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Join us at Highland's "Wildlife Hotel", The Grant Arms to discover some of the special Natural History of the Highlands. From Orchids to Dragonflies and Dolphins, we offer a special opportunity to see some of the key species found in the region as well as the birds. Each day we visit a different habitat from Highland glens, ancient Caledonian pine forest, upland moors to the coast, taking in some of special plants, insects, animals and birds particular to the Scottish Highlands. Some of the key species we hope to find include the beautiful Twinflower, One-flowered Wintergreen, Creeping Ladies Tresses, Coralroot Orchid, Lesser Twayblade, White-faced Darter, Northern Damselfly, Northern Brown Argus and Mountain Ringlet amongst many others. The breaks are aimed at beginners and experts alike with a love of natural history, as a chance to explore a wide variety of species and habitats of the Highlands in the time available. They aren't intended to be intensive field studies in one particular specialist area, but an opportunity to sample a selection of the flora and fauna of the Highlands and some of the species special to that region with a local guide.
If you have any further questions please don't hesitate to contact us for further details.
Day 1 : Arrival. We meet up for an evening introduction at the hotel before dinner.
Day 2 : We spend the day around the local forests lochs and moors in search of a wide variety of species special to the Highlands. As well as the various "heath" species we hope to find Twinflower, Creeping Ladies Tresses, Lesser Twayblade, White-faced Darter, Northern Damselfly, Northern Brown Argus areas some of the species we hope to see. We should also catch up with Crested Tit, Red Squirrel, Red and Black Throated Divers as we go.
Day 3 : We head south in to Perthshire in search of the much sought after Mountain Ringlet and then on to one of Scotland's most beautiful wildflower meadows, home to 8 different species of Orchids, the rare Small Cow-wheat as well an numerous species of butterflies. We also visit the famous "Fortingall Yew Tree" believed to be between 2-3000 years old and probably the oldest tree in Britain!
Day 4 : We head to Coastal Habitat today in search of some special species including the extremely rare One-flowered Wintergreen, Coralroot Orchid and Oysterplant. We will also visit Spey Bay to look for Bottle-nosed Dolphin and perhaps the chance of an Otter as well as Terns and a variety of seabirds.
Day 5 : Departure
Please note the exact itinerary is for guidance only and may change order depending on suitability of weather, particularly for looking for Butterflies and Dragonflies where a fine day is key.
What's included in your package?
* 4 nights Dinner bed & Breakfast at the three star Grant Arms Hotel, packed lunch and hot drinks during the day.
* Transport throughout the holiday including ferry and boat crossings.
* The services of local guide John Poyner throughout the break. John lives locally and has been working as a Bird & Wildlife Guide throughout the Highlands and Islands for 20 years, previously working for RSPB Scotland as an assistant warden and two of Scotland's leading wildlife tour companies. He now runs Highland Nature, and is Wildlife Guide for the BWWC at the Grant Arms Hotel. In any spare time, John also works as a freelance environmental consultant surveying upland birds for renewable energy developments.
What's Not Included in your Package?
All alcoholic drinks, tips, any incidental expenses of a personal nature.
For further details contact us on 01479 821357 / (07875) 094666 (mob) Email [email protected] or fill out the form below and we will make a preliminary booking for you.
To secure this we can take a deposit by Cheque or Bank Transfer, details will be sent.
If you wish to pay by card we can do this through PayPal, there is a 3.4% transaction charge for this.
Once we have received your balance we will confirm the booking in writing. Please read our Terms & Conditions prior to booking.
And finally..........HOW DO I GET HERE?
By Car: Main roads are kept well cleared in Scotland in winter, local councils are well equipped and used to snow! Grantown is accessed via the main A9 north from Glasgow, a major trunk road.
By Train: Services daily to Aviemore from Kings Cross. We offer a free pick up and drop of service to the station by arrangement.
By Air: Inverness airport is just over an hours drive away. Full details of flights available here.
If you have any further questions please don't hesitate to contact us for further details.
Day 1 : Arrival. We meet up for an evening introduction at the hotel before dinner.
Day 2 : We spend the day around the local forests lochs and moors in search of a wide variety of species special to the Highlands. As well as the various "heath" species we hope to find Twinflower, Creeping Ladies Tresses, Lesser Twayblade, White-faced Darter, Northern Damselfly, Northern Brown Argus areas some of the species we hope to see. We should also catch up with Crested Tit, Red Squirrel, Red and Black Throated Divers as we go.
Day 3 : We head south in to Perthshire in search of the much sought after Mountain Ringlet and then on to one of Scotland's most beautiful wildflower meadows, home to 8 different species of Orchids, the rare Small Cow-wheat as well an numerous species of butterflies. We also visit the famous "Fortingall Yew Tree" believed to be between 2-3000 years old and probably the oldest tree in Britain!
Day 4 : We head to Coastal Habitat today in search of some special species including the extremely rare One-flowered Wintergreen, Coralroot Orchid and Oysterplant. We will also visit Spey Bay to look for Bottle-nosed Dolphin and perhaps the chance of an Otter as well as Terns and a variety of seabirds.
Day 5 : Departure
Please note the exact itinerary is for guidance only and may change order depending on suitability of weather, particularly for looking for Butterflies and Dragonflies where a fine day is key.
What's included in your package?
* 4 nights Dinner bed & Breakfast at the three star Grant Arms Hotel, packed lunch and hot drinks during the day.
* Transport throughout the holiday including ferry and boat crossings.
* The services of local guide John Poyner throughout the break. John lives locally and has been working as a Bird & Wildlife Guide throughout the Highlands and Islands for 20 years, previously working for RSPB Scotland as an assistant warden and two of Scotland's leading wildlife tour companies. He now runs Highland Nature, and is Wildlife Guide for the BWWC at the Grant Arms Hotel. In any spare time, John also works as a freelance environmental consultant surveying upland birds for renewable energy developments.
What's Not Included in your Package?
All alcoholic drinks, tips, any incidental expenses of a personal nature.
For further details contact us on 01479 821357 / (07875) 094666 (mob) Email [email protected] or fill out the form below and we will make a preliminary booking for you.
To secure this we can take a deposit by Cheque or Bank Transfer, details will be sent.
If you wish to pay by card we can do this through PayPal, there is a 3.4% transaction charge for this.
Once we have received your balance we will confirm the booking in writing. Please read our Terms & Conditions prior to booking.
And finally..........HOW DO I GET HERE?
By Car: Main roads are kept well cleared in Scotland in winter, local councils are well equipped and used to snow! Grantown is accessed via the main A9 north from Glasgow, a major trunk road.
By Train: Services daily to Aviemore from Kings Cross. We offer a free pick up and drop of service to the station by arrangement.
By Air: Inverness airport is just over an hours drive away. Full details of flights available here.
Autumn Short Break, October 2013 :
"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
Complete the form below or Email us for further details.
"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
Complete the form below or Email us for further details.