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Cairngorms Christmas Treats

Friday, December 23rd, 2011

 

With Christmas on the horizon, thoughts at What’s On HQ invariably turn to food! Namely what locally grown produce we will be piling on our plates this festive season and the abundance of restaurants and hotels that will be serving up a host of treats on their menus.

So, to satisfy ourselves we caught up with three chefs around the Cairngorms National Park to discuss all things food and ask them how they will be celebrating the 2011 festive season. Prepare to abandon the diet until New Year!

Rebecca Ferrand is head chef at Muckrach Lodge

Chris McCall is head chef at The Old Bridge Inn

Neil Keevill is head chef at Loch Kinord Hotel

  1. How did you become a chef?

NK - I was meant to go to Abertay Uni to study chemical engineering, but spent the summer working as a KP in a hotel and when the commis chef failed to appear one day I stepped in – that was 17 years ago and I have still to go to uni!

RF - Muckrach was my first experience of running a hotel with a restaurant, and a very steep learning curve indeed.  I delight in discovering new tastes, new food experiences, and I wanted to impart some of this joy in the food we served.

  1. What’s your perfect Christmas day meal ?

CM -  For me, it’s breast of wild Gunknowe Loch grouse with all the traditional trimmings.

RF – With the great company of friends and family I much prefer goose to turkey. Goose is harder to cook and takes time and patience but it is really worth the effort as the meat is rich, dark, gamy and warming. Goose fat roasted potatoes with thyme and a sprinkling of sea salt makes a perfect partner with this wonderful bird. And of course finished with a Christmas pudding. I try and make mine in late August, so it has months for the flavours to meld together.

NK – Roast goose, bread sauce and all the trimmings

 

 

3. What food or smell puts you in a festive frame of mind?

NK – nice aromatic flavours like cinnamon and cloves

RF – The delightful smell of mince pies cooking in the oven with slightly puffed pasty and the wonderful tangy taste of the mince meat.  The sweet bonfire smell of cinnamon and rum and the dark alluring scent of molasses sugar. The bouquet of pine cones and mulled wine with its lovely aroma of stewed plums and of course the tangy, zesty fragrance oranges.

CM - The warm aroma of mulled wine and chestnuts roasting on an open fire.

 

 

4.What local produce is always on your shopping list?

NK – at the hotel we get our meat from small local independent suppliers – our pork and lamb come from Wark Farm in Cushnie and pure Aberdeen Angus beef comes from Cairnton Farm near Lumphanan.

CM - White mountain hare, Sikka deer – especially the haunch for smoking on our in-house smoker and the loin for searing – and Clava Brie.

RF – The venison is outstanding, so it’s always on the menu when it is available – it’s wild off the hills around Tomintoul and has dark rich meat that goes so well with Juniper, a local plant.  We serve it with the truly remarkable and very special venison haggis, which is the king of Scotland’s famous pudding. I also love the local Speyside smoked salmon with rich oaky flavours that just comes alive with a little lemon juice and a sprinkle of cracked black pepper.

 

5. Best Christmas Eve or Boxing Day dish?

RF- Cold goose with baked potatoes loaded with softly melting Stilton, buttery and creamy, soft velvety brie and hard pungent cheddar. Crisp crunchy homemade coleslaw; tart, vinegary pickled onions that crunch when you bite into them, soft and yummy warm bread, pickles and homemade chutney. All washed down with a good glass of red wine. Then fried Christmas pudding and mince pies with a glass of port.

NK – I love having cold turkey or goose on Boxing Day with bubble and squeak made from the left over vegetables

 

6. Who cooks at Christmas in your household?

CM – I normally cook but I tend to leave the mess for everyone else to clean up!

RF – Since we’ve been here and I’ve been cooking I tend to. Last year the family came up and we all had a great time!

 

  1. Any Christmas foods you wouldn’t touch with a barge pole?

RF - Cheap, nasty mince pies – you know, 48 pies for 20p. Intensively reared deep frozen turkey that dries to dust as soon as you put it in the oven.  Tinned Christmas pudding – eugh!

