Aigas Field Centre, Scotland
This item appears on page 26 of the December 2017 issue.
Aigas Field Centre, in Beauly, Scotland, is the home of conservationist and nature writer Sir John Lister-Kaye and his wife, Lady Lucy, who warmly welcome guests for either bespoke holidays or preset week-long group holidays covering themes such as bird-watching, mammals, history, mushrooms, hiking, etc.
The center is dedicated to restorative ecology. Woods with indigenous trees have been established, and there is a lovely loch on the premises plus various trails for exploration. Field trips are operated by “rangers” who are trained naturalists and ecologists.
A traveler or travelers wanting to stay at Aigas could either (1) go on a tour operator’s group tour, as I did, (2) join one of the various theme-group weeks run by Aigas* or (3) go as an individual/couple but not on a tour.
Located in the beautiful highlands of Scotland, the center has a series of very comfortable cabins and individual cottage units as well as rooms in the main house. Delicious meals, comprised of locally sourced foods, are overseen by Le Cordon Bleu-trained Lady Lucy.
I visited the Aigas Field Centre (Beauly, Inverness-Shire, Scotland, IV4 7AD, U.K.; phone +44 [0] 1463 782443, www.aigas.co.uk) for a week in August 2017.
During my stay, I went on hikes, visited historical sites, saw an ancient forest area and participated in tours of Lady Lucy’s extensive gardens as well as a tour of the house, itself, conducted by Sir John, during which I saw ancestral portraits and learned about the family’s history and the baronial estate.
One can visit Aigas Field Centre and choose to be as active or as inactive as one wants. It’s a lovely spot in the universe — wonderful for one’s restoration. Feel free to ask me for any further information; email ednarsalvarez.t@gmail.com.
EDNA R.S. ALVAREZ
Los Angeles, CA
*Among dozens of themed programs offered by Aigas, one example is “Spring Birds,” April 14-21, 2018, for £1,395 (near $1,825) per person, fully inclusive. It offers visits to the coast, woods and moorland to watch greylag geese, cuckoos, whinchats and many more species.