Programmes By Date - Aigas Field Centre

I spent two weeks under the aegis of the Aigas Field Centre, the first week at the Centre itself and the second on the tour of the Outer Hebrides. The accomodation in the individual wooden chalets at the Centre is very comfortable and provides tea/coffee making facilities and ample hot water for a shower/bath. The home cooking is a delight; we looked forward in anticipation to the freshly baked cakes provided in the Common Room where we gathered for tea on our return from "the field". The Rangers are relatively young university graduates, very knowledgable, enthusiastic and considerate. At 83, I am not that nimble on my feet, but I need not have worried - the Rangers that accompanied my two weeks (Ed at the Centre and Donald in the Outer Hebrides) took very good care of us all. For the most part, I would guess that the people on my two weeks were of age 50+, but the Centre does run courses for Families and Children, too. As others have written on this page, the wildlife views on the Aigas Weeks are comprehensive and frequently close up and the Outer Hebrides tour is a wonderful mix of local and natural history, with some geomorphology thrown in for good measure. In the glens and hills local to the Centre, one is pretty well assured of excellent sightings of relative rarities that one is unlikely to find by oneself and Donald's extensive local knowledge proved invaluable in the Outer Hebrides. Excellent binoculars are available for hire at the Centre. Highy recommended!
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TonyW20

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TonyW20

I spent two weeks under the aegis of the Aigas Field Centre, the first week at the Centre itself and the second on the tour of the Outer Hebrides. The accomodation in the individual wooden chalets at the Centre is very comfortable and provides tea/coffee making facilities and ample hot water for a shower/bath. The home cooking is a delight; we looked forward in anticipation to the freshly baked cakes provided in the Common Room where we gathered for tea on our return from "the field". The Rangers are relatively young university graduates, very knowledgable, enthusiastic and considerate. At 83, I am not that nimble on my feet, but I need not have worried - the Rangers that accompanied my two weeks (Ed at the Centre and Donald in the Outer Hebrides) took very good care of us all. For the most part, I would guess that the people on my two weeks were of age 50+, but the Centre does run courses for Families and Children, too. As others have written on this page, the wildlife views on the Aigas Weeks are comprehensive and frequently close up and the Outer Hebrides tour is a wonderful mix of local and natural history, with some geomorphology thrown in for good measure. In the glens and hills local to the Centre, one is pretty well assured of excellent sightings of relative rarities that one is unlikely to find by oneself and Donald's extensive local knowledge proved invaluable in the Outer Hebrides. Excellent binoculars are available for hire at the Centre. Highy recommended!
Staying a week at Aigas - with its grounds, rangers, and Sir John and Lady Lucy - is among the most exceptional of my many travel experiences. Think wildlife refuge and rewilding programs rolled into a refurbished Victorian estate led by Sir John Lister-Kaye, well known in the naturalist and conservation circles for his pioneering work.I stayed for a week as part of an educational tour group, and enjoyed each day fully. Through field trips, hikes, and events, I learned a great deal about Scotland's rich history and current efforts to restore biodiversity to the country. The rangers who led our trips were knowledgeable, energetic, and enthusiastic. The modest accommodations adjacent to the estate house were clean and comfortable, with big windows for spotting red squirrels and bird life. The food was creative and fabulous, served in a spectacular dining hall. The garden and grounds were breathtaking. Sir John and Lady Lucy and Hermione were gracious hosts, eager that their guests enjoyed their stay. Make sure to look closely at the center's website, because Aigas is not open to the public. Only to guests who have signed up for its various programs. I'm eyeing the list now for another adventure. Highly recommended.
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GingerBeerBaltimore