 

8.  And lastly, what’s the best thing about Christmas in the Cairngorms?

NK – The fact that you are almost guaranteed a white Christmas!

RF – The snow, the reindeer, the scenery, the whisky, the wonderful crisp cold weather, warm fires and the smell of pine and finally the great people.

CM - The stunning scenery and being with my good friends at the Old Bridge Inn!

 

 

 

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Skiing, sledging, snowboarding and walking in a winter wonderland!

Friday, December 23rd, 2011

 

Like icing on a scrumptious carrot cake, little flakes of snow have already started to dust the mountaintops in the Cairngorms National Park. High street shops are stocking up on down jackets, ski poles and snowboard boots and a mere mention or photo of snow on Aviemore and the Cairngorms Facebook page prompts hundreds of “likes” and gleeful comments of expectant joy! That’s right folks winter is on its way and with it a whole host of winter sports, exciting events and celebrations.

This month, What’s On turned up the heating, settled down with a mug of gluhwein and started to watch re-runs of Ski Sunday in preparation…. oh and we researched and wrote about some of the best things to do in the Cairngorms National Park during the winter months!

Snowholing and Winter Skills

The Cairngorms, protected from Gulf Stream warmth, are universally recognised as providing the most consistent snow and ice conditions. They’re Britain’s highest mountain range, Scotland’s high arctic and home to our most permanent snow beds. However, most of all we must remember that the conditions on these stunning mountains can change in a blink of an eye and that we have to have the upmost respect for them.  That’s where winter skills come in! The most important aspect of getting out into the hills, at anytime of year but especially winter, is to be experienced and to be prepared. With plenty of courses going on around the Park there is no excuse not to be prepared when facing the mountains and the environment.

In addition, we are so lucky to have loads of experienced guides and instructors who will take you on guided walks across these stunning landscapes and teach you how to build your very own evening accommodation – a snow-hole! Made from cutting into the snow rather than building the blocks of an igloo, a snow-hole can become quite a cosy way to spend the night, but you must know what you are doing before you start to build your very own snowy Sistine Chapel!

Skiing and Snowboarding

This winter marks an incredibly important milestone for two of our resorts – Cairngorm Mountain and Glenshee. Cairngorm is celebrating 50 years of mechanical uplift and Glenshee 50 years of being an official resort. Celebrations will include a retro ski patrol day, a photo competition resulting in a memory exhibition, and a ceilidh. Both mountains have seen hundreds of thousands of people ski and board down the pistes since the winter of 1961-1962 – including Olympic champions, families happy to occupy the host of slopes and the new generation of freestyle skiers and boarders.

With over 90km of pisted runs across the National Park and heaps of off-piste terrain to explore (we’ll come to that later!) there is something for every skier and snowboarder to enjoy.

Recent research into the history of mechanical uplift at Cairngorm Mountain led me to a fascinating piece published in The Scotsman newspaper on December 23rd 1962. The reporter wrote how the ski road (finished the winter before) put paid to the three and half mile trudge up the mountain from Glenmore Lodge and that the new Cairngorm chairlift would save legs even more. Although he concedes a “walk to stretch and warm up the legs from the car park to The White Lady Shieling, the new centre of the resort, would still have to be accomplished!”

Since then, the resort has gone on to much bigger and better things and Glenshee, to mark their 50-year anniversary, will be opening their brand new chairlift this winter. It seems that as long as we have snow, there will always be a passion for snow-sports in the UK’s largest National Park.

Ski Touring

If you would, however, prefer a quieter jaunt into the wilderness than that of the busier pistes then ski touring may well be the sport for you.

If you’re a parallel skier with a decent level of fitness, it is possible to ski the original way – and experience that blissful tranquility. However, it does involve skiing up a mountain…. The idea is that you attach special grippy skins to your skis in order to prevent yourself sliding backwards. When you eventually reach the top of your mountain, you take them off and ski down. There are many guides within the Park who will lead you on a journey over untracked, unpopulated off-piste routes that penetrate the mountainscape. Many people see it as skiing as nature intended – elevating, sustainable and a great calorie burner.

