NEW! Highlights of the Highlands - Wildlife and Culture

July is a wonderful month to visit the Highlands and here at Heatherlea we have glorious scenery, fascinating historical sites and exceptional wildlife both on our doorstep and beyond! A unique holiday and the perfect blend all of these aspects past and present, we explore a number of less visited locations and combining to form a wonderful new tour. 

Featuring some of Highland Scotland's most iconic species, we look for Red Squirrel, Crested Tit and crossbills in the forests, Red Grouse, Ptarmigan, Red Deer and Mountain Hare in the hills and Bottlenose Dolphin, waders and seabirds around the coasts. At a good time of the year for raptors, numbers reach their peak and your list should be impressive, with perhaps as many as twelve species! By visiting numerous sites with potential, including the Crown Estates at Glenlivet where Heatherlea has exclusive access, Golden and White-tailed Eagle, Osprey, Red Kite, Hen Harrier, Merlin and others are likely.

A definite highlight of the week will be a boat trip out into the Moray Firth, perhaps giving us views of the semi-resident Bottlenose Dolphin pod and the chance to get closer to seabirds such as Guillemot, Razorbill and Kittiwake. Other popular summer targets include Slavonian Grebe, Black Guillemot, Red-throated and Black-throated Diver, Eurasian Otter, Common and Grey Seal. 

And this Heatherlea tour is special in that we will dedicate time to investigate some of the (many) historical and cultural highlights of the areas we visit. In Strathspey, Castle Roy and the Ruthven Barracks are of local significance, while a secret seminary in Moray has the added bonus of being an excellent raptor watchpoint! We also visit a World War II museum on the west coast and enjoy some of Scotland's most spectacular scenery as the heather moors transform into beautiful purples and pinks!

KEY MOMENTS at our Friday round-up - which will be yours?

• Bottlenose Dolphin and seabirds on a boat trip into the Moray Firth.
• Watching Golden and White-tailed Eagle and stunning divers at the same time on the stunning west coast.
• Exploring some of the historical and cultural highlights of the region, many of which boast their own wildlife  
• Ptarmigan and Red Grouse in the hills -the latter a UK endemic!

Day 1: Saturday
Arrival, welcome, dinner and briefing. Don’t forget our courtesy collection service from Aviemore.

Day 2: Sunday - Local Wildlife
We stay local, spending the morning in the Abernethy Forest with Crested Tit and breeding summer birds our early targets. Crossbills are also found in these pine woods and though separation of the three species (Common, Scottish and Parrot) can pose a real identification challenge, we hope for good views of perched birds in the treetops! Driving out onto local moorland, upland waders and our first raptors are likely, and we make a special effort to look for Red Grouse which has recently been elevated to species status, and an endemic to the UK. Close to water we may see Osprey, Dipper and Goldeneye and we will perhaps visit a site for Slavonian Grebe today - a stunning and very special Highland breeder!

Barely a stone's throw from our Nethy Bridge base is Castle Roy, and we take a look around the 12th-century fortress built on a glacial mound with stunning views across Strathspey. Birds can be found here too and we will also have the friendly (and locally famous!) Highland coo, Murdo, for company. July is also one of the best months in the Highlands for butterflies and dragonflies, and the local meadows and ponds are a good place to look for Northern Brown Argus, Small Pearl-bordered Fritillary and Large Heath Butterflies, and range restricted Northern Damselfly, Northern Emerald and White-faced Darter.

Day 3: Monday – Inner Moray Firth, Black Isle and boat trip
Checking the tide times, we choose from superb birding sites such as Udale Bay, the Beauly Firth, the Cromarty Firth and Munlochy Bay. These sites can be busy with waders, wildfowl and gulls to work through, while the Black Isle has good arable ground for Grey Partridge, Linnet, Yellowhammer and Tree Sparrow. In the afternoon we board a RHIB and head out into the Moray Firth where we hope to encounter the semi-resident pod of Bottlenose Dolphin. We also look out for the shy Harbour Porpoise, Common and Grey Seal and the occasional Minke Whale, while seabirds including Guillemot, Razorbill and Kittiwake should also be found, with the possibility of an Arctic Skua chasing the Common Tern which breed in the area.

Later we enjoy a Highland summer evening with a leisurely drive for crepuscular or nocturnal wildlife. We have a few options, and on the moorland close to our base we may find Short-eared, Long-eared or Barn Owl as well as waders including Woodcock, Snipe and Curlew. A little further afield, we could look for one of the families of European Beaver which have been reintroduced into the Cairngorms in the last couple of years. Daubenton's Bat may also be seen close to water - a lovely evening!

Day 4: Tuesday – Badenoch and Spey Dam
We follow the River Spey upstream through Laggan Village and along to Spey Dam, following old military roads into the heart of Badenoch – a region seldom visited on Heatherlea tours. Both eagle species can be seen here, Peregrine and Merlin also breed and herds of Red Deer will be loafing around the hillsides. Dipper and Grey Wagtail frequent the river and we may also see Spotted Flycatcher, Tree Pipit, Redstart and Whinchat. Returning downriver, we visit Ruthven Barracks, built by George II's government after the failed Jacobite uprising in 1715. The ruins sit on an old castle mound overlooking Insh Marshes and the River Spey - a perfect viewpoint for this RSPB reserve! Here we have a chance of Marsh and Hen Harrier, White-tailed Eagle and Merlin and a little further up on Loch Insh itself, breeding Goldeneye, Red-throated Diver and Osprey.

