FAQ
1. Why choose Highland Nature?
A. With full week-long "all in" wildlife tours becoming very expensive Highland Nature offers an alternative for visitors to pick and choose a day's guiding to suit as well as offering lower priced Short Breaks. Accommodation for these is provided by the superb Grant Arms Hotel in Grantown on Spey, home of the Birdwatching & Wildlife Club (BWWC). Meet up with other birdwatchers staying there to share sightings and have full use of the hotel's Bird Club Room and extensive library as well as a nightly wildlife films and weekly talks...what better place to stay!
John Poyner has been working in the Scottish Wildlife Tour business for 15 years, living and working as a full time tour guide in Nethybridge for several of the major wildlife tour companies. John has guided on hundreds of Wildlife Holidays in the Scottish Highlands & Islands as well as abroad over that period and in 2013 decided to develop Highland Nature as a new business offering Wildlife Tours and guiding in the Highlands.
2. What transport do you provide?
A. Transport is usually by comfortable Ford Galaxy MPV for up to six passengers. The vehicle is fitted with extensive glass skylight roofing for back and front passengers, as well as climate control for extra comfort. We believe this to offer far better comfort than the standard minibuses used by other tour companies and you won't miss that bird that flies over!
The vehicle is fully insured for "Hire & Reward " business use and public liability for all fee paying passengers. John Poyner also holds a full PSV driving licence.
3. Can I just hire a guide only?
A. Yes, this option may suit you if you have your own transport and is charged at a flat fee rather than per person on a tour with transport.
4. Is it just birds?
A. No. Excursions are available looking for many of the other special wildlife of the area, butterflies, dragonflies, plants and mammals, especially in summer months. If there is something you are particularly interested in just ask. We are not obsessed with checklists and number of species seen, we want to ensure you see what you've come for and have time to enjoy it.
5. Can you arrange a tour for us over several days?
A. Yes, I can offer all inclusive bespoke tours with accommodation and transport locally and to many destinations. I have guided extensively throughout the Hebrides, Shetland, Orkney Islands and Scottish West Coast.
6. Are you insured?
A. Yes, Highland Nature has full standard public liability insurance for up to £2,000,000 as well as "Private Hire" insurance for carrying up to 6 vehicle passengers.
7. How well do you know the area and it's Wildlife?
A. Very well. I live locally and have led tours full time for two of Scotland's leading wildlife tour companies based in Strathspey for over a decade before setting up Highland Nature, as well as working for RSPB Scotland on local reserves and as a Countryside Ranger in Aberdeenshire. I have been leading guided walks in the Cairngorms for many years also as well as working as a bird surveyor in winter upland habitats, so am very experienced in local mountain safety and conditions.
8. Do you run wildlife holidays?
A. Yes, Highland Nature runs a regular programme of Short Breaks staying at the superb Grant Arms Hotel in Grantown on Spey, home of the BWWC (Birdwatching & Wildlife Club).
10. Do you cater for Photographers?
A. We don't offer photography "workshops" as such, however we can guide you to the wildlife and places to pursue your aims. We have a strict policy on zero tolerance to disturbance and have expert knowledge in avoiding this. If you have concerns about which sites to visit and ensuring wildlife is not disturbed then hiring a local guide to assist with this is an advantage and can avoid any accidental disturbance or risk of prosecution even when at sensitive breeding sites.
11. Do we get free flapjack, shortbread and bad jokes?
A. Hot drinks are provided and I'm sure a few nice biscuits too !!
Testimonials
"We were under the calm and patient tutelage of John Poyner, owner and operator of Highland Nature. John, originally an Englishman, is a born again Scot and his love for Scotland and its wildlife and wild places is obvious. His reserved character and confidence, based on an excellent knowledge of the birds and wildlife, made him an excellent choice for guide. His driving skills and navigation, particularly on the maze of roads in the Hebrides, were also admired. John's choice of hotels, and the wonderful food therein, were greatly appreciated. Thanks too, to the staff and management of the Grant Arms Hotel and, in particular, the Bird and Wildlife club based there."
Ken Cross, Australian Tour Leader. June 2015
"Anne and I would just like to thank you for all your good work, you really couldn’t have done
more to both make us feel at home and to show us as much as possible. We
really appreciated your detailed knowledge of the area – without guidance
we would have wasted a lot of time and seen a lot less of both the birds
and the landscape. Your knowledge of the local tide times, something we
seem to get wrong too often, meant that when we were on the coast we were
always at the best place at the right time and when the weather was not all
it might have been you still came up with good locations that afforded some
protection from the weather and good opportunities for seeing birds.
We have been busy recommending you and the Grant Arms to all our birding
friends at home and we are looking forward to returning next year."