So this winter, why not check out the Visit Cairngorms website for a list of activity providers and experts that run snow-holing, mountaineering, ski touring, winter skills and ice climbing classes. In addition, why not try out Nordic skiing, snow-shoeing or ski joring this winter – the winter sports list in the Cairngorms National Park is endless!

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From California to Carrbridge for a good bowl of porridge

Wednesday, October 5th, 2011

Porridge makers from around the world are heading towards the home of the World Porridge Making Championships in the Highland village of Carrbridge. The 18th World Porridge Making Championship takes place on 9th October and will see competitors from Sweden, Ireland, America and the UK compete for the coveted Golden Spurtle.

Perfect Porridge 5 star style!

Furthest flung competitors are Merry Graham and Patrick Potter who are travelling over 5,000 miles from California to Carrbridge. Merry beat off stiff opposition in the North American ‘qualifying’ heats run by Oregon based Bob’s Red Mill’ to win the all expenses paid trip to Scotland.

Competitors come from all walks of life including an astrophysics student; a Gaelic singer;  a high flying managing director; a mill owner; mother of four, professional chefs and bed & breakfast proprietors.

The competition will determine what is judged to be the best bowl of traditional porridge made from nothing but oatmeal, salt and water. The competition will also crown the champion of the speciality porridge section where competitors have complete free reign to bring together other ingredients and flavours to traditional porridge to make their own creation. Speciality dishes in the past have included : Canadian Cran-Apple Crunch, Thai Curried Porridge, Oatmeal Bangers & Porridge Mash, Kedgeree Porridge and West Coast Seafood Porridge.

Judging is taken very seriously, as befits a world championship.  Two professional Masterchefs of Great Britain, George McIvor and Colin Bussey sitting on the judging panel along with celebrity judge, Karen Mackenzie, producer and co-host of the Fred MacAulay Show on BBC Radio Scotland. Karen’s credentials being she was brought up in a bed & breakfast household where a large pan of porridge was on the stove at the start of every day.

The volunteer event organisers and residents of Carrbridge are looking forward to welcoming the competitors, spectators and press that the event attracts to the village hall. The village hall featured in the hit BBC programme Monarch of the Glen so is no stranger to the small screen and fame.

The event is open from 10.30am-4.00pm, with competitors and judges led to the hall by the Badenoch and Strathspey Pipe Band at 11.50am for the toast to the porridge and the start of the competition heats. The final cook off to decide the 2011 World Champion who carries off the Golden Spurtle takes place at 3.00pm. Cairngorms Farmers Market and local craft/produce stalls run throughout , in what is a day when the world beats a path to Carrbridge.

 See www.goldenspurtle.com for more details and for overall area information www.visitcairngorms.com

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SCOTS CALLED TO DEFEND WORLD PORRIDGE TITLE

Friday, September 2nd, 2011

The organisers of the World Porridge Making Championship, held annually in Carrbridge in the Cairngorm National Park, are calling all Scots porridge makers to answer the call to defend the coveted Golden Spurtle trophy at this years event, which takes place on Sunday 9 October-

 Shona Rankin, Co-ordinator of the event said: “The Scots have in the past defended their honour with claymores and muskets. Today we call upon Scots everywhere to safeguard the World Porridge Making Champion title and ensure it remains, along with the Golden Spurtle trophy, in it’s homeland for another year.”

Continuing, she added, “We’re absolutely thrilled to see that porridge makers around the globe are entering what is set to be a fierce competition but also want to remind our local porridge makers that the, without a fight, this slice of Highland tradition is more than likely going to be packing it’s bags and setting sail to some international destination once again!”

Toasting the Porridge

The Championships, now in its 18th year, has grown from humble beginnings into one of Scotland’s’ most renowned culinary cook offs and now draws an international contingent of competitors from Europe, America and further afield.

Entrants from overseas are currently honing their skills in a bid to represent their country. In the USA, Bob’s Red Mills have organised heats and a final cook off at their oat mill in Portland, Oregon with the winner set to fly to Carrbridge this October to compete.