Day 5: Wednesday – The Wonderful West Coast!
We head west, leaving Strathspey to explore more of Britain’s 7000 miles of varied and beautiful coastline. We visit beautiful seaside places and villages including Gruinard Bay, Dundonnell, Little Loch Broom, Aultbea and Gairloch. Golden Plover and Greenshank both breed locally, and we have good chances of both Black-throated and Red-throated Diver, Golden and White-tailed Eagle, plus Hen Harrier, Wheatear, Rock Pipit and Twite. From coastal viewpoints we look out for Otter, Common and Grey Seal, and this area is as steeped in as much World War II history as it is with enthralling wildlife. The natural topography of the land, strategic position and coastal defences all provided safe harbour when the area became the assembly point for Atlantic and Arctic Convoys in 1941. To appreciate this further, we visit the Convoy Museum to find out how the area was key in the battle against Nazi Germany.

Day 6: Thursday - The Crown Estates and Royal Deeside
We travel eastwards to Royal Deeside to uncover some real delights. In the mountains we have a chance of Ptarmigan, Red Grouse and Mountain Hare perhaps without any, or very little walking. If we have no luck scanning from the car park level we take the chairlift up to 3,000 feet before walking for a further elevation gain of 330 feet. Ring Ouzel also breed nearby, and later we scan from viewpoints for Golden and White-tailed Eagle, Hen Harrier, Peregrine, Red Kite and other raptors.

On the Crown Estates at Glenlivet, we have exclusive access to secluded places where you won’t see many other birders. The stunning surrounding scenery also holds Raven, Ring Ouzel and other moorland species. Brown Hare may be found in the fields and Red Squirrel in the forests, and we walk the short distance to the secret seminary at Scalan located in the only circular glen in Scotland. At a time when being a Catholic in Scotland could get you executed, the remote farm buildings offered safe haven for priests to train. In more modern times, its position at the heart of the Ladder Hills is a great place to scan for raptors with Golden Eagle, Goshawk and Merlin among the possibilities. 

Day 7: Friday - Coastal Birding
Often a round-up day, and we take a flexible approach perhaps visiting another coastal location with great birding. We may drive east to Troup Head, a gem of an RSPB reserve where the only breeding Gannets in mainland Scotland make their home. Enjoying clifftop views of the birds, we will also encounter other seabirds including Guillemot, Razorbill, Puffin, Shag, Fulmar, Kittiwake and perhaps Great Skua. At lowland coastal sites, the first returning summer waders might including Turnstone, Knot and Bar-tailed Godwit in brilliant colours.

Day 8: Saturday
Breakfast and departure. Don’t forget our courtesy return service to Aviemore.

This holiday may be combined with:

MAINLAND SCOTLAND
Butterflies, Dragons and Birds, Highland Mammals and More, Highland Wildlife in High Summer

SCOTTISH ISLAND ADVENTURES
Orkney in High Summer

What's included in your holiday price

• Seven nights’ comfortable accommodation at The Mountview Hotel, VisitScotland rated 3 Star. All rooms are ensuite, with TV and hospitality tray. There is no single supplement, and guests are never expected to share. Single guests may be upgraded to double room accommodation at no extra charge.
• Full Scottish breakfast, a substantial packed lunch, and a delicious dinner.
• Six full days of birdwatching.
• Guidance from a professional group leader.
• All transport by comfortable minibus.
• Mountain chairlift fees (if taken).
• A checklist specifically prepared for your holiday to record your sightings and notes.
• Courtesy bus service to and from public transport in Aviemore.

What's not included in your holiday price

•  Insurance, drinks and other items of a personal nature.

More holiday information

Accommodation: at Mountview Hotel can be seen here. All accommodation is ensuite unless otherwise advised before your booking is confirmed.
Food: There is a choice of evening meal, and vegetarian, vegan and other diets are welcome. Breakfast may be chosen from a full Scottish menu. You don't need flasks for hot drinks.
Walking: will mostly be light. Our walk for Ptarmigan is uphill but only an elevation change of 330 feet from the chairlift top station. Guests can opt out of this excursion.
Weather: Expect a wide variation in weather conditions. Blazing sunshine and rain are equally likely, and you will probably experience a bit of everything. Bring waterproofs, walking boots or shoes and warm clothing, especially hat and gloves for the mountain excursion and boat trip.
Biting insects: may be encountered in the evenings or around standing water, though it is rarely a problem. Please bring a good general repellent just in case.
Group size: maximum 7 clients per guide.
Optics: Telescopes will be useful, and you should bring binoculars. We have a limited number of top-quality Swarovski binoculars, which you may borrow at no charge (subject to availability). A camera would be useful too!