Plans to restore Aviemore’s winter sports appeal

HIGHLAND village once renowned for its winter sports could relive its past glories if plans for a £10million sports centre come to fruition.

Proposals put forward by the Aviemore Sports Centre Company include an ice arena, enabling the return of ice skating, ice hockey and curling to the village after a 10-year absence.
Aviemore’s ice rink closed in 1999, and while many residents have called for a new rink to be built, their campaigns over the years have failed.

It is hoped the new plans will provide all-year-round facilities for a generation of young sports fans and cater for skiers forced off the mountains by bad weather.
Building work could start on the new proposals next year, and will also include a multi-sports hall, four indoor tennis courts, changing facilities and a bar and restaurant.

Project chairwoman Yvonne Birnie said: “There are no indoor facilities in Aviemore. Living in the Highlands means that when the weather is bad there is little to do. The indoor climbing wall is excellent but there is little else.
“So many tourists come here in winter but when the ski-ing is stormed off they are always looking for the ice rink.”
S

he added: “At the tennis club we have 70 juniors who train on Mondays but we can’t guarantee it because of the weather. There are lots of complaints about the Lawn Tennis Association that there are not many players coming through, but we are struggling because there are not the facilities to practise.”
A feasibility study has been done and the project directors hope to make a decision on their preferred site in the next few weeks.
Three sites have been mooted and the company has had talks with each of the landowners about their plans.

They are a site at Macdonald Aviemore Highland Resort, a site on the edge of Rothiemurchus Estate’s planned new village at An Camus Mor, and a site owned by Seafield Estates, beside Aviemore’s call centre.

The group was formed after a public meeting in November 2007, when a wish-list of sports facilities was drawn up.
Suggestions that a swimming pool be included were rejected because the Macdonald Aviemore

Highland Resort’s pool now comes under the Highland Council’s discount leisure scheme.
A bobsleigh push start facility was also rejected because a similar development was planned in England and it was felt that the UK required only one such facility.
It is hoped funding can be sought from sports organisations, including the Lawn Tennis Association, and residents will also be required to raise funds towards the building.

The company will meet representatives of the Cairngorms National Park Authority and local Highland councillors to discuss the proposals before a decision on a site is made.
Aviemore Community Council chairman John Grierson said: “Getting an ice rink back in Aviemore is something we are in favour of. But we are waiting to see the outcome of the feasibility study before we make further comment.”

Shake-up move at Aviemore resort

A major shake-up in the ownership of the Aviemore Highland Resort (AHR) is on the cards in an attempt to save the development from bankruptcy.

More than 300 jobs are at risk as the company struggles to cope with a financial crisis.
But an agreement between administrators and the project's bankers is likely to see the Macdonald Hotels Group emerge as the eventual owner.

The group, Lloyds TSB and building firm Tulloch have a stake in AHR.

In February, an £80m plan to redevelop the complex was given the green light by the Cairngorms National Park Authority (CNPA).

Planning officials recommended that the board members granted approval as long as 33 planning conditions were met.

These included ensuring that 25% of the housing built as part of the expansion was affordable.

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Volunteering at Glen Livet Estate in Cairngorns National Park

GLENLIVET, Scotland -- There are a lot of ways to travel the world. Most of them are hugely expensive and often involve being charter-bussed around in a tourist "bubble" that barely scratches the surface of the real place and people. We might come away with some pretty postcard photographs and high-priced souvenirs, but most of our experience doesn't get the chance to go much deeper than that.

Sincerely want to find a way to cut costs to the bare-bones minimum, spend intense one-on-one time with locals and maybe even leave a lasting mark on the place you've visited? Here's what I discovered a few years ago and now rarely plan a major vacation any other way.

Save hundreds of dollars in food, lodging and sightseeing costs. I can travel entirely alone without worrying about "being" alone -- and generally come home with a few lasting new friendships, and a solid sense of having actually "lived" in the place I've visited.

Best of all, there's the soul-satisfying knowledge that should I return to that place years from now, some small evidence of my passing will likely still remain -- and I don't mean litter or graffitti.I'm talking about a volunteer work vacation.

Volunteer vacations take many forms. Doctors and nurses bring needed skills to third world countries where health care is more a luxury than a human right. Churches staff missions around the world to improve standards of living while spreading the word of their faith.

