What’s On at Bennachie
Bennachie is host to many fun events throughout the year, from hill races to family holiday fun, there’s always something going on!
If you would like to book the centre for your own event get in touch.
Keep an eye on our Facebook page for up to date information on events. You can download our events privacy notice here.
Hillgoers - Hill Skills Workshop
Book your place here.
Designed to build your confidence and keep you safe in the hills, these workshops are ideal for beginners or for those needing to refresh and keep updated with the latest techniques. The course starts either inside the Bennachie Centre Classroom or in the carpark area for 1.5hr, after which you will be walking on trails, and possibly up the hill too, for the remainder of the day.
Course Content:
Know the code
Understanding maps
An intro to the compass
Navigation Strategies
Use of mobile phone apps, trackers and GPS
Before you go procedures (weather, who to tell, planning your day, etc)
What to take on the hill
Emergency on the hill
Meet Time, Location & Estimated Walk Duration
The course starts at 10am at the Bennachie Visitor Centre, finished approximately 5pm. Some of your fee will be donated to support the Bennachie Centre Trust.
You could be walking around 10-12 km with some up-hill sections.
There is a charge to park of approx £3 per day.
This course is limited to 8 places.
Joining Details & Kit
Joining details, participation forms and kit lists will be sent out the week before the course.
Full details here
Needle Felt Workshop
Join local artist and tutor Zoe Robson from Fleece4Ewe to learn the art of needle felting.
Create your own card and picture inspired by nature and the local environment.
COST: £35 (payable in advance & non-refundable) which includes all tuition and materials
Our Privacy Notice can be viewed at www.bennachievisitorcentre.org.uk/whats-on
Booking essential as places are limited email: bennachie.warden@aberdeenshire.gov.uk
NNAS Tutor Award Course
National Navigation Award Scheme - Tutor Award Course
In 2016 the NNAS launched the NNAS Tutor Award, a course for Providers and their Course Directors who teach navigation. It is a recognition that just because one can personally navigate it doesn’t follow that one can teach it!
Who is the Tutor Award for?
Anyone who is interested in teaching navigation, be that for DofE, scouts, guides or in the geography classroom!
All Registered Navigator Award Providers and their Course Directors have attended this CPD-accredited course in order to offer the Navigator awards.
The NNAS Tutor Award is suitable for people 16yrs+ only.
Successful completion of the NNAS Tutor Award will also enable (after approval by NNAS) those without a higher hill or mountain walking qualification, but with experience and interest in the outdoors, to help teach on a Bronze award under the guidance of a registered NNAS Course Director. They will be called “Bronze Tutors”. In this case, once the NNAS Tutor Award is completed, an application by email to the NNAS must be made and approved before that person assists on Bronze courses.
All instructors who wish to deliver NNAS courses must have attended a Tutor course.
The course is a mixture of indoor and outdoor practical sessions and offers the opportunity for candidates to discuss their own methodology as well as learning new techniques from others.
For more information and to book your place click here.
The course starts at the Bennachie Visitor Centre at 10:00, finishing approximately 16:30.
SILVER NAVIGATOR AWARD
The Silver National Navigation Award develops the navigation skills acquired at the Bronze level. It adds skills required to navigate to features and places some distance from paths and tracks. You can be a direct entrant at Silver Level if you are comfortable with the Bronze learning outcomes.
It teaches accurate compass work. It will also teach you to select the suitable navigational techniques to cross open country.
Silver National Navigation Award courses are taught in areas with access to open country and involve periods where you’ll be navigating away from paths and tracks.
The NNAS Silver Navigator Award is accredited by the Scottish Credit & Qualifications Framework (SCQF) at Level 5 and 2 SCQF credit points are awarded on completion.
These courses are limited to 8 places.
Silver learning outcomes covered:
Utilise the skills and techniques of the Bronze Award in the context of Silver Award navigation strategies.
Relate small hills, small valleys, prominent re-entrants and prominent spurs to their corresponding map contours. Use prominent hills, ridges, spurs and valleys as a means of navigation in good visibility.
Use landforms and point features to orientate the map and as collecting and catching features.