Meanwhile previous winner Ian Bishop from Slochd near Carrbridge, spent time this summer judging at the Swedish Porridge Making Championships. Ian explained, “I had a marvellous time in Sweden and it was great to see such passion for our national dish. I look forward to welcoming the Swedish Porridge Champion to our village this coming October.”

Neal Robertson, proprietor of the Tannochbrae Tearoom, Auchtermuchty and the current “World Porridge Making Champion” is set to make a return at this years’ event to defend his title. He said:-

“ being World Porridge Making Champion 2010 has changed my life in that I have become a bit of local “celeb” in Fife and have even been recognised at Heathrow Airport! Expectations are running high for this year’s event but over the last year I have been conjuring up some great ideas using my spoon (a double sided spurtle) and together with my Golden Spurtle tattoo, I know I am ready to defend my title!”

The title of World Porridge Making Champion will be awarded to the competitor producing the best traditional porridge, made from pinhead oatmeal, salt and water, with a further award being made for the best “Speciality Porridge.”

The Golden Spurtle World Porridge Making Championships is also encouraging all porridge enthusiasts around the globe to promote World Porridge Day on the 10th of October by hosting a World Porridge Breakfast to raise money for Mary’s Meals, who daily feed over 479,000 of the poorest school children in Malawi.

This years’ Golden Spurtle World Porridge Making Championship takes place on the iconic date, 09.10.11 in Carrbridge.

Further details can be found at www.goldenspurtle.com -

Notes to Editors: – Golden Spurtle World Porridge Making Championships 2011 Carrbridge Village Hall takes place on Sunday 9th October (11.30am – 4.30pm) – Each competitor is required to produce at least 1 pint (500ml) of porridge which is divided into 3 portions for the judges to taste. The judges will be allowed to accompany the tasting with milk, cream, salt or white sugar. Judging of the porridge will be made on the consistency, taste and colour of the porridge. – A further award will be made for the best specialty porridge.

Some specialty dishes from the past have included:-West Coast Seafood Porridge with langoustine tails and smoked salmon, Clootie Dumpling with Gran’s custard, Savoury Oat Fritters, Oatmeal Bangers and Porridge Mash and Kedgeree Porridge.

Media Contact Shona Rankin, Competition Co-ordinator shonarankin@gmail.com 07554 662 820 Or Roy Brown roy@roybrown.co.uk 07714 244 142

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What’s On in Royal Deeside in the the Cairngorms National Park

Thursday, June 30th, 2011

Welcome to the July 2011 edition of What’s On in Royal Deeside and The Cairngorms. Here are just a few of the events!

Deeside Sessions
Some of the north-east’s best musicians return to Royal Deeside this summer with more Scottish traditional music! Live music sessions will take place in various pubs and hotels around Royal Deeside in this two month programme promoted by the DMO from the end of July through September. All the dates and locations can be found here – download the Deeside Sessions poster.

Aboyne and Deeside Festival
The 20th Annual Aboyne and Deeside Festival is on during July with an incredible variety of live shows, music events, films, exhibitions and workshops. Something for absolutely everyone and all interests!  Check the Festival website for more details and booking information.

Braemar Junior Highland Games – July 8th-10th
Three days of events including the Junior Games, an Arts & Crafts Fair, Highland Dancing and Piping Competitions, a Tug of War Teams Event and adult races – a Hill Race and a MultiTerrain 12k Run! Check the Braemar Junior Games website for programme details.

Royal Deeside Golf Classic – July 25th-29th
A 72-hole Stableford event for both Ladies and Gentlemen played over four majestic courses in Aboyne, Ballater, Banchory and Inchmarlo. Prizes are awarded for each round and for the full event. A free day has been included this year for an optional additional competition at Braemar or to visit the many places of scenic beauty around Royal Deeside. More information may be found at the Ballater Golf Club.

Aly Bain & Phil Cunningham -  July 30th
The famous duo will be performing a concert on the Crathes Castle lawn from 7.30-10pm. Bring a picnic and enjoy the music! Call 0844 4932166 for details and ticket information.

