Ranger Guided Walks and Events Cuairtean is Cùisean am Maoir-dùthcha na Gàidhealtachd agus na Moireibh 2014 108231_Ranger Booklet 2014.indd 1 29/01/2014 15:44 Ranger Map Mapaichean maoir-dùthcha We have divided the Highlands into six main Countryside Ranger zones and have colour-coded them throughout the booklet as follows: • Caithness and Sutherland (blues) • Ross, Cromarty, Skye, Lochalsh and the Great Glen (greens) • Inverness, Nairn, Badenoch and Strathspey (purples) • Lochaber • Great Glen Way • West Highland Way • Speyside Way Events are organised by Countryside Ranger area in the booklet. For more details about events in each Countryside Ranger area, contact the local ranger service. Durness Thurso ● Bettyhill ● ● Kinlochbervie● Caithness ●Wick Assynt Sutherland Lochinver● Helmsdale Lairg ● ● ● Brora Ullapool● ●Dornoch ● Tain Gairloch● Ross & Cromarty Alness●●Invergordon Uig● Achnasheen ● Dingwall● Nairn ● continues ● Portree Inverness to Buckie Dunvegan ● ● Nairn Kyle of Inverness Lochalsh Broadford● Drumnadrochit● Grantown ● ● Skye & Lochalsh Aviemore ● Speyside Way ●Fort Augustus Mallaig Badenoch ● & Strathspey Arisaig● Lochaber Great Glen Ways Fort William●Highland Way West Strontian ● N Ballachulish● Lochaline● continues to Milngavie 2 108231_Ranger Booklet 2014.indd 2 29/01/2014 15:44 Introduction Ro-ràdh Our programme this year has been designed to celebrate Homecoming Year 2014. Our Highland Countryside Rangers offer more events than these advertised, and will do private events by request. If there is something you are really interested in but cannot find, why not get in touch and see what your local Countryside Ranger can do for you? Our rangers have listed 5 special places, as ideas on where to go and what to see in their area – come and try them out, in our Homecoming Year. Together with our partners we are encouraging visitors into Scotland’s natural stunning beauty and biodiversity, promoting ways in which we can all enjoy our beautiful wildlife, landscapes, and heritage. Our programme in 2014 gives you details of hundreds of events such as guided walks, archaeology trails, story-telling, wildlife talks and family events for all interests and levels of fitness. We aim to help raise awareness and encourage appreciation of the scenery, wildlife and particularly the heritage of the Highlands. Be tempted to discover lost family links in the Highlands or visit the village of your ancestors, in 2014. www.outdoorhighlands.co.uk follow us on our Facebook pages Great Glen Ways Skye, Lochalsh and Ross & Cromarty Countryside Rangers Caithness and Sutherland Countryside Rangers Inverness, Nairn, Badenoch and Strathspey Countryside Rangers Lochaber Countryside Rangers Produced by: The Highland Council Planning and Development Service Glenurquhart Road, Inverness IV3 5NX www.highland.gov.uk 3 108231_Ranger Booklet 2014.indd 3 29/01/2014 15:44 Further events and information For all walks and events, it is important to come prepared for the unpredictable Scottish climate. Please pay special attention to the key as this gives good advice on the suitability of all events and walks. If you require further information, please contact the relevant Countryside Ranger organising the event(s) you are interested in. See the event description or our Contacts Page for details. It is advisable to contact the Countryside Rangers PRIOR to attending. Booking is usually required and the programme may change due to poor weather or unforeseen circumstances. Ranger events on your website If you would like to receive either a PDF or MS Word version of Ranger events in your area to upload or post on to your business’s website, then please get in touch with Lynda Dodd, Countryside Rangers and Long Distance Routes Development and Marketing Officer, on 01463 255289 or at [email protected]. Large print version This booklet is also available in large print. Please check out our website www.highland.gov. uk/countrysiderangers to download your free electronic version. Photographs and advertising All photographs, unless otherwise stated, are copyright and the property of The Highland Council. Any income generated from advertising and events goes towards producing this booklet. To advertise in this booklet next year please contact Lynda Dodd, Countryside Rangers and Long Distance Routes Development and Marketing Officer, on 01463 255289 or at [email protected]. On your event with us, photos may be taken by the Ranger and these will be used to promote the work of the Rangers in publications and website throughout the year. If you do not want your photo taken, please let the Ranger who is leading your event know. New Events Calendar An easy to use calendar has been created on www.outdoorhighlands.co.uk/calendar to make events easy to find by date order and is colour-coded for each of the Highland Ranger areas. 