"We managed to see a Pine Marten, Badgers, birds, mice and a Wild Cat. Everything we
wanted to see"
Yvonne and David
|
"Seeing the Pine Marten for 40 mins!"
Rob Rackliffe
|
"We were very lucky and saw 1 Pine Marten, 7 Badgers and the Wild cat so was a great experience"
Trish Duncan
|
"Everything! Badgers, Pine Marten, Wildcat. Probably the Wildcat!"
Wendy Owen
|
"Seeing the Pine Marten and after the visit Harris took us back to the road and he saw a newt on the road which he picked up and showed us!"
Sarah Redburn
|
"Badgers and Wood mice at very close quarters"
Emma Geddes
|
"Finally seeing our first Pine Marten!"
Mark Smiles
|
"Seeing 8 Badgers and two Wood Mice"
Kathleen Peake
|
"Seeing the Pine Marten... my first one!"
Katherine Dawson
|
"Seeing the Badgers. It would have been lovely to see Pine Marten and possibly a Wildcat but the weather was against us. We also got to see some Palmate Newts"
Susan Perry
|
"Several Badgers, some bats and some newts on the way out. Harris was superb at providing information"
Linda Cooper
|
"The wildcat! We were enjoying a stunning sighting of a female Pine Marten and noticed she was looking anxious. She then - clearly spooked - climbed higher up the tree/post and was observing something on the ground. I looked down and staring right up at me was a male Wildcat! He was only there for a second or two - no time to take a photo - but it was utterly wonderful - I still haven't processed it 3 days later, such is my disbelief that we actually saw one. Seeing a Pine Marten and a Wildcat, simultaneously, is beyond my wildest wildlife dreams. We will definitely return in the future in the hope of more sightings"
Ben Scott
|
"We were very happy to have a great sighting of a Pine Marten!"
Kerry Smith
|
"Seeing the different Badger behaviour and interactions"
Eleanor Gunby
|
"Seeing 3 different Pine Martens! I didn’t want to get my hopes up but I’m so glad they showed up"
Becky Green
|
"We were lucky and saw three different Pine Martens and 6 Badgers. Pine Martens were very
cool to see and witness"
Mark Hampton
|
"There were so many highlights, seeing the Badgers running up the slope to get to the feeding area, hearing one Badger ‘growling’ at others that were attempting to get to the feeding area and watching the Badgers eat the peanut butter with their paws. All of these things I had not experienced before. Hearing the noises while eating was also great. It was an all round great experience"
Lesley Jones
|
"Seeing the Badgers and the Pine Marten. It was amazing - we did not expect to see so many or for so long"
Sarah Alice Warner
|
"It was seeing two Pine Martens so close, watching them feed for ages & interact with one
another"
Elizabeth Jenkins
|
"Oh we loved it! We got to see many Badgers, one Pine Marten and a Wildcat! We truly were
very thrilled
Malathy Sethuraman
|
"Seeing the Wildcat and Pine Marten"
Robert Mann
|
"4 Badgers at once and the Pine Martens"
Gillian Wormald
|
"The Badgers were super and around for ages. Good set up in the old tea room, we were
expecting an evening in a shed and possibly a few midges but an excellent space to sit and
watch from"
Joseph Rumney
|
"We loved how cosy it was and how nice it was to see the Badgers and the Pine Martens.
The guide made all the efforts to try and let us see animals and we really appreciate it!"
Jenna Pacini
|
"Seeing Badgers, a Pine Marten and hearing a Barn Owl"
Jon
|
"Having visited the year before which I throughly enjoyed, this visit was extra special as I got
to see two Pine Martens and also a wildcat . Would highly recommend, definitely made my
holiday"
Jeanette Edwards
|
"Seeing four Badgers and a Pine Marten at such close range"
Michael Tempan
|
"The whole experience was excellent, we saw lots of Badgers and as it was a small group
(just 4) we didn't feel crowded or unable to see when the animals arrived"
Andy Walker
|
"When a gathering of plump Badgers arrived, they enthusiastically savored the peanuts and
peanut butter set out for them. Unfortunately, we didn't catch sight of a wildcat that night
(luckily, we encountered a captive wildcat at the Highland Wildlife Park the other day), but
we were thrilled to observe the Pine Marten and the two species coexisting in the same
habitat. Importantly, the evening watch allowed us to witness the animals being active.
Conversely, the wildcat we observed at the park maintained a similar posture in the morning
and afternoon and did not move at all, a behavior expected due to their nocturnal lifestyle"
Sonia Tsang
|
"We loved every moment of it from the Wood mice to the Badgers and the Pine Marten. It was wonderful and something I'll never forget. Next time we are up in Speyside, we'll be sure to
come again"
Tracey Mantle
|
"We were really happy about the visit. We saw 4 Badgers for a good length of time and it wa s
a fantastic experience"
Richard Bellamy
|
"Seeing 5 Badgers at close quarters for such a long time. Seeing the wildcat. Nice touch to
be taken out into the garden by Harris to see more of the wildcat. Microphone a good idea"
Emma Andrew
|
"Getting to watch and listen to the Pine Marten and Badgers so close!"
