Spirit Of The Spey - Dave Craig

26/08/2024

My Sunday was spent in a darkened room following Saturday on The River ~ Tamdhu to Craigellachie ~ with four, mad whisky women! I’m sure those who recognise/know this ‘Fab Four’ will understand my challenges and extend their heartfelt sympathies. ❤️‍🩹 🙏
However, in truth, we had a great day. Mixed bag of weather, with reasonable water levels. The ladies paddled well, without ‘upset’ 🙃🙃 and appeared to enjoy our on and off-river activities, including tasty picnic-lunch, finished off with a wee dram and, at the end of the day, a fairly extensive, special Speyside whisky tasting by the beautiful Telford Bridge by Craigellachie. Great craic!!
👍 🌊🛶🛶🛶 🥃🥃 😄🙏

# Aultmore

16/08/2024

On third & final day of this week’s Journey, weather conditions were somewhat overcast & dreich as we headed downstream from the beautiful Telford Bridge, Craigellachie. However, our spirits were lifted when we saw riverbanks through Easter Elchies Fishings lined with wild-flowers. Very well done to ghillie Orn for all his efforts in planting the seeds, in turn giving much needed help to essential pollinators. 🌺🐝 🌍 ❤️‍🩹 Paddling was still fun in the rain but then our hearts were lifted again when the sun came out as we approached and were warmly welcomed to the wonderful Speyburn Distillery ~ complete with its unique, historic ‘Drum’ Maltings. To round off an excellent tour, guests were treated to an extensive 5-dram tasting which included the Speyburn delicious 10/15 & 18-year olds, as well as their rum finish and exquisite sherry-matured, distillery exclusive ~ a fitting finale to another magical Spey Canoe/Whisky Journey. Thanks to my trading partners ~ hoteliers, distillers et al who help make for my guests a great trip ‘brilliant’! 🌊🛶 🌳 🥃 🙏
Speyburn-Glenlivet distillery Speyburn Single Malt Scotch Whisky

15/08/2024

Wednesday ~ Day-2 of 3-Day Spey Canoe Journey in ((typical 🤥) stunning Scottish weather. Water levels low but adequate and my guests performed well in all the rapids without capsize. They were, in turn, ‘rewarded’ with Tamdhu treats’ at lunchtime (just a wee one!) and again in the evening during a lovely dinner and overnight stay at the beautiful Craigellachie Lodge. 🌊 🛶 🥃 👍

13/08/2024

Day-1 of a 3-Day, journey on the majestic River Spey. 🌊🛶 🌳 🌳 🐟 🦅 🦫

07/08/2024

Wonderful news ~ two beaver kits have been born in the wild in the Cairngorms National Park ~ first in 400-years. 🌳 🌳 🦫 🦫

Beavers released in the Cairngorms National Park have successfully bred and given birth to two kits, making them the first wild-born beavers in the

01/08/2024

Very well done to Spey Catchment Initiative and volunteers for the riverbank habitat improvement at Boat of Garten. Please can we have much more habitat restoration, along the miles of riverbank damaged by historic, riverside tree removal and continued unnecessary strimming. 🌳🌳 🐟 🌺 🐝

24/07/2024

Throwback to a fabulous day on The , Saturday 22nd June, with a fun-lovin’ group of Royal Navy personnel from HMS Neptune on The Clyde. Paddled Grantown/on-Spey to Advie Bridge, in beautiful weather!! 🌊 🛶 🛶 🛶 🌞

09/06/2024

An interesting and enlightening day, 29th May ~ spent on the ~ Ruthven Bridge to Kinrara ~ on the look out for signs & careful recording of exact locations of beaver activity, led by the Cairngorms National Park’s beaver officer, Jonathan Willet. 🌳🦫
Accompanying us in the morning were four RSPB Highlands & Islands staff members who, based on the Insh Marshes, have a keen interest in the beavers. Then, in the afternoon continuing on from their morning involvement, CNPA’s Dr Sally Mackenzie & Walter Micklethwait (Laird of Inshriach!) stayed with us and we were joined by Rothiemurchus ranger, Sarah and CNPA CEO, Grant Moir.
No signs of lodges but spotted were tracks through vegetation on to the riverbank; beaver-scrapes sprayed with Aroma d’ Castoreum and, as one might expect, a fair amount of munched (main diet) willow whips, with some bark stripping on a small number of larger willow and some aspen limbs ~ two species of tree that thrive on being coppiced (~ cut back, willows can grow by as much as 2-feet in 1-year.) 🌳🦫

07/05/2024

Just completed the survey on the lower Spey. 😁

It was super simple and quick to do, plus I got to spend 10 idyllic minutes listening to the sounds of nature and looking out for wildlife on the banks of my favourite river ♥️.