4 108231_Ranger Booklet 2014.indd 4 29/01/2014 15:44 Event prices Prìsean Tachartais Participant – single event Event under 3hrs Event over 3hrs Adult £3.00 £5.00 Child (4-16yrs), senior citizens £2.00 £3.00 Childrens’ specific event £2.00 Family Ticket A: 2 adults & up to 3 children £8.00 £12.00 Family Ticket B: 1 adult & up to 3 children £5.00 £9.00 Full day long distance/mountain walks are not included in family tickets Key for walk grading Iuchair A Grade A Walking on established path. B Grade B Walking over paths and rough ground at low level. Reasonable level of fitness required. C Grade C Walking over rough/boggy ground and some hills. Reasonable level of fitness required. D Grade D Walking through and over mountainous terrain. Good level of fitness required. Suitable for Access may be limited in some places. wheelchairs Please check when booking. Childrens’ All children must be accompanied by an adult. A limit of 3 Event children per adult. All childrens’ events are less than 3 hours. 5 108231_Ranger Booklet 2014.indd 5 29/01/2014 15:44 Northern Highlands Rogie Falls Surprising discoveries! Iongnadh fhein Discover the impressive waterfalls from our suspenion bridge at Rogie Falls - and visit between July and October to see the spectacular salmon leap. Visit Aldie Burn and discover our newly improved all-ability paths or explore longer distance walks such as the Strathrory to Scotsburn Drove Road. There are Visitor Centres, mountain bike trails, archaeology, wildlife, wonderful views and much more to discover... Look out for our Forest of the Far North and Ross & Cromarty leaflets - available from various Tourist Information points throughout the highlands - and start exploring! Call us on 01408 634063 www.forestry.gov.uk/scotland 6 108231_Ranger Booklet 2014.indd 6 29/01/2014 15:44 Contacts Airson fiosrachadh Please feel free to contact your local Countryside Ranger for more information on events in this guide, loyalty cards, extra events, wildlife/environmental advice, private walks and much more. Lochaber on.fb.me/LochaberRangers Eilidh-Ann Phillips Michelle Melville Lochaber Glen Nevis 01967 402232 01397 705922 [email protected] [email protected] Forestry Office Glen Nevis Visitor Centre Strontian, Acharacle Glen Nevis, Fort William, PH33 6PF Argyll, PH36 4HZ Angus MacIntyre Jennie Abell Sound of Arisaig Glen Nevis 01687 462983 01397 705922 [email protected] [email protected] 3 Marine Place Glen Nevis Visitor Centre Mallaig, PH41 4RD Glen Nevis, Fort William, PH33 6PF Skye, Lochalsh, Ross and Cromarty on.fb.me/SLRCrangers John Phillips Skye & Lochalsh Ranger Skye & Lochalsh 01471 820526 01471 820527 [email protected] Office C Office C Old Corry Industrial Estate Old Corry Industrial Estate Broadford, Isle of Skye, IV49 9AB Broadford, Isle of Skye, IV49 9AB Wester Ross Ranger Martin Hind Easter Ross 01854 613904 01349 868563 [email protected] [email protected] Service Point Council Buildings North Road Strathpeffer Road Ullapool, IV26 2XL Dingwall, IV15 9QN Long Distance Routes on.fb.me/GGWrangers Jock MacGillivray Angus MacLean WHW & GGW West Highland Way 01397 705922 01397 705922 [email protected] [email protected] Glen Nevis Visitor Centre Glen Nevis Visitor Centre Glen Nevis, Fort William, PH33 6PF Glen Nevis, Fort William, PH33 6PF Clelland McCallum Great Glen Way 01320 366633 [email protected] Great Glen Way Office Auchterawe, Fort Augustus, PH32 4BT 7 108231_Ranger Booklet 2014.indd 7 29/01/2014 15:44 Inverness, Nairn, Badenoch and Strathspey on.fb.me/INBSrangers Katy Martin Jenny Grant Inverness, Nairn, Badenoch & Strathspey Inverness West 01463 255284 01463 255286 [email protected] [email protected] Round Tower Round Tower Inverness Castle Inverness Castle Inverness, IV2 3EG Inverness, IV2 3EG John Orr General Contact Inverness East and Nairn Inverness and Nairn Team 01463 255285 01463 255291 [email protected] [email protected] Round Tower Round Tower Inverness Castle Inverness Castle Inverness, IV2 3EG Inverness, IV2 3EG Duncan MacDonald Saranne Bish Badenoch & Strathspey South Badenoch & Strathspey North 01479 873706 01479 873914 [email protected] [email protected] The Courthouse The Courthouse The Square The Square Grantown-On-Spey, PH26 3HG Grantown-On-Spey, PH26 3HG Caithness & Sutherland on.fb.me/CSrangers Andy Summers Marina Swanson Caithness & Sutherland Caithness East 01571 844654 01955 607758 [email protected] [email protected] Assynt Visitor Centre Bruce Buildings Lochinver Sinclair