Use a compass to: Accurately follow a bearing; aim off; check the direction of handrails and other linear features.
Deviate briefly from a compass bearing to avoid obstacles or difficult terrain and accurately regain the original line.
Use back bearings to check route following accuracy.
Measure distance on the ground in varied, open terrain using timing and pacing and make practical allowances for any discrepancies.
Simplify legs using coarse navigation, attack points and fine navigation.
Recognise dangerous or difficult terrain on map and ground.
Plan and implement navigational strategies based on the above skills.
Maintain route finding accuracy in poor visibility or darkness.
Recognise a navigation error within a few minutes and apply appropriate relocation techniques.
Understand how personal fitness and nature of terrain affect route choice both at the planning stage and on the ground.
Understand the potential consequences of fatigue and physical discomfort in demanding terrain and/or extreme weather conditions.
Select appropriate clothing, equipment and first aid items for walking in open country in all weather conditions.
Demonstrate an understanding of the Countryside Code, current access legislation and the environmental impact of walkers on the countryside.
Understand the responsibilities of walkers towards other countryside interests such as farming, forestry and conservation.
Understand how outdoor activities impact on the environment and how that impact can be minimised and sustainable use promoted.
For more information and to book your place click here.
Wildlife Tracks and Signs: An Introduction
This beginner course will introduce you to the ancient art of wildlife tracking. Tracking involves a range of skills. This course will teach you to follow clues, work out what the animal was doing and when, and maybe even find the animal itself.
Tracking is a great way for nature enthusiasts and early conservationists to hone their ability to observe details around them and to build their knowledge of wildlife, specifically their movement and feeding ecology.
What will be covered during this course?
Introduction to mammal and bird foot morphology, how that relates to the tracks we find in the field and helps us identify the trackmaker.
Introduction to commonly found wildlife signs, how to identify these and what they tell us about the animals that left them.
An overview of some of the key techniques for identifying and interpreting tracks and signs including master listing.
This course is eligible for a student discount. If you are a current student, please use discount code BioStudent20 at checkout for 20% off.
Please refer to our website for further information, prices, and to book.
Bird Songs and Calls
Explore the fascinating world of bird songs and calls in this beginner-intermediate course. Learn to identify and interpret the sounds of the birds around you!
This course will cover:
Identifying a range of birds by their songs and other calls
Visual identification using field signs, behaviour, and habitat
Learning to distinguish between alarms, contact calls, territorial calls and other vocalisations
Learning a variety of techniques for memorising bird calls
Applying bird call recognition for surveys and bird conservation
Learning how interpreting bird calls can enable us to see more wildlife
For more information and to book click here.
BRONZE NAVIGATOR AWARD
Hillgoers are pleased to offer this two session course in association with the National Navigation Award Scheme.
The NNAS approach is to steadily build the levels of understanding to ensure the training is embedded and candidates can confidently progress through the stages to become excellent navigators. All Hillgoers instructors have undergone the Tutor Award Training course.
Aimed at novice level, the Bronze course will train you to plan and confidently follow routes in the countryside using paths and tracks. Successful candidates will receive a nationally recognised navigation award at Bronze level accredited by the Scottish Credit & Qualifications Framework (SCQF) at Level 4, and 2 SCQF credit points are awarded on completion.
These courses are limited to 8 places.
Bronze learning outcomes covered:
Navigate using a variety of maps and scales.
Use 4 and 6 figure grid references with worded descriptions to define the position of a map feature and to locate a feature on the ground.
Orientate the map using handrails, obvious point features and major landforms.
Use linear features (e.g. paths, tracks, clear boundaries) as handrails in simple navigation exercises.
Relate prominent landforms such as large hills and valleys to corresponding contour information on the map.
Orientate the map by aligning a compass needle against grid north and be aware that magnetic variation causes an inaccuracy.
Use an orientated map to confirm the direction of travel.
Use clearly identifiable features to confirm position along the route and to recognise when the target has been overshot.
Measure horizontal distance on the map and estimate distance on the ground using timing, pacing and simple visual judgements e.g.100m.
Plan and implement simple routes and navigation strategies based on the above skills.
Recognise a navigation error within a few minutes and apply simple relocation techniques using handrails and prominent features.
