Wild At Heart

Overview

Highly qualified, friendly and fun guides. Suitable for families, single travellers, couples and groups. Day and half day trips. Scheduled small group tours or personal guided trips. Create a short break with a difference by adding accommodation in our 'Victorian Explorer' themed luxury bell tents, or B&B, both based at a sustainable community in a stunning Victorian mansion house in Forres. Organic home-cooked meals and packed lunches available. We are an environmentally friendly and socially responsible company committed to protecting nature and wildlife and working for the benefit of our local community.

Unique wildlife watching and nature based day trips, nature retreats, short breaks and family holidays. Located in Forres, in the stunning and unspoilt county of Moray. Close to the Highland capital of Inverness. Gorgeous environmentally friendly accommodation also available. Day trips

•Dolphin and Seal Discovery Day: Spend the day with a marine biologist, exploring and learning about the Moray Firth. This special area is home to a resident group of bottlenose dolphins plus seals and many different seabirds. It was recently voted as one of the most beautiful coastlines in the world by National Geographic magazine. Land and boat based options available.

•Wild Skills Days: Discover how to be comfortable and skilled in the natural world. Start a fire without matches and cook over it. Learn how to build a shelter. Track wildlife and identify wild foods. Suitable for everyone, age 5+. No previous knowledge or skills required.

•Life's a Beach: Muck about in rock-pools and discover the amazing creatures that live there. Comb the beach for interesting artefacts and make fabulous art out of driftwood and shells. Play nature and ecology themed games. Have a vintage picnic. Relax in the knowledge that you don't have to do the organising for once. Perfect for the young and the young at heart!

•Nature Journals: Slow down and unwind. Connect with the landscape through nature observation, guided writing and art activities. Create a beautiful personalised journal to take away with you. Everyone welcome, no previous experience required.

Short Breaks & Tailored Holidays: Available March -October.

Create the perfect get away for yourself, you and your partner, your family or group. Stay in our fabulous bell tents, comfortably furnished with a vintage nature theme (think Victorian explorer's tent!). Set in an apple orchard in the grounds of a stunning Victorian mansion run as a sustainable community. A unique opportunity to experience life in an eco-community while having your own space and independence. B&B or full board available. All short breaks must include at least one of our guided activities (half or full day). Optional extras: Meditation, Taize singing, massage and yoga.

Scheduled holidays: Regular dates from April - October.

Nature Retreats: A relaxing short break (3 nights) or holiday (6 nights) for singles, couples or groups of friends, including the perfect balance of gentle nature based activities and time to chill out. Wildlife watching (seals, dolphins and birds), guided walks and kayaking; explore ancient forests; learn outdoor skills such as camp fire lighting and wild food foraging; reconnect with the natural world through nature observation, drawing, photography and writing (with expert guidance); learn felting or willow weaving; relax at your fabulous accommodation enjoying the gardens, orchard and woodland walks. Daily (optional) meditation and Taize singing.

 

Family Holidays: Similar content to the Nature Retreats including wildlife watching, boat trips, forest skills, beach activities, arts & craft projects etc., and in the same location and accommodation, but with a more active, family focused itinerary. Parents/guardians can join in with the kids or just relax and unwind.

Marine Wildlife Week – New for this year.

Spend a whole week with our founder, marine biologist and dolphin expert, Deborah Benham (PhD). Based in the beautiful Moray Firth Special Area of Conservation, the perfect opportunity to get to know our resident bottlenose dolphins, plus seals, seabirds and maybe harbour porpoises, basking sharks and minke whales. We also offer a family friendly marine week based on the Isle of Mull, one of the most picturesque coastal villages in Scotland. Mull is famous for its whales, dolphins, basking sharks, puffins, golden eagles, white tailed eagles and otters.