Environmentalists perform conservation work both nationally and abroad. Animal lovers volunteer in wildlife research and habitat projects on land and sea. There are even archaeological digs seeking volunteers to help unearth the secrets of ancient civilization.

All it takes is a little homework to find the right service trip to suit your interests, skills and physical abilities...and the willingness to do a little work while you're

That's how I spent 8 days at the Glenlivet Estate in the central Scottish Highlands with BTCV Holidays, a British-based nonprofit environmental conservation group sponsoring year-round international volunteer work projects.

Glenlivet Estate, literally a valley on the rivers Livet and Avon, is nearly 57,000 acres of moors, bogs, waterways, woods and farms between the Ladder and Cromdale Hills of Cairngorns National Park in the Grampian Highlands.

This is the true lifesource of Scotland's historic whiskey, where the rivers flow clear and cold and the barley grows rich and tall. Pheasant, grouse and other upland game are as fat and plentiful as barnyard chickens, strutting freely across wide pastures like feathered kings and queens. Salmon and wild brown trout fill the rocky streams in their season. Roe deer and wild hare dart across the landscape like Gaelic faeries.

My group was made up of nine men and women ranging in age from two girls fresh out of high school to two retired English gents of decidedly and delightfully opposite character. All but me hailed from somewhere in the UK, so the week was an ongoing study in everything from the proper way to boil haggis and turnips to the makings of a good malt whiskey.

During the day our projects ranged from building a footpath for locals in Tomintoul, the highest village in the Highlands, to refurbishing footbridges along one of the estate's many walking routes. On our free time we hill-walked through endless sunlit evenings, toured famed Glen Livet Distillery and the ruins of Drumin Castle.

Every green rolling pasture is dotted with the thick white of sheep and goats. The soulful gaze of cattle follow your every move as you climb over fence stiles to cross the grassy moors. Vast hillsides are covered in heather -- mottled brown like worn and shabby carpet in spring, vivid pink and purple in late summer and fall

On our last night, we celebrated with a barbecue next to the cattle field, attended by the park rangers we'd been working for all week. Even the local Grampian police stopped in, curious to see what the smoke was about behind the village hall.

Yes, it's work. Yes, you get dirty, tired and sweaty. And yes, you cook your own meals at the end of the day, and if you're lucky, you'll sleep on a floor instead of a tent and have a shower instead of a bucket or lake.

Frankly, I can't imagine a more wonderful way to see the Scottish Highlands -- or anywhere else in the world. Why not give it a try? You just might agree

Cairngorms Soap Box Race 2009

Cairngorm Soapbox Extreme, organised by the newly formed Scottish Cartie Association (SCA) and with funding secured through the Cairngorms Local Action Group LEADER programme, is the latest addition to the UK soapbox racing calendar.

SCA chairman Stephen Hall explained: "We wanted to put on something really spectacular to catch people's imagination, and Cairngorm really is the ideal venue.



"The course, down the Cairngorm Ski Road, is two miles long and has a great mixture of straights and testing hairpin bends. We expect that top speeds will be well in excess of 50mph, and you really won't find anything like this anywhere else in Britain."

Gravity racing is the next step up from the humble soapbox cart or bogey, traditionally built by children from scavenged materials. But instead of pram wheels, planks and a bit of rope for steering, these are precision-engineered racing machines driven with skill and passion.
"You'll find all kinds of machines taking part, from carts built by blokes in sheds from whatever parts they can lay their hands on right the way up to high-tech masterpieces built by professional race teams such as Lotus and Honda," said Hall.

And there is no shortage of courage either, for as Stephen revealed: "It takes quite a lot of guts to hurtle down a hill on something you've made yourself, but to barrel down a mountain? This is definitely not a sport for Jessies!"

He added: "We've had a great response from the local community and there is a real enthusiasm for the event in the area, not just in the local area but also further afield, from the North of Scotland right down to the South of England.

"We've had an amazing amount of support and help from lots of sources including the Aviemore Business Association and Cairngorm Mountain Ltd."

A vital part of the jigsaw was achieved earlier in the year when funding was secured through the Cairngorms Local Action Group LEADER programme.

Hall said: "It was a huge boost when we learned we'd been awarded a grant, and things have just been a blur since then. It's really catching on and is generating a lot of interest."