Be aware of the use of mobile phone location apps as a back up to map and compass and in emergencies.
Demonstrate an awareness of local and national access issues, access legislation, personal responsibilities, the Countryside Code and sustainability.
Demonstrate appropriate knowledge of walking equipment, safety equipment and emergency procedures.
For more information and to book your place click here.
NEOS 2025
Come and explore our Open Studios at Bennachie
We have some available space at the Bennachie Visitor Centre this year for anyone looking to take part in NEOS. For further information please email bennachie.warden@aberdeenshire.gov.uk
Admission is free. Refreshments available
Come and explore our open studios, make the most of this unique opportunity to visit artists in their creative spaces, chat about their work and find out about their artistic processes.
The dates for 2025 and please take note of the applications opens 1st March.
North East Open Studios is open to all creatives across the North East of Scotland. Whether you’re just starting your creative journey or have been working for over 30 years, we welcome you to participate. There’s no selection process, and no qualifications are required—just a passion for sharing your creativity and connecting with other artists and makers.
As a volunteer-run, collaborative organisation spanning a large geographical area, we do have a limit of 300 participants. Places are allocated on a first-come, first-served basis.
We look forward to celebrating another fantastic year of art, creativity, and community in North East Open Studios 2025. For more information and updates, visit our website or follow us here.
Art and Craft Fair
Following the success of previous years, we will be hosting our annual Art and Craft Fair, Saturday 4th October. More details to follow!
Bennachie Ultra Marathon
Entries open from 1st April, 2023
The Bennachie Ultra Marathon is run in accordance with the Rules and Regulations of Scotish Hill Runners. Photo Id will be required on collection of race number.
Closing date for entries : 1st September, 2023
Race Time: 8.00am, Saturday 14th October 2023
Registration from 6.30am, at the Bennachie Visitors Centre.
If you require any further information do not hesitate to contact the organisers
Bennachie Ultra Marathon
Details will be released here - Bennachie Ultra Marathon (bennachie-ultra-marathon.co.uk)
Doors Open Days Aberdeenshire 2024
Doors Open Days is Scotland’s largest free festival celebrating the built environment. Through providing free unique viewing opportunities to sites of historic, cultural, architectural and community interest, it aims to increase public appreciation and enjoyment of Scotland’s built heritage and promote inclusion in Scotland’s civic spaces and activities.
Come and join in at the Bennachie Visitor Centre!
Hillgoers - Hill Skills Workshop
Designed to build your confidence and keep you safe in the hills, these workshops are ideal for beginners or for those needing to refresh and keep updated with the latest techniques. The course starts either inside the Bennachie Centre Classroom or in the carpark area for 1.5hr, after which you will be walking on trails, and possibly up the hill too, for the remainder of the day.
Course Content:
Know the code
Understanding maps
An intro to the compass
Navigation Strategies
Use of mobile phone apps, trackers and GPS
Before you go procedures (weather, who to tell, planning your day, etc)
What to take on the hill
Emergency on the hill
Book your place and full details here
Lichens of Birch and Pine Woodlands
This beginner-intermediate course will focus on lichens as they are found in birch and pine woodland.
You will be introduced to some of the characteristic lichen species and their identification characteristics as can be seen with a hand lens in the field, as well as investigate the range of substrata present in these habitats and the specific lichen communities these attract, and aspects of their ecology.
This course will cover:
Characteristic lichen species of birch and pine woodland
Identification of lichens
Lichen substrata and the lichen communities they attract
The contribution of lichens to the ecology of birch and pine woodland
For more details and to book click here.
Woodland Wednesday
Come along to the Bennachie Visitor Centre, join the Garioch Ranger and have some fun doing various activities such as pond dipping and minibeast hunting All equipment will be supplied by the Ranger
Dogs under proper control welcome
Please wear appropriate outdoor clothing and bring wellies
Please bring sunhat and sun protection cream
Woodland Wednesday
Come along to the Bennachie Visitor Centre, join the Garioch Ranger and have some fun doing various activities such as pond dipping and minibeast hunting All equipment will be supplied by the Ranger
Dogs under proper control welcome
Please wear appropriate outdoor clothing and bring wellies
Please bring sunhat and sun protection cream
Hillgoers - Hill Skills Workshop
Designed to build your confidence and keep you safe in the hills, these workshops are ideal for beginners or for those needing to refresh and keep updated with the latest techniques. The course starts either inside the Bennachie Centre Classroom or in the carpark area for 1.5hr, after which you will be walking on trails, and possibly up the hill too, for the remainder of the day.
