Programmes By Date - Aigas Field Centre

Aigas Field Centre is located near Inverness and offers everything you can wish for. The estate has a beautiful garden with a pond, woodland walk, cottage garden, loch with beavers and otters and offers you plenty of possibilities to explore the grounds. They have very friendly and knowledgable staff, excellent food, cosy lodges and really stunning wildlife. it feels like a home from home and Lady Lucy and her family are very welcoming. The estate has three hides, a tree top one which offers stunning scenery, a beaver hide at the loch and a hide in the forest where I was lucky enough to spot a pine marten 4 out of 7 nights. For me the best way to start the day was sitting in the hide at 5 in the morning and enjoy the birds. This was my 3rd visit, did the Summer birds week this time. Really enjoyed the days out, the scenery, the animals and the enthousiasm of Scott, our ranger. One of the highlights of the week was the reading Sir John did, it really allowed us to experience his sense of humour. The other thing I really enjoyed was being able to meet people from all over the world. Unfortunately I had to go home after a week but have already booked my next trip. This time a Wildlife week with Nick Baker. So, if you decide to book you will have the time of your life.
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Cora B

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Cora B

Aigas Field Centre is located near Inverness and offers everything you can wish for. The estate has a beautiful garden with a pond, woodland walk, cottage garden, loch with beavers and otters and offers you plenty of possibilities to explore the grounds. They have very friendly and knowledgable staff, excellent food, cosy lodges and really stunning wildlife. it feels like a home from home and Lady Lucy and her family are very welcoming. The estate has three hides, a tree top one which offers stunning scenery, a beaver hide at the loch and a hide in the forest where I was lucky enough to spot a pine marten 4 out of 7 nights. For me the best way to start the day was sitting in the hide at 5 in the morning and enjoy the birds. This was my 3rd visit, did the Summer birds week this time. Really enjoyed the days out, the scenery, the animals and the enthousiasm of Scott, our ranger. One of the highlights of the week was the reading Sir John did, it really allowed us to experience his sense of humour. The other thing I really enjoyed was being able to meet people from all over the world. Unfortunately I had to go home after a week but have already booked my next trip. This time a Wildlife week with Nick Baker. So, if you decide to book you will have the time of your life.
I just spent a week at Aigas as part of a Road Scholar program. The Highlands are spectacular--and what you learn about them at Aigas will surprise you and give you pause to reflect on your interaction with the natural world. Sir John and Lady Lucy will make you feel like an honored guest at their beautiful country home, surrounded by exceptional gardens and comfortable guest cabins. The ranger guides are personable, enthusiastic, and highly-knowledgeable young people. During our group's trip, any differences in hiking abilities between the guests were quickly and graciously accommodated, as were special food requests. And speaking of food, one of the (unexpected!) highlights of this trip: fabulous, gourmet-quality Highland meals served under the watchful eye of the ever-gracious Lady Lucy and her efficient staff. These incredible meals enjoyed in the Great Hall of the manor will be among your fondest memories.
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Cathy F

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Cathy F

I just spent a week at Aigas as part of a Road Scholar program. The Highlands are spectacular--and what you learn about them at Aigas will surprise you and give you pause to reflect on your interaction with the natural world. Sir John and Lady Lucy will make you feel like an honored guest at their beautiful country home, surrounded by exceptional gardens and comfortable guest cabins. The ranger guides are personable, enthusiastic, and highly-knowledgeable young people. During our group's trip, any differences in hiking abilities between the guests were quickly and graciously accommodated, as were special food requests. And speaking of food, one of the (unexpected!) highlights of this trip: fabulous, gourmet-quality Highland meals served under the watchful eye of the ever-gracious Lady Lucy and her efficient staff. These incredible meals enjoyed in the Great Hall of the manor will be among your fondest memories.
Stayed for a week on the wildlife week - and practically everything met or exceeded expectations - great experience. The area is rich in wildlife and had some great sightings, red squirrels are abundant and the photography hides for them ensure great views - the beavers were on show and with some persistence morning and evening showed including 2 kits - badger showed on 3 nights and pine martin on 2. A young tawny owl posed for a picture briefly too. The days out were good too - leisurely in pace, sight seeing including to the amazing dolphins on the coast. Recommend bringing own telescope if possible as whilst the rangers carry one, it saves sharing and some sightings are distant such as golden eagle and otter - the house does hire out binoculars though for a reasonable price. Slavonian grebes great to see on a loch not far away too. On this trip, no walking really far from vehicles but that suits of course those a little less mobile. . The rangers / guides are great, full of enthusiasm and do everything to make everyone's day as good as it can be - and some sharp naturalists there too including with the placement students. The rangers/guides are well connected and knew of a local eagle nest and other wildlife in the area. The garden's are lovely to walk round too for when one wants to relax on site. The directors gave tours of both the garden and the house. Suggest really talk to the centre pre your stay to ensure you get what you need - they have dogs around the house and common room but immediately offered to put them elsewhere if anyone allergic etc. The accommodation lodges was pleasant, a little tired in places but the site is coping with the covid pandemic and with staff recruitment challenges - but doing a great job. Just ask if anything you need and they really try to make a stay perfect. We asked for an extra night in the Campbell hide and we got 3 in total which was great. All in all a great week and great people, particularly the rangers/guides. Recommended to wildlife fans and of course if Scottish highlands combined with another interest such as whisky, walking, trees etc as per the itinerary is your interest.
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KevinA488

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KevinA488

Stayed for a week on the wildlife week - and practically everything met or exceeded expectations - great experience. The area is rich in wildlife and had some great sightings, red squirrels are abundant and the photography hides for them ensure great views - the beavers were on show and with some persistence morning and evening showed including 2 kits - badger showed on 3 nights and pine martin on 2. A young tawny owl posed for a picture briefly too. The days out were good too - leisurely in pace, sight seeing including to the amazing dolphins on the coast. Recommend bringing own telescope if possible as whilst the rangers carry one, it saves sharing and some sightings are distant such as golden eagle and otter - the house does hire out binoculars though for a reasonable price. Slavonian grebes great to see on a loch not far away too. On this trip, no walking really far from vehicles but that suits of course those a little less mobile. . The rangers / guides are great, full of enthusiasm and do everything to make everyone's day as good as it can be - and some sharp naturalists there too including with the placement students. The rangers/guides are well connected and knew of a local eagle nest and other wildlife in the area. The garden's are lovely to walk round too for when one wants to relax on site. The directors gave tours of both the garden and the house. Suggest really talk to the centre pre your stay to ensure you get what you need - they have dogs around the house and common room but immediately offered to put them elsewhere if anyone allergic etc. The accommodation lodges was pleasant, a little tired in places but the site is coping with the covid pandemic and with staff recruitment challenges - but doing a great job. Just ask if anything you need and they really try to make a stay perfect. We asked for an extra night in the Campbell hide and we got 3 in total which was great. All in all a great week and great people, particularly the rangers/guides. Recommended to wildlife fans and of course if Scottish highlands combined with another interest such as whisky, walking, trees etc as per the itinerary is your interest.