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# The Cairngorm Reindeer Herd

Roaming freely since 1952

## Sitemaps

- [XML Sitemap](https://www.cairngormreindeer.co.uk/sitemap.xml): Contains all public & indexable URLs for this website.

## Posts

- [Blog](https://www.cairngormreindeer.co.uk/blog/)
- [Photo Blog: July 2026](https://www.cairngormreindeer.co.uk/2026/07/31/photo-blog-july-2026/) - Well, July has been a MONTH! At the start of the month, harness training for our male reindeer was well under way and there was still some really scruffy males around. The antler growth that we have had over the last month has been phenomenal and our male reindeer look completely different to what they
- [Experience of a Young Reindeer Herder](https://www.cairngormreindeer.co.uk/2026/07/24/experience-of-a-young-reindeer-herder/) - I am the youngest Scottish reindeer herder. Although many people think I'm older than I really am and it happens on a regular basis. I'm either on a hill trip or doing a paddock talk and there is always someone asking me, “how did you end up being a reindeer herder?” When I give people
- [Taking the Funicular to find the reindeer](https://www.cairngormreindeer.co.uk/2026/07/17/taking-the-funicular-to-find-the-reindeer/) - A free range season adventure! Daisy: It was morning briefing in mid April and we were contacted to inform us the reindeer had moved right up onto the mountain plateau not too far from Ptarmigan Station. This was going to be a pretty long walk for us to make it up to the reindeer, find
- [Calving 2026: That’s a wrap!](https://www.cairngormreindeer.co.uk/2026/07/03/calving-2026-thats-a-wrap/) - Calving 2026 went really well but it’s now all done for another year with the last calf born on 24th May. It’s an absolute favourite time of year for all the herders welcoming the new additions into the herd and enjoying the few weeks with them before they head onto the free range for the
- [June Photo blog 2026](https://www.cairngormreindeer.co.uk/2026/06/26/june-photo-blog-2026/) - At the end of May, the first group of cows and calves made their way out onto the free range for the summer as the younger group were growing stronger and more confident. A week into June the last group of cows and calves were walked out onto the free range to spend their summer
- [Edges of the Arctic](https://www.cairngormreindeer.co.uk/2026/08/07/edges-of-the-arctic/) - We were delighted to be asked to send a representative from the Cairngorm Reindeer herd to speak at the Arctic Science Summit Week at a session focusing on how climate change was affecting reindeer herds in areas outside of the Arctic. Myself and Hen travelled to Aarhus, Denmark for the conference to take part in
- [Reindeer Around the World: Caribou](https://www.cairngormreindeer.co.uk/2026/07/10/reindeer-around-the-world-caribou/) - Welcome back to the final installment of Reindeer Around the World! For the last blog in the series we're travelling west to look at the four subspecies of Caribou that cover Canada, Greenland and a few northern states and Alaska of the USA. So firstly, are caribou and reindeer the same animal? Short answer, yes.
- [Reindeer Metabolism and How it Changes Throughout the Year](https://www.cairngormreindeer.co.uk/2026/06/19/reindeer-metabolism-and-how-it-changes-throughout-the-year/) - The bodies of reindeer go through many changes allowing them to cope with huge temperature difference throughout the seasons. In summer reindeer can cope with temperatures above 30 degrees and the lowest recorded temperature that reindeer have been know to survive is -72 degrees Celsius. Reindeer have two different coats, a thick white winter coat
- [Reindeer Around the World: Eurasian Reindeer](https://www.cairngormreindeer.co.uk/2026/06/05/reindeer-around-the-world-eurasian-reindeer/) - Rangifer tarandus tarandus and Rangifer tarandus fennicus Continuing on from learning about the lovely Svalbard reindeer (we all remember how cute those guys are!), this time we'll look at the two other European subspecies of reindeer, the forest and tundra reindeer. Starting with the tundra reindeer... Found across Northern Scandinavia and across Northern Russia with
- [May photo blog 2026](https://www.cairngormreindeer.co.uk/2026/05/29/may-photo-blog-2026/) - The month has got away from us somewhat, so this blog is a bit of a mish-mash of photos from several of us, rather than just Amy. Calving season always leaves us battling to get the day to day stuff done - it's hard enough just keeping the essentials under control, let alone the 'extras',
- [Free - range season of 2026 comes to an end...](https://www.cairngormreindeer.co.uk/2026/05/15/free-range-season-of-2026-comes-to-an-end/) - Since the first week of January, our wonderful herd of reindeer have been out free - ranging the mountains. Our females and smaller male calves from last Spring roamed the hills here in the Cairngorms, while our males, bigger male calves and their mums free roamed the hills not too far from our farm. Free
- [Merida](https://www.cairngormreindeer.co.uk/2026/06/12/merida/) - Following on from a blog I recently wrote all about Cheer, I thought I'd write another blog about another white-faced reindeer born in 2012 - Merida! I first met Merida in May 2017 when she was five years old. It was my very first week as a reindeer herder and I have a very strong
- [Becoming a Reindeer Dog](https://www.cairngormreindeer.co.uk/2026/05/22/becoming-a-reindeer-dog/) - Up and moving from Kent to Glenmore to live amongst the reindeer hasn’t just been a big change for me, but also for my dog, Echo. He’s certainly used to the outdoor lifestyle, having spent most of his life on hiking holidays and the last three years living in a van. But this new chapter
- [Volunteer Blog: Emm's Visit - October 2025 (Part 2)](https://www.cairngormreindeer.co.uk/2026/05/08/volunteer-blog-emms-visit-october-2025-part-2/) - Time for part two of Emm's wonderful blog, picking up where we left off last time - a broken Brenda and reindeer to herd!... The next day I helped Lotti and Ruth walk the calves Oro and Flamenco around Glennmore. Akubra and Kulfi were the adult reindeer who came with us. I walked in front
- [April photo Blog 2026](https://www.cairngormreindeer.co.uk/2026/04/24/april-photo-blog-2026/) - April started with snow showers and continued with frequent snowy showers higher in the hills nearly to the end of the month. Throughout the month we have definitely started to see the signs of spring lower down, with the Blaeberry beginning to flower and the mountain flora becoming greener! Our female reindeer enjoyed a few
- [Reindeer Around the World: The Svalbard Reindeer](https://www.cairngormreindeer.co.uk/2026/04/10/reindeers-around-the-world-the-svalbard-reindeer/) - Rangifer tarandus platyrhynchus A wonderful past blog written by herder Hen detailing how the species Rangifer tarandus (more commonly known as reindeer) is broken down into seven different subspecies, got me thinking that I didn’t know too much about these differences. What adaptations did each subspecies have to equip them for their differing environments? I
- [March photo blog](https://www.cairngormreindeer.co.uk/2026/03/27/march-photo-blog/) - So far during March we have encountered all manners of weather, thankfully though in comparison to January and February there has been an increase in good weather days. During the start of the month, we had beautiful blue skies and even a fresh dumping of snow. The reindeer have been amicable, meaning that our walks
- [Lichen – what is it and why does it taste good? If you’re a reindeer anyway…](https://www.cairngormreindeer.co.uk/2026/03/13/lichen-what-is-it-and-why-does-it-taste-good-if-youre-a-reindeer-anyway/) - “Lichen, any of about 15,000 species of plant-like organisms that consist of a symbiotic association of algae (usually green) or cyanobacteria and fungi (mostly ascomycetes and basidiomycetes)” (Britannica, 2025). Now that’s a lot of big words and what do they actually mean? What really is a ‘symbiotic association of algae’? And why is lichen so important for reindeer? Let’s look at
- [Photo Blog: February 2026](https://www.cairngormreindeer.co.uk/2026/02/27/photo-blog-february-2026/) - February is the month that we ease ourselves back into Hill Trips again after being closed for a month. From mid-January to mid-February, we are trying to catch up with general maintenance and into February prepare for being open to the public again. The start of the month consisted of feeding reindeer, ensuring we are
- [Volunteer Blog: Emm's Visit - October 2025 (Part 1)](https://www.cairngormreindeer.co.uk/2026/05/01/volunteer-blog-emms-visit-october-2025-part-1/) - In this latest blog I would like to share some memories from my visit in October 2025. It was very exciting as the new reindeer exhibition was open to visitors with lots of interactive things, videos, information and photo displays. It is so brilliant. The visitors will learn lots of things about reindeer and the
- [Cheer!](https://www.cairngormreindeer.co.uk/2026/03/20/cheer/) - I thought I would write a blog to celebrate Cheer the reindeer. She has a very distinctive white patchy face and often reindeer with white noses or faces stand out from the herd and get lots of attention. But in general I would say Cheer has avoided the spot-light for most of her life as
- [Memorable reindeer: Porjus](https://www.cairngormreindeer.co.uk/2026/04/17/memorable-reindeer-porjus/) - Time for another installment of our - rather sporadic - memorable reindeer series. This time it is Porjus' turn for stardom! Back in 2004, we imported a batch of male reindeer, mostly calves and yearlings, from Sweden in order to bring in new bloodlines, and one of these yearlings was Porjus. He was named after
- [Photo Blog: Reindeer in the snow](https://www.cairngormreindeer.co.uk/2026/02/20/photo-blog-reindeer-in-the-snow/) - Daisy
- [A Reindeer Christmas](https://www.cairngormreindeer.co.uk/2026/04/03/a-reindeer-christmas/) - A Christmas Eve tradition of my family is to go see the reindeer parade in Kingussie. When I was younger I often got to go on the sleigh, of course to my delight. Last year Fiona surprised me and I got the chance to pull the front of the sleigh with Akubra and Poirot. This
- [A Shopful of Delights](https://www.cairngormreindeer.co.uk/2026/03/06/a-shopful-of-delights/) - Since moving into our shiny new Centre, we've had a brand new shop space to play with. It may look a little different to our very rustic, wood clad shop of old, but we've kept a few nods to the old style. Our rule-of-thumb with a pretty small space is that any product we sell
- [Photo Blog: January 2026](https://www.cairngormreindeer.co.uk/2026/01/30/photo-blog-january-2026/) - As months go, January generally has a pretty bad reputation for being dark, cold, and really a bit depressing. Unless you are a reindeer herder, in which case January is likely to be one of your favourite months. Every year, from the end of the Christmas holidays to the start of the February holidays we
- [A busman’s holiday – AKA the delight of bumping into reindeer on your day off](https://www.cairngormreindeer.co.uk/2026/01/23/a-busmans-holiday-aka-the-delight-of-bumping-into-reindeer-on-your-day-off/) - Now we're in the middle of winter, it's hard to imagine the hills in summer time. But I found these photos on my phone from a day off in August and thought I would share them in a blog. I was off for a walk with a friend around Cairn Gorm. During our walk we
- [The Story of Chickpea](https://www.cairngormreindeer.co.uk/2026/02/13/the-story-of-chickpea/) - Chickpea is a beautiful lass with a distinctive white nose. She was born in 2020 to mum Angua and dad Spartan. Her first couple of years were quite tough, with illness and not one but two periods of time where she went missing from the herd whilst she was out free ranging in the hills.
- [Hen's Christmas wall of shame - 2025](https://www.cairngormreindeer.co.uk/2026/02/06/hens-christmas-wall-of-shame-2025/) - I thought I might start an annual blog of photos I've taken over the winter season, of things that are supposed to be reindeer - and aren't. Although it turns out that being as I didn't really go anywhere this winter, I didn't take that many photos. Will try harder next year... First up, shortbread.
- [2025 - another wonderful year of volunteers!](https://www.cairngormreindeer.co.uk/2026/01/16/2025-another-wonderful-year-of-volunteers/) - Once again we had an excellent volunteer season in 2025, with a lot of familiar faces returning to spend another week with the reindeer, and also plenty of fresh new ones! We take on volunteers for a week at a time, starting on a Monday, from roughly the start of May (start of April from
- [Volunteer Blog: Anna's Photography](https://www.cairngormreindeer.co.uk/2026/01/09/volunteer-blog-annas-photography/) - I volunteered with the Cairngorm Reindeer Centre in September from the 22nd to the 26th after being accepted which I was so happy about as I have been a fan of the Centre since moving from England up to the Highlands five years ago. I fell in love with Aviemore and the Cairngorms quite early
- [Catching up with Charleston and Quickstep](https://www.cairngormreindeer.co.uk/2026/01/02/catching-up-with-charleston-and-quickstep/) - At the end of the summer, we begin to collect our female reindeer off the free range which allows us to give them a check over and start preparing for the rutting (breeding) season in October. How soon the reindeer make their way back to our hill enclosure usually varies per year and this year
- [Photo Blog: December 2025](https://www.cairngormreindeer.co.uk/2025/12/26/photo-blog-december-2025/) - The last photo blog of the year! I've actually been rather rubbish at taking photos this month as it's just been so busy (and rather dark with the shortest days of the year) but here's a wee look at some of the pics I've taken on my phone over the past few weeks. Christmas events
- [Wee calfie antlers!](https://www.cairngormreindeer.co.uk/2025/12/19/wee-calfie-antlers/) - With autumn being the season that the calves return to the hill enclosure, along with their mums, it's always exciting to see them and to start to get to know them as characters. Having spent all summer with males only in the enclosure, it's suddenly a bit overwhelming to have a sea of 'new' reindeer
- [Learning to ID reindeer](https://www.cairngormreindeer.co.uk/2025/12/13/learning-to-id-reindeers/) - One of the trickiest things to learn when starting out as a herder is telling reindeer apart! With over 150 reindeer in the herd, all with their own name, it can seem a very daunting task. So how do you tell a reindeer apart from all the rest? Every herder has their own method of
- [Christie](https://www.cairngormreindeer.co.uk/2025/12/05/christie/) - Now and again it’s nice to do a blog about specific reindeer, either as a way of getting their name out there because maybe they aren’t so well known or maybe they are well known and it’s a nice way to highlight how important they have been within our herd over the years. I think
- [Photo Blog: November 2025](https://www.cairngormreindeer.co.uk/2025/11/28/photo-blog-november-2025/) - November has whizzed by. Even more so because I took a week off at the beginning of the month. Don't worry though, this blog has just as many photos in as normal! When I left at the end of October the rut was still underway for a couple of our breeding bulls. On my return
- [Glacée](https://www.cairngormreindeer.co.uk/2025/11/14/glacee/) - It's nice to do a blog about an individual reindeer every now and again. Naturally it often ends up being an older reindeer, or someone with bags of in-your-face character. However this week's blog is all about a three year old female called Glacée who up until recently didn't really stand out in the herd
- [Photo Blog: October 2025](https://www.cairngormreindeer.co.uk/2025/10/31/photo-blog-october-2025/) - Where has October gone?! It was a pretty hectic month here with the rut in full swing, halter training the calves, free ranging reindeer keeping us busy, and three weeks of October holidays. But it's been very fun and hopefully a successful rut - we'll find out in the spring! The big news was that
- [Volunteer Blog: Kathy's Week in September 2025](https://www.cairngormreindeer.co.uk/2025/11/21/volunteer-blog-kathys-week-in-september-2025/) - September 2025 was a month of ‘firsts’ for me…my first solo road trip, my first holiday in Scotland and my first time meeting a reindeer… It was also my first time as a volunteer reindeer herder and it was Earl Grey who peered at me through the pine trees as I entered the Paddock with
- [Reindeer Artwork on Postage Stamps.](https://www.cairngormreindeer.co.uk/2025/11/07/reindeer-artwork-on-postage-stamps/) - Recently, when researching something else, I came across series of beautiful, Mongolian, postage stamps highlighting the Tsaatan people's lifestyle throughout different seasons. After a quick Google I found loads of other beautiful stamps from many different reindeer herding nations across the world. I thought people might enjoy having a look through some of the beautiful
- [Stories from the archives: October 2005 Newsletter](https://www.cairngormreindeer.co.uk/2025/10/24/stories-from-the-archives-october-2005/) - As I sit down to write this blog the current newsletter, October 2025, has just arrived at the Reindeer Centre from the printers and will be packed up and sent out over the next few days! The newsletter gets posted out to our wonderful reindeer adopters in June and October each year. This gave me
- [Volunteer Blog: Emm's visit in February 2025](https://www.cairngormreindeer.co.uk/2025/10/17/volunteer-blog-emms-visit-in-february-2025/) - It was very exciting as the new Reindeer Centre building and Paddocks were up and running. It was still ‘work in progress' with still lots to do. The Exhibition was not ready for the visitors yet but four reindeer were in the Paddocks. Visitors were coming in to see them, the new shop and to
- [My first month as a reindeer herder](https://www.cairngormreindeer.co.uk/2025/10/03/my-first-month-as-a-reindeer-herder/) - It was 2022 I think, when I found a book in a local Waterstone’s in Kent entitled ‘An Arctic Life’ by Tilly Smith. At that point I had a road trip with my dog planned for the Cairngorms and fancied a book for the trip based in the area. I wasn’t aware that reindeer were
- [Kate’s journey to full time herding](https://www.cairngormreindeer.co.uk/2025/10/10/kates-journey-to-full-time-herding/) - I’ve worked with the Cairngorm Reindeer Herd as cover staff since 2019, coming and going, never staying more than a couple of months. This year I finally joined the team as permanent staff, so I wanted to commemorate my little journey to becoming a full-time reindeer herder. I first encountered the reindeer in April 2018
- [Photo Blog: September 2025](https://www.cairngormreindeer.co.uk/2025/09/26/photo-blog-september-2025/) - September is a beautiful time of year. We’ve had the first snow on the plateau and lovely autumnal sunny days. The odd soggy day too, of course! The reindeer look fantastic with fully grown antlers and fresh winter coats growing through. We’ve been doing lots of free range missions to bring in the cows and
- [Summer free ranging](https://www.cairngormreindeer.co.uk/2025/09/19/summer-free-ranging/) - This summer I have had a lovely spell of catching up with our cows and calves out on the free range. After missing both of the nights that we lead the cows and calves out onto the free range a small group decided that I couldn’t miss out and were found loitering outside the hill
- [People of the Reindeer](https://www.cairngormreindeer.co.uk/2025/09/12/people-of-the-reindeer/) - The people of the northern hemisphere and reindeer have a long-interconnected history. In the days of the ice ages reindeer were known as far south as Spain and as one of the larger and least scary animals roaming the land (compared to cave lions and aurochs), they made natural prey for humans of all kinds.