For more information on what is happening throughout the whole of the Cairngorms National Park in July see www.visitcairngorms.com/whatson

Read our online magazine here

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Insider Festival Line-up

Friday, May 27th, 2011
 

The Insider Festival 2011

 

 17th-19th June 2011     

Inshriach Estate, By Aviemore, The Highlands, Scotland

 “anarchic, beautiful, otherworldly and above all, really great craic. Leave your woes behind and hit the Insider – you won’t regret it!” Aidan O’Rourke (Lau)

 “could the Insider be the best Scottish music festival this summer?” STV

 

‘Stoke your boilers – oil your moustaches – bust out your bustles and brush down your breeches – a Golden Age is upon us.  The Insider is back – and it’s Victorian’

 Unique and boutique, The Insider Festival returns for it’s 3rd year.  With a capacity of just 750 sharing 30 acres of camping on the banks of the Spey on the Edwardian country Estate of Inshriach House. The Insider once again hosts the most exciting new music from across the empire with Lau (BBC Radio 2 Folk band of the year for the last 2 years) not only performing but curating the main stage on Sunday,  joining them are a host of musical friends including Glasgow’s Hidden Orchestra, Admiral Fallow and the fantastic Horndog Brass Band.

Even though well over 75 bands are performing over the weekend there is lots more to see and do at The Insider including theatrics and parlour games by Manchester’s Larkin’ About, Visuals by the infamous Forkbeard Fantasy, vintage clothing stalls, Bushcraft and much more Victorian themed stalls and revelry to explore.

The finest in locally sourced food includes spit roasts from Ordban, venison, wood fired pizza, The Old Bridge Inn Smokehouse and much more. There are bars to suit the most discerning palate, whether your tipple is local beer from The Cairngorm Brewery or the now legendry Thistley Cross Cider or perhaps Madam would be interested Afternoon tea, cakes and cocktails…

The Insider has carved a unique reputation by being a festival built around and shaped by its musicians.  It has seeded wild collaborations, the formation of new bands and has been the setting and inspiration for the recording of albums and music videos.

Pimms, performers and entertainers. Trigonometry, taxidermy, croquet and crochet. Bards, ballads, ballooning and boatmen. Horse trading, cock fighting, bear baiting and badger wrestling. Bunting, bathing and basking.

 

Let’s Party like it’s 1899

Line up so far:
Lau, Hidden Orchestra, Admiral Fallow, Stanley Odd, Charlie McKerron and Friends, Macmaster/Hay, The Banana Sessions, The Bonfire Band, Woodenbox With A Fistful Of Fivers, Donna Maciocia, Geese, The Mike Kearney Ka-Tet, Sam Lee, Washington Irving, Capitals, Nevada Base, Horndog Brass Band, Bronto Skylift, How To Swim, Let’s Talk About Trees, The State Broadcasters, Ferret In My Garage, Gecko 3, Robin Adams, The French Wives, My Jet Black Tractor, Chesterwhin, Dave Mcgregor, Rura, Man’s Ruin, Rossco Galloway/The Chans, Kettle Of Kites, Lapsang And The Suchongs, Pilots, The Last Battle, Homework Abagail Grey, Crow Road, James MacKenzie and the Aquascene, The Duplets, The Bevvy Sisters, and more still being added to the bill…

Prices:
Weekend ticket with camping        £75
Friday day ticket                              £25
Saturday / Sunday day                    £35
Under 12′s                                         Free

 Quotes:

 “anarchic, beautiful, otherworldly and above all, really great craic. Leave your woes behind and hit the Insider – you won’t regret it!” Aidan O’Rourke (Lau)

“could the Insider be the best Scottish music festival this summer?” STV

 “it’s really refreshing to see this truly independent festival coming back for a second year… if last years line-up is anything to go by then we are in for a treat” Peenko

www.insiderfestival.com

www.visitcairngorms.com for local information

Posted in Accommodation Aviemore, aviemore, aviemore activities, aviemore hotels, cairngorms, cairngorms national park, festivals, music, picnic aviemore, records, Uncategorized, Weather, whisky | No Responses »

The Insider Festival, Nr Aviemore

Thursday, May 19th, 2011

The game is on.