Course Content:
Know the code
Understanding maps
An intro to the compass
Navigation Strategies
Use of mobile phone apps, trackers and GPS
Before you go procedures (weather, who to tell, planning your day, etc)
What to take on the hill
Emergency on the hill
Book your place and full details here
Needle Felt Workshop
Join local artist and tutor Zoe Robson from Fleece4Ewe to learn the art of needle felting.
Create your own card and picture inspired by nature and the local environment.
COST: £35 (payable in advance & non-refundable) which includes all tuition and materials
Our Privacy Notice can be viewed at www.bennachievisitorcentre.org.uk/whats-on
Booking essential as places are limited email: bennachie.warden@aberdeenshire.gov.uk
Talk and Poetry Reading: Homecoming – Ingrid Fraser and Rachel Ferguson
Join us for a morning of poetry and reflection as we delve into the creative process and the journey
behind our current exhibition. Come and listen to the first reading of some of Rachel Ferguson’s
latest poems. In accompaniment Ingrid Fraser will share how the desire to open up a dialogue led to
a very unexpected and invigorating project. “we have stumbled headlong into a dynamic way of
sharing our creativity, finding unexpected connections and friendship along the way.”
Contact the Bennachie Visitor Centre for details/to book a place.
Admission: free
Find Your Voice - A Spring Creative Writing Session
Find your voice this spring through creative writing with Ian Grosz.
We’ll spend some time outside observing nature and the environment, and then we’ll focus on finding our own unique voice through some simple creative writing exercises.
No prior experience required. All you need is a pen, notebook and an interest in creative writing. Suitable for age 16+ and all levels of mobility
COST: Thanks to funding from the Scottish Book Trust the cost is just £5 per person which includes tea and coffee. Payable in advance preferred to save time on the day.
Our Privacy Notice can be viewed www.bennachievisitorcentre.org.uk/whats-on
BOOKING: is essential as places are limited.
email: bennachie.warden@aberdeenshire.gov.uk
MEET: in the Community Room at the Bennachie Visitor Centre
Wildlife Tracks and Signs: An Introduction
This beginner course will introduce you to the ancient art of wildlife tracking. Tracking involves a range of skills. This course will teach you to follow clues, work out what the animal was doing and when, and maybe even find the animal itself.
Tracking is a great way for nature enthusiasts and early conservationists to hone their ability to observe details around them and to build their knowledge of wildlife, specifically their movement and feeding ecology.
What will be covered during this course?
Introduction to mammal and bird foot morphology, how that relates to the tracks we find in the field and helps us identify the trackmaker.
Introduction to commonly found wildlife signs, how to identify these and what they tell us about the animals that left them.
An overview of some of the key techniques for identifying and interpreting tracks and signs including master listing.
This course is eligible for a student discount. If you are a current student, please use discount code BioStudent20 at checkout for 20% off.
Please refer to our website for further information, prices, and to book.
Needle Felt Workshop
Join local artist and tutor Zoe Robson from Fleece4Ewe to learn the art of needle felting.
Create your own card and picture inspired by nature and the local environment.
COST: £35 (payable in advance & non-refundable) which includes all tuition and materials
Our Privacy Notice can be viewed at www.bennachievisitorcentre.org.uk/whats-on
Booking essential as places are limited email: bennachie.warden@aberdeenshire.gov.uk
Bird Songs and Calls
Explore the fascinating world of bird songs and calls in this beginner-intermediate course. Learn to identify and interpret the sounds of the birds around you!
This course will cover:
Identifying a range of birds by their songs and other calls
Visual identification using field signs, behaviour, and habitat
Learning to distinguish between alarms, contact calls, territorial calls and other vocalisations
Learning a variety of techniques for memorising bird calls
Applying bird call recognition for surveys and bird conservation
Learning how interpreting bird calls can enable us to see more wildlife
For more information and to book click here.
