We selected the Road Scholar trip that brought us to the Aigas Field Centre for a 7 night stay. Each day taught us about and brought us to a varied selection of Highlands' experiences from the Culloden Battlefield to the Cawdor Castle. We took hikes, observed wild life from hides (blinds) and enjoyed the hospitality of Lady Lucy and Sir John. The manor home is amazing and social time and dinners were held there. We each stayed in guest cottages a short walk away. Accommodations were comfortable....it felt a little like staying at a camp for a week but with much better beds and an ensuite bathroom! The field rangers who led our varied experiences are young, enthusiastic and very knowledgeable about the nature, geology and history of the region. They took great care of us on the hikes including helping me down some rather step rock steps on one hike. They also served us tea, coffee, or hot chocolate out of the back of their vehicles for our picnic lunch stops and at tea time if we were not getting back in time for tea at Aigas. The scenery is amazingly varied, rugged and beautiful. Other folks who stayed for a more nature centered week also were enthusiastic about their experiences and the wide variety of bird and plant species seen. Social times were fun too as the Americans in the Road Scholar group met and talked with the local UKers visiting for the wildlife experiences. This was such a great way to experience the Highlands and its amazing environment.

Amazing gardens and a beautiful place to visit. Met gardening team very skilled workmanship

I went to Aigas at the end of June for the Wildlife week, it was brilliant. There were about 20 of us split into two groups and we went out on trips in mini buses every day. The rangers were amazing, knowledgeable not only on their own subjects but local history, geology of the area, stories of the clans and if you had a question they usually knew the answer - if not they found it when we got back to the house either from one of the other staff or the huge range of books in the library. The rangers could spot wildlife that to the rest of us didn't appear to be there, then set up the 'scope so we could see it too. All of us were 'wildlife spotting' out of the buses and alerting the rest with 'eagle at 11 o'clock' that then turned out to be a buzzard! I hadn't been to Scotland but driving around the highlands was amazing. The weather was pretty good and one day was very bright and sunny which made some of the bays with the white sand and turquoise water look like some I have seen in the Med. My log cabin was cosy and comfortable and the bed was the best I have slept in away from home. There were late nights watching badgers and pine martins, early evenings to spot beavers feeding on lilies in the loch and early mornings to watch otters. The food was amazing, all home cooked by the lady of the house, local produce whenever possible. Everyone on the staff were lovely and couldn't do enough for you, it really was like being part of a large family. I went by myself, single lady, not always good in social situations, but there were other single people and it was so friendly and relaxed that it was easy not to feel excluded. It was great to get together in the common room before dinner to exchange details of what creatures had been seen during the day and at breakfast who had been daft enough to stay up until 3am waiting for badgers to arrive. Whatever age you are, if you love wildlife, go to Aigas. You won't be disappointed. I am going back next Sept, hopefully to watch the deer rut. Can't wait.