Amelia Margrave
|
"The stars for me were the Pine Martens. We were blessed to have a male and female arrive
at the platform. They stayed long enough for everyone in the hide to get great photos"
Gary Collins
|
"The Wildcat, which was completely unexpected! But my main hopes in advance had been
for Pine Marten, so the whole experience more than delivered"
Peter Long
|
"Seeing 3 Badgers at one go was pretty special, thank you"
Susan Geraghty
|
"Seeing Scottish Wildcat and Badgers definitely a highlight"
Matthew Kwam
|
"Having never seen Pine Marten previously, the highlight was two individuals who turned up
while we were there. We had close views and made the evening well worthwhile"
John Couchman
|
"The highlight was undoubtedly seeing two Pine Marten - first the female and then the male.
The guide explained how to tell them apart. We also had 5 different Badgers visiting, three
Wood Mice and a Bank Vole. We were told a little bit about the Wildcat that has been
reintroduced into the area though sadly he did not put in an appearance. Having been to
Jack Drakes nursery 40 years ago it was interesting to see the site again and to see the
potting shed repurposed. A great evening"
Audrey and Gwyn Williams
|
"The Wildcat came to the feeding station briefly but was chased off by a Badger. We didn’t
expect to see one"
Susan Bradford
|
"Plenty of highlights - Badgers, Wood Mouse, Bank Vole, Great-spotted Woodpecker, Red Deer, a greedy Wood Pigeon and roding Woodcocks"
Dion Hobcroft
|
"Highlight of my visit as well as the Badger was a Pine Marten"
Lynn Fullarton
|
"Seeing Pine Marten run up the tree!"
Robert Ashton
|
"A female Pine Marten feeding directly in front of us. Hearing the sounds from the outside
microphone especially the noisy Badger eating peanut butter"
Nicola Brown
|
"Actually getting to see a wild Badger"
Andrew Pike
|
"Seeing Badgers and Pine Marten! It was an amazing experience!"
Sarah Fox
|
"Seeing the female Pine Marten was amazing, she was so close and stayed for long enough
for us to really get a good look. We also enjoyed watching the Badgers up close"
Rona Lindsay
|
"Having wildcat and two Pine Marten within a few yards would take some beating"
Michael Hardwick
|
"Seeing the Wild Cat was a massive bonus , but I had never seen Pine Marten either so it was special!"
Justin Williams
|
"Seeing a really close up sighting of a Scottish Wildcat on the second visit. 5 Badgers on the first visit. Enjoyed listening to the nightime sounds via the outdoor microphone (a really great option to have). Quality of hide was better than expected!"
Nigel Schofield
|
"Seeing the Badgers. Even though we didn’t see the Pine Martens the anticipation was worth it. I would come back another evening without doubt if I lived nearer"
Simon Curtis
|
"2 Pine Marten for an extensive period was well worth while"
Carl Chapman
|
"We saw a Pine Marten! We visited last year and didn’t see it, but this year it came down almost immediately which was such a treat"
Anne Boulton
|
"Seeing a Pine Marten coming down from the trees to the feeding station"
Raymond Douglas
|
"Superb views of male and female Pine Martens"
John Crossan
|
"Seeing a Pine Marten eating her dinner for 20mins"
Jeanne Johnston
|
"Seeing Badgers and hearing Tawny Owls. Knowing that Wildcats were in the area"
Gordon McLeay
|
"Seeing both Pine Martens together with the Badger at the same time"
Catharine Hurst
|
"Hearing Harris talk about his wildlife experiences and also tell us some Scottish history
tales!"
Maisie
|
"We would have dearly loved for the Pine Marten to join us for dinner but I fear it was just too
cold a night at -12! We had numerous visits from Badgers and some very quick mice/shrews.
The highlight for our Guide Harris was a fly-past of a Tawny Owl (they live noiseless in our Oak tree in the garden at home!!) And a very relaxed visit from what I thought was the local house cat!!! Turns out it was actually Scotlands rarest mammal the elusive Scottish WildCat!!!"
Sally
|
"A brief view of a Wildcat"
Christopher Hall
|
"Excellent views of the wildlife that visited. Being able to watch animals for quite some time.
We were very lucky to see both female and male Pine Marten, Badgers and a Tawny owl
coming to observe proceedings too. One of the highlights of our holiday"
A Kelly
|
"Amazing to see everything so close, the hide was such a great place. We saw 2 Pine Martens, 4 Badgers and a Tawny Owl, everything was a highlight"
Christine Cunningham
|
"Everything was just perfect. The Pine Marten didn't make an appearance but the Badgers
were fantastic to watch. My daughter has autism and it was the first time she has visited
the hide. She absolutely loved it and will be returning with me next time!!"
Fiona Adam
|
"Saw 2 Pine Martens for long viewings very shortly after food dispensed .. was well timed on
a cold evening - party elected to leave early as we had great sightings of PM and Badgers"
Lesley Nicolson
|
"Seeing a Pine Marten up close and for a prolonged period - she stayed for almost 40
minutes!"