Bryophytes: An Introduction
This beginner bryophytes course is a great place to start for those taking their first steps into the world of mosses, liverworts, and hornworts.
During this course, you will gain a better understanding of this diverse group, all under the guidance of an engaging and knowledgeable expert in the field. You will learn about their biology and ecology, with the chance to see different types of mosses and liverworts, collect specimens and learn basic field identification tips. With over half of all European moss, liverwort, and hornwort species present in the UK, there is so much to explore!
What will be covered during this course?
An introduction to bryophyte biology
An introduction to bryophyte ecology
An overview of the species diversity within the UK
This course is eligible for a student discount. If you are a current student, please use discount code BioStudent20 at checkout for 20% off.
Please refer to our website for further information and to book.
Hillgoers - Hill Skills Workshop
Designed to build your confidence and keep you safe in the hills, these workshops are ideal for beginners or for those needing to refresh and keep updated with the latest techniques. The course starts either inside the Bennachie Centre Classroom or in the carpark area for 1.5hr, after which you will be walking on trails, and possibly up the hill too, for the remainder of the day.
Course Content:
Know the code
Understanding maps
An intro to the compass
Navigation Strategies
Use of mobile phone apps, trackers and GPS
Before you go procedures (weather, who to tell, planning your day, etc)
What to take on the hill
Emergency on the hill
Book your place and full details here
Pond Life Painting
Join local artists and tutor Jane Milloy for this family art class.
Explore the life of a pond through art and fun games.
Be a hunting creature living deep in the water or discover how to escape from a predator. Learn how to paint wildlife like frogs and dragonflies.
Suitable for accompanied children aged 5 - 8 years old.
COST: £10 per child (payable in advance & non-refundable) which includes all tuition and materials
Our Privacy Notice can be viewed at here.
Booking essential as places are limited Tel: 01467 681470, email: bennachie.warden@aberdeenshire.gov.uk
MEET: Community Room, Bennachie Visitor Centre
Craft Fayre
Everyone is welcome at our autumn/early Christmas Craft Fayre! Supporting our local artists and the Bennachie Centre Trust (SCIO).
From jewellery to books, pottery to paintings...there'll be lots of fabulous Christmas gifts and beautiful items for yourself and your home.
We'll be joined by....
Lorna Purvis Jewellery
Local author Fairley Taylor
Colourworx Art
Glass and more by Judith Glennie
Leather goods from Bennacairn
The Sheep Shed Pottery
Richard Salway Photographic
Natalie Naylor Ceramics
Textiles from Tickled Collie
Jane Milloy Wildlife Art
Entry is free. Refreshments available
Autumn Words - Family
Join local writer Ian Grosz at the Bennachie Visitor Centre for a fun and interactive creative writing session.
We’ll be engaging our senses and bringing our imaginations to life with some fun writing exercises, culminating in a group poem.
Suitable for 8-11 Year Olds accompanied by one parent or guardian. No prior experience required. Pens and paper will be provided. All you need is suitable clothing and some imagination!
Please note: if the weather isn’t suitable we’ll work inside.
COST: Thanks to funding from the Scottish Book Trust the cost is just £5 per child
Payable in advance preferred to save time on the day.
Our Privacy Notice can be viewed on our website
BOOKING: is essential as places are limited. Tel: 01467 681470, email: bennachie.warden@aberdeenshire.gov.uk
MEET: in the Community Room at the Bennachie Visitor Centre
Call, Push, Rescue
Sign up for FREE CPR training and make sure that you know how to step in and save a life.
Join us in the Community Room for this beginners session on Call Push Rescue and how to use a defibrillator. We'll watch the British Heart Foundation video then practise our skills on CPR manikins.
BOOKING IS ESSENTIAL - deadline is 28th August.
NB: CPR will take place on the floor so please be prepared for this. Loose comfortable clothing advised.
Contact the Bennachie Visitor Centre on 01467 681470 or email bennachie.warden@aberdeenshire.gov.uk
Privacy notice can be viewed here.
