Strathspey Badger Hide

The Strathspey Badger hide is situated very close to an ancient badger sett, so badgers are almost guaranteed to be seen.   There are also various types of nest box within sight of the hide so owls, goldeneye ducks and small birds can be observed raising families in the breeding season.  The hide is just fifty metres from the River Spey so we sometimes see otters and ospreys hunting as well as watching a great variety of riverside birds going about their business.  Bats, brown hares and roe deer are very common and once in a while a fox or stoat or pine marten is seen patrolling the area.  It’s true to say that no two evenings are the same.

The hide is open from 1st April to 31st October each year. Visits normally last a couple of hours, and your party will have exclusive use of the hide. We normally meet up in Boat of Garten, from where you can follow us to the vicinity of the hide in your own vehicle (we may be able to transport you if you don’t have a car). Meeting times vary depending on the time of year, ranging from 7pm in April / September to 8pm in the summer months. To access the hide you will need to be able to climb over a three-bar gate and a stile, and then walk for about 400m across an uneven field.  We do not charge a fixed fee, but suggest a donation of at least £10 per adult visitor (accompanied children under 16 go free), every penny of which is used for wildlife conservation in the local community. If you would like to arrange a visit, please contact us using this form at least a week before you plan to visit. To contact us about anything else please send us an email. Please note that the badger hide is run entirely by volunteers, so we can’t guarantee to respond to messages immediately, and it may take us a day or two to find a guide and get back to you.

Book a visit to the badger hide

Send us an email at strathspeybadgerhide@gmail.com

Photos of badgers taken at the hide on a mobile phone. Copyright Paul McDougall

otter     roe buck near the hide  pine marten
Otters and pine martens are sometimes seen from the hide; roe deer are regular visitors

ringinr a tawny chick near the hide   Goldeneye duck
Conservation work is carried out near the hide.  Here you see a tawny owl chick being ringed and a goldeneye duck guarding eggs

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