Charlie Hall
|
"The Pine Marten stayed for a long time"
Irene Ellis
|
"Seeing Badgers at such close quarters"
Angela Stroud
|
"Spending about 2 hours watching the Badgers"
Sue Whittle
|
"Really loved seeing the Badgers, the time flew past and to be honest would have been
happy to go back just having seen them. But seeing the Pine Marten was the icing on the
cake"
Daniel Sandford Smith
|
"We had waited almost 2 hours after the Badgers left and still hoping to see a Pine Marten
One turned up 5 minutes before we were due to leave. Well timed"
Katherine Rubery
|
"Seeing several Badgers and a Pine Marten - for the first time!"
Matthew Plowman-Holmes
|
"For both of us the Pine Marten visiting the site was unbeatable. We have longed to see one
and felt very privileged we saw it. I think everyone in the hide felt the same as watching the
Badgers there had been a lively atmosphere but when the Pine Marten arrived you could
have heard a pin drop! A once in a lifetime experience which I will remember for sometime"
Alison Warburton
|
"The wildlife! Seven Badgers, a very busy Wood Mouse, bats, robins, Jay, deer and heard a Tawny owl!"
Beverley Goult
|
"The Badgers anointing the male - not seen this before"
Michael Cuff
|
"Seeing my first ever Badgers and Pine Marten!"
Charlotte Rankin
|
"The whole experience was amazing but I've always wanted to see a Pine Marten and thanks
to Harris and his expertise and patience a beautiful male Pine Marten appeared it was such
an amazing privilege. I can't thank you enough for making this possible. The whole
experience was something I will never forget"
Jan Gray
|
"The Pine Marten who stayed for a very long time, and the 5 Badgers coming to visit at the
same time"
Maria
|
"Seeing numerous Badgers and watching their behaviours"
Rachel Ann French
|
"7 Badgers. My friend and I are still discussing the experience and reviewing photos"
Nigel Liley
|
"Five Badgers!"
Ruth Falconer
|
"Seeing all the Badgers using different ways of getting at the peanut butter. Amazing hide
layout and design!"
Jacquie Acott
|
"We both came to see the Pine Marten and were not disappointed"
Doug Winterborn
|
"Seeing Badgers. I have been lucky to see Pine Martens before, so I mainly wanted to see the
Badgers and we had around 8 I think"
Karen McGuinness
|
"The Badgers were a lot closer than expected and also the other wildlife was very easily
viewable"
Martyn Thompson
|
"To be honest, we saw a Pine Marten and four Badgers at close proximity, so we had nothing
to complain about. For us it was a great experience. Obviously if no mammals had
appeared it would have been very disappointing, but you have to accept that is the nature of
wildlife watching. The set-up of the hide and viewing facilities were excellent"
Chris Tite
|
"Having 6 Badgers mingling together and observing their behaviour"
Karen Gilbert
|
"Seeing a Pine Marten"
Andrea Anderson
|
"The Badgers actually making an appearance and being able to watch them for 20-30
minutes. Amazing!"
Jason Gostling
|
"The Pine Marten was amazing, but also hearing the night time bird calls"
Graham Richardson
|
"Seeing so much wildlife close up was extremely special. It was the first time we’d ever seen
a Pine Marten so to get the male and female was more than we could have hoped for. Plus
we’d never seen so many Badgers (and we’ve visited other Badger hide’s previously). Also,
the standard of the hide was 5*. It was nice to be in a building so close to the animals
without having to sit in an open hide and contend with the weather and outside temperature"
Joanna Rushe
|
"Badgers! I love watching the animals"
Elise
|
"Just seeing the Badgers - and they were there for the whole three hours. The viewing area
was very good"
John Griffiths
|
"Just watching the interactions within the Badger group and how each individual fit in within
the clan"
Rosie Brown
|
"Obviously the Badgers, there were 5 in front of us at one point. It was a shame that the Pine
Marten did not make an appearance but although the Pine Marten was what I was really
hoping to see, the Badgers were still great. And of course...........the Wood mice!"
Alan Burkey
|
"To have the opportunity to be up close with wildlife was something very special. The hide
was a lot more comfortable than expected. I was able to get a good video and some photos
of a Badger. Unfortunately the Pine Marten did not show but it was getting late and I was
happy to call it a night"
Alison Harris
|
"The Badgers were gorgeous and entertaining and the view of the Pine Marten was better than we could have asked for 👍"
Kevin George
|
"Being able to spend virtually 3 hours in the close company of wild Badgers, observing their
behaviours with excellent visibility, while comfortably accommodated ourselves"
Kathryn Badenoch
|
"The Pine Marten was our golden prize and thankfully she arrived. Doormouse and 3
Badgers, fantastic."
Claire Smith
|
"It would be easy to say that the highlight was the elusive Pine Marten. And she was very
skittish which made it all the more fascinating that we were watching one from just a few
feet away. But the true highlight isn’t a particular mammal but the fact that we got to watch
the different behaviors of the different mammals from such a close vantage point. The time
passed incredibly quickly!"
Patrick & Alison Wiers
|
"Inevitably it was the Pine Marten but the 8 Badgers and the bat were great as well. The amazing proximity of the animals whilst we sit comfortably without disturbing them is always a delight"
Fiona McLean
|
"Seeing the Badgers :) The martens were a no-show sadly, but we were super happy with our Badger visit and we know wildlife, so accepted the martens were busy elsewhere!"
