Countryside Rangers Upcoming Events 2025
We are now using Eventbrite for some of our event bookings – check out our listings and follow us here: https://www.eventbrite.co.uk/o/high-life-highland-countryside-rangers-33097164665
All other bookings can be found on the High Life Highland booking site: https://booking.highlifehighland.com/
HLH Membership options can be found here: Join High Life Highland – High Life Highland
Explore the heart of the Scottish Highlands, with the twelve naturalists from the High Life Highland Ranger service. Our articles bring you news stories about wildlife and history; our events and conservation efforts.
Nature Unveiled | High Life Highland Ranger | Substack
Thinking about those long dark winter nights ahead? We have a fantastic series on ONLINE TALKS that will bring the nature of the Highlands straight to the comfort of your own home. Waxcap mushrooms, the Great Yellow Bumblebee, Otters, Badgers and more to be announced!
Date: Sunday 30th November
Area: Wester Ross, Poolewe
Owls at Night: A Dark Skies event for Wester Ross Biosphere
Join Katie Grant from HLH Ranger service at Poolewe village hall for an evening exploring the secret lives of owls as part of Wester Ross Biosphere’s Dark Skies celebrations. We’ll venture out on a short low-level night guided walk (weather permitting) to listen for hoots and calls in the darkness – owl sightings if we are very lucky, then head inside to discover what owl pellets reveal about these magnificent nocturnal hunters. Through hands-on investigation and expert insight from the Mammal Society’s Matt Larsen-Daw, you’ll learn how these silent predators hunt, what they eat, and why they’re such vital indicators of a healthy ecosystem.
Wrap up warm and bring a head torch – the owls are waiting!
There may even be a hot chocolate after our walk.
We make no charge for this event, but we rely on your donations to help us protect our Highland wildlife and heritage
Time: 6pm – 7:30pm Booking ref: Tickets available at Eventbrite
Booking: Click here to book via Eventbrite
Contact: [email protected] or 07483960932
Date: Tuesday 2nd December
Area: Wester Ross
Winter Tree Walk, Inverpolly, Coigach
Part of National Tree Week, this walk celebrates a special native wood in winter. Walk into the remote woodland at Inverpolly looking at trees and lichen. This walk is on a rough, often boggy, path. A there and back route of approximately 6km.
Time: 11am – 2.30pm
We make no charge for this event but we rely on your donations to help us protect our Highland wildlife and heritage. Recommended donation if you can give one, is £5 per person.
Booking: Book through our Eventbrite page
Contact: [email protected] M: 07917307499
Date: Thursday 4th December
Area: Sutherland
Borgie Glen to Torrisdale Walk
Join the countryside ranger on a 9.3km guided walk taking in forest paths, peatland moor and one of the best coastal edges. Some rough ground to cover, so a reasonable level of fitness and suitable walking gear required. Over 18years only. Dogs are not welcome. There is no charge but a kind donation on the day will ensure we can continue to provide such activities.
Time: 10.30am – 3pm Booking ref: ACT003373
Cost: We make no charge for this event but we rely on your donations to help us protect our Highland wildlife and heritage.
Booking: High Life Highland Activities
Contact: [email protected]
Date: Thursday 4th December
Area: Wester Ross, Gairloch
Natural Wreath Making at GALE centre
Kick off the festival with a delightful wreath-making workshop led by the talented Fiona Mackenzie and Katie Grant HLH Ranger. Join us for a stroll to gather natural supplies (weather permitting) and learn to create your own beautiful holiday wreath. This event is perfect for all skill levels and is a wonderful way to bring a touch of nature into your home this Christmas.
We make no charge for this event, but we rely on your donations to help us protect our Highland wildlife and heritage
Time: 1pm – 4pm Booking ref: Craftmas – Wreath making
Booking: Contact Donna Miller at [email protected]
Contact: [email protected] or 07483960932
Date: Thursday 4th December
Area: ONLINE TALK
An Evening with Bats: Bats in the Highlands – Online Winter talk programme event
Join Ranger Katie Grant and guest speaker Matt Larsen Daw from the Mammal Society for an evening exploring the fascinating world of bats. Learn about the incredible variety of species found in the Highlands, their behaviour, feeding habits, and seasonal movements. Find out how these nocturnal mammals navigate the night, raise their young, and survive the changing seasons. We’ll also touch on how you can spot bats in your local area and record your sightings to help conservation efforts.
We make no charge for this event, but we rely on your donations to help us protect our Highland wildlife and heritage
Time: 7.30pm – 9pm Booking ref: Eventbrite
Booking: Click here to book via Eventbrite
Contact: [email protected] or 07483960932
Date: Thursday 4th December
Area: Wester Ross
Ullapool Nature Club for Kids – Who dun it!? A Wildlife Detective Evening, Ullapool Library
Nature Club is a gathering for children in our community library and outside to learn about, celebrate and experience nature of the Highlands.
