Scottish Highlands Nature Retreat & Activity Holiday

A calming short break (4 nights) or holiday (6 nights) with the ideal balance of gentle nature based activities plus time to relax and unwind. Watch seals, dolphins and birds on guided walks and boat trips along the spectuacular Moray coastline (voted as one of the world’s best by National Geographic); learn basic outdoor skills such as camp fire lighting and wild food foraging; connect with the natural world through drawing, photography or writing (with expert guidance); release your creative side with a felting or willow weaving workshop; or just relax at your fabulous accommodation. All the activities have been created to help you enjoy the world around you.

Our holidays are based in Newbold House, a beautiful Victorian mansion on the outskirts of Forres, complete with fabulous conservatory, comfy lounge, walled vegetable garden and apple orchard. The gardens back onto woodland, with the local deer often make an appearance. (See our web site for accommodation/price options). The house is run by a small co-operative community whose aim is to " develop, practice and teach skills for sustainable living, in harmony with ourselves, each other and the earth". There are opportunities to join in with community activities e.g. gardening, cooking and meditation and you can also book a massage or other complementary therapy.

We are a small holiday company with a big vision. We believe in 'changing the world one holiday at a time' by offering our guests the opportunity to engage with a unique combination of wild nature and world famous ecological communities. We’ve noticed that the people who are attracted to our holidays share a lot of our vision and values. They want to have a great holiday, to unwind and relax, have new experiences and meet and have fun with other like-minded people. But they are also looking for more; something that will make a difference to their lives even after the holiday is over. They share our concern about protecting the planet and want to make a positive difference, but it can be hard to know where to start or how to bring about real change. Very often, ‘saving the planet’ is presented in terms of things we have to give up or do without. However, we believe that most of the changes needed will actually improve our lives and communities. Basing our holidays in a small community committed to sustainable living offers a terrific model of what can be achieved and our guests leave with lots of practical ideas for action.