Baxters Highland Village

Located on the banks of the beautiful River Spey in the Morayshire village of Fochabers, sits the home of the Baxters experience at the Highland Village. A perfect setting for a great family day out.

Take a step back in time and discover the history of the Baxters story in the old grocery shop, originally opened by George Baxter in 1868.

The Baxters Highland Village offers a variety of speciality shops, stocked with a wide range of Baxters and Audrey Baxter range of food products, as well as wines and whiskies, speciality foods, clothing, cookware and gifts.

A trip to Baxters wouldn’t be complete without a visit to one of its restaurants, where a sample of delicious Scottish fayre is served, including Baxters famous soups, pancakes fresh from the griddle and home baked pastries, in a relaxed and friendly environment.

The Steading holiday cottage provides the perfect base to visit attractions like Baxters Highland Village:

http://www.baxters.com/pages/ourstores.html

Speyside Heather Centre

Unique, innovative, quality assured, enjoyable, interesting ...

Just a few words that sum up Speyside Heather Visitor and Garden Centre, an award winning 4-star visitor attraction.

There's lots to see:
• Unique Heather Story Exhibition• Wildlife Viewing Stations• Gift Shop• Boutique• Art Gallery• Antiques shop• Heather trail• Display Garden• Garden Centre• The Clootie Dumpling Restaurant.

The Steading holiday cottage is eight miles from the Speyside Heather Centre:

http://heathercentre.com/Default.html

Ride on pony .........

The Rothiemurchus family run riding centre specialises in the versatile pedigree Highland Pony breed and offers fantastic hacking and trekking.

Riding on Rothiemurchus Estate is an incredibly special experience and friendly and skilled guides make this a superb experience.

With varied hill, moorland, river and pine forest riding, much of it off track, there is the potential to see wildlife and enjoy the peace, space and magnificent scenery.

The Steading holiday cottage is twenty miles from Rothiemurchus Estate:

http://www.rothiemurchus.net/Pages/Activities/Pony-Trekking.html

Fort George - well worth a visit

Fort George sits behind its massive grass-topped artillery defences on an isolated spit of land jutting west into the Moray Firth at Ardersier, 11 miles north east of Inverness.

Conceived in the immediate aftermath of the 1745 uprising and the nearby Battle of Culloden that concluded it, Fort George was intended to be a once and for all solution to the threat posed by the Highlands, and the Jacobites in particular.

Fort George, which is an active British Army base, is the only property in the care of Historic Scotland still serving its original purpose.

The Steading holiday cottage is 30 miles from Fort George.

Loch Insh - the adventure starts here .....

Loch Insh, at the gateway to the Cairngorms National Park. is the ideal holiday destination or simply a great place for a family day out.

A range of watersports are on offer including: sail sports, paddle sports, raft building, fishing, rowing and pedalo’s on the loch. Off the water we have archery, play parks, and a dry ski slope, great team building apparatus. Not forgetting stunning walks and mountain biking.

The Boathouse Restaurant boasts a most spectacular view, looking south west and enjoys amazing sunsets most evenings.

The Steading holiday cottage is 25 miles from Loch Insh Water Sports and Outdoor Activity Centre:

http://www.lochinsh.com/index.asp

Dolphin watching on the Moray Firth

The Moray Firth is home to the most northerly colony of Bottlenose Dolphins in the world, one of only two resident populations in the UK.

There are currently believed to be around 130 individuals within the colony.

They are also the largest in the world growing up to 4m in length and can live for over 40 years.

Dolphins are very inquisitive and boisterous creatures and love to frolic, hunt and play, often approaching passing boats to have a closer look.

The Steading holiday cottage is well situated to take advantage of the many dolphin watching trips on the Moray Firth:

http://www.ecoventures.co.uk/

Cawdor - a magical name

Cawdor - a magical name, romantically linked by Shakespeare with Macbeth.