This month, we are looking at clues left behind to work out what is going in! Who has eaten who!?
As always there will be apples for snacks!
Children aged 5 and over can stay without parents once registered and younger children can attend with parents or carers. Parents of any children are welcome to stay and participate. If you would like to volunteer with the club, please get in touch with Jenny.
Time: 6pm – 7.15pm
We make no charge for this event but we rely on your donations to help us protect our Highland wildlife and heritage.
Booking: not required
Contact: [email protected] M: 07917307499
Date: Sunday 7th December
Area: Ardnamurchan
Volunteer Day – Sunart Footpaths
Join Ranger Eilidh-Ann and Sunart Community Company on this regular volunteer session. Please bring gloves, loppers, hand saws and spades. No need to book – this is a drop-in activity.
Time: 1.30pm – 4pm.
We make no charge for this event but we rely on your donations to help us protect our Highland wildlife and heritage.
Contact: [email protected]
Date: Tuesday 9th December
Area: Wester Ross
Ullapool Nature Tots for pre-school children, Animals in Winter, Ullapool Library
Nature Tots is aimed at children under 5 and their carers. It includes nature stories and activities. This time our theme is about snow and ice and animals keeping warm in winter.
Time: 10.30am – 11.30am
We make no charge for this event but we rely on your donations to help us protect our Highland wildlife and heritage.
Booking: Not required
Contact: [email protected] M: 07917 307499
Date: Tuesday 9th December
Area: Inverness
You’ll tak’ the Low road – Winter Wildlife on the Old A96
This abandoned road follows the seawall from Milton towards the Longman. It provides a great chance to see wintering birds sheltering in the Moray Firth as well as other wildlife and fantastic views. 4km/ 2.5 miles. Parking at Milton of Culloden is very limited so meet at the Retail Park Tesco’s car park beside the recycling bins for a lift to the start of the walk.
Please bring binoculars if you have them.
Time: 10am -12pm
This event is free but we ask for donations for this event to help with our work, which goes towards education about and protection of the nature of the Highlands. Please give what you feel you can afford. We suggest a minimum donation of £5 per person to cover our costs or £10 per person to further support our work. Please be aware that there is a minimum donation of £1 required to book on via Eventbrite.
Booking: Click here to book via Eventbrite
Contact: [email protected] 07886649093
Date: Monday 15th December
Online Talk: Virtual Tour Across A Billion-Year Shore: Otters, Garnets and Gneiss
Join Ranger Donald for a fascinating virtual guided walk around Scourie Bay in northwest Sutherland, a coastline shaped by time, tide, and the tracks of otters. From the comfort of your own home, follow Donald as his talk explores the 3-billion-year-old Lewisian gneiss, streaked with dark dykes and glinting with red garnets, and hear stories gathered from years of Ranger life along this wild Atlantic shore. Through photographs and first-hand tales, you’ll discover how to spot the signs of otters, their spraints left neatly on rocks, smooth runs through seaweed, and slides into the sea. Donald will share his encounters with these playful, elusive creatures, describing their habits, feeding grounds, and the quiet joy of watching one rise and roll through silver water at dusk. You’ll also pause along the virtual path to admire cliff-top wildflowers, listen to seabirds calling over the bay, and enjoy sweeping views across to Handa Island, the distant Assynt hills, and, on a clear day, all the way to the Isle of Lewis.
This talk will be on Microsoft Teams.
Time: 7.30pm – 8.30pm
Cost: This event is Free but we ask for donations for this event to help with our work, which goes towards education about and protection of the nature of the Highlands. Please give what you feel you can afford. We suggest a minimum donation of £5 per person to cover our costs or £10 per person to further support our work. Please be aware that there is a minimum donation of £1 required to book on via Eventbrite.
Booking: CLICK HERE TO BOOK VIA EVENTBRITE
Contact: [email protected] Tel:07825 116516
Date: Wednesday 17th December
Area: Inverness
Christmas at Clava Cairns
Join us away from the seasonal rush for a magical Christmas celebration close to the Mid-winter Solstice – the time when Clava Cairns came to life in the Bronze Age. Discover some of the hidden secrets of the Cairns and learn more about how some of our more modern Christmas traditions came about!
Time: 10am – 12pm
This event is free but we ask for donations for this event to help with our work, which goes towards education about and protection of the nature of the Highlands. Please give what you feel you can afford. We suggest a minimum donation of £5 per person to cover our costs or £10 per person to further support our work. Please be aware that there is a minimum donation of £1 required to book on via Eventbrite.