Caroline
|
"The fact that the Badgers were already patiently waiting for their grub was amazing, and it was great watching them for nearly an hour eating away at everything. Also having the female Pine Marten come down twice was lovely. I didn't intend to use my camera to take photos because I thought it would be too dark but the lighting was quite good and I was able to get some videos to remember the experience. It was really great, certainly went above my expectations and I would visit again and again. I also thought the condition of the hide was excellent (loved the mics to let you hear the animals eating) and the lighting was great too - yeah, loved it!"
Rebecca
|
"Pine Marten! And number of different Badgers - 8 different ones!"
Kathryn Smith
|
"Seeing all 10 badgers arrive within quick succession at the very start of the Hide viewing session which was amazing and learning about the set and the way they have evolved from Wayne"
Kay Ayres
|
"All 11 Badgers plus the male Pine Marten showing up and providing excellent views within the first 90 minutes. My first time seeing a Pine Marten!"
Edward King
|
"8 Badgers in their natural environment behaving as the family unit they are. Fascinating to have access to that"
Alan Bright
|
"The Badger clan was excellent and noticing the conifer tree tremble subtly as if by a slight breeze as the female Pine Marten made her way down to the feeding table"
Jarred Johnson
|
"We saw ten different Badgers and a male and female Pine Marten which was amazing"
Tracy Allan
|
"We had marvellous views of up to 8 Badgers together and a pair of Pine Martens"
Charles Gordon
|
"Seeing the Pine Martens both male and female, absolutely brilliant. The female staying for well over half an hour. This was marvellous as back in 2017 we didn’t see one at all. A great visit"
Brenda Hines
|
"Seeing the Badgers interact with one another. Although we didn't see Pine Martens (nature of animals, can never predict them), the Badgers were great! Would definitely return in future"
Alistair Hughes-Roden
|
"Two Pine Martens together on the food platform"
William
|
"The big Badger family was delightful"
Orley Marron
|
"Great to see all the Badgers & Wood Mice"
Sarah Frankham
|
"Getting the opportunity to have such a close view of any of the noctural animals. The anticipation of the whole process was a real highlight for all of us"
Catriona Gourlay
|
"The Pine Marten that we were lucky enough to have a visit from that night"
Hartley
|
"The whole thing - comfortable hide, knowledgeable guide. We would be happy to repeat the experience any time"
Elizabeth Lea
|
"Badgers arrived when we did & stayed more than 2 hours & peaked at 7 individuals - very lucky. To top it off good views of male Pine Marten for 10/15 minutes after the Badgers left"
Michael Cuff
|
"The Badgers! No Pine Marten for us but we knew that was a possibility and we were happy with the brilliant view of the Badgers"
Sian Davis
|
"Seeing a Pine Marten and enjoying watching the Badgers. Thank you"
Susan Falconer
|
"Seeing the Pine Marten! It's the second time we've come and it was fantastic both times"
Ben Allen
|
"Seeing 7 Badgers all together was a once in a lifetime experience"
Freya Gilmore
|
"Badgers were present at the hide for a good 2 hours so wasn’t many periods were there was no wildlife to observe"
Kaytlin Phillips
|
"Seeing the Badgers and the Pine Marten appearing at the end. Also had great views of woodpeckers. I will definitely be recommending this activity"
Anita
|
"Lots and lots of Badgers!!"
Richard Lindop
|
"The night spent at the nursery hide hit the spot. Just what I needed as we saw Pine Marten as well as seven Badgers and a Bank Vole"
David Waterhouse
|
"Seeing a Pine Marten near the end of the evening was a real treat"
Lynda North
|
"The views of Pine Marten were outstanding - c10mins stood on the platform was more than we could have hoped for"
Rob Sheldon
|
"Great views of both Pine Marten and Badger, almost constant activity to watch during our visit"
Carmen Green
|
"We were very lucky to have a very early visit by a Pine Marten.........it arrived at 8:10pm when it was still daylight!"
Pauline Connington
|
"Seeing the Pine Martens so close up. Was a big wildlife box ticked for us"
Liam Doherty
|
"Seeing both the male and later the female Pine Marten. We got the full hit of 9 Badgers and Wood mice and birds too"
H Clark
|
"So many Badgers and the Pine Marten came to visit too! It was a very relaxed, warm and welcoming evening. Would definitely recommend to others looking to observe wildlife in this area/in the evenings"
Emily Fisk
|
"Seeing the female Pine Marten feeding on raisins and watching the Badgers licking peanut butter out of the tree crevices - very amusing!"
Shannon Holdsworth
|
"The whole experience was amazing. So 8 different Badgers and even the female Pine Marten"
Emma Kerr
|
"Watching Badgers and a Pine Marten at such close quarters"
Tricia Hudson
|
"The Pine Marten who gave us an excellent showing for 20mins but it was also our first viewing of Badgers so both were excellent and well worth the visit"
Ken Smith
|
"The close encounters with the visiting wildlife, particularly the male Pine Marten that lingered for some time"
Peter Hutchins
|
“Our guide Harris was excellent, very attentive and informative and seeing the Badgers & 2 very amusing Wood Mice"
Ann Brown
|
“Harris was Friendly, helpful and knowledgeable.”