With under 5 weeks to go the Backwoods Productions XI are in training.
If you would like to take them on for the Insider Cup please telegram the management.

The Insider is back – and it’s Victorian.

17th to 19th June, Inshriach House, Aviemore.

A word to the wise – He who hesitates is lost.
With only 750 tickets available, you best get them before they are gone.

For full line up, information and tickets visit the website.

www.insiderfestival.com

For area information see www.visitcairngorms.com

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A little inspiration for Friday afternoon….

Friday, May 13th, 2011

 

Have a look at this video if you need a little help imagining the beauty of and fun to be had in the Cairngorms National Park or just if you need a wee reminder!

Just click on the Cairngorms National Park link below:

Cairngorms National Park Video

For more information visit the Cairngorms National Park website

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Week commencing Friday 1st October 2010 at CairnGorm Mountain

Thursday, September 30th, 2010

WALKING, EXHIBITIONS, AUTUMN COLOURS, PORRIDGE
WHAT’S ON THIS WEEK
Friday 1st October & EVERY DAY until the end of October The Walk @The Top at CairnGorm: 11.20, 12.00, 14.00, 14.40
Join a guide to take you up on the funicular to the Ptarmigan building then out on a guided 90-minute walk to the summit of Cairn Gorm and back, before descending by the funicular. Suitable clothing and footwear required. Meet at Ranger Base 15 minutes prior to departure time. Booking advisable on-line at www.cairngormmountain.org. or in person at the ticket office. Adults £13, Students/seniors £12, Children (6-16) £10. (Includes funicular travel.) Friends of CairnGorm £5. Visitors may only exit the Ptarmigan building when on one of these walks.

Wednesday 6th October – The UK’s Highest Porridge Breakfast: 10.30am – 12 noon
At the Ptarmigan Restaurant, enjoy a hearty bowl of porridge at the UK’s highest restaurant for a donation to Mary’s Meals, a Scottish charity feeding 4m. needy children across the world.

Base Station Refurbishment – for the next week.
The Base Station is closed at present. The Ticket Office has relocated to the Ranger Base. Entry to the funicular through the lower doors (leading to the toilets) and up the back stairs.

Website Survey
We would love your comments regarding our website. Please can you take a moment to fill out this 5 minute http://www.surveymonkey.com/s/SWBNLVC

Also every day
Exhibitions 10.00am – 4.30pm
Moving Mountain Exhibition –LAST CHANCE TO SEE!
Wild, vibrant abstracts in acrylic, oil and charcoal. Large and small works for sale by local artist Sheena Wilson plus

Lost – Hands Reunited 
A glove sculpture work in progress and an opportunity to find long-lost ski gloves! In the T bar until 4th October. Free.

The Big Freeze Exhibition
Photographs from last winter is on display in part of the T Bar and on the stairs up to it as well as in various other locations. Many of the pictures are for sale.

Walk Up, Train Down
Visitors can enjoy 90 minutes of rewarding walking up one of our self-guided paths, enter the Ptarmigan top station, before continuing their walk or purchasing a down only train ticket. (Dogs may come down on the train for a small charge). Appropriate clothing/footwear advised.

Camera Obscura
This free attraction is located in the Mountain Garden near the Base Station and enables visitors to see 360-degree real-time views of the surrounding landscape.

The Igloo
Get the kids to have a go at building the new all-year igloo in the Base Station.

Shopping
Look out for great clothing, walking essentials, fabulous gifts and accessories in our shops. Don’t forget our Ptarmigan 16-year-old malt whisky in full 75cl bottles and miniatures.

Eating and drinking
Home-baking every day in our restaurant and cafe bar and hot meals featuring locally sourced ingredients in the mountain-top restaurant.