Straw Working Workshop
Join local artisan Elaine Lindsay from “Something Corny” for this straw working workshop.
Discover this ancient craft, and using a variety of techniques make at least two items to take home.
COST: £25 per person (payable in advance & non-refundable) which includes all tuition, materials, tea and coffee. Please bring your lunch.
Our privacy notice can be viewed here.
BOOKING: is essential as places are limited. Tel: 01467 681470, email: bennachie.warden@aberdeenshire.gov.uk
MEET: in the Community Room at the Bennachie Visitor Centre
Autumn Words - Adults
Join local writer Ian Grosz to try creative writing in a relaxed and informal setting.
We’ll be engaging our senses in the outdoors and bringing our experience to life with some fun writing exercises.
No prior experience required. All you need is suitable clothing, a pen, and a notebook or some paper.
COST: Thanks to funding from the Scottish Book Trust the cost is just £5 per person which includes all tuition and tea and coffee. Payable in advance preferred to save time on the day.
BOOKING: is essential as places are limited. Tel: 01467 681470,
email: bennachie.warden@aberdeenshire.gov.uk
MEET: in the Community Room at the Bennachie Visitor Centre
Our Privacy Notice can be viewed here.
Doors Open Days 2023
Aberdeenshire DoorsOpenDays2023
Saturday 16th & Sunday 17th September
find out more online at www.doorsopendays.org.uk\aberdeenshire
NEOS 2023
We're delighted to have six fabulous artists with us this year.
Colourworx Art by Cally Smith
Richard Salway Photographic
Natalie Naylor Ceramics
Tickled Collie Textiles
Judith Glennie Glass
Phoebe Sleath Painting
Visit the NEOS website for full details https://www.northeastopenstudios.co.uk/
Guided Walk Exploring Bennachie - Aircraft Crashes Memorial Cairn
An anniversary walk to the memorial cairn close to Oxen Craig to commemorate the 3 RAF aircrew who died in 2 aircraft crashes on Bennachie.
Call, Push, Rescue
Sign up for FREE CPR training and make sure that you know how to step in and save a life.
Join us in the Community Room for this beginners session on Call Push Rescue and how to use a defibrillator. We'll watch the British Heart Foundation video then practise our skills on CPR manikins.
BOOKING IS ESSENTIAL - deadline is 28th August.
NB: CPR will take place on the floor so please be prepared for this. Loose comfortable clothing advised.
Contact the Bennachie Visitor Centre on 01467 681470 or email bennachie.warden@aberdeenshire.gov.uk
Privacy notice can be viewed here.
Painting Bennachie Through the Seasons
Join local artist, Jane Milloy for these adult art classes.
Over the two sessions we’ll create a landscape painting along with a selection of smaller pieces to take home.
COST: £20 per person for one session or £30 for both (payable in advance & non-refundable) which includes all tuition, materials, tea and coffee
BOOKING: is essential as places are limited. Tel: 01467 681470, email: bennachie.warden@aberdeenshire.gov.uk
Our privacy notice can be viewed at www.bennachievisitorcentre.org.uk/whats-on
MEET: in the Community Room at the Bennachie Visitor Centre
Painting Bennachie Through the Seasons
Join local artist, Jane Milloy for these adult art classes.
Over the two sessions we’ll create a landscape painting along with a selection of smaller pieces to take home.
COST: £20 per person for one session or £30 for both (payable in advance & non-refundable) which includes all tuition, materials, tea and coffee
BOOKING: is essential as places are limited. Tel: 01467 681470, email: bennachie.warden@aberdeenshire.gov.uk
Our privacy notice can be viewed at www.bennachievisitorcentre.org.uk/whats-on
MEET: in the Community Room at the Bennachie Visitor Centre
Woodland Wednesdays at Bennachie
Come along to the Bennachie Visitor Centre, join the Garioch Ranger and have some fun doing various activities such as pond dipping and minibeast hunting.
All equipment will be supplied by the Ranger.
Please wear suitable outdoor clothing.
Please bring along wellies for the pond dipping activity.
All children to be accompanied by an adult.
Meet at The Bennachie Visitor Centre, AB51 5HY.