- [The End of an Era](https://www.cairngormreindeer.co.uk/2025/08/15/the-end-of-an-era/) - This spring, I had a Significant Moment. Reindeer live for an average of 12-13 years, with 17 or 18 being an exceptional lifespan, and I have now worked here since November 2007 - getting on for 18 years. In 2023, it got to the point where only a small handful of old reindeer still remained
- [New beginnings](https://www.cairngormreindeer.co.uk/2025/02/07/new-beginnings/) - We are opening to the public once again on Saturday the 8th February 2025! With some BIG changes though for the 2025 season as we've now moved into our brand new Reindeer Centre building, having operated out of the neighbouring Reindeer House since it was built in 1960. However, we think it's really important that
- [Volunteer Blog: Emm's visit in September 2024](https://www.cairngormreindeer.co.uk/2025/09/05/volunteer-blog-emms-visit-in-september-2024/) - The September visit was very special. We were lucky enough to attend Fiona and Joe’s wedding and celebrations. They got married on top of Meall a’ Bhuachaille, the hill behind Reindeer House. It was a very wet and windy day but it was so special being on top with Fiona, Joe and everyone and the
- [Photo Blog: August 2025](https://www.cairngormreindeer.co.uk/2025/08/29/photo-blog-august-2025/) - August has been a busy and fun month. We've had lots of visitors and three sold out Hill Trips almost everyday. Lots of people have also been coming into the Paddocks to see the reindeer on display there, and very excitingly the Exhibition is nearly ready. It's looking super! You'll definitely hear to social media
- [Maisy’s Favourite Photos](https://www.cairngormreindeer.co.uk/2025/08/22/maisys-favorite-photos/) - I (Maisy) have been helping out with the reindeer here and there since March 2024. I am now working on weekends and during my school holidays to my delight. I have started to spend a lot more of my time up at the Centre whether it’s because of reindeer, the people and the dogs, it’s
- [Caz's first summer as a herder](https://www.cairngormreindeer.co.uk/2025/08/08/cazs-first-summer-as-a-herder/) - You know something has gone very right when you accidentally end up being a reindeer herder for the summer. I met herders Mel and Chris on the Isle of Rum, and about two months later I found myself moving into Reindeer House. I couldn’t have predicted becoming a herder, and it has exceeded all of
- [Choosing Reindeer Names](https://www.cairngormreindeer.co.uk/2025/08/01/choosing-reindeer-names/) - As most readers know, we name reindeer on a theme each year. For example, in recent years we’ve had ‘Teas and Coffees’, ‘Rivers of the World’, and ‘Ice Creams and Lollies’ to name just a few. This old blog goes into the themes themselves a lot more. The majority of the time the calves are
- [Photo Blog: July 2025](https://www.cairngormreindeer.co.uk/2025/07/25/photo-blog-july-2025/) - July has been a good month with the reindeer finally starting to look good in their short sleek coats. We've some very hot days, but the reindeer have very faired well. They felt the heat on occasions but thankfully have ways off cooling down, I actually think they dealt with it better than me! Check
- [Stone Age Reindeer Art](https://www.cairngormreindeer.co.uk/2025/07/11/stone-age-reindeer-art/) - 50,000-12,000 years ago the world was in the grip of the last glacial period (the Ice Age). During this time, reindeer were abundant across Eurasia’s glaciated landscape. Huge herds of them provided a vital source of food and materials to our late Stone Age ancestors. At the same time, early human artwork was flourishing. There
- [Photo Blog: June 2025](https://www.cairngormreindeer.co.uk/2025/06/27/photo-blog-june-2025/) - June is the scruffy reindeer month! Perhaps, not their most photogenic season but still a wonderful time of year and I still managed to take lots of photos of course to fill the monthly photo blog . The cows and calves are all free ranging in the hills and we have around half our males in
- [Family resemblance](https://www.cairngormreindeer.co.uk/2025/07/18/family-resemblance/) - Just like people, some reindeer have huge resemblance within their families, and some more so than others. I thought I'd write a wee blog to talk about a couple of the best examples in our herd today - and then I discovered that Ruth had beated me to it. So here's a couple more examples
- [Antler shapes](https://www.cairngormreindeer.co.uk/2025/07/04/antler-shapes/) - Antlers are my 'thing', here at the Reindeer Centre, so it's a natural subject to turn to for a blog when Ruth is starting to look a little twitchy about needing the rest of us to crack on and provide her with some blogs to keep her going through the calving season (no chance of
- [Calving, cuckoos and cotton grass!](https://www.cairngormreindeer.co.uk/2025/06/20/calving-cuckoos-and-cotton-grass/) - Every reindeer herder looks forward to May - it's pretty much the best month of the year for us with calving time for the reindeer dominating it. But May is also one of my absolute favourite months for other reasons too, the trees are coming into leaf, the plants in my garden are growing like
- [Reindeer personalities](https://www.cairngormreindeer.co.uk/2025/06/13/reindeer-personalities/) - The longer we work with the reindeer the more we see their individual personalities, this is one reason I love working with these incredible animals! They are all so unique, and learning all their quirks and characters means we can work with and handle the reindeer better. This wee blog shows a few of their
- [Reindeer migration](https://www.cairngormreindeer.co.uk/2025/06/06/reindeer-migration/) - As the seasons change and we transition from spring into summer our female reindeer will start to move from the lower grounds where they have spent most of the winter, higher onto the hills. This is partly to stay cool as the weather will warm up but also to follow the grazing. In the middle
- [The Return of the Natives](https://www.cairngormreindeer.co.uk/2015/05/08/the-return-of-the-natives/) - While the other reindeer herders are spending the first part of the year watching the female reindeer gradually expand outwards and wondering who is going to calve first, I am often preoccupied with the return of the birds – the first fluting song of a Willow Warbler is one of my annual highlights, heralding the
- [Photo Blog: May 2025](https://www.cairngormreindeer.co.uk/2025/05/30/photo-blog-may-2025/) - The start of May was a whirlwind! The first calf of the year was born on the 25th of April, then the cows left us in suspense for a whole week until the 2nd of May until the next one came along. It was then a flurry of calves being born all over the place
- [Cuppa - from calf to yearling!](https://www.cairngormreindeer.co.uk/2025/05/23/cuppa-from-zero-to-one-year-old/) - I was having a photo clear out the other day (my phone is embarrassingly full of reindeer photos) and realised I have taken lots of photos of Cuppa over the past 12 months. Florence, Cuppa's mum, was my "calving bet" so I think I was particularly invested in her wee boy! For any reader unfamiliar
- [Latte  - from calf to yearling!](https://www.cairngormreindeer.co.uk/2025/05/09/latte-from-zero-to-one-year-old/) - We're already into calving season 2025, but I'm still finding it hard to believe last year's calves are already turning into yearlings! In this photo blog you can see Latte grow up from a newborn to a one year old. Ruth
- [Photo Blog: April 2025](https://www.cairngormreindeer.co.uk/2025/05/02/photo-blog-april-2025/) - April has been a glorious month! The first half of it was wall-to-wall sunshine for what felt like weeks on end. The reindeer were on the move quite a lot so it meant some big walks getting them each morning keeping us all fit. By the middle of the month we brought some of our
- [Variety is the spice of life!](https://www.cairngormreindeer.co.uk/2025/05/16/variety-is-the-spice-of-life/) - We often get asked by visitors what we do when we're not up leading the Hill Trips. Being a Scottish reindeer herder is a really varied job, and in the past year as we've moved into our new building it has been even more so! Here are a few photos from the past few months:
- [Building up to calving](https://www.cairngormreindeer.co.uk/2025/04/25/building-up-to-calving/) - With only a week or so to go until we could be seeing the first reindeer calves born, here are a few things which are preparing us, and the reindeer, ready for the big event. There aren’t any pre-natal classes for the reindeer but there is a pattern that we tend to stick to at
- [Photo Blog: March 2025](https://www.cairngormreindeer.co.uk/2025/03/28/photo-blog-march-2024-2/) - March has been a great month for us here at the Centre. We've become so used to working in the new Centre it's hard to imagine life working from Reindeer House! March is always a relatively quiet month for visitors so it's meant an excellent ratio of reindeer to people on our daily Hill Trips.
- [The Hat Girls](https://www.cairngormreindeer.co.uk/2025/04/04/the-hat-girls/) - It’s well known that I have soft spots for a lot of reindeer, often if I have worked closely with them during free range missions or out on Christmas tours etc. However, one cohort I'm particularly fond of is the 'hats'- reindeer born in spring 2021. In May 2021, I returned to reindeer herding after
- [A busy day on the hill](https://www.cairngormreindeer.co.uk/2025/04/18/a-busy-day-on-the-hill/) - Yesterday was one of the best sorts of reindeer herding days, almost entirely spent on the hill. Me and Fiona were due to help Tilly in the middle of the day, so we set off early to find the reindeer here on Cairngorm in the morning. The reindeer certainly made us work hard that morning
- [Volunteer Blog: Emm's visit in May 2024](https://www.cairngormreindeer.co.uk/2025/04/11/volunteer-blog-emms-visit-in-may-2024/) - My May Highlights We returned in May and it was the calving season (Emm's blog about her February visit can be found by clicking here). The calves are so cute and come in different colours which were silvery, dark brown, normal coloured, and ginger. They are so small and it was so lovely seeing the
- [How does a reindeer keep warm in the winter?](https://www.cairngormreindeer.co.uk/2025/03/14/how-does-a-reindeer-keep-warm-in-the-winter/) - Each winter, when the temperature drops, and we start reaching for our big coats and gloves. It always amazes me how comfortable the reindeer are in these conditions. It’s not a surprise really, being an arctic animal, they have evolved to cope with some of the coldest temperatures on the planet. Reindeer don’t show physiological
- [Photo Blog: June 2024](https://www.cairngormreindeer.co.uk/2024/06/28/photo-blog-june-2024/) - Scruffy reindeer month! Not their most photogenic season but a wonderful time of year nonetheless. The cows and calves left the enclosure to free range in the mountains and the males in our enclosure are looking super with lovely velvet antlers. Ruth
- [A Reindeer Herder and Artist](https://www.cairngormreindeer.co.uk/2024/06/16/a-reindeer-herder-and-artist/) - My involvement with the reindeer goes back 30 years when Tilly and Alan were my neighbours and Alex and Fiona where still very wee. I came up to the Highlands to work at Badaguish Outdoor Centre for people with additional needs before I was due to start a nursing degree . I never left - I fell
- [An Old Glenmore Book](https://www.cairngormreindeer.co.uk/2024/06/14/an-old-glenmore-book/) - Manouk popped into Reindeer House a wee while ago and had picked up this book from a charity shop in Aviemore. It is the Forestry Commission guidebook for 'Glen More Forest Park' and has no date on it but was published sometime in the 70s. It has a section about the Cairngorm Reindeer. I had
- [An Update on our New Reindeer Centre](https://www.cairngormreindeer.co.uk/2024/06/07/an-update-on-our-new-reindeer-centre/) - In January 2021 we embarked upon a project of a lifetime here at The Cairngorm Reindeer Centre. For many, many years we have operated out of Reindeer House, with a modest shop/reception area and to say the least a cramped office. Visitors arriving would sometimes come in and say ‘where’s The Cairngorm Reindeer Centre’, slightly
- [Photo Blog: May 2024](https://www.cairngormreindeer.co.uk/2024/05/31/photo-blog-may-2024/) - Who takes a holiday at the beginning of May? Yep, three full-time reindeer herders! Myself, Fiona, and Lotti got back on the 8th of May to 13 calves already romping around on the hill. What a treat to see them all and catch up properly on all the news from home. We got straight in
- [Volunteer Blog: From the rutting season to the calving season](https://www.cairngormreindeer.co.uk/2024/05/24/volunteer-blog-from-the-rutting-season-to-the-calving-season/) - I first visited the Cairngorm reindeer herd in August 2000 and since then have visited on many occasions with my husband and our three daughters. Over the years we have made badges and paper antlers, hunted for elves, taken countless photos of our daughters sitting on the sleigh outside the shop, handfed the reindeer, and
- [Reindeer Lookalikes](https://www.cairngormreindeer.co.uk/2024/05/17/reindeer-lookalikes/) - In January 2023 I wrote a blog about reindeer looking like their close relatives: https://www.cairngormreindeer.co.uk/2023/01/20/mini-me-reindeer/ As we are now in calving season, I have recently heard myself saying "she looks just like her big sister when she was a calf" or fellow reindeer herder Lotti saying "she looks exactly like her mum as a newborn".
- [COVID calves](https://www.cairngormreindeer.co.uk/2024/05/10/covid-calves/) - Our usual annual practice is the reindeer calves born that spring will join a Christmas team of adult reindeer and go out and about on tour joining in Christmas festivities across the country. This is the start of their training and handling with us which means when the male calves grow up and go on
- [Tongues out for the camera](https://www.cairngormreindeer.co.uk/2024/05/03/tongues-out-for-the-camera/) - When we came off the hill today, I was having a flick through the photos I had taken in order to find a couple to post on social media. I found that two of the reindeer today had stuck their tongues out to me. They must have been unimpressed at having their photos taken. I
- [Photo Blog: April 2024](https://www.cairngormreindeer.co.uk/2024/04/26/photo-blog-april-2024/) - April has flown by. The first half of the month busy with the Easter holidays. We've had some wonderful Hill Trips both out on the free range and also in our hill enclosure here on Cairngorm. Although not much spring weather it has to be said. The second half of the month was busy with
- [Reindeer herder pet peeves!](https://www.cairngormreindeer.co.uk/2024/04/19/reindeer-herder-pet-peeves/) - I thought I’d write a bit about some of our biggest reindeer pet peeves this week - and undeniably, there are quite a few... Pet peeves 1-4 are tongue-in-cheek, so don’t take offence if you’ve made one of these slips in the past - no doubt some of us did too before becoming reindeer herders!
