprefercomingoutafterdark,suchaspinemartenandbadger.
Day 4BeforeleavingAviemoreenjoyanearlymorningstrollthroughCraigellachieNNRtospottheperegrinefalcons,whichregularlynestherefromApriltoJuly.HeaddowntheB9152tothewildlifeparkatKincraigtoseeScottishwildlife,pastandpresent,includingwolves,bison,otters,wildcatsandmore.TakeaboattripoutonLochInshtoviewthewaterbirdsandmammalsthatlivearoundtheloch.NowheadsouthtoInshMarshesNNRnearKingussie.ThisisoneofEurope’smostimportantwetlandswhereyou’relikelytoseelapwings,redshanksandcurlewsaswellasoystercatchers,snipeand,inthewinter,vastflocksofwhooperswansandgreylaggeese.Finally,forsomethingalittledifferent,endyourdayatFallsofTruimjustsouthofNewtonmorewhichisagreatspotforsalmonwatching.
SCOTLAND
CAIRNGORMS
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Courtesy of Northshots
Courtesy of Northshots
RothiemuRchus estate
Highlandestatewithwalks,wildlifetoursandhides.
tel: 01479 812345 www.rothiemurchus.net
Walk DeesiDe
ActivityholidaysandguidedwalksinCairngormsNationalPark.
tel: 01339 880018 www.walkdeeside.com
BiRD Watching anD WilDlife cluB
Accommodationforwildlife-watchers:TheGrantArmsHotel,GrantownonSpey.
tel: 01479 872526 www.bwwc.co.uk
heatheRlea
Wildlifewatchingholidays.
tel: 01479 821248 www.heatherlea.co.uk
BalmoRal luxuRy lanD RoveR safaRis
GuidedwildlifesafarisontheroyalBalmoralEstate.
tel: 013397 42534 www.balmoralcastle.com
glenlivet WilDlife
Off-roadwildlifesafarisandguidedwalks.
tel: 01807 590241 www.glenlivet-wildlife.co.uk
the caiRngoRms ReinDeeR centRe
VisitBritain’sonlyherdoffreerangingreindeerlivingintheCairngormsNationalPark.
tel: 01479 861228 www.cairngormreindeer.co.uk
highlanD WilDlife & BiRDWatch safaRis
GuidedwildlifesafarisintheCairngormsNationalPark.
tel: 01479 811169 www.highlandwildlifesafaris.co.uk
speysiDe WilDlife
Wildlifewatchingholidays,guideddaytoursandduskwildlifewatchesinCairngormsNationalPark.
tel: 01479 812498 www.speysidewildlife.co.uk
noRthshots
Wildlifeandlandscapephotographyholidays.
tel: 01540 651352 www.northshots.com
WilDeRness scotlanD
Groupandbespokewalkingandactivityholidays.
tel: 0131 6256635 www.wildernessscotland.com
CAIRNGORMS The Wildlife of the Cairngorms National Park www.wild-scotland.co.uk
The Wildlife of the Cairngorms National ParkSCOTLAND
ROute StAtIStICS
length 4days/3nightsMode of transport CarStart Aberdeenfinish Newtonmore
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Courtesy of Northshots
Courtesy of Northshots
Organisations not shown on the map are either regional initiatives or run holidays to the area, but are based elsewhere.
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