Wildlife this week
Family groups of Ptarmigan are spreading out. Snow Bunting can be seen on the summits and Red Grouse can be seen on the lower moors up to 800m. Meadow Pipit are in flocks of 30-40+ and Black Grouse can be seen regularly during early morning on the link road.

COMING SOON
Saturday 9th October – The Charmer 12-mile adventure running and cycling relay – 11.00am
Come and watch competitors at the start and finish of this race in the car park. In aid of Chest, Heart and Stroke Scotland. To participate contact events@chss.org.uk www.thecharmer.org

Thursday 14th, 21st, 28th October – Search & Rescue Demo’s with Benny & Maudy – 11.30am
Meet at the Ranger Base for a one hour demonstration of a mountain rescue with Benny and his rescue dog, Maudy. Come dressed for the weather. Free but donations to SARDA welcome.

16th and 17th October – Scotland’s Ski & Snowboard Show at Glasgow SECC
Come and visit all your favourite Scottish Ski Resorts on Stand 67. Packed with everything you could need for the winter season, the show will provide the opportunity to research and book your winter break and purchase all of your ski and snowboarding equipment from the best retailers around – all at exclusive show prices! As well as this, you can grab a cold beer from the log cabin apres-ski bar, listen to live music and watch some of the world’s best professional ski and snowboarders take part in the Freestyle Jumps Show! Book your tickets now and quote SSSScairn promo code to get a 2 for 1 discount. Book Ski Show Tickets

MOUNTAIN WEATHER OUTLOOK
Friday 1st October: Wind S 50mph with gusts up to 90mph easing, easing late in the day. Widespread rain and cloud, little sun. Temp at 900m 7C.
Saturday 2nd October: Wind S 25mph with gusts up to 50mph. A few brief heavy showers but sunshine at times. Temp at 900m 6C.
Outlook: Very unsettled conditions with frequent periods of strong to gale force winds, rain and cloud often covering higher areas. Fairly mild temperatures.

OPENING TIMES
Every day: Ticket Office (In the Ranger Base) and Cas Bar will be open at 10.00am. The first public train up will be at 10.20am, with the last train up at 4.00pm (last down at 4.30pm).

Posted in aviemore, aviemore activities, cairngorms, festivals, food, records, restaurants, Skiing Aviemore, Skiing Cairngorm, Snowboarding Aviemore, Snowboarding Cairngorm, Uncategorized, walking aviemore, Weather | No Responses »
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UK’s Highest Porridge Breakfast

Thursday, September 30th, 2010

Visitors to Cairngorm Mountain are being invited to take part in the UK’s Highest Porridge Breakfast in aid of the Scottish based charity, Mary’s Meals. The fund raiser is being held on the morning of Wednesday October 6 at the Ptarmigan Restaurant at the top of the CairnGorm Mountain’s funicular railway – the highest restaurant in the UK.

The porridge breakfast is among a series of events being held across the UK and in India, African, Norway, Sweden, Canada and USA in the countdown to World Porridge Day – an international celebration of Scotland’s traditional national dish with porridge ambassadors around the world invited to host their own porridge/ oatmeal events to raise money for Mary’s Meals. The charity, which started from a tin shed in Argyllshire, daily feeds more than 400,000 of the poorest and neediest children in 15 countries.

World Porridge Day has been established by the village of Carrbridge – home of the annual Golden Spurtle World Porridge Making Championship which this year takes place on Sunday October 10. With expert porridge makers from far and wide set to gather in the village to battle it out for the prestigious Golden Spurtle trophy, organisers hope that as many people as possible will support the fund raising events for Mary’s Meals.

“The charity does tremendous work and we hope that everyone will join in the spirit of the World Porridge Day fund raising to help support this worthwhile cause,” said Carrbridge Community Council chairman, Scott Bruce.

At CairnGorm Mountain, funicular ticket holders wanting to take part in the UK’s Highest Porridge Breakfast will be invited to tuck into a hearty bowl of porridge with a variety of fillings in the Ptarmigan Restaurant in return for a donation to Mary’s Meals. The porridge breakfast will be served from 10.30am to 12 noon.

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