29 pupils braved the 4.00am ferry to enjoy a week of wildlife watching and photography in the Cairngorms National Park in the Scottish Highlands. After a 14 hour drive they settled into their luxury lodges for a well-deserved rest. After only a little bit of a lie-in the whole group came together for the first day, trekking in the foothills of the Cairngorm Mountains to meet the regions resident reindeer herd. Pupils also had the opportunity hand feed the reindeer, “it was really fun but their noses are quite tickly!” we were told! At this time of year the reindeer look quite different to the Christmas cards; they are growing their new antlers this time of year, as they grow they are covered in a very sensitive fuzz called velvet. Did you know reindeer have specially adapted tendon in their leg that clicks? This is a form of communication that means they can follow each other in the worst of the arctic weather without losing heat by opening their mouths to communicate.
Over the next three days groups got to experience a variety of different trips around the region. Including a powerboat trip in search of the Loch Ness Monster. Although we didn’t see the monster this time we visited the Loch Ness Museum and Exhibition Centre to learn about how the geography of the region was created and some of the secrets of the loch. Did you know Loch Ness is so long you can see the curvature of the earth?
We also braved a breezy trip onto the Moray Firth. The Firths sea bird colonies are very busy at this time of year with a whole host of species nesting on the cliffs, including Guillemots, Razorbills, Arctic Tern and many, many more. Some groups were even lucky enough to see the Firths resident Bottlenose Dolphins. Scotland’s resident Bottlenose Dolphins are the biggest in the world; this is because they need lots of blubber to keep warm in Scotland’s cold sea’s compared to their cousins living in the tropics.
A new activity for this year was a visit to the Highland Wildlife Park, featuring animals that live at that latitude around the world, including Scottish Wildcats, Lynx, Moose, Snow Leopards, Bison and many more, even a family of Polar Bear! Did you know that polar bear hair is actually clear; their hairs are covered in tiny bumps that refract and reflect the light that makes then appear white? All pupils agreed this was a fantastic addition to the trip and was a highlight of the week for many.
On the last day the whole group came together again hike to the summit of Mount Cairn Gorm. On the way up we were treated to some fantastic views but the weather got a little wilder as we reached the summit. Luckily the weather held off as the group returned to base station for a well-deserved rest and hot chocolate – thank you Mr Williams!
Throughout the week pupils have had to plan a meal and cook for the rest of their group. We have had some fantastic dinners. Pupils have had lots of fun enjoying the hot tubs and saunas in the fabulous lodges, and our pupils were a pleasure to have with us. Well done everybody!