Bill & Anne Neil, Oct. 2013
A. With full week-long "all in" wildlife tours becoming very expensive Highland Nature offers an alternative for visitors to pick and choose a day's guiding to suit as well as offering lower priced Short Breaks. Accommodation for these is provided by the superb Grant Arms Hotel in Grantown on Spey, home of the Birdwatching & Wildlife Club (BWWC). Meet up with other birdwatchers staying there to share sightings and have full use of the hotel's Bird Club Room and extensive library as well as a nightly wildlife films and weekly talks...what better place to stay!
John Poyner has been working in the Scottish Wildlife Tour business for 15 years, living and working as a full time tour guide in Nethybridge for several of the major wildlife tour companies. John has guided on hundreds of Wildlife Holidays in the Scottish Highlands & Islands as well as abroad over that period and in 2013 decided to develop Highland Nature as a new business offering Wildlife Tours and guiding in the Highlands.
2. What transport do you provide?
A. Transport is usually by comfortable Ford Galaxy MPV for up to six passengers. The vehicle is fitted with extensive glass skylight roofing for back and front passengers, as well as climate control for extra comfort. We believe this to offer far better comfort than the standard minibuses used by other tour companies and you won't miss that bird that flies over!
The vehicle is fully insured for "Hire & Reward " business use and public liability for all fee paying passengers. John Poyner also holds a full PSV driving licence.
3. Can I just hire a guide only?
A. Yes, this option may suit you if you have your own transport and is charged at a flat fee rather than per person on a tour with transport.
4. Is it just birds?
A. No. Excursions are available looking for many of the other special wildlife of the area, butterflies, dragonflies, plants and mammals, especially in summer months. If there is something you are particularly interested in just ask. We are not obsessed with checklists and number of species seen, we want to ensure you see what you've come for and have time to enjoy it.
5. Can you arrange a tour for us over several days?
A. Yes, I can offer all inclusive bespoke tours with accommodation and transport locally and to many destinations. I have guided extensively throughout the Hebrides, Shetland, Orkney Islands and Scottish West Coast.
6. Are you insured?
A. Yes, Highland Nature has full standard public liability insurance for up to £2,000,000 as well as "Private Hire" insurance for carrying up to 6 vehicle passengers.
7. How well do you know the area and it's Wildlife?
A. Very well. I live locally and have led tours full time for two of Scotland's leading wildlife tour companies based in Strathspey for over a decade before setting up Highland Nature, as well as working for RSPB Scotland on local reserves and as a Countryside Ranger in Aberdeenshire. I have been leading guided walks in the Cairngorms for many years also as well as working as a bird surveyor in winter upland habitats, so am very experienced in local mountain safety and conditions.
8. Do you run wildlife holidays?
A. Yes, Highland Nature runs a regular programme of Short Breaks staying at the superb Grant Arms Hotel in Grantown on Spey, home of the BWWC (Birdwatching & Wildlife Club).
10. Do you cater for Photographers?
A. We don't offer photography "workshops" as such, however we can guide you to the wildlife and places to pursue your aims. We have a strict policy on zero tolerance to disturbance and have expert knowledge in avoiding this. If you have concerns about which sites to visit and ensuring wildlife is not disturbed then hiring a local guide to assist with this is an advantage and can avoid any accidental disturbance or risk of prosecution even when at sensitive breeding sites.
11. Do we get free flapjack, shortbread and bad jokes?
A. Hot drinks are provided and I'm sure a few nice biscuits too !!
Testimonials
"We were under the calm and patient tutelage of John Poyner, owner and operator of Highland Nature. John, originally an Englishman, is a born again Scot and his love for Scotland and its wildlife and wild places is obvious. His reserved character and confidence, based on an excellent knowledge of the birds and wildlife, made him an excellent choice for guide. His driving skills and navigation, particularly on the maze of roads in the Hebrides, were also admired. John's choice of hotels, and the wonderful food therein, were greatly appreciated. Thanks too, to the staff and management of the Grant Arms Hotel and, in particular, the Bird and Wildlife club based there."
Ken Cross, Australian Tour Leader. June 2015
"Anne and I would just like to thank you for all your good work, you really couldn’t have done
more to both make us feel at home and to show us as much as possible. We
really appreciated your detailed knowledge of the area – without guidance
we would have wasted a lot of time and seen a lot less of both the birds
and the landscape. Your knowledge of the local tide times, something we
seem to get wrong too often, meant that when we were on the coast we were
always at the best place at the right time and when the weather was not all
it might have been you still came up with good locations that afforded some
protection from the weather and good opportunities for seeing birds.
We have been busy recommending you and the Grant Arms to all our birding
friends at home and we are looking forward to returning next year."
Bill & Anne Neil, Oct. 2013
