Four Seasons in One Day
There’s a saying in Scotland that goes something like this: if you don’t like the weather, just wait five minutes. We experienced this first hand on a recent visit to a local strath, where the changing elements made us feel…
'Scotland's Best Nature Based Experience'
Year of Natural Scotland Thistle Awards
Tag wildlife hides
An eventful morning at Aigas
The morning was expected to be like any other – I had all of my normal jobs to do (with the addition of sorting through a moth trap that I had set the night before), however, it was to turn…
Whisky and Wildlife – My Aigas Week
Saturday evening, our first evening and all the course participants are gathered in the common room, already making friendships and eagerly awaiting our introduction. I have been to Aigas before but it is still a special feeling, the warmth and…
Red Squirrel Sightings at Aigas
Here at Aigas, we’re having great luck with our new red squirrel hide. The hide is very cosy with a turf roof. It has been up for a month now and since then we’ve been topping it up with peanuts…
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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.read moreread lessKevinA488×KevinA488Stayed 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. -
The Aigas staff and rangers were welcoming, enthusiastic, extremely well informed, accommodating. I learned an incredible amount about the history, culture, people, and antiquities of the area. Everyday had a talk at Magnus House or a field trip in the local area or even to Orkney and Isle of Skye. I had traveled from the US to experience what the Aigas experience had to offer, and I believe that my stay there and adventures in northern Scotland were well worth the price.read moreread lessLane C×Lane CThe Aigas staff and rangers were welcoming, enthusiastic, extremely well informed, accommodating. I learned an incredible amount about the history, culture, people, and antiquities of the area. Everyday had a talk at Magnus House or a field trip in the local area or even to Orkney and Isle of Skye. I had traveled from the US to experience what the Aigas experience had to offer, and I believe that my stay there and adventures in northern Scotland were well worth the price.
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This was my second visit and I certainly hope to come again. Accommodation and catering are excellent and the centre is in a splendid setting within its own grounds, which encompass woodland, moorland and a small loch, the home of beavers. The daily field trips were well planned to cover a variety of Highland habitats and to encounter many species - golden eagles, red deer, otters, dolphins and pine martens perhaps the most memorable among the great many seen. The rangers who lead the trips are first-rate in their knowledge and enthusiasm and their consideration for the groups in their care. Both my stays were for one week: the first (in 2010), "Walking and Wildlife", requiring more physical stamina than the second, "Aigas Wildlife", whicxh involved walking but of a gentler nature. For both, good waterproofs and footwear were essential, binoculars too, although these can be hired. Apart from wildlife weeks, there are others focussed on different topics. For example, there was a "Creative writing" group during my second visit, and the interaction between the groups over meals is stimulating.read moreread lessJohnPPhilpott×JohnPPhilpottThis was my second visit and I certainly hope to come again. Accommodation and catering are excellent and the centre is in a splendid setting within its own grounds, which encompass woodland, moorland and a small loch, the home of beavers. The daily field trips were well planned to cover a variety of Highland habitats and to encounter many species - golden eagles, red deer, otters, dolphins and pine martens perhaps the most memorable among the great many seen. The rangers who lead the trips are first-rate in their knowledge and enthusiasm and their consideration for the groups in their care. Both my stays were for one week: the first (in 2010), "Walking and Wildlife", requiring more physical stamina than the second, "Aigas Wildlife", whicxh involved walking but of a gentler nature. For both, good waterproofs and footwear were essential, binoculars too, although these can be hired. Apart from wildlife weeks, there are others focussed on different topics. For example, there was a "Creative writing" group during my second visit, and the interaction between the groups over meals is stimulating.