The event will run on July 25-26, with safety inspection of all the carts on Saturday being followed by practice sessions and timed qualifying. On Sunday, the carts will race head to head in a do-or-die knockout to find the "King of the Mountain".

For further information, including details on taking part, log on to http://www.soapboxracing.co.uk/.

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Tigers burn bright with new cubs

Three Amur tiger cubs born at the Highland Wildlife Park, near Kingussie, are to be given their first public showing.

The litter are the offspring of two adults transported from Edinburgh Zoo last October.




The pair named Yuri and Sasha have previously reared six cubs.

About 500 are thought to remain in the wild and the park owners - the Royal Zoological Society of Scotland - said the species remains under threat. The cubs were born in May, but are only now being shown to the public. Amur tigers, also known as Siberian tigers, live in the forests and mountains of Russia's far east.

Conservation charity Amur says the species' numbers are threatened by poaching and hunting for body parts to make traditional Chinese medicine. Habitat has also been lost to logging and forest fires. The Highland Wildlife Park cubs are the latest new arrivals at the site.
In May, two Japanese macaques were the first to be born at the park since the species' introduction to its collection in 2007. Meanwhile, a team of territorial soldiers, usually charged with building army bases in Afghanistan, have built an enclosure at the site for the UK's only polar bear.

The 75 Engineer Regiment created a four-acre enclosure for Mercedes, who it is hoped will move from her current home at Edinburgh Zoo later this year. www.highlandwildlifepark.org

Summer snow...snow way

"UNTIL it snows in June, summer has not started," is a saying at CairnGorm Mountain– and after this weekend's flurry hopefully there will be plenty of sun to come.

Temperatures dropped to freezing at the top of the Cairngorms in the early hours of Friday morning, just five days after the mercury had nudged 28C.
People had still been taking to the waters of Loch Morlich in their swimming costumes the previous Monday before the dramatic change around in the weather.
Weekend walkers on the high tops were greeted by nearly two inches of snow, blasts of hail and sub-zero conditions while temperatures crept up to a relatively barmy 5C at the funicular base station and Coire Cas car park.

"There was enough snow to make a snowman but not to ski," said Tania Alliod, marketing manager for CairnGorm Mountain.

"Everyone was certainly enjoying the snow."
She added that despite the soaring temperatures during the previous week, staff at the attraction do not consider the summer snow unusual.

Forget the OUTSIDER it's the INSIDER!

Somehow we have managed to organise a very civilised little get together in under 4 weeks. Today, with 3 weeks to go, Henry and Dan have got the website up and running and tickets are officially on sale.Ladies and Gentlemen welcome to the Insider.

For the Insider our license states that we can't sell tickets on the gate and we are strictly limited to 400. Both Inshriach and the Insider are in for some unexpected publicity and we would recommend to those of you who read this to get your tickets in quickly. To this end we are laying on a little incentive. Anyone who buys a ticket by this Friday will have their name put into the hat and may find themselves the proud occupier of an 8' yurt for the weekend with all manner of creative entertainment and lavish hospitality thrown in. I'm probably doubling up what I'm saying to a few of you. See the Insider website for more details.

Inshriach House is 5 miles outside Aviemore so arriving by train is easy. Inverness airport is 40 miles to the North. From Aviemore you can take a taxi to Inshriach House for around £8. We will warn the taxi people when we think you are coming or you can call Geordies Cabs on 01479 811 111 or Weirs Taxis on 01479 810 141, both are based in Aviemore. If you are coming by car we are on the B970 between Inverdruie and Feshiebridge. Here is a map. There will be plenty of parking in a field but no entry after 10pm. We cant get caravans in and please let us know if you are coming in a camper van by emaiing me at walter@inshriachhouse.com See you here.

Dragons in the Cairngorms National Park

Old curling ponds, lochs and bogs are to be surveyed to help gauge the numbers and varieties of dragonfly and damselfly in a national park.

Cairngorms National Park is believed to provide habitat for 13 types of the large insects.
A pictorial guide to the creatures has been produced to aid volunteers in identifying them.
The effort is part of a five-year project to update the National Dragonfly Atlas.
The park authority said a number of its species were rare.

It said the northern damselfly and white faced darter were classified as endangered by conservationists, while the azure hawker was classified as threatened.

Cairngorms biodiversity officer Stephen Corcoran hoped the leaflet would encourage more people to look for the insects.