- [The whole herd in one day](https://www.cairngormreindeer.co.uk/2024/04/12/the-whole-herd-in-one-day/) - It’s not often we see all of our reindeer in one day but on this occasion in February myself and Lotti between our two sites here on Cairngorm and Glenlivet we saw all of the reindeer. It started with a trip to our enclosure. Over the February half term we have decided that due to
- [Sherlock's Antlers](https://www.cairngormreindeer.co.uk/2024/04/05/sherlocks-antlers/) - Despite spending the last 40+ years devoting my life to the Cairngorm Reindeer I am still fascinated by the annual cycle of reindeer growing their new velvet antlers, then stripping the velvet to reveal hard bony antlers and finally casting their antlers and growing a new set next year. It is an amazing process, hugely
- [Photo Blog: March 2024](https://www.cairngormreindeer.co.uk/2024/03/29/photo-blog-march-2024/) - March has been a good month on the whole. The reindeer have all been roaming freely over two sites. Here on Cairngorm, we've been running our daily Hill Trips at 11am each morning. At the beginning of a work day we divide the duties up and generally we all take it in turns to either
- [Memorable reindeer: Lute](https://www.cairngormreindeer.co.uk/2024/03/22/memorable-reindeer-lute/) - My chosen reindeer to write about this time is Lute, who was already a middle-aged female when I first started as a reindeer herder, back in 2007. She died quite a few years back now so the younger staff here won’t remember her at all. But I do, and writing these blogs is not only
- [Oldest male and oldest female in our herd](https://www.cairngormreindeer.co.uk/2024/03/15/oldest-male-and-oldest-female-in-our-herd/) - Reindeer live about 12-14 years and anything over 10 years is doing well. The oldest reindeer in our herd is always changing, of course. The oldest reindeer we’ve ever had were two females called Trout and Tuna (guess the theme 😉) who got to 18, but they were beaten to the title by Lilac who
- [Dynasties - Spy](https://www.cairngormreindeer.co.uk/2024/03/08/dynasties-spy/) - A few years ago, Andi started a series of blogs titled Dynasties after watching the David Attenborough series with the same title. These highlighted matriarchs within the herd, in particular some of our most successful breeders. I thought I would continue this theme and in this blog I will write about Spy. I have only
- [Why can’t I touch the reindeer?!](https://www.cairngormreindeer.co.uk/2024/03/01/why-cant-i-touch-the-reindeer/) - Reindeer have a hugely thick coat as they are designed to survive Arctic and sub-Arctic winters, and they are one of the only mammals to have hair covering every part of their body, even including their noses. So they look incredibly cuddly and visitors are usually desperate to stroke them. If you’ve been on one
- [Photo Blog: February 2024](https://www.cairngormreindeer.co.uk/2024/02/23/photo-blog-february-2024/) - We reopened to the public on the 10th of February. With no Paddocks and Exhibition available (the site is currently a very big hole) it feels rather strange! But the Hill Trips are running as usual, in fact for the February half term we brought some of our free ranging cows and nine month old
- [A broken ankle and a helicopter ride.](https://www.cairngormreindeer.co.uk/2024/02/16/a-broken-ankle-and-a-helicopter-ride/) - Anyone who has come to visit us will know that we have very strict clothing and footwear requirements. On a fair-weather day, this may sometimes seem slight overkill but when the conditions change, or something goes wrong requiring us to stay on the hill longer than usual, the extra layers are absolutely necessary. One such
- [Seasonal Volunteer to Seasonal Herder](https://www.cairngormreindeer.co.uk/2024/02/09/seasonal-volunteer-to-seasonal-herder/) - Editor's note: The lovely Hannah wrote this blog when she was here back in August 2023 but I have only just found it lurking in a folder on the computer. Sorry Hannah! Read Hannah's first blog here about her time volunteering with us here: Hannah’s Volunteer Blog - The Cairngorm Reindeer Herd. And then try
- [Wanna buy some antlers? It's a complicated business...](https://www.cairngormreindeer.co.uk/2024/02/02/wanna-buy-some-antlers-its-a-complicated-business/) - Over the years I've established myself as 'chief of antler sales' here at the Cairngorm Reindeer Centre. As with most reindeer related things, it's not really a job that is straight-forward but one that has evolved with time, and I've tweaked and tweaked each year until it is as workable as possible. But - in
- [Photo Blog: January 2024](https://www.cairngormreindeer.co.uk/2024/01/26/photo-blog-january-2024/) - January has seen the last few Hill Trips of the Christmas holidays and then the start of our closed period where we can crack on with various office and maintenance jobs such as repairing holes in our waterproof kit (thanks Lotti for keeping us dry!) and oiling the Christmas harness ready to be stored for
- [A Brand New Reindeer Centre!](https://www.cairngormreindeer.co.uk/2024/01/19/a-brand-new-reindeer-centre/) - On 4th August 1989 Alan and I took over the ownership and management of the Cairngorm Reindeer. We had both been working for the family who owned the herd for a number of years and when Mr Utsi and then Dr Lindgren passed away the opportunity arose for us to buy the herd. To this
- [Old lady Okapi](https://www.cairngormreindeer.co.uk/2024/01/12/old-lady-okapi/) - I'm lacking in inspiration, motivation and time to think of a new and so-far unused blog topic, so this week I'm going for the old tried-and-tested method - pick a reindeer and write about him/her. This week's subject is Okapi. I've known Okapi her entire life, and at 15 and a half years old, it's
- [Characters](https://www.cairngormreindeer.co.uk/2024/01/05/characters/) - Visitors often ask how on earth we tell apart the 150-strong herd of reindeer. Whilst there is variation in colour, markings and antler shape, one of the biggest distinguishing features is actually character. Just like people, reindeer come in every shade of cheeky, shy, friendly, stand-offish, bolshy, greedy, intelligent, daft… I thought I might mention
- [Photo Blog: December 2023](https://www.cairngormreindeer.co.uk/2023/12/29/photo-blog-december-2023/) - On the last Friday of each month throughout 2023 I have shared photos that I've taken on my phone to hopefully give everyone an idea of the goings on at the Reindeer Centre. What a complete mix bag of photos this is to finish the year off! December has seen me up and down the
- [How Isla became a reindeer herder...](https://www.cairngormreindeer.co.uk/2023/12/22/how-isla-became-a-reindeer-herder/) - The first time I met the reindeer here at Cairngorm, I was just four years old and a bridesmaid at my mum’s wedding. Mum, being as extravagant as she is, decided she wanted the reindeer to pull the sleigh for us from the service to the party venue. Once we were on the sleigh I
- [Well hello boys!](https://www.cairngormreindeer.co.uk/2023/12/15/well-hello-boys/) - In the autumn, we move all of our entire males (apart from the 2 or 3 lucky chosen breeding bulls) over to our hill farm, away from the females and out of trouble for the duration of the breeding season. With no hint of love on the air, this keeps them calmer and easier to
- [The Story of Zoom](https://www.cairngormreindeer.co.uk/2023/12/08/the-story-of-zoom/) - I was over at the hill farm recently helping to feed our bulls and was pleased to see how good yearling Zoom was looking. And that reminded me that I’d promised Ruth I would write a blog telling the story of when we found him last year. Zoom was born on the 8th May 2022
- [Christmas shopping](https://www.cairngormreindeer.co.uk/2023/12/01/christmas-shopping/) - Once again, the festive season is sneaking up on us, and for anyone who is a wee bit stuck for gift ideas, we've got lots of options on our webshop. For the reindeer fanatic in your life, how about adopting the Herd for them? As an adopter, you become one of our valued supporters and
- [Photo Blog: November 2023](https://www.cairngormreindeer.co.uk/2023/11/24/photo-blog-november-2023/) - November has been a busy month. We've had the first decent snow higher up on the hills, the free ranging reindeer have been showing their beautiful faces at the hill enclosure every few days, adoptions are coming in thick and fast so lots of letters are streaming out of the office, sleigh training has continued
- [A Family Affair](https://www.cairngormreindeer.co.uk/2023/11/17/a-family-affair/) - I thought I’d write a bit about the family trees of our herd for this week’s blog, since they work a little differently from a ‘standard’ human family tree. Those of you who have been adopting an individual reindeer within our herd for a while will probably have received a family tree at some point,
- [Photo Blog: A Typical Sleigh Training Session](https://www.cairngormreindeer.co.uk/2023/11/10/photo-blog-a-typical-sleigh-training-session/) - Our adult 'Christmas reindeer' (castrated males) are trained to harness at around 3 or 4 years old, so they can take part in a few events and parades in November and December each year, bringing in part of the income that then supports the herd for the rest of the year. About 25 of our
- [Memorable reindeer of the past: Lulu](https://www.cairngormreindeer.co.uk/2023/11/03/memorable-reindeer-of-the-past-lulu/) - Normally I write these sort of blogs about reindeer who are long since passed, but Lulu was a bit of a favourite of mine so despite dying relatively recently, she’s getting special treatment. Born in 2006, Lulu was one of the very few reindeer in the herd alive until recently who were here when I
- [Photo Blog: October 2023](https://www.cairngormreindeer.co.uk/2023/10/27/photo-blog-october-2023/) - Here's a selection of pics taken throughout the month, hopefully giving a snap shot of what we've been getting up to. It's been full on with the rut taking place in the enclosure, our breeding bulls do now seem a bit less enthusiastic after a busy six weeks for them! We've also been bringing two
- [Reindeer in France? Avez-vous des rennes?](https://www.cairngormreindeer.co.uk/2023/10/20/reindeer-in-france-avez-vous-des-rennes/) - This summer I picked up a few days of reindeer herding to cover the absences of holidaying herders (how dare they take time off?!). It was surprisingly easy to slide back into many of the day-to-day generic herding tasks. Opening the Paddocks, doing Hill Trips, chatting to visitors, doing the shop, it all seemed like
- [Emm's Volunteer Blog Part 2: Christmas 2022](https://www.cairngormreindeer.co.uk/2023/10/13/emms-volunteer-blog-part-2-christmas-2022/) - For Part 1 of this blog please click here: Emm’s Volunteer Blog Part 1: Christmas 2022 - The Cairngorm Reindeer Herd Christmas trips begin… My first big trip out was when I went with Fiona and we took Sunny, Frost and Druid to a local nursery school in a big lorry. When we got there
- [Emm's Volunteer Blog Part 1: Christmas 2022](https://www.cairngormreindeer.co.uk/2023/10/06/emms-volunteer-blog-part-1-christmas-2022/) - I was very lucky to be volunteering with the herd for 8 days in December last year over Christmas. Fiona had said I could help with the Christmas parades that they were due to do. It was my first Christmas working with the reindeer and it was really magical and special experience. A Fantastic Surprise
- [Photo Blog: September 2023](https://www.cairngormreindeer.co.uk/2023/09/29/photo-blog-september-2023/) - I love September! The reindeer look super, we're busy with free ranging reindeer, we name the calves and we start learning their individual personalities, plus the rut kicks off. Having said that, I planned a two week holiday in one of my favourite months - must remember not to do that again! So there is
- [Reindeer Identification](https://www.cairngormreindeer.co.uk/2023/09/22/reindeer-identification/) - Reindeer identification is definitely one of the most challenging aspects of the work here at the Reindeer Centre. Of course there are a few individual reindeer that are very distinctive and easy to spot like Sherlock with those enormous antlers and Dr Suess with his with white nose. I’m also pretty confident telling apart the
- [Sookie Obituary](https://www.cairngormreindeer.co.uk/2023/09/15/sookie-obituary/) - A couple of months have passed since we lost our old girl, Sookie, I think it’s about time we write about how wonderful a dog she was! Our blogs are of course reindeer related and with Sookie being one of our top ‘reindeer dogs’ she has certainly left her mark here at Reindeer House. Sookie
- [Photo Blog: August 2023](https://www.cairngormreindeer.co.uk/2023/09/02/photo-blog-august-2023/) - August has been a fun month. The first half of the month was super busy with holiday makers but as Scottish schools went back the second half of the month got slightly quieter with visitors and we've been having lots of free range action which I love. Generally we start to see the free ranging
- [Memorable reindeer of the past: Chelsea](https://www.cairngormreindeer.co.uk/2023/09/08/memorable-reindeer-of-the-past-chelsea/) - It’s been a long time since I found time to write about a reindeer who’s no longer with us, but I’m acutely aware that it is high time for me to take my turn to write a blog, so here we are. This time I thought I’d pick Chelsea, who only died last year but
- [Training Reindeer](https://www.cairngormreindeer.co.uk/2023/08/25/training-reindeer/) - During the summer months it’s a good time of year to work on our reindeer handling for both reindeer and herders. With a fair few new faces this summer with seasonal staff picking up a few weeks here and there it’s not just good practice for the reindeer but really important that us herders know
- [Volunteer Blog: My Journey to the Cairngorms](https://www.cairngormreindeer.co.uk/2023/08/18/volunteer-blog-my-journey-to-the-cairngorms/) - What started off looking for volunteering opportunities for my daughter, turned out to be an unexpected adventure of a lifetime. I have been following the Reindeer herd for some time on Instagram, when I saw they were looking for volunteers to spend a week with the herders and learning all about reindeer. So with enthusiasm
- [Winnie and Alba](https://www.cairngormreindeer.co.uk/2023/08/12/winnie-and-alba/) - We thought it was about time you had an update on our hand reared calves of this year. Back in May, off the back of our calving season, we were left hand rearing two female calves. Last year we raised Sunny, a male calf who lost his mum at only a few days old and
- [2020 calves – then and now (Part 2 – the males).](https://www.cairngormreindeer.co.uk/2023/08/04/2020-calves-then-and-now-part-2-the-males/) - This week’s blog looks back on a select few of my favourite male calves of 2020 and how they have changed in the last three years. To read stories about my favourite female calves then check out this blog, published a few weeks ago: 2020 calves – then and now (Part 1 – the females).
