Wild Families - Family Nature Activity Holidays     

Magical outdoor holidays for the whole family, based in the beautiful north of Scotland. Spend time together exploring ancient forests, mysterious lochs and miles of unspoilt sandy beaches; encounter fantastic wildlife roaming wild and free in their ocean and woodland homes; discover the myths, legends and dramatic history of the Scottish Highlands; use wild plants to make jewellery, rope and tasty treats; start a cooking fire without matches and bake bread over it;  collect natural materials for art and craft projects; sing songs and tell stories round the campfire and much much more...Perfect for nature lovers and adventurers alike. Come and create family memories to last a lifetime.

Holiday Itinerary

Day 1: Collection (between 3-5pm) from Forres or Inverness train or bus stop/station, or Inverness airport. Transfer in our minibus to your accommodation. If driving your own car, meet us at your accommodation (after 4pm). Settle into your rooms/lodges then come together for an introductory talk and 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 many of the following excursions and activities. There will be lots happening but the pace is always relaxed, with plenty of opportunities for family time and you can also choose to 'opt out and chill out' at any time. On your booking form you can also indicate which activities you are most interested in and we will do our best to tailor the schedule to suit the interests of the whole group.

Day 7: Breakfast and tidy up 8.30-10.00. Then check out and leave the accommodation 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 depending on the interests, ages and abilities of the group on each holiday.

Additional Information

These holidays are fully inclusive of all accommodation and activities. Most holidays are based in comfortable, wooden lodges set around a small lake in pretty woodland. Alternative accommdation may be available on an organic farm or in B&B or caravans at a local ecovillage. Evening meals will be planned and shopped for by your guide and prepared communally using the best quality local and organic produce. As your family’s safety and enjoyment is our top priority, we use responsible, experienced guides to lead all activities. 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 very 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:

Various dates available in 2011, see our Programme page for scheduled group holidays. We can also arrange tailored holidays for your own family on dates to suit you. Please enquire for availability.

Prices:

Weeks (6 nights): Adults £650, Children  £450  (5 to 14, discounts for under 5s)

Short Breaks (4 nights): Adults £400, Children £350  (5 to 14, discounts for under 5s)

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. 

 

Findhorn Bay: Visit the picturesque village and bay at Findhorn. Take a water taxi across the bay to the wide sandy beach at Culbin Sands and explore neighbouring Culbin Forest. Enjoy a spot of beachcombing, followed by some games and activities on the beach and in the woods. A hearty picnic will be provided at lunch time. Weather permitting we may stay here into the evening for a barbecue. On some trips, if the group wants to, we may wild camp overnight on the beach or in the woods.

Spey Bay: Visit the Whale and Dolphin Conservation Society Wildlife Centre at Spey Bay and learn all about our local bottlenose dolphin population and other local wildlife. If we are lucky we may even spot seals or dolphins fishing in the river mouth. We will explore the shingle beach and maybe build some driftwood shelters or do an art project using natural materials. An alternative option is to walk a little way up the beautiful Spey River and see what bird life we can spot. There will also be plenty of time for a picnic and later on to enjoy some drinks and home-bakes at Café Wild.

Coast & Sea: Discover the beautiful coastline and fascinating wildlife of the Moray Firth from land and sea. We will visit some of the best land based spots for wildlife watching and enjoy a different view on a two hour wildlife watching boat trip. We will look for and learn about our local dolphins, plus seals, minke whales and seabirds. There will be lots of fun games and activities along the way, all with a marine theme.

River Findhorn: We will visit this dramatic and beautiful river and learn its stories and folklore. With our expert guide we will look for and learn about wild foods and medicinal plants along its banks. There will be an opportunity to learn some basic bushcraft and outdoor skills or a traditional craft such as making rope from nettles (no stinging, honest) or to try willow weaving. Time and weather permitting we may have a campfire and cook up our own feast.

Cairngorm Mountains: A day to explore this spectacular National Park. We may have a walk, do a bit of bird spotting and/or play some nature-based games around the lovely Loch Garten. Or maybe we’ll take a ride up to the summit of Cairngorm mountain on the funicular railway. Alternatively we could visit the only wild ranging reindeer herd in Britain or go badger watching with a local expert at the Strathspey badger hide. Activities on this day depend on the interests of the group and can be quite flexible. There are also other activities available locally, such as dog sledding and quad bike tours, which we are happy to arrange. However, these activities are not included in the holiday price.

Arts, Crafts & Other Activities: On a number of days we will spend some time in the woodland grounds and outdoor buildings at our accommodation enjoying a variety of nature-based and/or environmentally friendly art and craft projects, games and other activities. For example, we might do a nature trail or treasure hunt, build a tree using nothing but our own bodies, learn about woodland animals and their homes and lots more. Possible art and craft projects include designing and decorating your own personalised family nature journal, making a mobile or mosaic from natural materials, doing some painting, drawing or creative writing, or learning how to use recycled materials from your home to make funky new stuff such as bags, toys, games and much more.

Foodie Activities: During all the family holidays you will have the opportunity to take part in some local food related activities. For example, visiting local organic farms and food producers where you can pick your own fruit and vegetables and buy tasty gifts or souvenirs to take back home. We may also spend some time in our own chemical free veggie garden where the children (and adults if they fancy it) can get their hands dirty picking, planting and helping to look after the vegetables. We love it when the whole family gets involved with picking food for, and helping to prepare, the evening meals. Nothing quite beats the satisfaction of picking something from the garden, cooking it up yourself and seeing it on your dinner plate that very same night.

Songs, Stories & Marshmallow Toasting: On some evenings we will build a campfire and have fun telling stories, singing a few songs and conjuring up some sweet treats cooked over the fire.



 

Family Day : A day to yourselves to relax at the lodges and in the grounds or to independently explore the local area.