He added: "The status of dragonflies across the park is unknown, and it is not clear what impact climate change may have on them.
"A new national atlas is urgently required to map any change and highlight potential threats.
"To succeed in this ambitious project good national coverage is needed, particularly in the Cairngorms, which is the stronghold for several rare species many of whom are under recorded."
The insects are associated with freshwater for breeding.

Adult dragonflies are on the wing from May until October but the best time to see them is usually June and July on warm, sunny days with little wind.

Large numbers are known to be found around pools in Abernethy, Glenmore, Rothiemurchus, Glen Tanar Estate, Insh Marshes and Dinnet National Nature Reserve.

Dragonflies are harmless, but inquisitive, and feed on other flies and insects including midges.

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Spirit of Speyside Whisky Festival

The festival runs from May 1-10, and offers visitors, be they from down the road or across the world, a taste of what Speyside has to offer throughout the year.
Many distilleries and attractions not usually open will open their doors for a glimpse of what they do – and do so well.

With over half of all the distilleries in Scotland within an hour or so of each other, the festival is a perfect opportunity to enjoy the spirit of the land, and the pure waters that flow through her.

From the avid whisky buff to the traveller or local, the festival has it all. There are about 300 events including 180 whisky tours and tastings, 21 whisky dinners, 12 bracing whisky walks, 12 cooperage tours and numerous distillery tours. The opening dinner will be at The Balvenie Maltings in Dufftown, where the 2009 Spirit of Speyside Whisky Awards will be presented.

An exclusive Malt Whisky School, a three-day masterclass, has been introduced this year. This adds to the many fantastic experiences on offer.

Gordon and MacPhail in Elgin offers a range of tastings throughout the festival which include whisky combined with food including chocolate, cheese, salmon, or haggis.

There are also straight-out whisky tasting and tours as well.

Be sure to book for these at www.gordonandmacphail.com .

Many distilleries are open for you to just arrive and go on a tour, but for others you may need to book. Some are free and costs vary for others, so it is always best to check.
And if you see one, you haven’t seen them all. The diversity is such that each offers something different.

One thing is for sure, you wouldn’t have whisky if you didn’t have a cask – or is it a barrel?

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Self Catering & Holiday Cottages in Scotland

Munroe Bagging in Scotland

Are you inspired to head for the highlands this summer? Whether you are looking to bag your first munro, or you are a veteran of the hills, Cairngorm National Park has plenty mountains for you to conquer.

For people who really enjoy walking and hiking, Munro Bagging is about finding and experiencing new hills and mountains you might not otherwise have thought of walking on - often in glorious solitude well away from the crowded tourist spots. It can be a lot of fun and immensely satisfying too!

The following three websites will help you find the perfect route to help you accomplish in bagging that perfect munro: Munro Magic, Go4aWalk, and Scotland's Munros with VisitScotland.
And for after the day's walk, or any walker's less active companions, why not admire the beauty of the mountains from the comfort of a cosy self-catering cottage? Have a look at Cairngorms Holiday Cottages, and you will see how easy it is to find a self-catering property within your budget.

Pylons in Cairngorms Park rejected for now

ANTI-PYLON protesters were celebrating last night after Highland councillors rejected controversial plans for a 137-mile overhead power line stretching from Inverness-shire through the Cairngorms National Park to the Central Belt.

It is now virtually certain that Scottish & Southern Energy's proposals for a £200 million upgrade of the high-voltage link will go before a public inquiry. Members of Highland Council's planning committee voted unanimously to reject the pylon proposals at a meeting in Inverness yesterday after councillors heard representations from the power company and a number of objectors.

They said the pylons would have "significant adverse" impacts on the amenity of four lengths of the route - Beauly-Eskadale and Cannich-Guisachan in Inverness-shire, the River Spey-Feagour Wood and an area west of the A889, and east of the A9 in Badenoch and Strathspey. The proposed pylons are up to 200ft high and the line, between Beauly and Denny, near Falkirk, would pass through the Cairngorms National Park. Councillors also said more detailed information was needed regarding the potential impact of the development on minor roads in the area and they wanted an opportunity to consider a government report, to be published later this year, which will examine the possible link between high-voltage overhead transmission lines and childhood leukaemia.

A spokesman for Scottish & Southern Energy said after the meeting: "We have to listen to what is being said and we will talk to the main stakeholders to look at all options.