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GingerBeerBaltimore

Staying a week at Aigas - with its grounds, rangers, and Sir John and Lady Lucy - is among the most exceptional of my many travel experiences. Think wildlife refuge and rewilding programs rolled into a refurbished Victorian estate led by Sir John Lister-Kaye, well known in the naturalist and conservation circles for his pioneering work.I stayed for a week as part of an educational tour group, and enjoyed each day fully. Through field trips, hikes, and events, I learned a great deal about Scotland's rich history and current efforts to restore biodiversity to the country. The rangers who led our trips were knowledgeable, energetic, and enthusiastic. The modest accommodations adjacent to the estate house were clean and comfortable, with big windows for spotting red squirrels and bird life. The food was creative and fabulous, served in a spectacular dining hall. The garden and grounds were breathtaking. Sir John and Lady Lucy and Hermione were gracious hosts, eager that their guests enjoyed their stay. Make sure to look closely at the center's website, because Aigas is not open to the public. Only to guests who have signed up for its various programs. I'm eyeing the list now for another adventure. Highly recommended.
I returned to Aigas for the fourth time for the Monarchs of the Glen programme and it was a wonderful experience in the true sense of the word. I have previously been on the Wildlife Weeks in three different seasons and thoroughly enjoyed them, so thought a programme with a more specific focus would be interesting. Our tour leader, Dr David Dixon, was a pleasure to be with: full of fascinating information about a huge variety of wildlife, well beyond the deer we had gone to see. We had excellent talks from David, Sir John and Jeff Dymond, an experienced deer stalker, that enhanced the sightings we had of red and roe deer enormously. Supporting this was the brilliant Aigas experience: the welcome, the food and the baronial hall in which it's eaten, the comfortable and warm (even when it dropped to minus 4) lodges, the spectacular highland scenery and wildlife on the estate and, of course, the people. They are what really make Aigas the place I go back to again and again. Guests temporarily become part of an extended family and every effort is made to deal with special requests. The rangers are incredibly knowledgable and a pleasure to spend time with; their enthusiasm for what they are showing you is infectious. Anyone who watched Autumnwatch will be aware of the variety of wildlife on the estate - beavers, pine martens, badgers, red squirrels and probably thousands of birds - and the days out cover a variety of different habitats and their inhabitants. A couple of people I've recommended Aigas too have said it looks expensive. It's not a bargain break but once you've paid there's no need (and few opportunities) to spend any more money: all food and drinks with dinner is included. Add to this the expertise of the rangers all day and on several evenings and I think it's worth every penny. On the long train journey back to London, we were trying to think of one thing that would make an Aigas holiday better. The only idea we came up with was more hours in the day so that you could see more - and find some time to sleep!
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LondonRuby

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LondonRuby

I returned to Aigas for the fourth time for the Monarchs of the Glen programme and it was a wonderful experience in the true sense of the word. I have previously been on the Wildlife Weeks in three different seasons and thoroughly enjoyed them, so thought a programme with a more specific focus would be interesting. Our tour leader, Dr David Dixon, was a pleasure to be with: full of fascinating information about a huge variety of wildlife, well beyond the deer we had gone to see. We had excellent talks from David, Sir John and Jeff Dymond, an experienced deer stalker, that enhanced the sightings we had of red and roe deer enormously. Supporting this was the brilliant Aigas experience: the welcome, the food and the baronial hall in which it's eaten, the comfortable and warm (even when it dropped to minus 4) lodges, the spectacular highland scenery and wildlife on the estate and, of course, the people. They are what really make Aigas the place I go back to again and again. Guests temporarily become part of an extended family and every effort is made to deal with special requests. The rangers are incredibly knowledgable and a pleasure to spend time with; their enthusiasm for what they are showing you is infectious. Anyone who watched Autumnwatch will be aware of the variety of wildlife on the estate - beavers, pine martens, badgers, red squirrels and probably thousands of birds - and the days out cover a variety of different habitats and their inhabitants. A couple of people I've recommended Aigas too have said it looks expensive. It's not a bargain break but once you've paid there's no need (and few opportunities) to spend any more money: all food and drinks with dinner is included. Add to this the expertise of the rangers all day and on several evenings and I think it's worth every penny. On the long train journey back to London, we were trying to think of one thing that would make an Aigas holiday better. The only idea we came up with was more hours in the day so that you could see more - and find some time to sleep!