- [Photo Blog: July 2023](https://www.cairngormreindeer.co.uk/2023/07/28/photo-blog-july-2023/) - July has been a good month with not a great deal of unusual things going on within the herd really - which is actually rather nice! The boys in the hill enclosure are generally eating lots and putting all their energy into growing lovely antlers and big bellies! Towards the middle of July the reindeer
- [Wild Farm Cottage – Our Self Catering Holiday Cottage](https://www.cairngormreindeer.co.uk/2023/07/21/wild-farm-cottage-our-self-catering-holiday-cottage/) - Wild Farm Cottage is situated on the Glenlivet Estate near Tomintoul and is probably one of the most remote cottages in the area. It is so ‘out in the sticks’ that it is off grid, with a generator and bank of batteries providing the electricity. Although in the middle of nowhere the cottage boasts a
- [Golden Oldies](https://www.cairngormreindeer.co.uk/2023/07/14/golden-oldies/) - A common question that we get asked on our Hill Trips is ‘how long do reindeer live for?’. The answer is usually anything between 11 – 15 years old with the females typically living a little longer than the males. The oldest reindeer we’ve ever had in our herd was a female called Lilac living
- [What a Motley Crew](https://www.cairngormreindeer.co.uk/2023/07/07/what-a-motley-crew/) - At this time of year the reindeer look really scruffy and it’s all down to their thick light coloured winter coat falling away to reveal a short dark summer coat underneath. There’s many an adjective I could use to describe them, moth-eaten, scruffy, hairy, shabby and when taking to people to see the reindeer at
- [Photo Blog: June 2023](https://www.cairngormreindeer.co.uk/2023/06/30/photo-blog-june-2023/) - June has whizzed by in a cloud of reindeer hair - it's definitely scruffy reindeer month! Not their most photogenic season but a wonderful time of year nonetheless. After a couple of days off the antlers have noticeably grown - even after six years of working with the herd, I still find it amazing just
- [Reminiscing about the winter](https://www.cairngormreindeer.co.uk/2023/06/23/reminiscing-about-the-winter/) - At the time, it really does seem like it will last forever. When you head to work and it’s dark, then the sun sets again at 3.30pm and you’re heading home in the dark. But it must be my favorite season, you experience such varying weather conditions, and it gives you such an appreciation of
- [Bingo](https://www.cairngormreindeer.co.uk/2023/06/16/bingo/) - Bingo is one of our older Christmas reindeer now at the age of 12 years old. He has always been a pretty, what’s the polite way of saying it, aloof reindeer. He’s not timid, cos he has plenty of confidence but he’s certainly had his moments over the years where he falls into the category
- [2020 calves – then and now (Part 1 – the females).](https://www.cairngormreindeer.co.uk/2023/06/09/2020-calves-then-and-now-part-1-the-females/) - I was recently looking back over photos from the calving season in 2020. This was the first calving season I had worked and it was in the middle of lockdown with fewer staff working so I was very lucky to be totally immersed in what was a very busy month! The calves born in 2020
- [2015 Scottish Hill Races naming theme](https://www.cairngormreindeer.co.uk/2023/06/02/2015-scottish-hill-races-naming-theme/) - In the year 2015, we decided upon a naming theme of hill running races located in Scotland. Therefore, all the calves that were born in 2015 were subsequently given a name from this theme. Some of which I’d have had no idea how to pronounce had I not been told. These reindeer - who are
- [Photo Blog: May 2023](https://www.cairngormreindeer.co.uk/2023/05/26/photo-blog-may-2023/) - May! What a month! Calving began on Sunday the 29th of April and was done by Sunday the 14th of May. A two week, action-packed blur. After the first few calves were born we were expecting a bit of a lull, but nope, they just kept on coming. As well as many experienced cows we've
- [Emm's Volunteer Blog Part 2: October 2022](https://www.cairngormreindeer.co.uk/2023/05/19/emms-volunteer-blog-part-2-october-2022/) - This is the second installment of Emm’s fantastic blog. Read part one by clicking HERE. The Breeding Season Whilst I was there, there were 2 bulls with their girls in the hill enclosure separated in different areas. One group was Sherlock and his girls over on Silver Mount. He was laid back. Then the other
- [Okapi’s nose](https://www.cairngormreindeer.co.uk/2023/05/12/okapis-nose/) - Okapi is one of my favourite reindeer, and I think one of the prettiest reindeer in the herd. So, I often find my self taking a photo of her. Sometimes I manage to get a very lovely photo of her looking beautiful. More often though, before I have managed to take the photo she’s come
- [Emm's Volunteer Blog Part 1: October 2022](https://www.cairngormreindeer.co.uk/2023/05/05/emms-volunteer-blog-part-1-october-2022/) - Emm is one of our wonderful regular volunteers, and has written many blogs for us in the past. You can find out more about Emm by reading one of her previous blogs here: how reindeer herding changes me. I was up volunteering with the herd at the beginning of October for 12 days last year. It
- [Photo Blog: April 2023](https://www.cairngormreindeer.co.uk/2023/04/28/photo-blog-april-2023/) - April has been a busy month with some glorious spring weather and some incredibly wild winter weather too. The first half of the month saw the Easter Holidays so we had lots of visitors around - some days we put on an additional Hill Trip in the afternoon when the morning visit sold out, and
- [Photos through the seasons...](https://www.cairngormreindeer.co.uk/2023/04/21/photos-through-the-seasons/) - These are a selection of my favourite photos taken over the last couple of years showing reindeer throughout all the seasons... Ben
- [Fetching the reindeer in the winter](https://www.cairngormreindeer.co.uk/2023/04/14/fetching-the-reindeer-in-the-winter/) - Every morning, as most of you know, two herders head out to gather the reindeer in and bring them closer for our Hill Trip at 11am. This requires dropping our bags of feed off on route somewhere closer to where we plan to end up with the herd then anything from a 10 minute walk
- [Texel](https://www.cairngormreindeer.co.uk/2023/04/07/texel/) - In this week’s blog I will write about Texel, one of my favourite reindeer. Texel (pronounced Tessel) will turn 4 years old on the 17th of May. She is the daughter of Addax and Houdini, and in May 2022 had her first ever calf, a young male called 99. Texel is easily recognisable with a
- [Photo blog: March 2023](https://www.cairngormreindeer.co.uk/2023/03/31/photo-blog-march-2023/) - It's the last blog of the month and so time for another photo dump! March has been a relatively quiet month, with the Paddocks shut and fewer visitors around, but it's still felt very busy for us herders! Generally only four members of staff work each day throughout March. The mornings are taken up by
- [Winter Reindeer Herding](https://www.cairngormreindeer.co.uk/2023/03/17/winter-reindeer-herding/) - Winter is always one of the best times of year with the reindeer. They are completely free range and we head out daily, locate and feed them so we keep a good management on the herd. It’s probably the time of year we get the most exercise too - a morning work out to find
- ['Uncover the Mythology of Reindeer' with Sharon Hudgins](https://www.cairngormreindeer.co.uk/2023/03/24/uncover-the-mythology-of-reindeer-with-sharon-hudgins/) - A few years back I replied to an email from a lady who had visited Glenmore from the USA back in 1969, and had been put up for the night in Reindeer House by Mikel Utsi. She remembered meeting a pure white reindeer in the pen behind the house (what is now the Paddocks), and
- [A Christmas Interrogation (part 2)](https://www.cairngormreindeer.co.uk/2023/03/10/a-christmas-interrogation-part-2/) - A while back I interviewed a few of my colleagues with some questions relating to the Christmas season. The first half of this blog can be read here. But onward… THE SMELL YOU MOST ASSOCIATE WITH CHRISTMAS? With this question, I just wanted to check that everyone else had the same – as far as
- [Sunny's Adventures](https://www.cairngormreindeer.co.uk/2023/03/03/sunnys-adventures/) - Over the Christmas period Sunny, our hand reared calf of 2022, was out and about joining in with our Christmas tour. He join me on most of my events and was a great hit with the public. Sometimes if we had a one of our older Christmas reindeer who was in training or just preferred
- [Photo blog: February 2023](https://www.cairngormreindeer.co.uk/2023/02/24/photo-blog-february-2023/) - It's the last blog of the month, so here we have a selection of photos I've taken during February. The early part of the month was all about crossing jobs off the to-do list ready for us to re-open to the public on the 11th of February for the busy half-term holidays. The second part
- [Photo Blog: February 2025](https://www.cairngormreindeer.co.uk/2025/02/28/photo-blog-february-2025/) - February has been a great month as we moved into our NEW Reindeer Centre. We opened the doors to the public on the 8th of February for the very first time - hoorah! The Hill Trips have been running as normal every day (apart from one where we had to cancel due to wild weather!)
- [Like mother, like son: Russia and Spider](https://www.cairngormreindeer.co.uk/2025/03/21/like-mother-like-son-russia-and-spider/) - Russia, born in 2005 in the 'countries' year, was one of the first reindeer I got to know. She was already quite an old girl, but one of the tamest reindeer in the herd and always super chilled out. She was also 'interesting' in appearance - therefore standing out in the herd and making it
- [Volunteer Blog: Emm's visit in February 2024](https://www.cairngormreindeer.co.uk/2025/02/21/volunteer-blog-emms-visit-in-february-2024/) - I was lucky enough last year to visit and work with the reindeer three times in 2024, February, May and September. I had many different experiences and I thought I would tell you about my highlights with the reindeer and herders during the year. You'll be able to find May and September's highlights in future
- [Amy's winter photo blog](https://www.cairngormreindeer.co.uk/2025/03/07/amys-winter-photo-blog/) - Turns out a lot of my picture taking when it comes to the herd is usually done in the winter. But who can blame me as the environment on Cairngorm chops and changes so much, you almost receive whiplash! On the run up to Christmas, we had a herd of females out free ranging which consisted
- [Photo Blog: January 2025](https://www.cairngormreindeer.co.uk/2025/01/31/photo-blog-january-2025/) - In January the entire herd is out free roaming and they don't need us. They can find all their own food and they generally don't have any health issues in the winter - they're in their element! However, we do of course like to keep an eye on them, plus us herders would go a
- [A free range mission...](https://www.cairngormreindeer.co.uk/2025/02/14/a-free-range-mission/) - A lot of our work focuses on our herd here on Cairngorm, but a lot of you will know that we have a secondary site, and it is always lovely to get out that way to help Tilly! Recently Sheena and I went on a free-range mission to move a group of reindeer that were
- [A sunny day helping Tilly...](https://www.cairngormreindeer.co.uk/2025/01/24/a-sunny-day-helping-tilly/) - At this time of year the entire herd is free ranging over two sites. Here on Cairngorm we have most of our adult females and calves and we keep an eye on them usually every second day. In the winter we also lease more winter grazing at our second site where all the adult males
- [A cold start to January 2025](https://www.cairngormreindeer.co.uk/2025/01/17/a-cold-start-to-january-2025/) - For all of the UK, 2025 started with a cold snap and in many places lots of subsequent snow. In the Cairngorms we were treated to about 10 days of beautiful snowy weather and temperatures down to about -17. Luckily reindeer are so well adapted to the cold, that they don’t even feel the cold
- [New Christmas Reindeer 2024](https://www.cairngormreindeer.co.uk/2025/01/10/new-christmas-reindeer-2024/) - So the newbies to Christmas this year are: Morse, Jelly, Ärta, Akubra, Jester, Busby, Cowboy, Mr Whippy, Gelato, Magnum and Mivvi. They were all trained in Oct/Nov this year to wear harness and pull the sleigh. This is always done alongside a reindeer who is already trained to show them the ropes. Most of them
- [The Old Girls](https://www.cairngormreindeer.co.uk/2025/01/03/the-old-girls/) - All of the reindeer in our herd are great, of course. But the reindeer we usually shout about are the big breeding bulls, the sweet little calves, a trusty Christmas reindeer or a female who stands out from the rest. In today's blog I’m going to chat about some of our old girls. They have
- [Photo Blog: December 2024](https://www.cairngormreindeer.co.uk/2024/12/27/photo-blog-december-2024/) - December has been another mixed month for me in terms of work with time at home on the hills, and out and about on tour! Here at home, I’ve been on the hill working with the herd, taking lots of people up to meet the reindeer on Hill Trips, and helping to keep the office
- [Differences and similarities between Highland cattle and reindeer: part 2](https://www.cairngormreindeer.co.uk/2024/12/20/differences-and-similarities-between-highland-cattle-and-reindeer-part-2/) - For anyone who didn't read part 1 then check it out here! Halter training: October is halter training time for our reindeer, we will (temporarily) take the calves away from their mums and start doing some training. This is very helpful in case we need to catch them for any treatment in the future or
- [Differences and similarities between Highland cattle and reindeer: part 1](https://www.cairngormreindeer.co.uk/2024/12/13/differences-and-similarities-between-highland-cattle-and-reindeer-part-1/) - I have been a reindeer herder for the last three and a half years, working two days per week. For the rest of the time I live in Fort William where amongst many other things I look after a herd of Highland cattle. I thought it would make a fun blog to talk about some
- [Amy's Photo Blog](https://www.cairngormreindeer.co.uk/2024/12/06/amys-photo-blog/) - Much to Ruth’s despair I am not the best herder when it come to taking pictures of our days on the hill and I most often forget! So, I’ve accumulated a blog of some pictures that I’ve snapped over the last year and will have to apologise in advance as the reindeer sometimes aren’t the
- [Photo Blog: November 2024](https://www.cairngormreindeer.co.uk/2024/11/29/photo-blog-november-2024/) - November has been a very mixed month for me in terms of work! Here at home I've been on the hill working with the herd, taking lots of people up to meet the reindeer on Hill Trips, and spending most afternoons sleigh training or working though the gazillions of adoptions that are coming in ahead
- [Christie and her boys!](https://www.cairngormreindeer.co.uk/2024/11/15/christie-and-her-boys/) - Christie is a wonderful reindeer for many reasons. She was born in 2017 making her seven years old. I'm particularly fond of all that cohort as they were all born the year I first became a reindeer herder and so I've had the privilege of watching them grow up. She's a beautiful lass and very
- [Thanks to this year's volunteers!](https://www.cairngormreindeer.co.uk/2024/11/22/thanks-to-this-years-volunteers/) - I thought I'd write a wee blog to thank everyone who has come to volunteer for us this year. However, if you've volunteered in a previous year, please don't be remotely offended if you've not found your name in a blog like this - it's literally only because I have a few spare minutes and
- [Catching Coffee](https://www.cairngormreindeer.co.uk/2024/11/08/catching-calves/) - All summer our cows and calves free-range in the Cairngorms. Finding all the best spots to graze and generally keeping themselves to themselves. At the end of the summer, the temperature starts to drop on the tops of the hills, this brings the reindeer lower down and coincides with us bringing the cows and calves
- [Photo Blog: October 2024](https://www.cairngormreindeer.co.uk/2024/10/25/photo-blog-october-2024/) - October has flown by in a whirl of breeding bulls, flirting cows, busy Hill Trips with the October school holidays, and carrying huge amounts of feed on the hill to feed the high number of reindeer in the enclosure! With three breeding bulls running, plus our non-breeding group which we take our visitors to, it's
- [Reindeer around food](https://www.cairngormreindeer.co.uk/2024/11/01/reindeer-around-food/) - For anyone that has visited the reindeer on a Hill Trip, you’ll know that we do a small talk about the reindeer before we feed them. If I’m not the person chatting, I like to stand back and enjoy the mischief that the reindeer come up with when they’re getting impatient waiting for their food.
- [Thermal photos of reindeer](https://www.cairngormreindeer.co.uk/2024/10/18/thermal-photos-of-reindeer/) - In early October, a few of us were up the hill with the reindeer at about 8pm (the time on the camera was set wrong - definitely wasn't 3am!), when it was already pitch dark. One of our friends, Sam, had a thermal camera with him that he was playing with, so we thought a
- [Cowboy](https://www.cairngormreindeer.co.uk/2024/10/04/cowboy/) - Calving season May 2021 was my first month being a reindeer herder. Later that year at Christmas time, I wanted to adopt a reindeer for my nephew Daley and for my niece Joelle in the Netherlands, but who to choose from all those hundred and fifty nice reindeer in the Cairngorms? I mostly liked the
- [Beret](https://www.cairngormreindeer.co.uk/2024/10/11/beret/) - Calving season May 2021 was my first month being a reindeer herder. Later that year at Christmas time, I wanted to adopt a reindeer for my nephew Daley and for my niece Joelle in the Netherlands, but who to choose from all those hundred and fifty nice reindeer in the Cairngorms? Mum Brie was my
- [Photo Blog: September 2024](https://www.cairngormreindeer.co.uk/2024/09/27/photo-blog-september-2024/) - September is a beautiful time of year. The weather has been completely mixed this year - we've had the first snow on the plateau and then HOT summery temperatures! The reindeer also look fantastic with fully grown antlers and fresh winter coats growing through. We've been doing lots of free range missions to bring in
- [The curious case of Lolly and the blue jacket](https://www.cairngormreindeer.co.uk/2023/02/17/the-curious-case-of-lolly-and-the-blue-jacket/) - At the end of each summer, we bring the cows and calves, who have spent all summer free-ranging in the mountains, back to the enclosure. For most of the reindeer this involves spotting a small herd of reindeer somewhere relatively near the enclosure and using a bit of bribery to lure them into the enclosure.
- [A Christmas Interrogation (part 1)](https://www.cairngormreindeer.co.uk/2023/02/10/a-christmas-interrogation-part-1/) - Whilst we’re all still recovering from another busy Christmas season, I took it upon myself to accost some of my colleagues with some Christmas themed questions: There’s a limit to how fast I can type, so I didn’t manage to get down everything – some of the answers were very long, with lots of umming
- [A New Reindeer Centre](https://www.cairngormreindeer.co.uk/2023/02/03/new-reindeer-centre-blog/) - In 1989, when Alan and I took over the herd we opened up the ‘best room’ at the west end of Reindeer House to provide a reception and retail area for our visitors to the reindeer. We grandly named it ‘The Cairngorm Reindeer Centre’. From here our visitors have been able to book in for
- [Photo blog: January 2023](https://www.cairngormreindeer.co.uk/2023/01/27/photo-blog-january-2023/) - This year I will endeavor to make the last blog of the month a photo blog with a collection of pictures taken over the month. So here's some highlights from January! A month when the Centre shuts and we crack on with lots of office work and general maintenance tasks such as painting the Exhibition
- [Counting Reindeer – how a reindeer herder falls asleep](https://www.cairngormreindeer.co.uk/2023/01/13/counting-reindeer-how-a-reindeer-herder-falls-asleep/) - Last night I was lying in a tent listening to the wind howling in the trees above and willing myself to fall asleep. I think the general practice for someone who can’t sleep is to count sheep, but as I am a reindeer herder, I sometimes count reindeer. Last night I was imagining counting the
- [Sleeping Reindeer](https://www.cairngormreindeer.co.uk/2023/01/06/sleeping-reindeer/) - Following on from the blog last week, with lots of silly photos of reindeer yawning (click here to see that) I thought I'd post a blog show-casing the various sleeping postures of reindeer! It does seem like the perfect time to post this blog as with the busy Christmas season now over, and the Reindeer
- [Mini-me Reindeer](https://www.cairngormreindeer.co.uk/2023/01/20/mini-me-reindeer/) - Like any new reindeer herder, when I first started in May 2017 I quickly had to learn lots of reindeer names. A daunting task when we have around 150 in the herd! But it is very important as knowing their names means we can look after their welfare better by spotting when somebody is acting
- [Times a changin'](https://www.cairngormreindeer.co.uk/2024/09/20/times-a-changin/) - ‘Here’s something to give you all a laugh...’ Fiona ambled into the office yesterday afternoon brandishing a piece of paper. It turned out to be a copy of the rota from July 2009, which sure enough caused much hilarity. Only five staff running the whole shebang? Just... just 3 staff working that day... in midsummer?