Carrbridge, in The Cairngorms National Park is a Beautiful Highland Village

Carrbridge, in The Cairngorms National Park is a Beautiful Highland Village

Carrbridge, in the Cairngorms National park is absolutely lovely. This beautiful village is known as the original ski area of Scotland, and it is the first. It is also known for it's many stone bridges. These arched bridges were built in order to accommodate work horses. There are many still standing today.

"Landmark forest adventure park" is a great opportunity for an outing with the kids. There is so much to explore, you are sure to be kept busy all day, and will want to return again, and again. From water coasters to "sky diving" the thrills are sure to please. Here you may climb the tallest fire tower in the country, and meet the Clydesdale horses. The kids are sure to be delighted with all there is to do here.

"Highland wildlife park" in Kincraig is another attraction that is sure to delight young and old alike. Here you will drive your own car through the reserve, watching the wild animals in their own habitat. There are many traditional Scottish animals as well as other exotic, wild animals from aroung the world. They even have a program where you may become "warden for the day", where you may get up close, and help to feed, train and clean the animals. You must be eighteen or over for this one, but what an exciting adventure.

Explore the beauty of the ancient stone bridges that you will find in Carrbridge. Spend the day skiing in one of the finest resorts in this area, followed by a fantastic meal in one of there excellent restaurants. Enjoy the walking trails, or have a picnic. No matter what you choose, you will have a wonderful time while visiting Carrbridge.

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Outsider Cancelled

You hear it first on http://www.cairngormsholidaycottages.com/

The Outsider has been scrapped, apparently due to poor ticket sales.

The festival was due to be held in Rothiemurchus in the Cairngorms on June 27 and 28, but a decision was taken to cancel the show earlier this week.

Sharleen Spiteri, Teenage Fanclub and The Futureheads were among music acts confirmed to play at the event, which also included outdoor activities, film and children's entertainment.

But, last night, the website had all the details relating to ticket sales and other key elements removed.
Organisers promised to make an official announcement on Monday and will blame the current economic climate that has seen several music festivals struggle to sell tickets.

Other 2009 festivals recently forced to cancel include the first ever Homecoming festival, which had been planned to take place on Irvine beach.

Organiser Pete Irvine, of Unique Events, said: said: "The Outsider programme was ambitious and ground-breaking.

"It combined live music and DJs with debate and discussion, film, comedy and food in a beautiful and setting.

"However, due to the economic downturn and the audience numbers now projected, we feel we cannot produce an event that provides a festival experience at the level that is expected and deserved.

"Clearly, a recession is not the time to realise this bold new concept, but we still believe the Outsider was right for its time and perfect for its place.

"We are hugely disappointed that it is not going ahead.

"A great number of people have supported and worked on the Outsider so far and we thank them all.
"We offer our sincere apologies to all ticket holders for any inconvenience and disappointment.

"All ticket holders will receive a full refund and we have also agreed to reimburse booking fees.

Reimbursement will be processed automatically at your original point of sale." An insider revealed: "The recession is hitting the live music scene and festivals appear to be particularly badly hit.

The Cairngorms National Park

The largest of the parks at 3800 sq kilometres in area, the Cairngorms National Park in Scotland is a breathtaking haven for unique wildlife and plants, moorlands, forests, rivers and lochs, situated in a stunning mountain landscape.

The Cairngorms National Park is towards the north-west of Scotland and stretches from Grantown on Spey to the heads of the Angus Glens, and from Ballater to Dalwhinnie. It is served by several main ‘A’ roads, including the A9, A93 and A939. Towns within the park area include Dalwhinnie, Newtonmore, Aviemore and Ballater.

The park has breathtaking scenery, and many opportunities for walking and hiking, golf, mountain biking, canoeing and climbing, not to mention skiing on Cairn Gorm mountain, which has some of the best snow-holding records in Scotland.

There are also sites of historical interest, including the splendidly crenellated Scone Palace which was built from red sandstone in 1802 and stands in beautiful grounds surrounded by 300 acres of parkland.

Balmoral Castle, the Scottish home of the British Royal family, is also situated in the park between Braemar and Ballater. Queen Victoria called it 'my dear paradise in the Highlands' spending as much time as possible there after the death of Prince Albert in 1861.

