Strathspey Badger Hide

    
Badgers are virtually certain to be seen at the hide and pine marten are seen occasionally.

The hide is an independent project managed under the umbrella of the Boat of Garten Community Company Wildlife Group.  It was was set up in 1996 to provide people of all ages with the chance to watch wild badgers at close quarters. The hide was built with the help of funds from Scottish Natural Heritage (now NatureScot).  We ask our guests for a small contribution towards the running costs of the Boat of Garten Wildlife Group, which we suggest as follows:

Adults - £ 10
Accompanied children (under 17) - no contribution expected

The money raised is used to help fund projects undertaken by the Boat of Garten Wildlife Group.  In addition to maintaining the Badger Hide and its associated nest boxes your kind contributions help us manage Milton Loch and its Bird Hide, equip and run trail camera surveys in the Boat of Garten vicinity, maintain feeding stations for red squirrels and small birds in Deshar Woods, run a specialist nest box programme for crested tits and support the local Ranger. 

      
Otters and pine martens are sometimes seen from the hide; roe deer are regular visitors

The hide is normally open from April to October inclusive, weather permitting.  Please be aware that badger watching in high summer can be a very late night affair.  The usual routine is to meet at a prearranged place a little before dusk, drive to an estate, climb a gate and a stile and then wander across a field to the hide.  At the hide we scatter peanuts for the badgers to find and then wait.   Nearby we have nest box projects for goldeneye duck, small birds, tawny owl and pine marten.   There are no guarantees as to what we will see but, in addition to badgers, the possibilities include pine marten, brown hare, goldeneye duck, tawny or barn owl, otter, roe deer, woodmouse and a range of common birds.

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

Photography is usually possible through the windows of the hide and many of our guests leave with stunning pictures of badgers, pine martens and other wild creatures, although much depends on the weather, behaviour of the animals and how full the hide is.  If you would like exclusive access to the hide for your photography please ask when booking and we can probably come to some arrangement.

To whet your appetite, here is some video footage taken near the hide:

To book places at the hide please email strathspeybadgerhide@gmail.com