- [The Greediest Reindeer of 2022](https://www.cairngormreindeer.co.uk/2022/12/30/the-greediest-reindeer-of-2022/) - It’s the post-Christmas crash. The time of year where most people have completely de-railed from their usual eating habits and are feeling overwhelmed by how much food has been consumed in such a short space of time. Bodies are working at their very best to digest food as quickly as it has been eaten and
- [December 2022: photo blog!](https://www.cairngormreindeer.co.uk/2022/12/23/december-2022-photo-blog/) - For this week’s blog, I’ve uploaded a heap of photographs found on my phone during this particularly busy month to give a brief snapshot of what goes on in the life of a reindeer herder. Turns out I don’t take many photographs whilst I’m sat in front of a computer answering emails so the photos
- [<strong>The making of the charity Naked Calendar</strong>](https://www.cairngormreindeer.co.uk/2022/12/09/the-making-of-the-charity-naked-calendar/) - It’s hopefully common knowledge amongst our reindeer supporters and adopters by now that we have released a charity naked calendar for 2023. Raising money to support our local Cairngorm Mountain Rescue Team and over a period of 18 months we braved the weather in all conditions taking off our clothes and posing with the reindeer
- [Volunteer Blog: Falling in love with reindeer](https://www.cairngormreindeer.co.uk/2022/12/02/volunteer-blog-falling-in-love-with-reindeer/) - How it all started I have been a reindeer adopter for 10 years and it all started because my brother adopted the lovely Topi as a Xmas present for my sister-in-law. On reading the wonderful welcome pack, I decided I needed to visit the herd. So, the following summer found me up in the Cairngorms
- [Newsletter chaos!](https://www.cairngormreindeer.co.uk/2022/11/25/newsletter-chaos/) - Having been here for a long time, the logistics of sending out the bi-annual newsletter that is posted to all our reindeer adopters has, almost by default, become Andi and I’s domain. The two newsletters are sent out in June and October, so for the 6 weeks or so beforehand I spend my time in
- [The Many Uses of Antlers at Reindeer House](https://www.cairngormreindeer.co.uk/2022/11/11/the-many-uses-of-antlers-at-reindeer-house/) - With a herd of 150 reindeer, nearly all of whom are growing and casting a pair of antlers every year (exceptions include 2-year-old Juniper who doesn't grow any, 16-year-old Dixie who only grows one, and 2-year-old Holy Moley who also only grows a single antler), it's fair to say that we see our share of
- [Filming and photography](https://www.cairngormreindeer.co.uk/2022/11/04/filming-and-photography/) - We are always getting asked to take part in various filming and photography projects so nothing really surprises us anymore when someone sends an email or gives us a call with a slightly quirky request. A lot of you will have seen ‘A Baby Reindeer’s First Christmas’ starring Holy Moley. This is by far the
- [Brie's bottom lip!](https://www.cairngormreindeer.co.uk/2024/09/05/bries-bottom-lip/) - This is a very silly blog, full of photos of the wonderful Brie! Brie is now 11 years old and is probably the smallest breeding female in the herd. But what she doesn't have in size she certainly makes up for in attitude! She is very feisty to other cows and won't take any messin'.
- [Hamish](https://www.cairngormreindeer.co.uk/2022/10/28/hamish/) - At 12 years old I can’t believe how time has passed and Hamish is now an ‘old boy’! I remember the day he was born as I was the very first person to see him. This includes his mother Rusa because while she was calving she couldn’t manage on her own and I had to
- [Bringing in the cows and calves](https://www.cairngormreindeer.co.uk/2022/10/21/bringing-in-the-cows-and-calves/) - Late summer/autumn is always a very exciting time of the year for a reindeer herder. It's when we start seeing the cows and calves more regularly after they've spent the summer free ranging in the hills. Each morning we drive up the ski road to Cairngorm Base Station and have a spy for any free
- [Hannah's Volunteer Blog](https://www.cairngormreindeer.co.uk/2022/10/14/hannahs-volunteer-blog/) - It started with a Hill Trip. Back in February 2018 my partner took me on a surprise trip to Aviemore and beyond, little did I know that this would result in a lifelong love of reindeer, two volunteering sessions and 3 adoptees! I have always been an animal person so my partner knew that this
- [Our 70th Birthday](https://www.cairngormreindeer.co.uk/2022/10/07/our-70th-birthday/) - Back on the 27th May 2022, it was the official date, 70 years on, since reindeer set foot in Scotland. So, although we are having an Open Day this October for all the lovely people who adopt one of our reindeer (this weekend, in fact!), this year as a celebration we decided to mark the
- [Olly's photo blog](https://www.cairngormreindeer.co.uk/2022/09/30/ollys-photo-blog/) - I have been here at the Reindeer Centre (on and off) for eight years now, the last three has been the longest stint I have done with the Reindeer Centre. Now admittedly this is mostly due to Covid, but if it wasn’t for the Reindeer Centre's generosity in keeping me around as the world went
- [Finding Dante's calf](https://www.cairngormreindeer.co.uk/2022/09/23/finding-dantes-calf/) - Being the most recent person to start working at the Reindeer Centre I am experiencing the day-to-day workings of the Centre throughout the seasons for the first time. I thought I would write about one of my favourite “firsts” to date, which is finding the first calf to be born for the 2022 season. It
- [The Legend of the Pink Badge](https://www.cairngormreindeer.co.uk/2022/09/16/the-legend-of-the-pink-badge/) - Many years ago, a reindeer herder made a Badge. This Badge was pink, and he wore it with pride. In time he decided to pass it on to another herder, who had done a Worthy Thing that day (what the Worthy Thing actually was has since been lost in the mists of time). However, that
- [Past and Present Photo Blog](https://www.cairngormreindeer.co.uk/2022/09/09/past-and-present-photo-blog/) - Andi has recently been working on digitising some of the oldest photos of the Cairngorm reindeer herd. They’re all fascinating to look at, but it’s also been interesting comparing some similarities and differences over the years. From forest plantations to roads to a funicular railway – there’s been a lot of changes in the area
- [Oatcake](https://www.cairngormreindeer.co.uk/2022/09/02/oatcake/) - I’ll start with our first meeting as this was also the first time I’d ever seen a reindeer! On a wee holiday with my boyfriend, enjoying the hills in the Cairngorms, a funny looking deer walked up to us. It was clear it wasn’t a red deer, but we totally didn’t expect a reindeer to
- [Christmas 2022](https://www.cairngormreindeer.co.uk/2022/08/26/christmas-2022/) - I know you will look at the title of this blog and think… What?!?! Christmas is ages away. However, this isn’t about Christmas itself, more about our tour and what we will be doing this year with regards to Christmas events across the country. Over the past 33 years we have covered the length and
- [Moose](https://www.cairngormreindeer.co.uk/2022/08/19/moose/) - Moose is one of our 14 year old Christmas reindeer. For those of you that have met him you’ll know that he’s got such a sweet nature and loves human company. He’s never been a very pushy reindeer so naturally isn’t at the top of the pecking order so this is probably why he likes
- [The 'June lull'](https://www.cairngormreindeer.co.uk/2022/08/12/the-june-lull/) - The spring here is extremely busy, as life at the Reindeer Centre revolves around the female reindeer and the calving season, and no day passes particularly peacefully – both for good and bad reasons. Herders scurry up and down the hill all day long, visitors arrive hopeful of seeing newborn calves, and there is almost
- [Emm's Volunteer Blog Part 2: April 2022](https://www.cairngormreindeer.co.uk/2022/08/05/emms-volunteer-blog-part-2-april-2022/) - Emm is one of our wonderful regular volunteers, and has written many blogs for us in the past. You can find out more about Emm by reading one of her previous blogs here: how reindeer herding changes me. This is the second installment of Emm's blog. Read part one by clicking here. Dogs It was my
- [Emm's Volunteer Blog Part 1: April 2022](https://www.cairngormreindeer.co.uk/2022/07/29/emms-volunteer-blog-part-1-april-2022/) - Emm is one of our wonderful regular volunteers, and has written many blogs for us in the past. You can find out more about Emm by reading one of her previous blogs here: how reindeer herding changes me. I visited the reindeer in April for 11 days which was over Easter. It was so brilliant seeing
- [All the single ladies](https://www.cairngormreindeer.co.uk/2022/07/22/all-the-single-ladies/) - Back at the end of April when we brought our pregnant reindeer into our mountain enclosure for calving there was a herd of around 30 reindeer who either were very old, weren’t in calf or too young to calve so there was no need to keep them in so back out onto the free range
- [All Change!](https://www.cairngormreindeer.co.uk/2022/07/15/all-change/) - June and July are the months when our reindeer have to complete a full moult from their incredibly thick winter coats to their short, sleek summer coats. They don't quite look at their most glam at this stage (though obviously they're always beautiful!) but there can be some entertaining looks going on, which we thought
- [Behind the scenes of our naked calendar...](https://www.cairngormreindeer.co.uk/2022/07/08/behind-the-scenes-of-our-naked-calendar/) - As you will probably know by now, we have put together a Naked Reindeer Herders 2023 Calendar! The photo belonging to each month, was taken on, or very close to, that month in 2021 or 2022 so the reindeer look appropriate to the seasons throughout the calendar. Joe had the difficult job of being photographer.
- [It's going to be a Sunny summer!](https://www.cairngormreindeer.co.uk/2022/07/01/its-going-to-be-a-sunny-summer/) - On the whole, calving season back in May went really well with between 25-30 calves born. There were a few, new, young mums in the group but also some of our older girls who have been there, done that when it comes to calving. At the end of May / beginning of June the whole
- [Olympic](https://www.cairngormreindeer.co.uk/2024/08/02/olympic-2/) - With the Paris Olympics fast approaching I have been persuaded to put pen to paper ( or finger tips to keyboard ) to write about our very own reindeer, Olympic. Olympic was born in 2012, the year of the London Olympics, hence his name and from the very start he stood out as a little
- [Photo Blog: August 2024](https://www.cairngormreindeer.co.uk/2024/08/30/photo-blog-august-2024/) - August has been a busy and fun month. The first half of the month was very busy with visitors and sold out Hill Trips. Without the Paddocks and Exhibition this year it feels like the Hill Trips have been even busier than usual. Sometimes we even put a bonus additional Hill Trip on so as
- [Calving Bets](https://www.cairngormreindeer.co.uk/2022/06/24/calving-bets/) - Each year, as calving season looms, we reindeer herders have a sweep stake. We place our bets on which reindeer will calve first. Or rather more importantly, try to bet upon which reindeer won’t calve last. I say ‘bet’…what I really mean is we try to combine luck and science to each predict a reindeer.
- [Acting sheepdog](https://www.cairngormreindeer.co.uk/2022/06/17/acting-sheepdog/) - After sitting at the computer for what seemed like an age trying to think of a topic for a blog which could include lots of reindeer pictures, I finally stumbled across one which means you guys get to look at numerous pictures of reindeer bottoms! “Acting sheepdog” is a term us herders use when we
- [Naming Themes](https://www.cairngormreindeer.co.uk/2022/06/10/naming-themes/) - It is now officially calving season!! As I write this blog it is the last day of April, and we already have two new calves in our ranks. All the calves will be named in September, as is always the case. In fact, every Cairngorm reindeer has a name, and this follows a designated theme
- [Winter/Spring Free Ranging Recap](https://www.cairngormreindeer.co.uk/2022/06/03/winter-spring-free-ranging-recap/) - Now that calving has come to a close for 2022, we are getting ready to send all the cows and calves out to join the rest of the reindeer already free ranging here on the Cairngorms. Once this happens we will only see them intermittently through the summer months as we leave the mothers be,
- [70 years ago today](https://www.cairngormreindeer.co.uk/2022/05/27/70-years-ago-today/) - Here at The Cairngorm Reindeer Centre we are ‘popping the bottles of bubbly’ and celebrating, because it was this day 70 years ago that the first small group of reindeer arrived in the Cairngorms for what would be a successful experiment to re-introduce reindeer to Scotland after many years of absence. An idea conceived by
- [Marple and her antlers](https://www.cairngormreindeer.co.uk/2024/08/16/marple-and-her-antlers/) - When sorting through antlers recently and selling various sets, I realised that female reindeer Marple has been kind enough to give us hers for the last three years in a row, which is very unusual. By ‘give’, I mean that she cast them in the hill enclosure, giving us a higher chance of coming across
- [Isla's favourite pics!](https://www.cairngormreindeer.co.uk/2024/08/23/islas-favourite-pics/) - Since working here, my camera roll has slowly become about 90% reindeer! So here are a few of my fav of our reindeer, getting up close and personal with them to get those super cute nose shots! Isla
- [Volunteer Blog: Emm's visit - October 2023](https://www.cairngormreindeer.co.uk/2024/09/13/volunteer-blog-emms-visit-october-2023/) - When I arrived in October the first thing I noticed was the place was very different without Sookie as she would always greet me barking excitedly whenever I arrived at Reindeer House. I went straight out to look for free-rangers with Ruth to make sure they weren’t on the road then went to the hill
- [Yawning Reindeer](https://www.cairngormreindeer.co.uk/2022/05/20/yawning-reindeer/) - I can't help but smile when I see a reindeer yawn. They have the most wonderful facial expressions, produce the best sounds, and have the wobbliest of chins. I always try to capture the moment on camera but I'm usually way too slow and miss the moment. Over the past year I've been compiling a
- [Sika, the 'forgotten reindeer'](https://www.cairngormreindeer.co.uk/2022/05/13/sika-the-forgotten-reindeer/) - The eagle-eyed amongst you, or those who have followed us on social media for a long time, might have noticed a reindeer named Sika popping up on our pages once or twice in the last few months, having never heard of her before. So where has she come from? Is she 'new'?! In fact, she's
- [A misty morning collecting the free-range reindeer](https://www.cairngormreindeer.co.uk/2022/05/06/a-misty-morning-collecting-the-free-range-reindeer/) - From when we close in January through until around the end of April, most of the reindeer here at Cairngorm will be out free-ranging. This is great for them as they get to roam wherever they please (mostly) and spend time in their natural habitat, where they are at their most comfortable. But it does
- [Shiny new shop stock!](https://www.cairngormreindeer.co.uk/2022/04/29/shiny-new-shop-stock/) - We've had quite a few new additions to our shop recently, so I thought I'd grab this opportunity to tell you all about some of them, in case you fancy indulging your reindeer themed fancies! Magnets! Featuring our beautiful calves, plus adults Celt, Athens and Origami. Hats! Of many types to keep your head warm!
- [Birds in the enclosure (Spring)](https://www.cairngormreindeer.co.uk/2022/04/22/birds-in-the-enclosure-spring/) - Spring is all around! The days are longer and warmer, buds are beginning to burst into leaf and very soon there will be lots of wobbly new-born reindeer calves taking their first steps in our hill enclosure. As well as the reindeer which increase in number on the hill, so will the bird life as
- [Houdini](https://www.cairngormreindeer.co.uk/2022/04/15/houdini/) - Houdini is 11 years old now. He joined our herd when we brought reindeer over here from Sweden in 2011 as a way to boost the genetics in our own herd. At the time he was a calf and the way he got his name was during his time in Sweden while my brother Alex
- [A typical day in the life of a reindeer herder](https://www.cairngormreindeer.co.uk/2022/04/09/a-typical-day-in-the-life-of-a-reindeer-herder/) - During the Hill Trips us reindeer herders will often be asked questions such as “what will you do with the rest of your day?” or “is doing the Hill Trips the best part of the job?” In this week’s blog I will chronologically outline a ‘typical’ day for a reindeer herder. However, it is worth
- [Reindeer House Dogs - Winter 2022](https://www.cairngormreindeer.co.uk/2022/04/03/reindeer-house-dogs-winter-2022/) - This winter there seems to have been a lot of dogs both resident and visiting Reindeer House. Starting with the long-term residents and dogs you’ll all know well we have Sookie and Tiree. Sookie will be 15 this year. She still gets out and about joining us on walks and slow (Fiona) runs around Glenmore.