Other highlights include numerous heritage centres, historical houses and estates such as Rothiemurchus and Glenlivet, the Glenlivet and Lochnagar distilleries, the Strathspey Steam Railway, the RSPB Osprey Centre at Boat of Garten, the arts and crafts shops at Tomintoul, and Braemar Castle.


The park is 40% larger than the famous Lake District National Park

It contains the largest area of arctic mountain landscape in the British Isles, including four out of five of the country’s highest peaks

The forest contains a rare kind of pinewood only found in Scotland and Norway

The park is home to 25% of Europe’s threatened animal, bird and plant species

The TV series ‘Monarch of the Glen’ was filmed in the park around Dalwhinnie

At Leault Farm, Kincraig, you can watch duck-herding demonstrations!

Looking for accommodation? Why not check out - www.HighlandHolidayCottages.com or www.cairngormsholidaycottages.com

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Iceland visit the Cairngorms National Park

A delegation from Iceland are expected to arrive in the Highlands on Wednesday for a special fact finding tour.

Iceland shares many geographical similarities with Scotland and the team are keen to see Scottish developments in renewable energy and tourism.

Over the next three days, the group - which includes the Mayor of the Municipality of Hornafjordour - will visit several businesses.

They also plan to visit the Cairngorms National Park to examine the effects it has on tourism in the area.

Iceland has a number of its own national parks including Vatnajokull National Park, which is the largest in Europe.

On Thursday, the team will meet representatives from the Cairngorms Chamber of Commerce and tour the Rothiemurchus Estate.

On Friday they will meet the Cairngorms National Park Authority at Grantown on Spey before visitng Tomintoul and then going on to Royal Deeside for a tour of the Glen Tanar Estate.
Stephanie Andersin, of HIE, said: "We are delighted to be welcoming the Icelandic group to the Highlands and Islands to look at the innovative work being carried out here.

"They view Scotland's progress as an excellent example of a small country like their own capitalising on what is unique in order to grow the economy and compete at an international level."

How does the Budget affect Holiday Cottage Owners

2009's Budget, announced yesterday, includes scrapping the Furnished Holiday Lettings (FHL) rules. Currently, owners of holiday homes and cottages in the UK enjoy several benefits, but the Budget 2009 revealed that these advantages are set to be repealed in 2010. However, until then the rules will be extended to other European countries.At present, owners of UK and other holiday properties can offset any trading losses from their second home, such as loss of rental income, against any other income they may have.

Furthermore, capital gains tax (CGT) on a holiday home can be postponed by investing in another property within three years of selling the original home. Owners may also be able to benefit from Entrepreneurs' Relief and pay the business rate of CGT.As well as CGT relief and offsetting trading losses, the FHL rules include 'capital allowances'. Such allowances allow you to deduct a certain percentage for the cost of each item of furniture or equipment provided in the property. This is normally 50 per cent of the cost in the year it was purchased and 25 per cent of what is left for each year after the initial purchase.However, Alistair Darling, Britain's chancellor of the exchequer, announced that the FHL rules will be repealed from 2010-11 and owners will no longer enjoy such benefits. Nevertheless, the Budget 2009 also revealed that until these changes come into force, the FHL rules will be extended to other countries within the European Economic Area (EEA). This means that anyone liable to UK tax with properties in these countries will qualify for the tax advantages for a short period.In order for a property to qualify for the FHL benefits until 2010, it must meet certain conditions.

These include being situated in the EEA and the business being a commercial venture with a view to making a profit. The property must be available for commercial letting as holiday accommodation for a minimum of 140 days per UK tax year and let for at least 70 days. Lets of over 31 days to the same person cannot be included.

It is all just a but much, why not take a holiday check out http://www.highlandholidaycottages.com/

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Storm over BBC weather forecasts

INACCURACIES with the BBC on-line weather forecasting service is causing storm clouds to gather over one of the Highlands and Islands most popular tourist attractions. Bosses at Landmark have complained to the Beeb they are constantly predicting rain for Carrbridge which is home to the forest adventure park.

They claim that the BBC's weather website gives the forecast of a wet day when in fact it turns out that there are only a small number of isolated showers – and sometimes no rain at all.
Manager Danny Fullerton said that they relied on the BBC to get the forecast right to help bring in more visitors to Landmark which attracts around 130,000 people every year.
He said that the weather phraseology used by the broadcaster on their website was very ambiguous and that the medium term forecasts in particular were unreliable.
Mr Fullerton said: "We check the weather site for Carrbridge PH23 3AJ every day and we refer our potential visitors to it for checking local weather before they set out for us or for planning a few days ahead of their trip.

