LETTING NATURE LEAD
Rewilding Learning Day
Join Peter Cairns at his 120-acre farm holding in the Cairngorms, where a ‘hands-off’ approach to nature recovery, has been shaping the landscape for 30 years.
WHAT TO EXPECT
In 1995, Ballintean in the Cairngorms was a heavily-grazed equestrian centre, with 50-plus horses feeding on the floodplain of the River Feshie. As darkness fell, large herds of red deer would emerge to add further hungry mouths, exerting pressure on what had become a threadbare landscape.
When Peter and his wife Amanda, took on Ballintean, they had little ecological knowledge and were advised by many different conservationists to manage the land in many different ways for many different outcomes. In the end, the couple decided to see what would happen by letting nature lead.
30 years on and Ballintean is a very different place - a mosaic of grassland, woodland, scrub and an increasingly complex riverbed.
As a long-term advocate for natural processes being allowed to shape and govern more of Scotland’s land, during a leisurely amble alongside the river, Peter will describe what has changed at Ballintean and just as importantly, why.
The Learning Day will cover:
- The history and context of rewilding in Scotland.
- The ecological concepts that underpin rewilding.
- Ecological change at Ballintean, mainly through natural processes.
- Other areas where ‘letting nature lead’ can be observed.
- How to get started on your own rewilding journey.
This Learning Day is for you if:
- you’re a student, graduate or interested in pursuing a career within the rewilding/nature restoration sector.
- you’re a land manager interested in seeing rewilding in action.
- you’re a local resident or visitor curious about how rewilding looks and works.
DATES
| DATES | GUIDE | STATUS | |
|---|---|---|---|
| DATES: 23 May 2025 | GUIDES: Peter Cairns | STATUS: Open | BOOK NOW |
| DATES: 20 Jun 2025 | GUIDES: Peter Cairns | STATUS: Open | BOOK NOW |
PRICE
£70
PRICE INCLUDES
- Tea/coffee/biscuits on arrival
- A light lunch of home-made soup and scones
- All guiding and take-home resources
- A certificate for course attendance
PRICE EXCLUDES
- Travel to/from the course
- Personal/travel insurance
- Personal expenses
THINGS YOU NEED TO KNOW
Timings
Arrival from 9.45am for tea/coffee/biscuits, for a 10.15am start. The day will wrap up after lunch, around 2.30pm.
How do I get there?
This Learning Day will be run from Ballintean Mountain Lodge, Glenfeshie, near Kingussie, PH21 1NX
From the south:
Exit A9 at Kingussie/Kincraig turn and take B9152 north towards Kincraig.
From the north:
Exit A9 at Lynwilg (turn for Aviemore/Kincraig) and take B9152 south towards Kincraig.
Once in Kincraig…
- Turn off B9152 into The Brae by war memorial, towards Insh/Feshiebridge.
- Follow road past the café, over the river bridge and past Loch Insh Watersports.
- At the T junction, turn right towards Insh
- After 0.5 miles, bear left up the single-track road signed Glenfeshie.
- 1.5 miles up this road, turn left down the forest track signed Ballintean. After c.200m, before going over the cattle grid, bear right and you will see Ballintean Mountain Lodge (large stone building).
- Turn into the car parking area on the left. Please try and car share, where possible.
Timing: Approx. 20 minutes from Aviemore or Kingussie.
Lunch and facilities
We will take a light lunch of home-made soup and scones on return from our walk.
There are no toilet facilities on the walk itself, but there is a public toilet at the lodge for use before and after the walk.
What size are your groups?
Our Learning Days accommodate up to 15 participants.
Is the course suitable for me?
Most of the day will be spent walking slowly along the River Feshie on an established (but sometimes muddy) path. In order to access some parts of the site, we may deviate from the path crossing fallen trees. A reasonable degree of balance and agility is suggested. The overall distance covered will be around 2-3km. Please wear appropriate clothing and sturdy boots.
If you want to discuss suitability further, please get in touch with our Rewilding Training Lead.
Venue
Ballintean is a former farm situated on the banks of the River Feshie in the heart of the Cairngorms. The site began its rewilding journey 25 years ago and for the most part, the land is now governed by natural processes with woodland and scrub communities expanding, almost exclusively by natural regeneration.
