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At The Outsider you can take part as well as spectate. Most activities are free, included in the festival ticket, though a few activities may have an additional cost. In keeping with our green thinking, most off-site activities meet and set off from the festival arena either by foot or we’ve organised free group travel where necessary.

This area of the country has the highest concentration of outdoor activity providers in the UK, with 75 of them within a few square miles. With so much unspoilt natural landscape, it also has some of the best opportunities for seeing some of the UK’s rarest and most beautiful creatures.
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ADVENTURE ACTIVITIES WITH GLENMORE LODGE
FREE
Glenmore Lodge is Scotland’s National Outdoor Training Centre.
Sign up for free two hour skills sessions at Glenmore Lodge who will introduce basic skills and explain what is actually involved in taking up the sport, how to get equipment, join clubs and be safe. Not just a quick fix of adrenalin, this is a genuine insight into all that is involved.

Mountain Biking
Skills course to include front/back wheel lifts, roll offs, balance skills etc. Learn to play in the garden, the street, in the park, forests and of course the mountains.

Orienteering
A hugely popular sport on foot, bike or skis. This session will focus on the art of navigation around a classic course on foot with top tips and instruction in the festival arena.

Hill Skills
This session is a half day on what and how to be safe on a hill day. It will include; introduction to navigation, what to put in your rucksack, time in a bothy, and weather. A must for any budding mountain goats out there.

Climbing
Ages 14+, Saturday and Sunday. Our indoor and outdoor walls offer the perfect introduction venue for rock climbing. Find out if you have a head for heights and the hands for knots.

These free courses include all specialist equipment and instruction. (Mountain bikes are available for adults but not for youngsters.) You can borrow waterproofs and rucksacks from our stores at no charge. Transport provided for mountain biking, hill skills and climbing. Book at Glenmore Lodge tent on site. Book early to ensure places.
www.glenmorelodge.org.uk
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ASTRONOMY FREE
Ages 8+, Friday, Saturday and Sunday.
Gaze, make, take and launch!

Sign up activities
• Starlab planetarium shows every hour
• Comet-making demos
• Make & launch a rocket (make all day)

Drop in activities
• Daytime observing of planets with telescope
• Solar observing telescope, sunspotter, sundials
• Standing stick circle
• Stars on a stick
All day info and timings at the astro tent. www.darkskyscotland.org.uk
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BUSHCRAFT FREE
Ages 12+, Saturday and Sunday. Bushcraft and Wilderness Skills Sessions. A hands-on practical experience. Learn to light a fire with no matches, build a shelter and how to survive in the wilds, and more. Sign up for sessions at the Bushcraft desk.
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NATURE
FREE
Ages 8+, Friday, Saturday & Sunday. Meet 8.00pm, back by 11.30pm. Special experiences for small numbers… First come first served. Sorry, no unaccompanied minors.

Evening Wildlife Hide, Walk and Hide!
A special experience so put your name in the hat at the desk and be lucky in the draw! Involves a walk from the Festival arena to hide for evening wildlife watch and maybe see Badgers, Pine Martens, Red & Roe Deer, Tawny Owls and more.

Wildflower Walks
Guided walk Saturday and Sunday. 10.30am, 12 noon, 2.30pm & 4.00pm.

Bug Walks
Guided walk Saturday and Sunday. 10.30am, 12 noon, 2.30pm and 4.00pm. Meet at the wildlife desk, begin and end in the main arena.
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WATER ACTIVITIES
FREE
Saturday and Sunday, trips leave all day.Taster sessions of gorge walking and fun rafting float trips on the river Spey with local experts Full On Adventure. All children must be accompanied. Sign up for sessions at the Water desk.

Easy & Mellow Raft on the Spey
Ages 8+. Duration 1 hour from site including a gentle 10 minute walk to and from the river. Buoyancy aids and helmets provided. If cold, wetsuits are provided. You’ll need swimming costumes/shorts, spare t-shirt and trainers which will get wet (spare wind proof if the weather’s looking cold or windy), a towel and your dry clothes for afterwards.