There's still time for you to take part.

All you have to do is download the Big River Watch app, visit the Spey and start a survey (no sign-up required!).

TThe Rivers Trust

05/05/2024

Throw back to evening of 1st May, at The Macallan Distillery and the grand, Spirit of Speyside Whisky Festival ‘Touch of Tartan’, Gala Opening Dinner. Such a wonderful event, bringing together many of those working within and in support of the world-renowned, Speyside Whisky Industry. An important part of the evening was the public recognition of a number of the industry’s key people who have, over a lifetime and others in more recent years made major contributions to success of this amazing industry.
Sharing a table with the hugely successful, warehouse racking specialists Thistle Systems, we were honoured to be in the company of their special guest the talented, highly respected, whisky legend, Mr. Billy Walker
Many congratulations to all those involved in the complex organisation of such an amazing events and credit goes to the Good Highland Food Team for another excellent dinner.
Thanks too for the company of my guests, whisky aficionados, Caroline Haywood and Derek Whiteford. (With additional thanks to Derek for the ‘scary photographs which include some old, bearded guy in a kilt! 🙏😄)

27/04/2024

One bottled at 48% ABV with notes of dark chocolate, red currants, blackberries, orange zest & another at Cask Strength (58.6 ABV) giving lashings of cocoa, heather honey, & Black Forest gateau, I feel privileged to able to share, with my canoe/whisky guests, these exquisite Glenallachie expressions ~ first during the Spirit of Speyside Whisky Festival & on Spey Journeys throughout the summer. My discerning guests will be delighted to have opportunity to sample and will be blown away by the aromas & flavours of these two superb Speyside whiskies, created by whisky guru Billy Walker & The GlenAllachie Team.

22/04/2024

With just a little over a week till the start of the fantastic Spirit of Speyside Whisky Festival, here are two more exquisite expressions which will form part of my ‘Virtual Spey Descent via Whiskies’ for sampling by my Spey canoe/whisky guests. They are the superb Glen Grant 15yo and, giving on the palate honey, dried fruits & delicate spices ~ the intriguing ‘ ’ ~ linked to the picturesque, historic Glen Grant Distillery being partially surrounded by a beautiful, lush tree & shrub-filled garden, established by the distillery’s founder, Major James Grant.
Many thanks to Mr Greig Stables & Mr Grant Halley

Glen Grant distillery

10/04/2024

Landward Thursday 8.30pm. Feature on the River Spey. Includes, presenter Rosie, up to her knees in the water with the Lovely Dani Morey Ladyfisher 🎣 👱 🤩

Rosie's up to her knees in the Spey for this week's Landward! Tune in tomorrow, BBC Scotland, 8.30pm.

10/04/2024

* * * OUTDOOR EDUCATION INSTRUCTOR * * *
FIXED TERM until 18/10/24
32 hrs per week
Join our team and be part of the life long learning journey for our young visitors to Lagganlia. 🏹⛷🏂🧗‍♀️🚴🛶⛵️🏔🌲🌳

❓Interested ❓
☎️01540 651265
📧 [email protected]
Apply ⬇️⬇️⬇️

https://www.myjobscotland.gov.uk/councils/city-edinburgh-council/jobs/outdoor-education-instructor-lagganlia-outdoor-centre-373629

Cairngorm Jobs

08/04/2024

Now’s the time the daffys appear to bring us pleasure in Speyside 🌼🌼 But anytime is good for the Daffy’s Gin to come out to bring us pleasure!! 🍸🍸 😋 😄 DAFFY'S GIN

27/03/2024

Also, available for tasting by my Spey Canoe/Whisky guests during the Spirit of Speyside Whisky Festival in May ‘24, will be a virtual miscellany of the superb whiskies from the distillery closest to the source of the ~ the picturesque, artisan Speyside Distillery, a hidden gem in the Cairngorms National Park~ tucked away on the banks of its water-source, the River Tromie, near .
Their ‘SPEY whiskies include ~ the light but flavour-filled, ; the smoke influenced &, a favourite with many of my guests ~ finished in tawny port, Then, also, influenced by (Ruby) port is the dark & mysterious ‘Black One’ ~ the Beinn Dubh.

