Wild Weeks - Nature Activity Holidays

 
     

Come and join us for a memorable and inspiring holiday in the beautiful north of Scotland. Based in Moray, near the Highland city of Inverness, we have unparalleled access to the best that this area has to offer. Explore unspoilt coasts, tumbling rivers, mysterious lochs and dramatic glens. View fascinating and diverse wildlife roaming free in their ocean and forest homes; forage for wild foods and learn the mysteries of plant and herb lore; get creative with traditional craft and nature-based art activities and celebrate the long evenings or clear starry nights with storytelling and songs round the fire. These holidays offer you fun, relaxation and inspiration, whilst developing a deeper connection to nature.

Holiday Itinerary

Day 1 : Afternoon collections from Inverness train or bus station, or Inverness airport. Transfer in our minibus to your accommodation. If driving your own car, meet us at your accommodation. Settle into your rooms/lodges then come together for a communal welcome dinner. 

Days 2-6 : Due to the nature of our holidays and activities our itineraries have quite a bit of flexibility built in. This allows us to ensure you have the best possible experience, making the best of the weather conditions, wildlife sightings and other opportunities. For this reason we do not give you a day to day breakdown of activities. However, during your holiday its likely that you will enjoy the following excursions and activities. You can see that there will be lots happening but the pace is always relaxed and you can choose to 'opt out and chill out' at any time.    

Findhorn Bay Explore the lovely village and bay of Findhorn. Take a water taxi across Findhorn Bay to Culbin Sands and Culbin Forest. Walk along the beach &/or through the woods at Culbin and visit the local seal population. Visit the internationally famous ‘Findhorn Foundation’ spiritual and environmental community.

Spey Bay : Visit the Whale and Dolphin Conservation Society Wildlife Centre at Spey Bay. Learn about North East Scotland’s resident bottlenose dolphin population and other local wildlife. Explore the beach and the beautiful Spey River with local ranger. Indulge in some homemade cake at Café Wild.

Coast & Sea : Discover the beautiful coastline and fascinating wildlife of the Moray Firth from land and sea. Visit some of the best land based spots for wildlife watching and enjoy a different view on a two hour wildlife watching boat trip. Look for and learn about our local dolphins, plus seals, minke whales and seabirds.
 

Arts, Crafts & Other Activities : Take part in nature based art and craft projects, for example, design and decorate your own personalised nature journals with a local artist, take part in a nature photography workshop, or learn how to recycle your old clothes into beautiful bags, rugs and cushion covers.

Loch Ness & Glen Affric : Visit mysterious Loch Ness and the stunning ancient forests of Glen Affric. Take a walk at these lovely beauty spots and look out for local wildlife (and perhaps Nessie herself!). Learn about the work of Trees for Life in restoring the Caledonian pine forest.

River Findhorn : Get to know the fascinating River Findhorn. Learn its history, stories and folklore. Forage for wild foods and medicinal plants alongside its tumbling waters. Spend some time in quiet reflection, maybe doing some creative activities such as writing or drawing.

Cairngorm Mountains : Venture into the majestic Cairngorm Mountains and explore this newest and largest of the UK’s National Parks. Walk around lovely Loch Garten, looking for osprey, crested tits and crossbills. Ride up to the summit of Cairngorm mountain on the funicular railway or visit the only wild ranging reindeer herd in Britain. Go badger watching with a local expert at the Strathspey badger hide.

Foodie Activities : Visit local food and drink producers. Pick your own fruit and vegetables and buy tasty gifts or souvenirs to take back home. Sample Scotland’s famous single malt whiskies or maybe some of our locally brewed micro-beers.

Celebrate the Seasons : Celebrate the different seasons with traditional festivals, activities, food and drink. Make the most of the long evenings, or the clear starry nights (depending on the season!) with songs and stories around the campfire.


 

Day 7 : Breakfast at 8.30-9.30. Then pack up and leave lodges in time for mid/late-morning drop off at departure points (train/bus station or airport). 

Short Break Itinerary:
A selection of the activities outlined above. These will be decided based on the best experiences in each season and depending on the interests and abilities of the group.   

Additional Information

These holidays are fully inclusive of all accommodation, food and activities. You will stay in comfortable, cosy wooden lodges set around a small lake in pretty woodland. We use responsible, experienced and friendly guides to lead all activities. For those that want some extra relaxation, we can arrange for you to have a massage, yoga lesson or other therapy or treatment, right in the comfort of your lodge. This part of north east Scotland has an unusually mild and dry climate with some of the lowest rainfall and highest sunshine hours of anywhere in the UK. Luckily for us, this dryer climate also means that biting midges are rare. Getting here is easy with good rail, bus, road and air links from all over the UK. We are happy to collect you from Inverness bus or train station, or the airport. Alternatively you can bring your own vehicle, parking is available at your accommodation.  

Dates :  

Dates for 2010 are flexible. We are offering some scheduled small group holidays (see 2010 Programme), but we can also run these holidays for your own group on any dates to suit you. Please call us to discuss your requirements.

Prices:  

Weeks : £550-£750 per/person (children under 14yrs, £350 - 500). Price depends on number of activities, type of accommodation and catering arrangements. We can tailor this to suit you interests and needs. These holidays are not suitable for children under 10 whereas our Family Nature Activity Holidays are suitable for all ages.

Short Breaks : £350-400 per/person (children under 14 £250-300)

For more information about any Wild at Heart experience, or to book your place, email us on enquiries@wildatheart-ecoholidays.com, call 01309 674768 or use the Contact Form.