Marilyn Davidson
|
"Just wanted to say how much I enjoyed last night. Harris was very good and knowledgeable and showed us a Badger skull and hairs too. Seeing 6 Badgers was wonderful but the Pine Marten was amazing. There was even a wee Wood Mouse. I was pleasantly surprised that the hide was so warm and cosy. Would thoroughly recommend this trip to others"
Mandy Peay
|
"Sadly, no Pine Marten, but Badgers digging and rolling around was great"
Mark Walsh
|
"Being able to observe the Badgers that visited"
Emma Baker
|
"Watching the Badgers was excellent. The hide was warm and comfortable. Would highly recommend and will be back to hopefully see a Pine Marten"
Susan Dobbin
|
"The Pine Marten came in twice!"
Laura Craddock
|
"Badgers mating and the appearance of a stunning Pine Marten"
Ben Chapple
|
"6 Badgers all at the same time in the middle of winter! Wow!"
Jenny Glass
|
"We didn't think looking at Badgers eating for 2 hours would be so enjoyable! I only saw one Badger in my life and that encounter lasted 3 seconds, so being able to watch them for so long was amazing. I loved their wee noses and their fluffy tails!"
Martina Baldi
|
"Seeing the Badgers! A wonderful experience. Thank you. I have highly recommended you to my friends and work colleagues"
Pippa Johnston
|
"Although we never saw any Pine Martens we did get to see the family of Badgers which were a real delight to watch. I've never seen Badgers in the wild before so that was a highlight for me"
Mairi Macnaughton
|
"Seeing the Badgers! Pity the Pine Marten was a no show but a good excuse to book again. Thank you, will be telling friends about Speyside Wildlife"
Susan Cameron
|
"7 out of a possible 8 Badgers from the clan making an appearance was superb!"
Leigh Spilsbury
|
"Seeing two Pine Martens and six Badgers including a cub. Also seeing an owl on the drive home"
Morag Dodds
|
"My first wild Pine Marten coming to visit the food table - but the entire experience was super enjoyable, and I would recommend it to others. I'd love to do more visits/trips with the Speyside team!"
Lyndsey Robson
|
"Close proximity to the Pine Marten and 7 Badgers, very lucky, great value"
Julie Catto
|
"The Pine Marten's sudden early appearance was a very nice surprise. The proximity to the Badgers was amazing to experience"
Beau
|
"Seeing 6 Badgers and 2 Pine Marten in the space of 2 hours! First animals arrived within 10 minutes of Eve putting out food. Some Badgers remained at the feeding station for the whole two hours. We saw 2 different Pine Martens who each stayed for a considerable time. It was suggested that one of these was new to the feeding station. We were told that our experience was exceptional! We class ourselves as very fortunate - still gobsmacked by it all! And as for the photographs.........!"
Lynn & Adrian Tranter
|
"Two highlights for me. One was seeing the Badger cub lay back scratching the underside of his belly. The other was seeing a couple of the Badgers use their paws to scrape the peanut paste off the wood and then lick it off their paws, I hadn't seen that before. I also enjoyed seeing the Badgers moving the wood about, it showed just how strong they are"
Joanne Biott
|
"Seeing the Pine Marten and 6 Badgers, but especially the Pine Marten. It was an excellent evening, thank you so much :) "
Jenny Wilson
|
"Just seeing wonderful British wildlife behaving so naturally"
Cy Baker
|
"It was the highlight of our two week trip all around Scotland, we absolutely loved seeing the Badgers so close"
Adam Snowden
|
"Seeing a female Pine Marten and 6 Badgers!!! Plus a Badger crossing the road on our way home!!! :-) "
Glyn Welch
|
"Seeing a Pine Marten, been looking for 4 years"
Mike le Beau
|
"Seeing so many Badgers all at once, so close up"
Ed Thornley
|
"The Badger's noses moving up and down whilst eating peanut butter :D . Finding out from the guide about all the Badger's personalities and funny Badger behaviours like the dominant boars putting their scent on their clan-mates by essentially sitting on them (the fact that I still remember this fact days later shows how interesting I found it - says it all!)"
Lauren Garden
|
"Seeing a Red Squirrel and all the Badgers!"
Corinne Hending
|
"Naturally a Pine Marten appearance, especially a female not seen since April was a rare and wonderous sight, however watching the Badgers as a group was equally entertaining"
Owen Stevens
|
"Seeing the Badgers in a natural environment. Thank you so much we all loved it!"
