Anagach Woods

24/06/2026

💚 PATHS FOR ALL 💚

Volunteer leaders Ian and Simon welcomed Jacqui, Robbie, Jennifer, Mags, Ian and Nigel (and a four-legged friend) to the woods for a day of path maintenance this week. The team worked hard and achieved some significant improvements on the blue route, near the junction with the Speyside Way.

Path maintenance is a key activity for the Trust as it helps fulfil one of the Trust's main purposes set out in our constitution: "Provision of recreational facilities with the object of improving the conditions of life of the Community".

We aim to maintain and improve our core path network to allow all members of the community to enjoy the woods. We hope you enjoy using this newly maintained section of the blue route, but of course if you would prefer more natural terrain there are lots of trails not on the core path network that are not maintained or upgraded.

Our volunteers left happy and satisfied with a job well done. There are plenty more volunteer days over the summer - as ever, you can sign up here: https://cairngorms.co.uk/taking-part/volunteering/volunteering-opportunities

16/06/2026

Thank you to everyone who came along to our first ever Family Day at the weekend, when we opened the doors to the youngers members of our community.

Youngsters were able to learn about some of the creatures living in the woods. Among the insects caught in the moth trap were a huge poplar hawkmoth, a peppered moth and a parasitic wasp. There were also beetles and spiders hiding in the leaf litter. All were released back into the wild by the children at the end of the event.

We also learned about wood ants and beavers, while over in the woodworking section, many children headed home happy with new wooden wands (some adults also put their skills to the test on the lathe.)

And on the creative side, everyone had a chance to do some cyanotype printing using natural materials, and to create their own linocut pictures of capercaillies and moths. We were highly impressed with the deep shade of blue created by the cyanotype.

Thanks to Iona for organising the event, to Trustees Steve, Matt and Nick for helping with activities, and to Hayley Wiswell, the Cairngorms National Park rangers, Angus Grant and Jess Greaves for their contributions. And many thanks to Paul at the Co-op, who donated lots of brilliant fruit and snacks that kept us all going!

07/06/2026

What might you find in the woods during our special family activities? 🦗

There's just a week left to put your name down for our first ever Family Day on Sunday June 14 - we've still got places left! There'll be beasties, art and lots of other fun things to do.

Visit our profile for more information and email [email protected] to book a space for you and your children.

01/06/2026

You might have noticed yellow dust covering everything recently. We are in the midst of pollen season, when the male cones release their pollen to the winds to be carried to the female cones.

The effect is well evident in Anagach just now too - everything has a yellow tinge to it. But we enjoyed seeing the pine pollen patterns in puddles at the weekend (it's a new tongue twister!

P.S. Sending love to those with allergies - fingers crossed it's a short season ❤️

26/05/2026

We are holding a Family Day next month, with a host a range of child-friendly activities – we’d love you to join us.

Our volunteer leader Iona (you might know her from Wild Tribe, Highlands) is master of ceremonies for this one. The Cairngorms National Park Rangers will be on hand for woodland fun, and there will be sessions with bugs and beasties courtesy of our own Trustee, Nick Baker, and CNPA conservation officer Hayley Wiswell.

Plus local artists Angus Grant and Jess Greaves will help you with some creative pursuits.

We’ll meet you at the Curling Club from 10am. Children must be accompanied by an adult. There will be some refreshments – including fruit, biscuits, cake and juice courtesy of the Co-op – but do bring a spot of lunch to enjoy a picnic in the woods.

Places are limited so booking is essential. Please email [email protected] with your names to claim your space.

24/05/2026

Anagach was the perfect outdoor classroom last week for two groups of visiting students.

On Thursday, we hosted young people from Speyside High School in Aberlour and on Friday we were joined by a group from Michigan State University, as part of a programme of visits that had been organised by SCOTLAND: The Big Picture.

The team from Speyside High honed their woodworking skills by making some more benches and also felled some non-native trees, which were used to create semi-permeable dams and wildlife ponds.

Our American visitors removed redundant wire fencing and ring-barked, felled and pulled up non-native trees and saplings in the Poorhouse wood area.

Ring-barking is one of the techniques used for deadwood creation in the woodland, which we want to increase in order to benefit a range of insects, birds and fungi.

Ring-barking removes a strip of bark all the way round the trunk killing the tree standing. It tends to take up to three years to die back and 10-20 years to rot and fall down, but all the while it provides a resource for a different range of creatures to use, including things like woodpeckers and crested t**s.

It was a real pleasure to be joined by two groups of young, enthusiastic and hardworking volunteers who are committed to putting nature first.

If you’d like to join one of our upcoming volunteer sessions, visit https://cairngorms.co.uk/taking-part/volunteering to see our list of available dates.

22/05/2026

We are aware of the below reports of dogs falling ill in Poorhouse Woods this week. We hope the animals make a full recovery.

The Trust is investigating the matter and would ask that everyone walking in the woods keeps their dogs on a lead.

🚨 Warning for Grantown folks 🚨

We're aware of at least two separate incidents of dogs becoming seriously ill and needing veterinary care after visiting the Poorhouse woods in the last two days. Multiple animals have been affected after possibly consuming some form of waste, and developing signs consistent with recreational drug poisoning.

We'd recommend that you keep your dogs on a short lead in this area for the next wee while - as it's caper season that will be the case for the next few months anyway, but please be extra-cautious even outwith the caper areas.

To those responsible: when you 💩 yourself in the woods, maybe it's the universe telling you to stick to Buckfast in future 🤔

15/05/2026

This is a busy sporty weekend in Anagach and we wanted to give you a heads up about the two events that will be taking place.

First, as with every Saturday, is Anagach Woods parkrun . Runners set off from the curling club at around 9.30am for their weekly 5km.

And then on Sunday is the return of the Grantown Try Tri. Anagach Woods is the venue for the final running section. Expect to see participants heading along the paths throughout the morning, including the Military Road and parts of the Blue and Green routes. There will also be a water station on the Military Road.

Good luck to everyone - have lots of fun!

📸 Photo by Hamish Napier

14/05/2026

The funeral of our honorary president, Basil Dunlop, takes place in Grantown next week. Please find the details below.

We are grateful to be one of the recipients of donations, alongside the Rails to Grantown project: two causes that meant a lot to Basil. ❤️

DUNLOP
(Grantown-on-Spey)

Peacefully at Lynemore Care home on 28th April 2026, Basil, age 89 years, beloved Husband of the late Carolyn, much-loved Father of Jane and Paul, Father-in-law to William and Wendy, devoted Grandfather to Darren, Danielle, Rachel and Martin and Great-Grandfather to Holly, Hamish, Robbie, Maise and Harry.
The funeral service, to which all family, friends and former neighbours are respectfully invited, will take place at Inverallan Parish Church on Thursday, 21st May 2026, commencing at 12 noon. Interment within Grantown New Cemetery. Family flowers only please, but donations in lieu of floral tributes are welcomed with the chosen beneficiaries being ‘Rails to Grantown’ and ‘Anagach Woods Trust’. Donations can be made as you retire from the church or forwarded directly to the undernoted.
Arrangements entrusted to Lindsay Jack & Son, Funeral Directors, 35 The Square, Grantown-on-Spey, Tel (01479) 872442.

12/05/2026

We think Anagach is full of hidden gems and this jewel is definitely one of them.

It's a Green Tiger Beetle, spotted basking in the sunshine on the path last week - its glorious iridescent sheen caught our eye.

Did you know it's one of our fastest insects? It can reportedly sprint after its prey at more than 50cm per second, which is impressive for a creature only 1cm long.

Let us know if you spot any this summer!