A superb fairy-tale Castle, and just what every visitor is looking for ... Scottish history that you can touch and see and sense for yourself.

Cawdor Castle is not another cold monument, but a splendid house and the home of the Cawdor family to this day.

Along with the three gardens, the Cawdor Big Wood, and a 9-hole golf course, Cawdor Castle is without doubt a truly extraordinary experience.

The Steading holiday cottage is only a 20 mile drive from Cawdor Castle:

http://www.cawdorcastle.com/index.cfm

Clay Pigeon Shooting

Set in absolutely breathtaking scenery and established for over 20 years, Rothiemurchus is one of the best clay shooting facilities in the UK.

Exceptional facilities and top class tuition ensure that whether you are a complete beginner (12 years+) or a crack shot you’ll have a sensational time.

The Steading holiday cottage is 22 miles from the Clay Pigeon Shooting at Rothiemurchus Estate:

http://www.rothiemurchus.net/Pages/Activities/Clay-Shooting.html

Discover Cairngorm Mountain

The UK's highest mountain railway journey offers spectacular views of an ancient Scottish mountain landscape and the viewing terrace at the top offers you the best weather watching opportunity in Britain.

The mountain is the most popular visitor attraction within the Cairngorms National Park.

The Steading holiday cottage is only 20 miles from the Funicular Railway at Cairngorm Mountain:

http://www.cairngormmountain.co.uk/see-do

Highland Folk Museum

The Highland Folk Museum at Newtonmore brings to life the domestic and working conditions of earlier Highland peoples.

Visitors to this living history Museum can learn how our Scottish Highland ancestors lived, how they built their homes, how they tilled the soil and how they dressed, in a friendly and welcoming environment.

An award winning visitor attraction, the Museum not only encapsulates human endeavour and development in Highland life from the 1700s to the present day, but offers an opportunity to explore a beautiful natural setting, home to red squirrels and tree creepers.

A great day out for everyone!

The Steading holiday cottage provides the perfect base to visit local attractions like the Highland Folk Museum:

http://highlandfolk.museum/

Thunder in the Glens

Once again on Saturday 28th August 2010, the Dunedin Chapter Edinburgh Harley Davidson will be visiting Grantown on Spey.

The spectacle is due to begin around lunchtime, when over 1500 Harley Davidson motorcycles will arrive in town. The riders come from all over the world for this annual event, and each year there are more and more taking part. This will be the 6th consecutive year, and is is guaranteed to be the biggest ever!!

The bikes, and riders, will stay in the area of The Square, until about 4pm, when there will be a mass rideout, down the High Street towards Aviemore, when once again we say goodbye to our friends – until next year!!

The Steading holiday cottage is the place to stay if you want to experience Thunder in the Glens

Sail the loch, live the legend .....

....... and see the monster?

A cruise on the mysterious and beautiful Loch Ness is one of the best ways to enjoy some of the Highland's stunning scenery.


Inverness is the embarkation point for a number of cruise companies who offer a variety of fascinating trips along the Caledonian Canal and through Loch Ness.

The Steading holiday cottage is 35 miles from Inverness giving you the opportunity to sail away:

http://www.jacobite.co.uk/

Logie Steading Bookshop

Located 5 miles south of Forres, in this lovely part of Moray, Logie Steading Bookshop has a wide range of second hand books for sale.

Week in and week out, people are amazed that they can find such a large and well-stocked bookshop, offering a wide range of titles in what they consider to be an unlikely and out-of-the-way place.

Many of the shop's customers make a special trip to view its current stock on their annual holiday in Scotland, whilst regulars come from near and far, making a visit to the bookshop and cafe part of their social round.

The Steading holiday cottage is only 15 miles from Logie Steading:

http://www.logie.co.uk/bookshop.html

Come and see the ospreys ......

When ospreys returned to breed in Scotland, the ancient Caledonian pinewood at the Loch Garten RSPB reserve is where they chose to come. Now you can watch these magnificent birds in their natural glory, thanks to non-invasive CCTV.