Jenny March
|
"The extended time at the end which enabled us to see the Pine Marten. Also seeing the Badgers. The hide provided an excellent vantage point for photos and videos"
Kevin Murphy
|
"Obviously Mr Pine Marten! (and Eve’s professionalism to ensure all guests were having a wonderful quality experience)
Steve Wilson
|
"The Pine Marten!! I finally got to see one. Secondly Eve - she was brilliant as a guide and great to talk to"
Claire Mawdsley
|
"We were booked in for Monday evening and four of the Badgers came to feed, but no Pine Martens. We decided to give it another try on the Tuesday evening and this time we were lucky. I cannot express the thrill I felt seeing an actual Pine Marten just a few feet away from me. It was definitely the highlight of my holiday"
Judith Parsons
|
"There was so many. Probaly seeing the Pine Marten appear, just as we were about to go. The antics of the Badgers and even a Sparrowhawk decided to make an appearance. All in all, terrific value for money and a wonderful evenings entertainment"
Terry Lee
|
"The amount of time that the Badgers were visible and active and of course the Pine Marten which I hadn't expected"
Sandra Holmes
|
"Pine marten being so close and feeling part of the forest for a couple of hours"
Sorcha Lewis
|
"Spotting Pine Marten, however had we not we still would have thought the experience excellent"
Chelsey & Matthew
|
"Pine Marten sat on a log right in front of us and 5 Badgers at one time"
Alan Locke
|
"The Badgers but also spending time with people who were as passionate and excited about wildlife as I am. I was sad we didn’t see the Pine Marten but that just means another visit!"
Claire Mawdsley
|
"Watching 6 Badgers was indeed the highlight. We were also lucky to catch a glimpse of the Pine Marten just before the session ended. Absolutely loved the experience"
Sharath Meppallil
|
"The highlight of our visit was seeing the Pine Marten, we have wanted to see one for a long time"
Marilyn Tite
|
"The Pine Marten without a doubt! The Badgers were amazing to see also!"
Neil McInnes
|
"The anticipation! No certainties with wildlife but seeing not only Badgers and wood mice but a Pine Marten a couple of feet away was amazing. A thoroughly brilliant experience. Would recommend this trip to anyone, value for money"
Stephen Bennett
|
"Well, we were pretty confident about the Badgers, no self respecting Badger misses the chance of peanuts and peanut butter! Pine Martens, that’s much more hit and miss. They didn’t turn up, so they obviously had other alternatives in mind. The unexpected were the mice. They were lovely and its the unexpected that is a nice addition. Overall, a lovely time and well worth the money"
Merlyn Vyner
|
"This was a repeat booking and we knew what to expect. We had been to the hide in Sept 2020 and enjoyed it so much we extended our trip by two days to find an available slot! Vic loves Badgers, for me it was without doubt the arrival of a Pine Marten!!!!"
Ian Merrill
|
"Seeing the Pine Marten and all the Badgers. It was a fantastic experience for me and I found it very interesting. It was great to be able to view the wildlife so close up"
Lauren Sutcliffe
|
"Seeing a Pine Marten was exactly what I was hoping for. To see it so close up was fabulous and very enjoyable"
Richard Heading
|
"The highlight was being able to see the beautiful animals in this setting"
Alison Smith
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"Just being able to observe the Badgers in close proximity and see them work out how to find the food in all the different places. Great to see them together as well and see the different characters and behaviour!"
Tom Mills
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"Seeing a Badger for the first time! An evening we'll never forget!"
Alison Fulford
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"The Pine Marten!! With the wonderful views of Badgers a very close second"
Bethan Stanyon
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"Seeing a Pine Marten. It's been on my list for so long! This one was very well behaved and posed proudly :-)"
Heather Dawes
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"We were very lucky that the Badgers then Pine Marten came out within half an hour of our arrival, no waiting around although the hide was comfortable if we had needed to"
Kathryn Williams
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"I’ve not seen Badgers for over 20 years, so to see 5 at the same time was a real treat. Didn't see the Pine Marten, but that’s nature for you!"
Cameron Ward
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"The highlight has to be seeing 6 Badgers out of a 7 Badger clan and having the absolute privilege of seeing two Pine Marten at the same time!!! And they hung around for about 45mins. Observing wildlife doesn’t get much better that that! We were very lucky"
Kay Ayres
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"A 45 minutes showing and antics of two Pine Martens with 6 Badgers visiting before that. I have wanted to see Pine Martens so long that I was really thrilled with our time watching them"
Jayne Westmoreland
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"The visit from the Pine Marten - perfect viewing spot and duration that the marten stayed at the hide - fantastic experience"
Amanda
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"Seeing so many Badgers never seen anything like it. Well worth the visit"
Christopher Higton
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"Seeing so many Badgers for so long. And the safeguarding measures for Covid were great - reassuringly but without impacting on the experience"
Neil Pearson
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"4 Badgers together, can’t really ask for more"
Michael Ingram
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"Seeing the 4 Badgers who visited the hide so closely was great"
Chris Diddams
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"Badger clan put on a great show on a lovely still summer evening. One of the real benefits of this hide experience is the lack of midges - which can really take the fun out of Scottish summer activities! It was also great to see the Badgers in daylight - not something I expected"
Keith Turner
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"Finally seeing a live Badger! And Pine Martens"
Lauren
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"We have never seen a Pine Marten in the wild before, so it had to be seeing the lovely two martens that visited us. Emma was so excited and enjoyed every second of it"
Emma and Anna Stephenson
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"Long stay by the two Pine Martens, one adult, one kit, after not arriving till late on. The mouse was hilarious, watching the Pine Marten from the top of the wall/underside of the roof even more attentively than we did!"