Gorge walking
Ages 8+. Two hour round trip including free shared transport. Helmets provided.You’ll need old waterproofs, shorts, t-shirt, spare fleece/wool top and trainers which will get wet, a towel and dry clothes for afterwards. For more full on adventure go to www.fullonadventure.co.uk
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GUIDED WALKS
FREE
Saturday & Sunday. The Rothiemurchus Ranger Service will lead guided walks themed on nature, culture and history lasting one hour to two hours, from the festival arena. Sign up on site.
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GUIDED MOUNTAIN BIKE RIDES
FREE
Saturday & Sunday, throughout the day. Qualified guides will be taking groups out on the fantastic trails network from the festival site.

Easy Riders
One hour(ish) bike ride on stunning trails at an easy pace.

Intermediate Ride
A bit longer and maybe a little faster, taking in some top quality biking on some of the UK’s finest singletrack. Free (with your own mountain bike, hire available on site.) Come and sign up at the Wolftrax / Cycle Wild tent.

Mountain Bike Hire
There is so much good biking to be done in the area you won’t want to stop. Hire a bike for the day or weekend from Bothy Bikes, just by the entrance to the festival. They can show you some great places to explore and have maps and guides. Bothy Bikes main man Dave Keegan devised the fantastic route for the Merida Outsider, so there’s no shortage of local expertise.
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OUTSIDER TO CAIRNGORM SHUTTLE
FREE
A free bus will shuttle between the festival site at Rothiemurchus and CairnGorm Mountain, stopping at the Clay Shoot, Sled-dog Centre, Glenmore for the shops, cafes and all-year mini ski-slope before proceeding to CairnGorm Mountain where Outsider ticket–holders can enjoy a discount of 30% off all funicular train prices on production of their entry wristband. These tickets will also be on sale at the CairnGorm Mountain tent in the festival’s Green Village.
Shuttle courtesy of CairnGorm Mountain and Cairngorm Mountain and Cairngorm National Park will run from 10.00 until 16.00 on Saturday 23 and Sunday 24 June.

Cairngorm Funicular
The funicular takes visitors to the Ptarmigan building just below the summit of CairnGorm at 1097m where there is a café/restaurant, mountain exhibition, shop and a viewing terrace.

Mountain Walking, and sleeping!
Rangers will advise you on mountain walks setting off from the base station. For a truly memorable walk you can book onto the ‘midsummer bivvy and sunrise’, a guided walk starting at 9pm on Friday 22nd June and involving an overnight bivouac on the mountain from where you can watch the sun rise before you walk back down to the base station by 10am on Saturday. Book on 01479 861 341.
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CONNECT, ENJOY AND CARE FOR WILD PLACES!
FREE
Come and join in the fun at the John Muir Award workshop. The time will be packed full of environmental games and activities to help you understand more about the Cairngorms National Park. There will be the chance to hunt for mini beasts, paint, draw and make masks of your favourite Cairngorm animal. Suitable for all ages, kids & adults. Under 12’s must be accompanied by an adult.
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ROTHIEMURCHUS ESTATE SPECIAL OFFER ACTIVITIES
Various discounts and offers on many activities on the Rothiemurchus Estate. Advanced booking essential 01479 812345.

Fishing
Fish with fly or bait for Rainbow Trout at our well-stocked fishery lochs. 10% discount – No booking required. Rod hire available.

Land Rover Tours
One hour Discover Rothiemurchus Land Rover trip. Visit Highland Cattle and Red Deer. 10% discount.

Archery
Try the ancient and noble pastime of target archery, great for any budding Robin Hood. 10% discount.

Osprey Fishing
Come to Rothiemurchus tent for info.

Feeding the Fish
Feed the fish at the Fish Farm. Ideal for young families.

Clay Shooting
One of the best natural clay target facilities in the UK.
10% discount with group discounts available. No booking required.

Quad Bike Trekking
An easy-to-ride Highland Venture quad bike is a very different way to see the superb scenery of Rothiemurchus.

Countryside Rangers
Rothiemurchus Rangers help you get the most from your visit. They are available in the Arena and Rothiemurchus Centre to answer your questions. Rothiemurchus Centre Open 9.00am-6.00pm. Situated across the road from the Festival Arena.

 
 
 
   
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