"A major problem is the accuracy of forecast for this area – it is often changed radically over the immediate two to three days meaning planning in advance is impossible.
"We would be as well waiting to the day and looking out of the window."
Mr Fullerton is also unhappy about the phraseology used on the site: "On days where there is a chance of slight rain passing over the area the forecast refers to 'showers' or 'showery'.
"This implies that the predominant condition is rain. I am urging the BBC to change this to the true meaning of showers which is mainly dry."

He said that the BBC's incorrect forecasts were not only continually hitting the attraction in the pocket but also created headaches in catering for visitor numbers.
Mr Fullerton added: "We use the weather forecast to plan staffing levels, stocking levels for foods, drinks, ice creams and so on and we can be left high and dry by inaccurate forecasts."
He added: "I am watching the new BBC weather site to see if it is going to be any different. It is too early to say right now but I will be monitoring their forecasts closely."
Other members of the Carrbridge Business Association also agree that the BBC's inaccurate forecasts are a source of frustration including those given on the TV.
Alice Buttress, who runs Carrbridge Studios which sells wooden sculptures, said: "Other sites may be more accurate but unfortunately it is the BBC site that most people use.
She said: "Anyone looking at the BBC forecast for over the Easter Weekend would surely have had second thoughts about coming here.

"Rain was forecast for almost the entire holiday period - but more annoyingly even although they were getting it completely wrong they still didn't change their forecast.
"I think it is time we all started to complain and perhaps someone at the BBC might take notice."
Andrew Kirk, who runs The Cairn Hotel with his wife, Susan, agreed and continued: "My other gripe – apart from the tilt of the UK which makes the Highlands look insignificant and the South-west of England huge – is the phrase 'it will be raining in Scotland. Really; from Wick to Stranraer and Tongue to Eymouth? I doubt it."
A BBC spokeswoman defended their record. She said: "Our aim at BBC weather is to present the forecast as clearly as possible and to increase the speed and frequency with which we can update it.

"We are confident that we are using the best source of forecast data, which we obtain from the Met Office. However, the nature of our climate is such that there are times when the weather behaves in unpredictable ways.
"Our terminology aims to be as clear as possible, and we constantly review it following our audience comments and feedback."
A spokesman for the broadcaster's complaints department said they feed back concerns about forecast inaccuracy to the Met Office and also put pressure on them to improve their accuracy.

Why not stay at a Cottage in the Cairngorms

Holiday time is around the corner and its time to plan where to go and what sort of holiday you prefer. If you dislike the hustle and bustle of busy hotels or living in a self catering city apartment what are your options!

You can rent a caravan or hire a tent, or you could decide to take a cottage holiday. Holiday cottages come in all shapes and sizes tiny ones for two people or large ones for ten to twelve people or more. They can be quaint and crooked or up to date with all the mod cons.

You can find one with a loch view which is every ones picture of a real country cottage, or many of them have a hot tubs or games rooms for kids!

They can be in the depth of the Cairngorms National park away from it all, where woodland and wild flowers are in abundance, or in a small village where the local shop sells anything and everything.

If you like the idea of farming life where the children can see the animals and feed the hens, you’re in luck because many highland farms rent out the little cottages on their land some even have a horse to ride.

Climbing and hiking holidays are very popular for the fit and hardy in the Cairngorms National Park, you can find a cottage or a cozy wooden chalet on the side of a Cairngorm Mountain in the Scottish Highlands.

Lochs and rivers are always popular, although they are not a perfect environment for young children so families should steer clear of these

Cottages are everywhere and it is not only the summer time when they can be enjoyed. Even in the middle of winter you can curl up in front of a real log fire or wrap up warmly and face the elements of a wintry countryside.

Many cottages allow dogs; imagine their delight with so much open space and all the different smells that send them ecstatic with joy.

Cairngorms Holiday Cottages, the first web site solely dedicated to listing all self-catering cottages, houses, lodges, bungalows, log cabins and bothies in the Cairngorms National Park. With interactive map search, advanced search engine, quick check and enquiry system. The site will also list what's on every month, places to see, do and visit in the Cairngorms National Park,

Four new affordable homes unveiled in Cairngorms National Park

Four new affordable homes which have a reduced carbon footprint have been unveiled at Ardgeal in the Cairngorms National Park by local MSP Fergus Ewing. The homes for sale have been built on land sold to The Highlands Small Communities Housing Trust by Forestry Commission Scotland as part of its National Forest Land Scheme.