The reserve also has some excellent walks, with the chance to see red squirrels, dragonflies and crested tits.

Early in spring, join us for Caper Watch and see the spectacular display of the capercaillie, Scotland’s largest grouse.

The Steading holiday cottage is only 10 miles from the RSPB reserve at Loch Garten:

http://www.rspb.org.uk/reserves/guide/l/lochgarten/about.aspx

Walk the Speyside Way

The Speyside Way is one of four official Long Distance Routes in Scotland.

It was first opened in 1981, to run from Spey Bay to Ballindalloch, with a spur to Tomintoul being added in 1990. A northern extension from Spey Bay to Buckie followed in 1999, with the route being further extended from Ballindalloch toAviemore in April 2000.

The route now links the Moray coast with the edge of the Grampian Mountains, generally following the valley of the River Spey.

Plans are well advanced to complete the route to Newtonmore, though no date for opening this last section has yet been set.

The Speyside Way is managed by the three Access Authorities along the route - the Moray Council, the Highland Council and the Cairngorms National Park Authority.

The Moray Council Countryside Ranger Service, based in the Visitor Centre in Aberlour, covers the northern section of the route (from Buckie to Advie) and can provide information for the whole route.

The Steading holiday cottage is the perfect place to stay if you want to walk the Speyside Way.

Visit the Capital of Strathspey

Grantown on Spey lies 15 miles northeast of Aviemore and is a popular destination all year round. This is a well designed Georgian town, built to the plan of the laird, Sir James Grant in 1766. The streets are wide and tree-lined with attractive buildings grouped around a central square.

The town is surrounded by ancient woodlands, much of which is community owned and which offer a unique habitat for a wide variety of wildlife. These Anagach Woods have way marked trails and there is walking for all abilities. There are also numerous other walks and trails around the town which offer wonderful views over the surrounding hills and mountains.

The town’s Square and High Street are lined with unique, independent and interesting shops and businesses selling everything from children’s clothes to whisky, fishing line to pottery. There are numerous cafes, bars and restaurants offering a wide range of meals, drinks and snacks to suit all tastes and pockets.

All in all it is a beautiful, charming town with plenty to do for the day visitor and which offers a unique opportunity to experience a traditional Highland town, dating from 1760s.

The Steading holiday cottage is only two miles from Grantown-on-Spey:

http://www.visitgrantown.co.uk/

Lochindorb Castle

Lochindorb is located on the Dava moor and is only a twenty minute drive from the Steading holiday cottage.

Lochindorb comes from the Gaelic meaning 'Loch of Trouble' and the castle located on the loch has certainly had its fair share of that!

Dating back to the 13th century, it was originally held by the Comyns, but later occupied by the English and was visited by Edward I in 1303 when he stayed here for 9 days, hunting out on the moor. Later it was used as a prison and also a garrison for English troops.

At the end of the 14th century, it was gifted by Robert II to his third son, the notorious Wolf of Badenoch, Alexander Stewart, who rampaged around quite a bit of the local area.

Why not find out for yourself why Lochindorb was said to be his favourite haunt.

Glenlivet - a Crown Estate

Lying between the Ladder and the Cromdale Hills in the Cairngorm National Park, the two broad straths of the rivers Avon and Livet form the 23000 hectare Glenlivet Estate.


Here at Glenlivet admist open expanses of heather covered hills, clear rushing burns and rivers, sheltered straths, glens and woodlands, you will find some of the finest scenery in the Grampian Highlands.

You can enjoy excellent walking, cycling, horse riding and skiing on an extensive network of waymarked trails, but above all you can enjoy a wonderful sense of peace, quiet and open space.

The Steading holiday cottage provides the perfect base to visit the Glenlivet Estate and many other estates in the area:
http://www.glenlivetestate.co.uk/