WALKING

Speyside Way (total distance 84 miles), the officially designated Long Distance Route linking Buckie on the Moray Coast with Aviemore in Strathspey, with spurs to Dufftown and Tomintoul. Easy, low ground walking (a mixture of seashore, river valley, old railway and moorland), it is clearly marked throughout with the national LDR Logo - (thistle in a hexagon). Note: the Tomintoul Spur climbs twice to 1800ft and to very exposed locations. Walkers must ensure they carry suitable clothing for all weather conditions. Maureen and Robin can collect walkers from Ballindalloch Station (free) and take them to the local hotel for an evening meal. Those doing the Tomintoul Spur usually stay at Woodville for 2 nights before being taken to Tomintoul after breakfast (£20 per journey).  Maureen and Robin also offer luggage transfer to Grantown or Craigallachie (£15 per journey).

There is a variety of waymarked walking trails for your enjoyment on nearby Glenlivet Estate, from gentle short strolls to longer hill walks plus a number of historic hill tracks and 'whisky roads'. Further afield, there are a number of walking routes in the Moray area and the Highlands of Scotland - for more info read more on the Walkhighlands website.

Ballindalloch Castle Golf Course - open to all, it nestles amidst mature trees on the banks of the River Avon with magnificent views: 9 Championship quality greens; 18 tees; 6417 yards Par 72, so it is challenging for all golfers. Ask Robin about reserving a tee time or 'pitch up' early and use the practice area and driving nets. The Clubhouse has changing facilities, light refreshments, club and trolley hire. Other courses nearby: Dufftown, Grantown on Spey, Boat of Garten.

MOUNTAIN BIKING

Whilst mainly intended for walkers, cyclists are allowed to use the Speyside Way between Fochabers and Ballindalloch, Craigaellachie and Dufftown and Nethy Bridge and Aviemore. For those wishing organised cycle tracks try Wolftrax at Laggan (50 miles away) which offers nearly 18 km of routes through Strathmashie Forest. Car parking and use of the trails is free. Cycles are available for hire in Aberlour.

FISHING

Fishing can be arranged on the River Spey and its tributaries, famous for the best Salmon, Sea Trout and Brown Trout fishing in Scotland, and also on the Avon and the Livet. Day licences for Grantown and Boat of Garten beats are available from Strathspey Estate and licences and tackle hire/sales are available from the fishing shop in Grantown-on-Spey. Loch fishing is available at Loch Belivat at Brodie Estate, at Lochindorb on the Logie Estate and at Rothiemurchus. Fishing for familes is available near Glenliveton on well stocked Rainbow Trout ponds. Ask Robin for more information as many require pre booking.

SHOOTING & CLAY SHOOTING

Game Shooting (during season Oct-Jan) approx £150 per day for walked up shooting; Stalking - approx £100 per day for Roe Deer - both must be prebooked with Robin.
Clay Shooting at the Dell, Glenlivet - approx £10 for 25 clays plus tuition if required or at Rothiemurchus where again full instruction and equipment is available.

QUAD BIKE TREKKING

An exhilerating, fun experience led by a fully experienced guide, your quad bike trek will take you along a stunning network of tracks and trails around Rothiemurchus. You may catch sight of the Estate's herd of long horned Highland cattle or perhaps wild deer and other local wildlife. Each trek lasts around one hour and commences with a full safety briefing and training.

PONY TREKKING

Go horse riding at Tomintoul Riding Centre and enjoy the wide open spaces and spectacular scenery of the Cairngorm Mountains and Glenlivet Estate. Take a 1hr, half-day trek or day-long trail ride along traffic-free forest tracks, hill paths and open moorland. You will be accompanied by an experienced, friendly guide who will ensure your ride is both safe and enjoyable. There are horses to suit everyone, all of which are equally experienced and friendly!

WINTER SPORTS

Downhill and Nordic skiing are available at the Lecht and in the nearby Glenmulliach woodlands, whilst the undulating hills provide challenging cross country skiing. Skiing and snowboarding is also available on the Cairngorms at Aviemore where snowsports can take place any time between December and April depending on weather conditions. It is sometimes possible to ski before December and into May.

WATER SPORTS

Available on two lochs where you can hire equipment and tuition is available - Loch Insh offers a wide range of watersports including sail sports, paddle sports, raft building, fishing, rowing and pedalo’s. Loch Morlich is another beautiful loch located at the foot of the Cairngorms, right at the heart of the National Park and provides not only a wonderful backdrop but an ideal site for you to enjoy a wide range of watersports activities.

