As we left the warmth of the airport, the wind hit us with a freezing flurry. It desperately attempted to wrench bags and papers from our hands as we walked through the car park. My first impressions of Inverness were slightly biased, given the chill and blustery air, but I’m sure it would have been better if the sun would rear its head for just a few minutes! But I could see snow-topped mountains from where we stood, and this could only be a good omen!
Outside of the city, the countryside stretched before us, in the shadow of the mountains which loomed distantly. Many fields and farmland stretched before us, interspersed with pockets of watchful woodland. The lane had little in the way of hedges and the views this afforded were very much appreciated. The recent heavy rainfall had left the land dotted with azure puddles and ponds, adorned with Common and Herring Gulls.
We soon left the large chunks of farmland behind, but the spruce plantation that replaced them seemed dark and forbidding, tall and vain. As spruce only took around 50 years to grow, it was a favourite of the logging industry and planted across the Highlands. It was as if they had eyes that followed you, invisible yet staring.
And then suddenly we were meandering over the banks of a cerulean river, wider than anything we usually see back home. It gushed over rocks, distinctly looking as if it should be inhabited by salmon-fishing Brown Bears. But this was not America, and the River Spey flowed beneath the ageing stone bridge. It was idyllic, this living water enclosed by the Scots Pine woodlands, which let more light in than their spruce counterparts, as their branches tend to be higher up the trunks. Completely picturesque.
And then came Grantown-on-Spey. Historic buildings, long high street and good-looking cake shops. The Grant Arms hotel itself was tall and photogenic in its age and beauty, with its dark wood rotating door, which you pushed manually by use of golden bars at waist height. Despite us being more than early, reception was an easy affair. The people there were great, and got us checked in after a few minutes. But then out from the office came Marion Muller, hotel manager, smiling and waving at us.
The conversation that ensued was incredible and inviting, with everybody cheerful. There were so many great ideas and facilities implemented here, and when Marion talked of it she seemed so encouraging about it, and proud of what the hotel has become. She does a great job here and it was incredible to be welcomed by the manager as well! But then she asked Reception to ring Sue (head of BWWC) and minutes later she emerged from her office as well! The enthusiastic talk continued with the greetings and it was brilliant to meet both of them, who do amazing work to keep the Grant Arms running. Sue was phenomenal (as she would always be during our stay) and so heartening, immediately making me feel comfortable. All just as we walked in the door as well! Quite the welcome!
So we arranged to meet Sue again at 6PM (in the Capercaillie Bar, best name I’ve heard in a long time) and went off to our room. The staircases were wide and grand, with red carpets and walls adorned with wildlife photography. All the windows seemed to have some view of the mountains, including ours! The lift was a few doors down from us, and it was of an older make, taken from a warship to be introduced here (as Marion had told us). Its amazing how history and birding can just overlap like that.
And so, after a rapid-fire photography session on the streets of Grantown-on-Spey, we made our way through the door with the golden plaque above it. The room was L-shaped, and the bar was just around the corner. We found Sue waiting for us while stroking a dog. Thats another great thing about the hotel; the team really want to engage with the guests and get to know them. But crucially, it welcomes dogs with open arms! She led us out of the bar and around the staircase, and the conversation was light and cheerful.
We found ourselves in a long narrow corridor, red-walled and welcoming. Sue’s ‘domain’, as she called it. The half-hour corridor was named as it was thanks to the many maps, ID guides and information that filled the walls of this place; you could easily spend 30 minutes reading through it all! We (sadly) did not have the time to spend 30 minutes in there, so we walked to the end and down a ramp, bang into a pair of sighting boards. This was the official Club Room of the BWWC, and featured a bookshop, drying room and planned days out positioned on the walls.
But the true jewel of the crown is through the double doors on the back wall. The library. Shelves and shelves of just birding books. Bird atlases, bird photography and bird fantasies. You name it, I bet you can find it in this hallowed chamber.
Sue had arranged for us to meet Nick Baker here, and he was waiting for us as we walked into the library to discuss the next day’s birding day trip. We greeted each other, and set out a relative, flexible plan for tomorrow. Where we’d go, how we’d get there, what kit we would take and all the other essentials such as food stops. We also mentioned some target species that we were likely to see at certain sites, but no spoilers!
I have followed Nick Baker’s adventures and journeys for a long time now, and he is certainly an inspiring example to many young people out there. Nick has vast amounts of natural knowledge, but he’s also somebody who makes you feel comfortable immediately. He really is a phenomenal naturalist, and his knowhow spans most of the natural orders, not just birds. I was fortunate enough to meet him at the Global Birdfair, where he presented the Zeiss Young Birders Award ceremony and we had a quick chat after I received my award. Even that brief five minute chat at Birdfair was tremendous so I was filled with excitement for the following day and I went to bed fizzing with anticipation for what lay ahead!
The Bovey Birder 