- [A January day on the mountains](https://www.cairngormreindeer.co.uk/2022/03/25/a-january-day-on-the-cromdales/) - After the busy Christmas season the entire reindeer herd free-range, either here on the Cairngorms or on the second site over near Glenlivet. The staff working at the Reindeer Centre take care and deal with any reindeer related antics on the Cairngorms. Meanwhile the reindeer free-ranging on the second site are looked after predominantly by
- [Volunteer Blog: Oct-Nov 2021](https://www.cairngormreindeer.co.uk/2022/03/18/volunteer-blog-oct-nov-2021/) - Emm is one of our wonderful regular volunteers, and has written many blogs for us in the past. You can find out more about Emm by reading one of her previous blogs here: how reindeer herding changes me. I was last with the reindeer in October/November 2021 for 10 days. It was so brilliant seeing
- [2017 Calves part 2: Dr Seuss and Christie](https://www.cairngormreindeer.co.uk/2022/03/11/2017-calves-part-2-dr-seuss-and-christie/) - A few weeks ago I wrote a blog about Kipling, one of the reindeer born in 2017 (click here to read the first installment). This week I will write about two more reindeer born in that year and given names belonging to the theme famous authors and poets. Dr Seuss Dr Seuss was the first
- [Photo blog: Storm Arwen](https://www.cairngormreindeer.co.uk/2022/03/04/photo-blog-storm-arwen/) - At the end of November 2021 the UK was battered by Storm Arwen. It hit us on a very busy weekend with various teams heading off on Christmas tour - Fiona wrote a blog about that which can be found here. We've now had many more storms and lots of snowfall this winter, but I
- [Photo blog: Winter free-rangers](https://www.cairngormreindeer.co.uk/2022/02/25/photo-blog-winter-free-rangers/) - In the winter months, all of our adult male reindeer plus some of our cows roam free on the mountains over near Glenlivet. Tilly and the farm crew take care of their day-to-day feeding but occasionally one of us herders from the Glenmore base will pop over to help. Here is a random selection of
- [Elvis – the oldest male reindeer in the herd](https://www.cairngormreindeer.co.uk/2022/02/18/elvis-the-oldest-male-reindeer-in-the-herd/) - Elvis will be 16 this year, born on the 7th May 2006. His mother was Esme who was a really sweet natured female in our herd, who also lived to a grand age. Although he is a beautiful 'Christmas reindeer' Elvis was a real ugly duckling when he was a youngster. He’s now got old
- [Mountain Equipment](https://www.cairngormreindeer.co.uk/2022/02/11/mountain-equipment/) - If anyone is a regular viewer of our social media pages, you will have seen that there are days on the hill when the weather can be absolutely wild! Particularly during winter months, it can often be very cold and windy, with stormy blizzard conditions. Luckily this sort of weather doesn’t bother the reindeer in
- [Reindeer Herders 2021](https://www.cairngormreindeer.co.uk/2022/02/04/reindeer-herders-2021/) - Throughout the year The Reindeer Centre has its core staff with a mix of full time and part time Reindeer Herders. Many of you will know us well, so we’ve got – Fiona, Hen, Andi, Lotti, Ben B, Ruth, Olly, Sheena and Lisette. We also have our hill farm contingent consisting of Alan, Tilly, Derek
- [2017 calves part 1: Kipling](https://www.cairngormreindeer.co.uk/2022/01/28/2017-calves-part-1-kipling/) - Surprisingly I’ve been involved with working at the Reindeer Centre for over four years now. Time has certainly flown by and I would never have expected to be living at the Centre or even in the Highlands when I first began back in November 2017. When I joined the team, the calves were already 6
- [Photo Blog: December 2021](https://www.cairngormreindeer.co.uk/2022/01/21/december-2021-photo-blog/) - As Ben and Fiona have explained in previous blogs (click here, and here to read), we had a busy December with events and parades up and down the country, as well as a busy Centre here in Glenmore with fully-booked Hill Trips and Christmas Fun paddock slots! Plus hundreds of adoption packs to make up
- [Wild weather and tricky walks](https://www.cairngormreindeer.co.uk/2022/01/11/wild-weather-and-tricky-walks/) - After a few weeks of being closed at the start of each year, when we re-open in early February we run our Hill Trips daily (weather permitting), but usually until late April these are to our free-range herd rather than to the enclosure that we use from May – December. In the winter season we
- [Reindeer Myth Buster](https://www.cairngormreindeer.co.uk/2022/01/07/reindeer-myth-buster/) - Reindeer don’t eat carrots, and other myths to ruin your new year... ;-) Myth 1 – Reindeer are made up It seems silly when you work with them every day, but it is easy to forget that for a lot of people the only reindeer they know of fly around the world in a single
- [It's a wrap!](https://www.cairngormreindeer.co.uk/2021/12/31/its-a-wrap/) - Well, that is Christmas here at the Cairngorm Reindeer Centre done for another year and I have to say it has been A LOT busier than 2020 when COVID restrictions didn’t allow us to go about our usual business. Although it wasn’t as busy as the years before COVID-19 I think this year has been
- [A summary of December 2021](https://www.cairngormreindeer.co.uk/2021/12/24/a-summary-of-christmas-events/) - Merry Christmas everyone. As you may well imagine, when you have a herd of reindeer, December is a busy time of the year. And this year has been no different. In this blog, I’ll provide a summary of what happens at the Reindeer Centre throughout December. We’ve been having plenty of ‘Christmas Fun’ in the
- [Storm Arwen](https://www.cairngormreindeer.co.uk/2021/12/10/storm-arwen/) - So last week the whole country had a bit of a blustery time with Storm Arwen crossing our paths. When we clocked mid week it was on its way we started putting plans in action for how to run one of our busiest weekends of the season with 6 teams of handlers and reindeer out
- [The Bridge over the Allt Mor](https://www.cairngormreindeer.co.uk/2021/11/26/the-bridge-over-the-allt-mor/) - Funny story…. For months Hen’s been meaning to write a blog about the new bridge en route to our hill enclosure, but eventually this autumn found herself too short of time and suggested to Andi that she wrote it instead, hence Andi’s recent blog. And then, displaying a woeful level of forgetfulness, Hen found the
- [Summer mornings](https://www.cairngormreindeer.co.uk/2021/11/12/summer-mornings/) - A while ago I wrote a blog about how Reindeer House managed to cope with its temporary hitch back in the summer, when its resident staff caught Covid. I mentioned then that Andi and I (who live outside of Reindeer House and managed to stay unaffected) were responsible throughout for the 8am morning check of
- [The plague house](https://www.cairngormreindeer.co.uk/2021/10/29/the-plague-house/) - Back in July, the dreaded Covid-19 eventually struck down Reindeer House. With around 6 staff living in Reindeer House at any one time, it seemed almost inevitable that it would get us at some point - regardless of how careful everyone was being - and to be honest we’re all amazed that we made it
- [Utsi Bridge](https://www.cairngormreindeer.co.uk/2021/10/15/utsi-bridge/) - If you’ve been to visit our reindeer on the hill at Cairngorm, it's likely that you’ve walked over Utsi Bridge. Named after the charismatic Sami, Mikel Utsi, who was responsible (along with his wife Ethel Lindgren) for reintroducing the reindeer to Scotland, this bridge gives access over the Allt Mor river to the Chalamain Gap,
- [Reindeer in the Southern Hemisphere](https://www.cairngormreindeer.co.uk/2021/10/01/reindeer-in-the-southern-hemisphere/) - This week’s blog focuses on the introduction of reindeer to obscure places around the world. I will pay particular attention to the introduction of reindeer in the lesser-known Kerguelen Islands. The Cairngorm Reindeer Herd is a re-introduced herd. Reindeer were once native to Scotland, and before that they could also be found across England. In
- [Ever changing reindeer - a photo blog](https://www.cairngormreindeer.co.uk/2021/09/17/ever-changing-reindeer-a-photo-blog/) - Whilst sorting through the photos on my phone recently, I thought it might be fun to show how the reindeer change in appearance over the summer months so I put together this little blog. This could have turned in to the longest blog ever but I have tried to restrain myself picking just a handful
- [Stinky Boys](https://www.cairngormreindeer.co.uk/2021/09/24/stinky-boys/) - By the time you read this, the rut will be underway here at Cairngorm, with our chosen breeding bulls split with selected unrelated females, to make sure we know who the parents of each calf are. While the bulls tend to be fairly relaxed and laid back for most of the year, as September comes
- [Through the Eyes of a Reindeer](https://www.cairngormreindeer.co.uk/2021/09/10/through-the-eyes-of-a-reindeer/) - A visitor recently asked me why reindeer have horizontal pupils. The question had me thinking about the importance of vision to reindeer. It is easy to forget that many animals don’t see the world the same way we do, and reindeer eyes are in many ways different from our own. Reindeer live in arctic and
- [Review of The Reindeer People by Piers Vitebsky](https://www.cairngormreindeer.co.uk/2021/09/03/review-of-the-reindeer-people-by-piers-vitebsky/) - Published in 2005. An anthropological study of the roaming reindeer herders of northern Russia, this book is filled to the brim with interesting facts and fascinating stories. The author, Piers Vitebsky, was the first westerner to get the chance to visit and live alongside Siberian reindeer herders since the beginning of the Russian Revolution, and
- [Walter and Jesse the Soay Lambs](https://www.cairngormreindeer.co.uk/2021/08/27/walter-and-jesse-the-soay-lambs/) - Back in the summer of 2014, it was not just reindeer that us herders looked after. We had the responsibility of caring for Walter and Jesse. Two Soay sheep that had been left by their mothers. Walter was the first to come to Reindeer House after Tilly, owner of the Cairngorm Reindeer Herd, noticed him
- [Reach for the sky! How reindeer antlers grow so fast](https://www.cairngormreindeer.co.uk/2021/08/20/reach-for-the-sky-how-reindeer-antlers-grow-so-fast/) - They’re the most distinctive feature of the reindeer, and the most incredible. Branching elegantly like the trees which the tundra so sorely misses, and renewing themselves each year, antlers demonstrate nature’s complexity and mystery in one. At this time of year the reindeer’s quickly growing antlers constantly amaze visitors and captivate my own imagination. It
- [Spy – the reindeer we’re all a bit scared of](https://www.cairngormreindeer.co.uk/2021/08/13/spy-the-reindeer-were-all-a-bit-scared-of/) - A while back, I wrote a blog about how difficult it can be to locate calving reindeer within our hill enclosure (see previous blog). But with one reindeer, finding her is just the start of our problems. Spy is notoriously protective of her calves, at least for the first few days, and getting her from
- [A snowy journey](https://www.cairngormreindeer.co.uk/2021/08/06/a-snowy-journey/) - For this blog I have decided to cast my mind back to a very wonderful day at the beginning of January, in the depths of winter when the entire landscape was white with snow. I will start off by saying that I am not a skier, unlike quite a few of the reindeer herders, I
- [Elvis](https://www.cairngormreindeer.co.uk/2021/07/30/elvis/) - Elvis is now 15 years old and our oldest male reindeer in the herd so it’s about time he gets some recognition. As a youngster he was a real ugly duckling. In fact I remember when we had a visit from some Sami (indigenous reindeer herders of Scandinavia) people back in 2007, they pointed at
- [The difficulties of reindeer location at calving time](https://www.cairngormreindeer.co.uk/2021/07/23/the-difficulties-of-reindeer-location-at-calving-time/) - Most of the time our reindeer give birth in our 1200 acre mountain enclosure, not requiring any assistance or shelter whatsoever. Calves are born with a thick, waterproof calf coat, so anything the Scottish weather throws at them is not an issue. Our enclosure can be segmented into several different areas, so what we do
- [Hot hot hot!](https://www.cairngormreindeer.co.uk/2021/07/16/hot-hot-hot/) - Whilst we’re lucky enough to live here in the Cairngorms, the only area of sub-arctic ecosystem left in the UK, and generally associated with snow and winter sports, we do (occasionally!) get some glorious sunny weather too. Loch Morlich beach turns into a resort, people are braving a dip in the water, and ice creams
- [The Sámi Flag and the Children of the Sun](https://www.cairngormreindeer.co.uk/2021/07/09/the-sami-flag-and-the-children-of-the-sun/) - Recently one of our supporters posted us two Sámi flags. He wrote explaining that he had been hoping to come and visit the reindeer in February, and on Sámi day, take the flags up to the herd, and make a toast to the Sámi people, culture, and way of life. He had originally been planning
- [Reindeer Internationals!](https://www.cairngormreindeer.co.uk/2021/07/02/reindeer-internationals/) - International herders We’ve got a new Dutch reindeer herder! No, not me (Manouk), yet another one, we’re taking over 😉. From the start of May, Lisette has been part our team for 2 days a week. Having lived in Fort Bill for 5 years, experienced with sheep, shepherding and dealing with the public, we thought
- [Reindeer, fairy folk and giants](https://www.cairngormreindeer.co.uk/2021/06/25/reindeer-fairy-folk-and-giants/) - This week's blog is by Sarah Hobbs, a former reindeer herder here who now has a very different job! If you're looking for a perfect activity to learn more about the local area while you're here on holiday, then Strathspey Storywalks is for you! Enjoy a relaxed and leisurely potter while tasting some wild tea,
- [The Ten Commandments of Reindeer Herding](https://www.cairngormreindeer.co.uk/2021/06/18/the-ten-commandments-of-reindeer-herding/) - There's a poster that has been kicking around the Reindeer Centre for as long as I’ve known. It’s since been framed and we keep it in our shop area as it’s a rather sweet poster with some words of wisdom when it comes to reindeer herding. In case the image is too small to read
- [My first winter as a reindeer herder](https://www.cairngormreindeer.co.uk/2021/06/04/my-first-winter-as-a-reindeer-herder/) - This past year has been my first full year as a reindeer herder. Despite becoming a reindeer herder seven years ago in 2014 (remember then? simpler times!), I was very much a seasonal herder. I would arrive for a few months in the summer whilst either my university course was having a break, or in-between
- [My Little Pony](https://www.cairngormreindeer.co.uk/2021/06/11/my-little-pony/) - Whilst the majority of our reindeer are docile, friendly and laid back, there is always an exception, so in this week’s blog I thought I’d introduce you to Pony… Pony was born in our “Games and Pastimes” themed calving of 2011. It might not seem an obvious game, but it was a bit of a
- [Calving 2021](https://www.cairngormreindeer.co.uk/2021/05/28/calving-2021/) - Every year we try and post a blog in May with lots of calf photos - because let's be honest, it's all any of you really want to see at this time of year! We don't, however, reveal which reindeer have calved at the moment, as we like to wait until after the June newsletter
- [Spartan, one of my favourites.](https://www.cairngormreindeer.co.uk/2021/05/21/7943/) - The reindeer I’ve chosen to talk about in this week’s blog is a reindeer who I like a lot. I met him when he was just hours old and he has now become one of the breeding bulls for the herd. His name is Spartan. He was born in 2016 and was named after that
- [Reindeer: An Arctic Life](https://www.cairngormreindeer.co.uk/2021/05/14/reindeer-an-arctic-life/) - This is the third (but maybe not last!) book I have written about reindeer. Published by The History Press, I was approached by them in the latter months of 2015 to ask if I would write another book about reindeer. My immediate reaction was, “I’m not sure, there is only so much that can be
- [Fonn: An obituary](https://www.cairngormreindeer.co.uk/2021/05/07/fonn-an-obituary/) - We lost one of our old girls a few weeks back, Fonn. She was a really sweet character in the herd and got to the grand age of 17, only one month off her 18th birthday. Considering anything over 10 years old is doing well this meant she did really well! Although the last few
- [Pollyanna - the submarine reindeer](https://www.cairngormreindeer.co.uk/2021/04/30/pollyanna-the-submarine-reindeer/) - I recently came across the remarkable story of Pollyanna the reindeer. She was a reindeer who lived on a British submarine during World War II. It was my brother who informed me of this crazy tale, knowing my passion for all things reindeer and it was such a weird and wonderful story that I initially
- [Winter wonderland](https://www.cairngormreindeer.co.uk/2021/04/23/winter-wonderland/) - I know snow and ice is not everyone’s cup of tea, but for our reindeer it definitely is! Reindeer are incredibly well adapted for arctic life, with thick coats to keep out the cold and large flat feet to stop them sinking in the snow. And this winter was certainly a ‘proper' one. Since the
- [Memorable Reindeer of the Past: Bumble](https://www.cairngormreindeer.co.uk/2021/04/16/memorable-reindeer-of-the-past-bumble/) - It’s been a while since I’ve written about a “Memorable Reindeer” and I thought we were overdue a bit of reminiscing. And who better to talk about than Bumble? Bumble was born in May 2010, to mum Tjakko. Jack had just started volunteering with the herd, and managed to film the whole birth. By the
- [Reindeer herders come craftsmen/craftswomen!](https://www.cairngormreindeer.co.uk/2021/04/09/reindeer-herders-come-craftsmen-craftswomen/) - As well as being highly qualified reindeer herders… (a qualification that takes years of course ;-) ) quite a few of us herders have our own wee side-lines which we either do as a hobby or to get an extra bit of pocket money each month selling our goods online or through our reindeer shop.