Roger Ashmore
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"Seeing the animals we hoped for, Pine Martens and Badgers. It can never be guaranteed so it was very special. And a special thank you for arranging a stunning clear sky when we left the hide! Millions of stars and the Milky Way, just a fantastic end to the evening"
Sheila Murison
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"Seeing the Badgers and Pine Martens so close up. Not forgetting the wee doormouse! Fabulous experience and one my daughter, who is 10, thoroughly enjoyed and a highlight of our holiday"
Sarah Corrie
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"3 different Pine Martens in one evening. Magical"
Joanna Oliver
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"Seeing Badgers and a Pine Marten! I have never seen either (except dead by the side of a road) so one or the other would have been a treat. Both was unexpected and felt like a real bonus!"
Julie Vale
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"The excitement of the first sightings of a Pine Marten then of a Badger cub. Seeing five Badgers foraging whilst a Pine Marten ate from the table and a Field Mouse scurried round the base of the building"
James Wiseman
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"Pine Martens! Really close and for quite a while. They are such elusive animals it was a real treat to see them at all, let alone up close, let alone for 20 minutes!!! It was also lovely seeing the female too, although she didn’t stay for as long but we felt incredibly lucky to have seen both of them"
Yanika Hennig
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"We had only been in the hut approximately 10 minutes and a Pine Marten appeared and shortly afterwards 5 Badgers. We also saw mice and an owl and another Pine Marten. Everybody was thrilled. It was a really great experience"
Natalie Langley
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"Having the chance to view Pine Martens (within a couple of minutes after food went out!) close up and observe their behaviour. The Badger cubs and even the antics of the Wood Mice!"
Jane Aspin-lee
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"Seeing the Pine Marten :-) And just that we had a lovely evening! It was nice to be in a small group and our guide ensured that everybody got a view of the Badgers which came. We were really delighted that a Pine Marten visited - this is of course never guaranteed, so we were lucky. We would definitely book again and would recommend to friends"
Sue Alderman
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"Seeing the animals at close quarters. The Pine Marten climbing down the shed wall. The mice popping out of their holes. The Badger foraging for the last few nuts"
Susan Shipp
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"Seeing the Badgers! For us Badgers have such a prominence in children's story books - so it was great to actually see one in real life. The Pine Martens were also fabulous, it was a very special evening"
Nicole Schoorl
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"Highlight was seeing the Pine Marten taking the egg off the platform, so amazing and delicate. Will definitely book again"
Paula O'Hara
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"The highlight of our visit was undoubtedly seeing two wild Pine Martens at close proximity"
Alastair Watt
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"We saw a Pine Marten which was probably the highlight, and doubt we would ever see a wild Pine Marten outside this trip, so that was amazing. Having said that, we were also lucky to have three Badgers coming in whilst we were there. The Badgers were a joy and felt so close, so they are a very close second to the Pine Marten. We also saw bats, woodcock and ultra-cute woodmice snaffling the peanuts. But the Pine Marten wins!"
Neil Wilson and Amy Brown
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"We were very pleased that a Pine Marten came along not long after our arrival and then a second within half an hour. Really nice close up views. Also saw several Red Deer, woodmice and fleeting glimpses of Pipestrelle Bats. Very pleasant experience. Added bonus on the way back to the car, encounter with the local friendly farmed deer who enjoyed having their antlers scratched! Many thanks!"
Peter Daniels
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"We felt absolutely privileged to have been able to watch a male Pine Marten for about 20 minutes eating sultanas! Such a stunning animal. And then to see a second Pine Marten - a female - was just the icing on the cake. In-between times we were kept amused by the antics of the woodmice and voles and watched some Red Deer passing through as well. And we saw several Woodcocks fly over. Brilliant!! We would recommend this trip to all our friends and will hopefully one day come and view Pine Martens from the new hide!"
Anne Crotty
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"Has to be the Pine Marten - but closely followed by Red Deer and the whole night experience and Kate's commentary"
Peter Reid
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"Three different Pine Martens. Four different Badgers. Nine amiable companions"
David Parkin
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"Seeing both Pine Marten and Badger so close and being able to observe their behaviour. It was incredible to see both species so close, we absolutely loved it!"
Emma Juxton
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"Seeing 2 Pine Martens together on the feeding platform and watching one at the back of the hide for several minutes"
Jennifer Scaife
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"The Whole experience - plus seeing the Pine Marten of course!"