Three of the four homes are already sold to local purchasers who otherwise would not have been able to afford to buy suitable homes in what is still an expensive local housing market. Purchase prices have been kept low through a combination of the Trust using its Rural Housing Burden to take a 35% equity share in the properties, in return for a large discount, and substantial individual Rural Home Ownership Grants from the Scottish Government. A combination of solar panels, wood burning stoves, exceptionally high levels of insulation and careful design ensures that the homes will have low running costs and a much reduced carbon footprint compared to most modern homes.

The Milehouse development was delivered by the Inverness-based Trust, a rural housing charity, in partnership with the Kincraig & Vicinity Community Council. The project received financial contributions towards the cost of site acquisition and a project feasibility study from the Cairngorms National Park Authority and Highland Council. RBS provided approximately half of the total project development finance with additional lending from the Highland Housing Alliance Charitable Trust. The remainder of the project costs were funded from the Trust's revolving landbank fund originally funded by Highland Council. Tom Hainey, CEO of the Highlands Small Communities Housing Trust said: "It has taken a lot of hard work to reach this point and we have learned an awful lot along the way. "We will be taking time to learn those lessons before we proceed with Ardgeal phase 2 hopefully later this year."He added: "I look forward to working more closely with the Forestry Commission and Park Authority on a range of other innovative projects."Mr Ewing said: "This development is a model of co-operation between The Highlands Small Communities Housing Trust, the Forestry Commission as the landowner and the Cairngorms National Park Authority. "The developers have praised the Park Authority for the way in which the planning process was handled.

The vision of the local community was obtained and I understand that the development has proceeded without a single problem." Mr Ewing said that he hoped the next phase of the project could now proceed so more local people had a chance of affordable housing, adding that all the firms involved in the design and creation of the homes, including Grantown-based builders AW Laing, had done an excellent job. CNPA board member Anne MacLean said: "We feel what we have done at Ardgeal could be replicated elsewhere in the National Park conjunction with the housing provider and the Forestry Commission and possibly also in other areas of Scotland too. "This development shows how well the Park's partnerships are working and delivering on the ground."Fiona Munro, the CNPA's Housing Officer, said: "We want to learn from the project and see whether it can be repeated elsewhere in the National Park."Tree felling was necessary to carry out the Ardgeal project but a significant planting scheme for new trees will be implemented by the new owners within a year of occupation.

Grantown-On-Spey, Cairngorms National Park

If you want to see a traditional Scottish town, then fantastic Grantown-on-Spey, Cairngorms National Par, is the destination for you. Scottish tradition and culture are all within an easy reach once there, and the town itself exudes friendliness and warmth at every turn. Also, as an example of a Georgian Era town, there are almost none finer to be found.

Grantown-on-Spey itself is a town that resides in the Highland Council Area in Scotland, which is a part of the United Kingdom. Counting only about 2,200 people in its year-round population, Grantown nestles beside the river Spey. It's scenically close to the awesome Cairngorm Mountains, along the northern edge.

Formed of the union of three parishes in the 16th century, Grantown has a distinguished history in the so-called Highlands of Scotland ("Scottish Highlands"). It also is an attraction that brings in many tourists via use of national and international chartered bus services. This is because the area and the town are achingly beautiful and a real testament to the proud Scottish heritage.
Grantown sits amid picturesque woodlands teeming with local wildlife.

There is also an abundance of hiking and walking trails for people of all ages and abilities, and which give views of the surrounding hills and mountains. The town also hosts an award-winning museum that shows the visitor the beginnings of Grantown and its evolution into a popular holiday destination.

If shopping and sightseeing are for you, then the town's main thoroughfares offer more than their fair share of interesting shops and businesses which sell all manner of wares and items, most of which do a great job of imparting a bit of the Scottish love of their ancient and proud nation.

Grantown-on-Spey and the Highland area are sparsely populated, mainly due to the sheer size of Highland, which is the largest local government area in all of Scotland and England. With a total population of only 215,000 or so people, overcrowding when sightseeing will definitely not be a problem.


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