- [Meeting Snowflake - one of the first white reindeer](https://www.cairngormreindeer.co.uk/2021/04/02/meeting-snowflake-one-of-the-first-white-reindeer/) - This week's blog is by Sharon Hudgins, and tells of a very memorable stay in a stone house in the Cairngorms, many years ago... As ever, if you also have a memorable story that you think might make a nice blog, please email it over to us! We love to publish contributions from others if
- [Long time, no reindeer](https://www.cairngormreindeer.co.uk/2021/03/26/long-time-no-reindeer/) - The Cairngorms is unique within the UK in offering a sub-arctic ecosystem, which coupled with the wide expanses of mountainside, make it perfect for our reindeer. In most winters, we get weeks of snow cover on the mountains, but it's less common to have such sustained cover as we've experienced this year. From Christmas through
- [Reindeer in Space? Not quite!](https://www.cairngormreindeer.co.uk/2021/03/19/reindeer-in-space-not-quite/) - One of our adopters has brought it to our attention that the reindeer made an appearance in the Eagle comic, right back in December 1953, a mere 19 months after they first arrived in Scotland. He was kind enough to send us some scans and write a little bit for this week's blog, so let
- [Ben and Lotti's old phrases challenge](https://www.cairngormreindeer.co.uk/2021/03/12/ben-and-lottis-old-phrases-challenge/) - Since Lotti and I have been working at the Reindeer Centre there has been two and a half pages of old English phrases hanging up in the office. It seems to have been there since time immemorial and no one is quite sure how or why it’s up there. We saw this as an opportunity!! Could
- [The Mystical Landscape of the Reindeer: A Collection of Poetry](https://www.cairngormreindeer.co.uk/2021/03/05/the-mystical-landscape-of-the-reindeer-a-collection-of-poetry/) - It’s just a couple of weeks after the shortest day of the year as I write this (6hrs and 35 minutes of daylight up here) and the weather has certainly been wild and wintry, with deep snow and thick ice across the lochs. With short days and extreme weather come additional seasonal immigrants, such as
- [Long-distance adopting!](https://www.cairngormreindeer.co.uk/2021/02/26/freyas-greens-blog/) - Our blog this week comes from Freya, a long-time supporter of the herd for, well, as long as she can remember! Freya now lives in Canada so visiting us isn't quite as easy as it once was unfortunately, but she and her family adopt several reindeer and keep in touch with the herd via social
- [Why is that reindeer called (insert weird name here)?!](https://www.cairngormreindeer.co.uk/2021/02/19/why-is-that-reindeer-called-insert-weird-name-here/) - A few months ago I wrote a blog about how we choose the names for the individual reindeer in the herd, and the themes we use each year. I mentioned, however, that there are always exceptions to the rule, so I thought I’d explain a few of the odder names in the herd, which don’t
- [Snowy snoozes](https://www.cairngormreindeer.co.uk/2021/02/12/snowy-snoozes/) - Don't you ever wish you could just lie down and take a snooze if things are taking too long?? With their thick coats, that's exactly what reindeer do - everywhere can be a bed! Here's some shots of them having a snooze in the snow a few weeks ago... Andi
- [Jokkmokk Winter Market](https://www.cairngormreindeer.co.uk/2021/02/05/jokkmokk-winter-market/) - Back when everything felt much more ‘normal’ in February 2020 four of us from the Reindeer Centre went to the celebration of all things Sámi , the 'Jokkmokk Winter Market' in Arctic Sweden. It is held in the first weekend of February every year, and apart from world-class Sámi art, culture and handicraft, visitors are usually
- [Thank you all!](https://www.cairngormreindeer.co.uk/2021/01/29/thank-you-all/) - Following the TV programme on Channel 4, 'A Baby Reindeer's First Christmas', we have been overwhelmed with lovely letters of support, incredibly generous donations and new ‘adopters’. It really has been a fantastic lifeline for us here at the Cairngorm Reindeer Centre and I can honestly say our lovely reindeer have touched the hearts of
- [How Holy Moley got her name!](https://www.cairngormreindeer.co.uk/2021/01/22/how-holy-moley-got-her-name/) - A lot of you may have already heard of Holy Moley, whether it be on one of our guided tours up here in the Highlands of Scotland, on our social media or most likely through the recent Channel 4 programme ('A Baby Reindeer’s First Christmas') where Holy Moley was the star reindeer! The programme takes
- [Cameron and Crowdie](https://www.cairngormreindeer.co.uk/2021/01/15/cameron-and-crowdie/) - This week's blog is from Cameron, one of our younger supporters. If any readers would like to contribute a wee story for a blog we are always delighted by this - please send them to info@cairngomreindeer.co.uk , for attention of Hen: On the 24th September 2018 we decided to come and meet the Cairngorm Reindeer
- [The wonderful (and slightly disgusting) life of a reindeer mum](https://www.cairngormreindeer.co.uk/2021/01/08/the-wonderful-and-slightly-disgusting-life-of-a-reindeer-mum/) - This year I was lucky enough to spend May looking after all the cows and calves during calving season, whilst most of the country was in lock-down. This was my first calving season and I found it really fascinating to watch how the behaviour of the reindeer changed once they had calved. Especially for the
- [Merry Christmas all!](https://www.cairngormreindeer.co.uk/2020/12/25/merry-christmas-all/) - Well hasn't 2020 been an unexpected year for us all?! We wanted to take the opportunity to share a little message on Christmas day - enjoy! https://youtu.be/JjwLVwx5AU0 We hope everyone has a lovely peaceful Christmas and a good start to 2021, and big thanks to the wonderful Spud the Piper for helping add a little
- [The Real Rudolph](https://www.cairngormreindeer.co.uk/2020/12/04/the-real-rudolph/) - The Real Rudolph: A Natural History of the Reindeer was the second book I wrote and this time was commissioned by Sutton Publishing. The publisher had already come up with the title and they were looking for a book of ‘hard facts’. Packed full of juicy info about reindeer and caribou (which are actually the
- [The Dutch connection...](https://www.cairngormreindeer.co.uk/2020/11/27/the-dutch-connection/) - One of our long-standing supporters is Carola, who started by adopting a reindeer many years ago, and has since amassed quite a herd! Here's her story about her love of the reindeer: I am not only a reindeer 'adopter' but also a reindeer 'groupie'. Yes, a groupie. We have a group of friends that are
- [All the colours of the rainbow (Part two)](https://www.cairngormreindeer.co.uk/2020/11/20/all-the-colours-of-the-rainbow-part-two/) - Following on from my previous blog about reindeer coloration, I thought I'd highlight some of the funky face patterns in our herd today. White face markings are super helpful at aiding us in identification of the reindeer, as they don't change much throughout the year (or their lives). Though they can be harder to make
- [The Answers to Tilly's Quiz!](https://www.cairngormreindeer.co.uk/2020/11/13/7339/) - Back in August we posted a blog with some quiz questions, from the quiz I ran for the staff here at Reindeer House towards the end of the (first!) lockdown, when the restrictions were starting to lift. So here are the long awaited answers! If you had a go then hopefully you have come up
- [Pining for a Marten!](https://www.cairngormreindeer.co.uk/2020/11/06/pining-for-a-marten/) - A shortened version of this blog has just been published in our twice annual newsletter, but we didn't have space to fit the whole thing in, so we thought we'd pop it up as a blog too! Lockdown was a bizarre and scary period for us all. The term ‘unprecedented’, which I’d rarely heard before,
- [Adopter stories...](https://www.cairngormreindeer.co.uk/2020/10/30/adopter-stories/) - Every now and then we like to feature some visitor stories in our blogs. Here's a couple of stories from long-time reindeer adopters Karen, Steve and Sally :-D Karen and Steve, Moray: We started to visit the herd on holiday every year in 2011, we loved seeing and feeding the herd. When Blue was a
- [All the colours of the rainbow (Part One)](https://www.cairngormreindeer.co.uk/2020/10/23/all-the-colours-of-the-rainbow-part-one/) - Visitors often ask if the different coloured reindeer in our herd are different breeds, or even different species. The answer is no, they're all reindeer just the same - they can vary in colour like horses, dogs and cats do. I thought I'd show a range of the colours found in our herd. Through the
- [When good photos go wrong...](https://www.cairngormreindeer.co.uk/2020/10/16/when-good-photos-go-wrong/) - Other than the few reindeer still out free-ranging who I haven't seen lately, I've otherwise managed to get nice 'adopt' photos of everyone in the herd in the last few weeks. These photos are to go on the certificates that go out to all the lovely people who support us by adopting a reindeer, and
- [My memories of the reindeer (part two)](https://www.cairngormreindeer.co.uk/2020/10/09/my-memories-of-the-reindeer-part-two/) - Here's the second part of Beth's blog about volunteering with the reindeer over the years, and what it means to her. The first part can be found here. One of the earliest memories I have of volunteering up in Aviemore is being sat in the back of the van in the summer with a small
- [Reindeer love Munros!](https://www.cairngormreindeer.co.uk/2020/10/02/reindeer-love-munros/) - The Reindeer love Munros! In fact, it could be said that they are our resident ‘Munro baggers’ in the Cairngorms, although, plenty of reindeer herders would also be contenders for that crown. A 'munro' is any Scottish mountain above the height of 3,000 feet (914.4 metres) that has been recognised by the Scottish Mountaineering Club
- [The year 2020, as told by Crowdie](https://www.cairngormreindeer.co.uk/2021/01/01/the-year-2020-as-told-by-crowdie/) - (with apologies to Cheer, who has a dubious role this blog...) January: Optimism going in to 2020, the year ahead of us all... it's going to be great! February: Hold up. What is this new devilry on the horizon? March: Holy crap! Run away!!! April: Lockdown.... battling the virus May: Still going... June: ...and going....
- [What's wrong with that reindeer?](https://www.cairngormreindeer.co.uk/2020/09/25/whats-wrong-with-that-reindeer/) - One of the challenges with any animal is keeping them healthy. Just as with humans, reindeer can be affected by a number of diseases and ailments. Whilst they are tough, hardy creatures, one of the largest threats is diseases spread by ticks. With climate change leading to milder, wetter winters, the ticks are not always
- [Reindeer impressions](https://www.cairngormreindeer.co.uk/2020/09/18/reindeer-impressions/) - A few weeks back we asked on social media for short stories from visitors about special memories of meeting the reindeer, or perhaps what the reindeer mean to them. When you work with them daily, it's sometimes easy to forget just how special meeting them can be, and sometimes it's good to be reminded of
- [Velvet Antlers, Velvet Nose](https://www.cairngormreindeer.co.uk/2020/09/11/velvet-antlers-velvet-nose/) - This was my first attempt at writing a book about reindeer. Approached by the reputable publisher Hodder and Stoughton in 1994, the editor had heard me speaking on Radio 4 and thought my ramblings had the potential for a book. It was, to say the least, a particularly busy time in our lives, with 2
- [Memorable Reindeer of the past: Indigo](https://www.cairngormreindeer.co.uk/2020/09/04/memorable-reindeer-indigo/) - This week's blog is written by long-term volunteer and reindeer adopter, Sharon. She got so fed up of us never having getting around to featuring Indigo in a 'Memorable Reindeer' blog that she decided to write one herself! Other blogs about well-loved reindeer of the past can be found by typing 'memorable reindeer' in to
- [Tilly's quiz](https://www.cairngormreindeer.co.uk/2020/08/28/tillys-quiz/) - During lockdown it seems that all the rage was quiz nights on Zoom. I was party to a couple of these and I have to confess I did quite enjoy them. However I wasn’t over enthusiastic about gazing into a computer screen of faces, all at slightly odd angles with various pictures, bookshelves and miscellanea
- [My top 5 calving memories!](https://www.cairngormreindeer.co.uk/2020/08/21/my-top-5-calving-memories/) - This year was the very first time I had work during calving season, as until now, calving season had always been exactly the same time as exam season. I can very easily say that calving season this year was the happiest month of my life so far, so it has been very difficult to think
- [My memories of the reindeer (part one)](https://www.cairngormreindeer.co.uk/2020/08/14/my-memories-of-the-reindeer-part-one/) - Beth has been visiting us for most of her life, and has now become a valued occasional volunteer. Here's her account of her involvement with the reindeer, in her own words. It all started when mum and dad booked a toddler break to Aviemore back in 2001. I was 2 years old. I can barely
- [Lockdown (reindeer) hairstyles!](https://www.cairngormreindeer.co.uk/2020/08/07/lockdown-reindeer-hairstyles/) - With lockdown measures having eased gradually to some extent, first in England and now in Scotland, various people I know have headed to the hairdressers to get their hair cut for the first time in a few months. One or two friends and family were looking forward to this day for a while! Well for
- [My time as a Reindeer Herder 2014 - now](https://www.cairngormreindeer.co.uk/2020/07/31/my-time-as-a-reindeer-herder-2014-now/) - I love Reindeer herding. And what’s not to love? Fantastic animals in a beautiful environment, surrounded by lovely people. But it wasn’t always this way for me. I came up for my first taste of herding in 2014. Now, a lot has changed in the world since 2014. But a lot has also changed in
- [Experiencing the Four Seasons (Part Two)](https://www.cairngormreindeer.co.uk/2020/07/24/experiencing-the-four-seasons-part-two/) - Emm volunteers with us several times a year usually, and has been doing so for years now. Here's her story of working in the summer and autumn seasons! Her recent blog about the winter and spring can be found here. Summer In summer I have been up in both July and August. The visitors are
- [Pedicures for reindeer](https://www.cairngormreindeer.co.uk/2020/07/17/pedicures-for-reindeer/) - A common question we’re asked, usually after spending some time with the reindeer and noticing their beautiful big feet, is whether we need to trim their hooves. Reindeer are endowed with large feet with four toes to each hoof: two main weight bearing toes which do most of the work, plus two smaller and higher
- [Social distancing- reindeer style!](https://www.cairngormreindeer.co.uk/2020/07/10/social-distancing-reindeer-style/) - Well, we all know what is meant by ‘social distancing’ now after 3 months of lockdown and continued measures for the foreseeable future. Here at the Cairngorm Reindeer Centre we will be applying the government guidelines to both protect ourselves and our visitors when we re-open next week. Luckily for us we have helpers, the
- [Experiencing the Four Seasons (Part One)](https://www.cairngormreindeer.co.uk/2020/07/03/experiencing-the-four-seasons-part-one/) - Emm is one of our regular volunteers, and has sent us this lovely blog. Here's part one, with another part to come later in the summer! Over the years volunteering for the reindeer herd, I have experienced the different seasons. I decided to write a blog about it. Winter In the winter, I normally come
- [A Tale of Two Boris's](https://www.cairngormreindeer.co.uk/2020/06/26/a-tale-of-two-boriss/) - Earlier this year I wrote about the two Boris’s, our reindeer Boris and the PM Boris Johnson. Well, in April both have made similar news, in one way or another. Boris Johnson contracted Covid-19 and was hospitalised and ridiculously our reindeer Boris also fell ill around the same time! Thankfully for reindeer they cannot contract
- [Heather Hanshaw – Past Reindeer herder and Leathersmith](https://www.cairngormreindeer.co.uk/2020/06/19/heather-hanshaw-past-reindeer-herder-and-leathersmith/) - Hello everyone! First of all, let me introduce myself for those who have not have met me. I’m Heather, and I used to be a Reindeer Herder. I like to think I still am really. As we always say, it’s like being a King or Queen of Narnia, once a Reindeer Herder, always a Reindeer
- [Then and now...](https://www.cairngormreindeer.co.uk/2020/06/12/then-and-now/) - With all these photos of calves over the last few weeks on our social media pages, I thought I'd dig out some photos of adult reindeer in our herd when they were just a week or two old, as a way of demonstrating their colouration and it's changes with time. Reindeer are born in an
- [Polled reindeer](https://www.cairngormreindeer.co.uk/2020/06/05/polled-reindeer/) - When people think of reindeer, they inevitably picture them with a big set of antlers atop their furry heads. Unlike other deer species, this even applies to females, who are the only deer species to routinely grow a lovely pair of bony protrusions each year, in order to help them hold a high enough status
- [There's more to us than reindeer...](https://www.cairngormreindeer.co.uk/2020/05/29/theres-more-to-us-than-reindeer/) - Coming to visit us in the Cairngorms again when this is all over? Here’s a blog that’s been adjusted slightly from an old newsletter about the wonderful wildlife that surrounds us here in the Cairngorms: It’s not just reindeer that you might see here, there’s so much more. Around 25% of the UK’s threatened flora
- [What do furloughed reindeer herders do?](https://www.cairngormreindeer.co.uk/2020/05/22/what-do-furloughed-reindeer-herders-do/) - As you probably know, many of the reindeer herders are furloughed just now as the Centre is obviously closed to the public. So while Fiona and Lotti are working away trying to keep everything ticking over at Reindeer House and Andi and Derek are doing the same at the farm, what are the rest of
- [Calves, calves and more calves!](https://www.cairngormreindeer.co.uk/2020/05/15/calves-calves-and-more-calves/) - At this time of year it seems that all anyone really wants to see are photos of calves - so here you are! A big calving for us this year, and we're not finished yet either... But in the meantime here are some pictures :-D
- [Border Terriers and me!](https://www.cairngormreindeer.co.uk/2020/05/08/border-terriers-and-me/) - In this week's blog we're taking a diversion from reindeer to dogs, to hear from herd owner Tilly: Well I have to say I am one of the lucky ones. Living on our farm at Glenlivet, with the wonderful countryside around me I can safely enjoy the great outdoors without compromising the current lockdown requirements.