SLEDDOG TREKKING

Situated in Aviemore, at the foot of the Cairngorm Mountain Range, the Cairngorm Sleddog Centre offers kennel and museum tours to sleddog trips and safaris. Alan Stewart and his family offer a unique opportunity to experience the awesome thrill and power of a top class sleddog team in training for European events and Mountain expeditions.

DRY SLOPE SKIING

A good taster for the real thing, available at Glenmore and Loch Insh where the 60-metre dry slope is open year round. It has an electric lift and has been designed for beginners with a large run out area.

EXTREME SPORTS

Based in Aviemore, G2 Outdoor are ideally placed to access a wide range of outdoor activities for all the family. Their highly experienced team of outdoor instructors cater for all ages and their activity range includes white water rafting, mini rafting, canoeing, kayaking, hill walking, rock climbing, mountain biking, gorge walking, canyoning, Telemark & alpine skiing.

RSPB LOCH GARTEN OSPREY CENTRE

The Osprey Centre situated at Boat of Garten, near Aviemore will be of interest to those who relish the return of the Osprey to Scotland. It is of interest to adults and children alike. The Ospreys arrive in April and return to West Africa in September,.

WILDLIFE WATCHING

The area is blessed with an abundance of speciality birds including Capercaillie, Golden Eagle, Crested Tit, Scottish Crossbill, Ptarmigan, Slavonian Grebe and many more. You may see Red or Roe Deer as well as those elusive mammals Pine Marten, Red Squirrel and Badger. A ride to the Moray Firth coastline can reveal real stars like Bottlenose Dolphins or visit an exclusive hide near Aviemore in the evening and see Pine Martens and Badgers organised through Speyside Wildlife or go on a Safari by foot or Safari by Land Rover on Rothiemurchus. Glenlivet Estate also offers ....

THE MALT WHISKY TRAIL

Woodville is situated on The Malt Whisky Trail with our local distillery, Cragganmore just 1 mile away. Within a 10-mile radius you will also find Glenfarclas, The GlenLivet, The Macallan and Cardhu to name but a few.

CASTLES

Ballindalloch Castle is first and foremost a much loved family home, and is one of the very few privately owned castles in Scotland to have been lived in continuously by its original family. It is surrounded by beautiful gardens, which are a delight and there is a river walk by the Spey. Please note the Castle and grounds are closed to the public on Saturdays.

Balmoral Castle - set amongst the magnificent scenery of Royal Deeside, in the shadows of Lochnagar is the Balmoral Estate. Purchased by Queen Victoria in 1848, the Estate has been the Scottish Home of the British Royal Family ever since. The Estate extends to just over 50,000 acres of heather clad hills, ancient Caledonian woodland, policies and of course the beautiful River Dee is nearby.

Urquhart Castle is a romantic ruin, whose intriguing shape reflects the irregular outcrop of rock on which it was built on the north shore of Loch Ness. Situated 2 miles from Drumnadrochit, the castle as had a chequered history including being blown up in 1692 to prevent it becoming a Jacobite stronghold. It was purchased by a Mr Chewett in the 1930s and in 2003 was gifted by his widow to The National Trust for Scotland. Visitor access is via an excellent visitor centre which includes an exhibition, film show, shop and restaurant.

Cawdor Castle, located 12 miles east of Inverness, is a splendid house set in wooded grounds and still home to the Cawdor family. Dating from the late 14th century it was built as a private fortress by the Thanes of Cawdor and the ancient medieval tower was built around the legendary holly-tree. There are three gardens to enjoy as well as a restaurant and several shops.

LOCH NESS

Award Winning Loch Ness Exhibition Centre offers 17 Language translations and 11 language narrations. A hi-tech multi-media presentation leads you through 7 themed areas and through 500 million years of history about Scotland's most famous loch.

Delnashaugh Hotel & Restaurant

Offers an extensive menu, catering for almost every taste. The Lounge Bar menu offers traditional home cooked meals with some continental options, whilst the Dining Room menu provides something 'a bit special'.

The Glass House Restaurant

Highly rated, Scottish restaurant, located in Grantown-on-Spey, near Aviemore, providing award winning fine dining using fresh local seasonal ingredients. Owners Steve and Karen Robertson opened this 30- cover restaurant within their home in May 2005.

Mash Tun

The Croft Inn