Carol Strevens
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"The amazing views of the Pine Marten and how close we were able to get without disturbing the wildlife"
Kim Redgrave
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"Has to be the 3 Pine Martens, been a lifelong dream to see one"
Helen Horrocks
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"Seeing a Pine Marten so close as well as all 7 Badgers - great memories for us thank you"
Jo and Ian
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"Seeing such excellent views of a Pine Marten...and the stars"
Janice Adams
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"Obviously seeing a Pine Marten in the wild and so close. Also our guide was first class"
Carol Whetren
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"Close encounters with a Pine Marten (only a few inches away). Photograhing the Pine Marten and Badgers was easy even by just using mobile a phone"
Yana Pocklington
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"We had an amazing experience seeing the Badgers and Pine Marten"
Dianne Sorrie
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"Seeing the Pine Martens couldn’t believe how close they were to the hide just wonderful"
Caroline Legg
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"The wildlife! I have seen Pine Martens several times before, but seeing one so close was superb"
Polly Freeman
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"A Pine Marten coming so close that if no glass there, you could have touched it"
Carol Bone
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"Obviously to be able to see a free Badger for real and during around ten minutes and also two Pine Martens which were playing and eating just in front of us like if they were dancing! I felt I lived a very rare moment, to be able to see wild animals in our industrial world is almost a mystical experience! I will recommend it to everyone to become aware of the importance to maintain and preserve the biodiversity of our natural sites!! Great, thank you to all the members of the organisation!"
Aurelien Martinou
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"Pine Martens and the hide itself. The comfortable seating inside and ability to walk around made it an even better experience"
Hilde
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"Being able to watch the Pine Marten so close was definitely the highlight"
Katie Carnell
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"Seeing Pine Marten & Badgers at close quarters. Ticked all the boxes we were hoping for, many thanks"
A.Cornell
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"We all enjoyed the whole experience. Have been coming to the area for 30 years and never done this before but definitely will again. Seeing the badgers was a highlight. Will be back to look for the elusive Pine Marten??"
Claire Wilson
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"Seeing a Pine Marten (which was what we came for). Seeing Badgers close up on the rocks was great and something we haven't had in other hides. Hide was heated - excellent. Bonus was a clear sky afterwards and being able to see the Milky Way"
Clare Russell
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"We were so lucky to see 2 young male Badgers and an older mother Badger. They were there for quite some time and very close to the hide providing a fantastic opportunity to watch them! Later in the evening, this year's Pine Marten kit showed up for a good 5 minutes or so. To say I was delighted would be an understatement as I've wanted to see a Pine Marten for many years! Seeing the Badgers was equally thrilling! The whole experience was something I'll never forget and surpassed my expectations. Many thanks to Kate for answering my many questions! I will recommend Speyside Wildlife to friends and family"
Michele
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"Seeing a young Pine Marten, not once, but twice! Apparently it is rare for them to come back so we felt very lucky. Generally just seeing the animals in the wild, without disturbing them, was an amazing experience"
Emma Greer
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"We were so fortunate as we had a visit of 5 Badgers, a Pine Marten and of course a few Wood Mice. As to the highlight, it was all brilliant so can't pick one over the other"
Trev Johnson
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"Finally seeing some of Scotland’s iconic wildlife up close. Most wildlife are seen through binoculars or long lenses,so to be eye to eye was a real treat"
Nick Gibson
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"Seeing how much it meant to my Mum, who I brought here to celebrate her 60th birthday. It was an experience she will never forget"
Craig Mcdonald
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"Two Pine Martens, mother and kit together,stunning"
Richard Henser
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"Seeing Pine Martens at close quarters and 5 Badgers all together feeding happily. It was brilliant"
Celia Davis
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"Seeing a Pine Marten right next to the window!! . The Woodcock flying overhead whilst waiting at car park was also an amazing lifer, but would not have known without the help of the guide"
Ellie
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"Seeing the Badgers and Pine Marten at such close range - my 81yr old mother is still talking about what a fantastic experience it was"
Steven Gardner
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"Excellent views of Pine Marten and Badger, this is my forth visit this year and I find it amazing to see the animals so close, I shall come again, many thanks to you all"
Richard Henser
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"I was looking forward to hopefully seeing a Badger so to see not just one, but six individuals, and up close too was amazing! We also managed to see a Pine Marten which was a delight. Although she did not come to the table to eat we saw her popping up in the long grass. The stars on our exit and return to the car were magical too"
Dawn Bain
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"Seeing a Pine Marten from the hide was the highlight of our visit, we spent a week in the Aviemore area being able to see Tawny Owls, Badgers and two Pine Martens at such close range in such a comfortable setting was amazing and not what I was expecting. Could clearly see the dedication that John and the rest of the Speyside Wildlife group have gone to great lengths at gaining the trust of such elusive mammals well worth it"
Christian Pearce
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"Seeing two Pine Martens, as well as the three or four Badgers. The clear night with the stars above us made the walk back to the car a great end to a great night out"
John Griffiths
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"Watching the faces and listening to the excited and amazed comments from my friends who had never been before or witnessed wildlife at such close range. It has the same effect on me even though I have been several times before and will do so again. This time several Badgers and 3 Pine Martens put on a fab show!!!!!!!!! Please tell my cynic of a son you don't let them out of cages up the track though !!"
Joan Glass
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"3 different Badgers and 3 different Pine Martens, close enough that you could almost touch, Tawny Owl and also mice. Badgers and Pine Martens didn't just come and go but stayed a good while allowing us to see them close up and in detail, truly a wonder to see such wild animals at close range while not interfering with their way of life. Will certainly be going back again, it was our last stop before driving 600 miles home and I'd happily do the 1200 mile round trip just to sit in this hide another evening, can't recommend it enough"
Gary Funnell
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