Booking: Click here to book through Eventbrite
Contact: [email protected] 07771370959
Date: Thursday 18th December
Area: Caithness
Crosskirk to Scrabster ‘Festive’ Walk
To prepare yourself for the festive excesses, enjoy some good company (and a mince pie) on our annual 11km bracing guided walk, with the countryside ranger. Walk along the coastal edge from Crosskirk to Scrabster harbour in Caithness. Some rough ground to cover, so a reasonable level of fitness and suitable walking gear required. Over 18years only. Dogs are not welcome. There is no charge but a kind donation on the day will ensure we can continue to provide such activities.
Time: 10am – 3.30pm Booking ref: ACT003374
Cost: Donation
Booking: High Life Highland Activities
Contact: [email protected]
Date: Thursday 15th January
Online Talk: Red Deer: The Monarchs of the Glen
Join Countryside Ranger John Orr for an evening exploring the lives of Scotland’s largest land mammals. Discover how red deer shape the Highland landscape, their seasonal behaviour, and the challenges of managing these iconic animals in a changing environment.
This talk is on Microsoft Teams
Time: 7pm – 8pm
This event is free but we ask for donations for this event to help with our work, which goes towards education about and protection of the nature of the Highlands. Please give what you feel you can afford. We suggest a minimum donation of £5 per person to cover our costs or £10 per person to further support our work. Please be aware that there is a minimum donation of £1 required to book on via Eventbrite.
Booking: Click here to book via Eventbrite
Contact: john.orr@highlifehighland,com 07771370959
Date: Friday 6th February
Area: Easter Ross
Volunteer Day – Gorse Clearance at Tarbat Ness
The valuable coastal heath habitat at Tarbat Ness is in danger of being crowded out by encroaching Gorse. We will be using hand tools to remove Gorse closest to the paths to give heath vegetation underneath a chance to grow. Refreshments will be provided, meet at the Tarbat Ness Car park Gloves will be available, but you may wish to bring your own.
Time: 1pm – 3pm Booking ref: n/a
Cost: FREE
Booking: n/a
Contact: marcia.o’[email protected]
Date: Friday 20th February
Area: Easter Ross
Volunteer Day – Gorse Clearance at Tarbat Ness
The valuable coastal heath habitat at Tarbat Ness is in danger of being crowded out by encroaching Gorse. We will be using hand tools to remove Gorse closest to the paths to give heath vegetation underneath a chance to grow. Refreshments will be provided, meet at the Tarbat Ness Car park Gloves will be available, but you may wish to bring your own.
Time: 1pm – 3pm Booking ref: n/a
Cost: FREE
Booking: n/a
Contact: marcia.o’[email protected]
Date: Tuesday 24th February
Area: Online
Herring, The Fish & The Folk.
Join us as we take a closer look at this fascinating fish, and then also the ‘Herring Girls’ who made their living “Following the Fish”. A joint talk with High Life Highland Countryside Ranger Patti Bremner, and High Life Highland Archivist Jamie McAffrey.
Time: 7pm – 8pm
Booking: Click here to book via Eventbrite
This talk will be on Microsoft Teams. The talk will be recorded and everyone who books a ticket will receive the recording – so don’t worry if you cant make this date!
We ask for donations for this event to help with our work, which goes towards education about and protection of the nature of the Highlands. Please give what you feel you can afford. We suggest a minimum donation of £5 per person to cover our costs or £10 per person to further support our work.
* Please be aware that there is a minimum donation of £1 required to book on via Eventbrite. This does not go to the Ranger Service but is to cover Eventbrite fees*
Contact: [email protected]
Date: Thursday 19th March
Area: Caithness
‘Life at the Edge: Photographing the Natural History of the Caithness Coast’
Discover the little known and dramatic coastline of Caithness through the eyes of wildlife photographer, naturalist and author Ken Crossan.
Ken will join ranger Kirsty to share his incredible award winning images and the stories behind them. Come with us as we take a virtual tour of the coastline together, exploring the creatures and features, both dramatic and diminutive, of our favourite place. Leaving no habitat ignored, Ken’s beautiful images invoke awe, wonder, endearment and joy. This informal talk will highlight the flora, fauna and geology of the north highlands – a must for anyone interested in natural history, or in wildlife photography.
This talk will be on Microsoft Teams. For more information contact Kirsty Rosie at [email protected]
We ask for donations for this event to help with our work, which goes towards education about and protection of the nature of the Highlands. Please give what you feel you can afford. We suggest a minimum donation of £5 per person to cover our costs or £10 per person to further support our work.
* please be aware that there is a required £1 minimum donation. This covers Eventbrite fees and does not go to the Ranger service.*
Time: 7.30pm – 8.30pm
We make no charge for this event but we rely on your donations to help us protect our Highland wildlife and heritage.
Booking: Click HERE to book via Eventbrite
Contact: [email protected] or 07920182658