22/03/2024

This time from the Gordon & MacPhail Dynasty ~ two more excellent whiskies (~ and maybe another ‘Spirit of Speyside’) to be sampled by my / guests in May, following their river trip ~ Tamdhu to Craigellachie, during the Spirit of Speyside Whisky Festival. Some might say, with the presence of peat on the nose & on the palate, pays homage to our forefathers who would have used local peat to dry their barley. And, many a Scottish distillery has a ‘Red Door’!
Benromach Whisky Red Door Gin

22/03/2024

Two more of the exquisite whiskies which will be available to delight the tastebuds of my canoe/whisky guests, after they’ve paddled from Tamdhu distillery to the beautiful Telford Bridge, by Craigellachie, during this year’s Spirit of Speyside Whisky Festival ~ & . Many thanks to the Bacardi/Dewars Team ~ particularly Matthew Cordiner BA & before Matthew, the lovely Georgie Belll for their support of my Spey/Whisky envoy work over many years ~ Slàinte Mhath! 🥃 🥃
Craigellachie Single Malt Scotch Whisky
Aultmore distillery

15/03/2024

Thank you to all those who are to join me on The River &, after our canoe trip, drink exquisite drams on the riverbank by the iconic Telford Bridge, during the Spirit of Speyside Whisky Festival 2024.
I thought it might be a good idea for me to, in lead up to , show you just some of the superb elixirs I will be sharing with my guests during the Festival & those lucky people who are to take part in my Spey / Journeys throughout the summer.
Let me start by introducing you to one of Speyside’s hidden gems ~ Speyburn Single Malt Scotch Whisky. Snuggled into a small valley just outside Rothes, it was only during the 2023 Whisky Festival that this quaint, historic distillery opened its doors to the public. Well worth a visit ~ if only to view their unique Drum Maltings ‘frozen in time’.
Oh, and their whisky is excellent too. All are smooth and elegant but the 15 & 18 yo’s are like nectar! Slàinte Mhath 🥃 🥃 🍯 🐝

12/03/2024

Some wonderful tourism-related people & businesses throughout the Highlands & Islands. Entries & nominations can by made from 18th March.

14/02/2024

Another great, practical Outdoor First Aid Course being offered by Outwardly Mobile First Aid 28 & 29 Feb. at Badaguish Outdoor Centre 🤕 ⛑️

Still a couple of places available on our next 2-Day Outdoor Course 28 & 29 Feb. at Badaguish Centre by Aviemore.
Certification from this course validates all Outdoor NGB Awards.
Full details incl. scheduled dates & Application From are on our website: www.outwardlymobile.co.uk



📷 Tony Burley

31/01/2024

Wonderful to see this natural regeneration & increase in biodiversity when such an area is protected from grazing. Stabilises riverbanks and helps alleviate flooding. More of the same, please, on other Spey tributaries. 🙏 🌳🌳 🐟

Our River Calder restoration project was completed in 2021. Fast forward 3 years, and this is what it looks like…😁

Thanks to large deer-fenced enclosures in an area that was devoid of river-side trees, there is now a large amount of natural woodland regeneration.🌱

Alongside the trees we planted, we had hoped we’d get some self-seeding. But the amount of native woodland springing up along the banks has exceeded all our expectations!🥳

This just goes to show what can happen if you give nature a hand.

(Photo taken in autumn 2023)

20/01/2024

COMING SOON: Spirit of Speyside Whisky Festival ~
1-week till Festival events preview ~ includes a 1-Day Spey Canoe/Whisky Journey ~ paddling Knockando to Craigellachie, with a delicious buffet lunch at Carron Bridge & finishing with an extensive, riverbank Speyside Whisky Tasting by the stunning Telford Bridge by Craigellachie. 🌊🛶 🥃

ONE WEEK TO GO
The programme is taking shape and looks set to be spectacular. The team will be hard at work over the next week, adding this year's fantastic events to our website. Get ready to explore them when they go live on Burn's Night - 25th Jan. 🥃👏

Don't forget, you'll have 6 days to browse the programme and plan your festival before tickets become available on WED 31 JAN at NOON GMT.

12/01/2024

Excellent publication for everyone involved in any form of education in the outdoors. 📖

You are invited to the launch of our new book “Outdoor Learning across the Curriculum – Theory & Guidelines for Practice” on Tuesday 23rd January from 5 to 6pm, at the University of Edinburgh, Moray House in Paterson’s Land G43.

Head of School David Smith will provide a welcome. Laura Colucci-Gray will offer some thoughts on the book. A range of international scholars will provide recorded messages.

Simon Beames, who left MHSES for a post in Norway several years ago who will be back for the launch if you'd like to catch up with him.

Discounted copies of the book will be available. We have booked a room in the Canonsgait Inn, just up the Royal Mile, for a social after the event.

10/01/2024

HOT OFF THE PRESS!! The identity of the next JAMES BOND has been released!! Who better for the job!? And what more appropriate job is there for Mr Super Cool, aka Mark ‘Whisky Bond’ Thomson to do after his being, for the last decade, the rugged faced, mountain running, fashion icon, selfie-superman representing the Great Glenfiddich!!?? Wishing you all the very best Mark, as you move away from Glenfiddich. Slàinte 🥃 🦌 🕺 👋