Not only have we been celebrating Burns Night here at the Grant Arms Hotel but we have had some fantastic news – we have been voted number 1 Hotel in the Scottish Highlands! That is based on all the great feedback that you have been writing on Trip Advisor, thank you!
We are all very proud to be 1/252 Hotels, and we always enjoy reading your feedback so keep it coming!
The Grant Arms Hotel at the end of a rainbow!
Wishing all of you a very Happy Christmas from the BWWC Team and Grant Arms Hotel! We certainly enjoyed ourselves here. Sadly the snow melted a few days before Christmas, but the warmer weather did mean that Guests could get around and see more of the stunning scenery and wildlife that this area offers. We wish you health and happiness in 2012, and hope to see you then!
Guests feeding the Cairngorm Reindeer on Boxing Day
River Spey ©Deborah Hoskin
We are enjoying some stunning clear, autumnal days here in Grantown. The temperature is slowly dropping and there’s a chill to the air, so perfect weather to be enjoying the winter migrants arriving all along the coast.
The Mountain Hare and Ptarmigan are starting to moult into the winter finery, now they just need some snow to blend into!
To coinside with the Glenlivet and Tomintoul Walking Festival, the BWWC and Grant Arms Hotel have held a Wildlife and Walking break. With talks by the organisers of the festival, early morning walks in search of some of the Speyside Specialities, quizs and even more walks; our guests have had plenty to keep them busy. The annual festival runs to Monday the 12th September, and has a variety of walks for every ability, or you can even improve your orienteering with the professionals in the hills around Tomintoul. There’s been an abundance of wildlife spotted too, including Divers, Dolphins and Dragonflies; Crossbills, Cresties and Capercaillie; Otter, Osprey and Owls (Short earred), plus much much more! All this against the backdrop of the heather in bloom, and the trees changing in to their autumn livery, what a great time of year!
Black Throated Diver ©Laurie Campbell
On Thursday (1st) Peter Cairns from NorthShots is coming to the Grant Arms Hotel to give a talk and book signing for the launch of his new book ‘Caledonia’. I’ve had a brief look through the book and it has some stunning photography from Peter combined with interesting essays by nature writer Niall Benvie. The event starts at 7:30pm in the Osprey Suite and it is free and open to all. Books will be available to buy there, or if you can’t wait until then try Bookmark in Grantown!
Whilst I remain in Grantown and prepare to say farewell to our Ospreys and other summer migrants, Kirsty is down at the British Birdwatching Fair at Rutland. Why not go and visit her? The fair runs from Friday 19th to Sunday 21st August this year and there you will be able to enter the prize draw to win a holiday with us! So if you are planning on going pop by the BWWC stand and say hi to Kirsty and the Team.
The BWWC Stand at Rutland Birdfair
The BWWC Team took the opportunity on Monday to head out to Creag Meagaidh that sits to the west of Dalwhinnie on the A86. This National Nature Reserve has a three different well maintained walks of various lengths, or for the more adventurous there is the option to go on up into the hills. This area will be more familiar to many of you as the setting of ‘Monarch of the Glen’, so you will have an idea of how stunning it is. Not only this but rich in wildlife. We had Buzzards soaring, Tree Pipits and Warblers calling, Common Frogs and Slow Worms sunbathing!
Common Frog
On Friday Kirsty and I decided to get out to some sites that may be getting added to the new BWWC Map and of course enjoy some of the sunshine! We headed down to Newtonmore to do the Wildcat Trail. This can be done in sections, but we decided to do the 10km in one go, looping around Newtonmore and taking in the River Spey, moorland, marsh and grassland, and a beautiful waterfall that I was tempted to jump into (yes it was that warm!). The walk was stunning and we can highly recommend it. We saw a variety of wildlife there including Oystercatchers, Buzzards, Wheatear, Red Deer, Lapwings and Reed Buntings. Another option is to follow the trail and hunt for the 79 painted wildcats, part of the Wildcat Experience. We only found around 7, but this one could hardly be missed!
Surfing Wildcat
Sitting at my desk I have the pleasure of watching a variety of birds coming to the bird feeders in our garden and also a family of Blue Tits who have made their nest in one of the many holes in the wall. They have been a great distraction for me when trying to do paperwork but a real pleasure to watch! Throughout the area the same thing is happening, with youngsters filling the woods with their begging calls and taking their first flight. On the Golf Course here in Grantown we have an Oystercatcher pair with their two wee chicks – managing to survive the constant threat of being hit by golf balls! Down on the River Spey the Dipper and Goldeneye chicks are growing quickly and will soon be diving for their own food. With such long summer days to enjoy all of this what a great time of year June is!
Pair of Dippers ©Lynne Whitehead
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