Spring at Emsworthy Mire was exactly how I remembered it, bringing on a wave of younger nostalgia; crisp wind, stone wall snaked valley and parachuting Meadow Pipits wherever you looked. Following one plunge into the heather, was as exhilarating for me as it must be for him, so small, yet powerfully prepared against the airContinue reading “Cuckoo Cacophony”
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Final Thursday
The final morning dawned bright and early, and the frantic packing governed those last precious few hours we could afford at the Grant Arms Hotel. Breakfast was a frantic affair packed with goodbyes, beginning with Dawn and Pete strolling towards us. It would be the last time we saw them for what would probably beContinue reading “Final Thursday”
The Final Countdown
We awoke early on our final full day, a grey but dry Wednesday morning ready to welcome us. Unlike previous days, breakfast was a bit more of a feature in the day, with a few special encounters coming to call. So as we prepared for the morning’s outing to Spey Bay, we reflected on theContinue reading “The Final Countdown”
A Terrific Tuesday
Here we go again! Another day at the Grant Arms began earlier than even the previous morning, with alarms set with one goal in mind; Black Grouse. And while the building still slept in the dawn air, we set off onto Dava Moor. The moor was huge, with heather and intermittent trees stunted with theContinue reading “A Terrific Tuesday”
A Marvellous Monday
Will Hall might not be a familiar name to you, but he will become one I’m sure. A talented zoologist, photographer, presenter and filmmaker, he has extensive knowledge and skill in the wild from skulls and taxidermy to on-point wildlife ID. Not only this, but he’s spent years getting involved and teaching young people, theContinue reading “A Marvellous Monday”
A Scottish Sunday
Sunday was an early arisal, in order to get to know the breakfast routine for the duration of our stay. As we rapidly got ready for the day ahead, I couldn’t help but remember the amazing events of the previous afternoon. Meeting everybody right off the bat made me feel welcome immediately, and there wereContinue reading “A Scottish Sunday”
A Scottish Saturday
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 beenContinue reading “A Scottish Saturday”
THE GRANT ARMS HOTEL
The Cairngorms National Park is about as picturesque as you can find in the UK, with some of the landscape almost untouched (emphasis on almost) by human hands. Many birds and wildlife that cannot be found anywhere else in the UK is found here, such as Capercaillie and Crested Tit (to name a few). AndContinue reading “THE GRANT ARMS HOTEL”
The Cairngorms: A Preview
Saturday will bring the trip of a lifetime for me, as me and my Dad set out for Scotland, namely Grantown on Spey, deep in the Cairngorms National Park. The Land of Red Squirrels, Capercaillies and huge Scots Pine trees. Four days of absolute brilliant birding and wildlife watching. Last year, having been told thatContinue reading “The Cairngorms: A Preview”
Wild New Forest Camp: Sunday
On our final morning, we were (thankfully) able to sleep for slightly longer, and woke up for breakfast at the Countryside Education Trust for the last time. After preparing lunch, the beds were stripped and the rooms were emptied. As we sat outside waiting for the last person to emerge, the Starlings flew over asContinue reading “Wild New Forest Camp: Sunday”