- [A day at the farm](https://www.cairngormreindeer.co.uk/2020/05/01/a-day-at-the-farm/) - Whilst I’m normally based over at the main visitor centre in Glenmore, with the current chaotic situation I’m spending a lot more of my time at our second base, the hill farm at Glenlivet. The Smiths have farmed there since 1990, specializing in native breeds such as Belted Galloway cattle, Soay sheep and Wild boar
- [Lockdown for those who are still herding reindeer!](https://www.cairngormreindeer.co.uk/2020/04/24/lockdown-for-those-who-are-still-herding-reindeer/) - We are now into week 5 of lockdown and life for the reindeer herder who is still working has taken a dramatic change in some ways and yet it all feels completely normal in others. Myself (Fiona), Andi and Lotti are still employed while all the other staff here at the Cairngorm Reindeer Centre are
- [The Curious History of Reindeer in Iceland](https://www.cairngormreindeer.co.uk/2020/04/17/the-curious-history-of-reindeer-in-iceland/) - At the beginning of February I took a trip to Iceland in winter conditions and learned about the fascinating history of reindeer on this island country in the North Atlantic. Although I did not spot any reindeer, the history of the animals their interesting story is worth sharing nonetheless. Similarly to the reindeer here in
- [Visiting the free-ranging reindeer](https://www.cairngormreindeer.co.uk/2020/04/10/visiting-the-cromdale-reindeer/) - Before we went into lockdown I had one last day of fun catching up with with our boys and girls free-ranging on the secondary area of grazing, over near our Glenlivet hill farm. The 'Christmas Reindeer' (males who are trained to harness) are generally fairly lazy and don't stray too far but every now and
- [Winter free range days](https://www.cairngormreindeer.co.uk/2020/03/20/winter-free-range-days/) - From January to May, our whole herd are out roaming free on the mountains, enjoying the wintry weather that they're so well-equipped for. Whilst it can be ridiculously wild at times, on other days it is completely still, with glorious sunshine. I thought it would be nice to put up a selection of photos from
- [A winter not to be forgotten...](https://www.cairngormreindeer.co.uk/2020/04/03/a-winter-not-to-be-forgotten/) - It's not been a very snowy winter at all, and nor was last winter either. While there's been the odd decent fall every now and then, it's generally all melted away quite quickly. Until, ironically, about 6 weeks ago, when winter finally made a proper appearance. Since then the mountains have been much whiter, and
- [Weather the Storm](https://www.cairngormreindeer.co.uk/2020/03/27/weather-the-storm/) - As everyone knows all too well, these are worrying and testing times for all and my heart goes out to anyone reading my blog. With the latest ‘call to arms’ by the government we really must all help to slow the spread of the coronavirus that is sweeping the world. Nobody is immune from this,
- [The Proposal](https://www.cairngormreindeer.co.uk/2020/03/13/the-proposal/) - On a wild Hill Trip in February we were fortunate to witness a special moment. Andrew passed his phone to Manouk during a brief break in the weather and asked her to to take some pictures. She was able to capture the moment his partner Jasmine, became his fiancé. Thanks to Jasmine and Andrew for sharing
- [Reindeer and boats](https://www.cairngormreindeer.co.uk/2020/03/06/6423/) - During this year’s Christmas tour we ended up taking the reindeer on boats a couple of different times. The reindeer visited Northern Ireland, Orkney and the Isle of Lewis. I was lucky enough to go with them to Stornoway on Lewis and this got me thinking about the journey taken by the first 8 reindeer
- [Local Christmas Events](https://www.cairngormreindeer.co.uk/2020/02/28/local-christmas-events/) - I know, it’s a new year, the end of February and I’m already talking about Christmas. But don’t worry! I’m not talking about next Christmas, I’m going to cast my mind back to last years and more specifically, close to the big day itself. On the 23rd of December our first Christmas event started just
- [My First January](https://www.cairngormreindeer.co.uk/2020/02/21/my-first-january/) - My First January Having worked as a seasonal herder for many years working January is a real novelty for me. Usually on the 24th of December I hop on a train home to Bristol to spend Christmas with my family and then return to uni in the new year. But having graduated last year, and
- [Running blog 3: Journey to the Netherlands](https://www.cairngormreindeer.co.uk/2020/02/14/running-blog-3-journey-to-the-netherlands/) - As I received so many positive comments on my blog about running to The Netherlands whilst I was on my way, and as some people requested to hear all about it, here’s my follow-up blog to tell you how it went! For those not knowing what I’m on about, here’s my previous blog: …. The
- [Bordeaux](https://www.cairngormreindeer.co.uk/2024/08/09/bordeaux/) - For any of you that have visited us on our Hill Trips at the end of last year, you may have noticed a young female hanging around us herders, ever hopeful that she can mooch some extra feed. She is a 5-year-old female called Bordeaux, who is very non-descript colour wise and was born in
- [Adopting a reindeer? What’s that all about?](https://www.cairngormreindeer.co.uk/2020/02/07/adopting-a-reindeer-whats-that-all-about/) - I imagine that there might be quite a few ‘newbies’ to the reindeer herd and to our social media pages just now, being as Christmas is the busiest time of year for our reindeer adoption scheme. Several hundred people will have had an A4 white envelope under their tree on Christmas morning last month, with
- [Learning Reindeer Names in January 2020](https://www.cairngormreindeer.co.uk/2020/01/31/learning-reindeer-names-in-january-2020/) - After the hustle and bustle of the festivities and Christmas events, the Reindeer Centre is closed for most of January and part of February. For the staff it’s peaceful here at Glenmore, and a great time for keeping busy catching up on all types of jobs related to all aspects of the Centre: Christmas kit,
- [Ben's Reindeer Herder Interviews (part 3 of 3)](https://www.cairngormreindeer.co.uk/2020/01/24/bens-reindeer-herder-interviews-part-3-of-3-2/) - If all the reindeer were to have a 100m race, who would win? Fiona = I reckon Shekel would have won because we exercised them at Christmas he was always in the lead. There’s a great photo of him on our playing cards that we sell in the shop where he looks like The Joker
- [Multi-cultural Hill Trips](https://www.cairngormreindeer.co.uk/2020/01/17/multi-cultural-trips/) - There’s a lot to be learned volunteering at the Reindeer Centre and multi-cultural knowledge is one theme very obvious, just thinking about the reindeer names and the regular herders’ nationalities. However, walking up to hand feed the reindeer throughout December it occurred to me how many visitors travelled many, many miles to experience the thing
- [Reindeer Herding and Running 2.0](https://www.cairngormreindeer.co.uk/2020/01/10/reindeer-herding-and-running-2-0/) - Reindeer herding and running, a sequel Remember that blog I wrote about a year ago about how everyone started running up hills and mountains as soon as they arrived to work at the reindeer Centre? Well I’ve got reasons to write a second blog about the same topic, so here goes! At the end of
- [Climate Change and Reindeer](https://www.cairngormreindeer.co.uk/2020/01/03/climate-change-and-reindeer/) - At the end of Hill Trips, we often get many questions about climate change and how it affects the reindeer. For those interested, here’s a blog on how we think it affects our reindeer, how reindeer are affected worldwide and things people could do individually to help fight it. Weather records of the past decades
- [It's the time of the year when...](https://www.cairngormreindeer.co.uk/2019/12/27/its-the-time-of-the-year-when/) - It's the time of the year when... ...our reindeer turn into cows... Not quite, but it is the time of the year when they are casting their antlers, and beginning to look perhaps a little like people imagine a reindeer to. Casting antlers is a completely natural process, and is one of the huge differences
- [Cartoon Freerangers](https://www.cairngormreindeer.co.uk/2019/12/20/cartoon-freerangers/) - Each autumn we bring in most of the freeranging females to either run them with a bull if they didn't calve in the previous spring or to begin getting their calves used to being handled. Most of the girls turn themselves in voluntarily as they seem to know the score but every year there seems
- [Boot Camp](https://www.cairngormreindeer.co.uk/2019/12/13/boot-camp/) - As the rut has now come to a close and we move into winter, us reindeer herders are feeling particularly strong. For most of the year the female reindeer in our herd spend their days free-ranging the Cairngorms. However during the autumn we have all the reindeer that we want to breed from in our
- [The Course of a Life](https://www.cairngormreindeer.co.uk/2019/12/06/the-course-of-a-life/) - Chris has been on at me to write another blog, but with Christmas round the corner (at time of writing) I’m a bit pushed for time, so have been racking my brain for a blog that is mostly photos… Which to be honest, I think a lot of the time is all people really want
- [Four pop stars and an Okapi walked into a carpark…](https://www.cairngormreindeer.co.uk/2019/11/29/four-pop-stars-and-an-okapi-walked-into-a-carpark/) - Four pop stars and an Okapi walked into a carpark… …and no this is not the start of a bad joke but instead a phone call that we get every once in a while from Jamie, the carpark attendant on Cairngorm mountain. At the moment most of the females are in our hill enclosure either
- [Funny Photos](https://www.cairngormreindeer.co.uk/2019/11/22/funny-photos/) - Working with the reindeer means spending a lot of time with them. This means we often get amazing photo opportunities, with great weather conditions or reindeer posing. This also means that we can often see their slightly less glamorous side, and tend to capture it every now and then... Manouk
- [Autumn in the Cairngorm Mountains](https://www.cairngormreindeer.co.uk/2019/11/15/autumn-in-the-cairngorm-mountains/) - Mammals Reindeer During the autumn months reindeer are starting to prepare for winter. By October, their summer coat has begun to disappear below a fresh new winter coat. Reindeer winter coat is one of the warmest coats in the animal kingdom, with over 2000 hairs per square inch on their body. About 600 hairs per
- [Our awesome 2019 volunteers!](https://www.cairngormreindeer.co.uk/2019/11/08/our-awesome-2019-volunteers/) - We have a huge network (well, by our standards) of staff members who work at least part of the year for us, ranging from those full-time year round, through seasonal staff right down to the odd ex-herder roped in for literally just a day or two a year. Our job is made far easier however,
- [Family Ties](https://www.cairngormreindeer.co.uk/2019/11/01/family-ties/) - A frequent questions from visitors is whether reindeer retain a bond with their mother. Whilst we often see female calves stay strongly bonded with their mum throughout their life, we see it less often with the males. Male calves tend to be seeking their independence from about 8 months old, and we start seeing them
- [Reindeer Retrieval Mission](https://www.cairngormreindeer.co.uk/2019/10/25/reindeer-retrieval-mission/) - As part of the only UK herd of reindeer that live in their natural habitat, our herd are lucky enough to spend a good portion of each year roaming completely free on the mountains. We have an area of leased land which we have grazing permission for, but the boundary of this land isn’t fenced,
- [Jonas](https://www.cairngormreindeer.co.uk/2019/10/18/jonas/) - Jonas joined our herd from Sweden in 2011 when we brought over a contingent of bulls to boost the genetics in our own herd. We had to make a decision the next year to which reindeer we would keep as bulls and breed from and which ones we would geld/castrate and have as Christmas reindeer.
- [Ben’s reindeer herder interviews (Part 2 of 3)](https://www.cairngormreindeer.co.uk/2019/10/11/bens-reindeer-herder-interviews-part-2-of-3/) - Which reindeer would you most/least like to go on a night out with? Fiona = Probably Grunter again, for his same social and fun reasons. But Bovril would be my pick for ‘least like to” as he keeps himself to himself and gets all grumpy at Christmas events. I could have said the same about
- [Okapi - a photo shoot](https://www.cairngormreindeer.co.uk/2019/10/04/okapi-a-photo-shoot/) - I was sorting through some free range photos taken by Manouk's friend, Lidowij Meijer, from back in March and realised Okapi look liked she was having her own personalised photo shoot. What a perfect opportunity for a blog I thought! Okapi is one of the more popular reindeer amongst us herders. Whenever we meet up
- [What noise does a reindeer make?](https://www.cairngormreindeer.co.uk/2019/09/27/what-noise-does-a-reindeer-make/) - What noise does a reindeer make? A frequently asked question on the hill is what noises the reindeer make. Whilst they are mostly fairly quiet animals but there are a few fascinating reindeer noises. Clicking Feet For any of you who have been on the hill trip you will have heard the clicking noise coming
- [Bog Blog](https://www.cairngormreindeer.co.uk/2019/09/20/bog-blog/) - One day last summer I was leading Okapi and Ryvita from the Cas flats to the reindeer enclosure. I was just about to cross the burn that is crossed by Utsi bridge further down the hill when with one misplaced step I found myself thigh deep in bog. What followed consisted of much giggling (from
- [Ben's Reindeer Herder Interviews (Part 1 of 3)](https://www.cairngormreindeer.co.uk/2019/09/13/bens-reindeer-herder-interviews-part-1-of-3/) - Which reindeer would make the best prime minister? Fiona = Dragonfly! But not for the reasons that prime ministers become prime ministers…he thought about everything he did & he was very intelligent. I’ve trained a lot of reindeer but he did everything with precision and thought Hen = Yeah I think Topi would have been
- [Midges](https://www.cairngormreindeer.co.uk/2019/08/23/midges/) - Midges…complete and utter nuisances. That’s what most people tend to say. Well…I’ve heard quite a few individuals use more colourful language than that, but that’s the gist of most people’s views on this small flying insect that occupies the Highlands. This view is commonly expressed whilst people flap their hands around as if they’re aiming
- [Visitor Photo Blog](https://www.cairngormreindeer.co.uk/2019/09/06/visitor-photo-blog/) - Recently we were sent some photo's by one of our visitors, Jamie Isaacs, who visited back in May. We really enjoyed them so thought we'd share some for this week's blog. Thank's to Jamie for sending them in, you can check out his photography pages here. jamieisaacsphoto.com facebook.com/jamieisaacsphoto instagram: @jamieisaacsphoto
- [Myths, Legends, and good old stories](https://www.cairngormreindeer.co.uk/2019/08/30/myths-legends-and-good-old-stories/) - In this blog, I will be exploring the way Reindeer and other Deer species are represented within myths, legends and general stories over a variety of cultures. From old folklore to modern day films and books, Deer have been used as symbolism for magic, and an insight into the natural world. 2000 years ago, the
- [1 year anniversary of reindeer herding](https://www.cairngormreindeer.co.uk/2019/08/16/1-year-anniversary-of-reindeer-herding/) - It’s time for me to write a blog and my one-year anniversary of being an (employed that is) reindeer herder is coming up soon, so why not make that my topic? I arrived at reindeer house July the 5th, after a long drive from Newcastle where I was released from the ferry, ready to start
- [Can reindeer swim?](https://www.cairngormreindeer.co.uk/2019/08/09/can-reindeer-swim/) - Google will tell you pretty quickly and you’ll also see a cool clip on Youtube from a dude on a boat filming his herd across a body of water. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XlJUO5DHcbU Reindeer are good swimmers and today we’ll find out why and how. Reindeer have spent millennia migrating across continents to access seasonal pastures. Their habitat
- [It’s all in a name.](https://www.cairngormreindeer.co.uk/2019/08/02/its-all-in-a-name/) - Some people answer to just one name, others like me have a proper name and a nickname. Although given the name Elizabeth as a baby, I was nicknamed Tiddly because I was the youngest ( and so smallest ) in our family of four children. Tiddly got shortened to either Tids or Tilly and now
- [Reindeer as a Species](https://www.cairngormreindeer.co.uk/2019/07/26/5963/) - On our kids quiz in the Paddocks is the question ‘Name a sub-species of reindeer’, and I notice it’s often the one that people get stuck at (despite the fact that the answers are there on the display boards). I’ve realised over the years however, that this is often down to a basis lack of
- [Why Adopt a Reindeer?](https://www.cairngormreindeer.co.uk/2019/07/19/why-adopt-a-reindeer/) - People often ask me ‘why do you adopt a reindeer of all things?’ Little do they know I could spend the next 6 hours explaining why; just how lovely they are, relaxing to be with and such gentle creatures to watch. You get free hill trips where you can walk on to the hill and
- [Izzy - Becoming a Reindeer Herder](https://www.cairngormreindeer.co.uk/2019/07/12/izzy-becoming-a-reindeer-herder/) - I am currently a student at Salford University in greater Manchester, where I study wildlife conservation and practical conservation. At the university I was part of the climbing club and use to go climbing regularly to the cCairngorm National Park during the summer and winter months. During our time up there I had always wanted
- [Dynasties: Tambourine](https://www.cairngormreindeer.co.uk/2019/07/05/dynasties-tambourine/) - This week I’d like to talk about Tambourine and her extensive family. Tambourine was born in 2000, in our musical instruments theme. She was a distinctive looking reindeer, slightly on the petite side, with particularly pointy ears. I didn’t know her in her youth, but my memory of her in her latter years was as
- [Memorable reindeer of the past: Bagheera](https://www.cairngormreindeer.co.uk/2019/06/28/5907/) - Bagheera was born in 1994 when we named the reindeer calves that year after story book characters, Bagheera being the black panther in the Jungle Book which, hands down is one of my favourites! His mother, Sami, was a very sweet and very dark reindeer. She only ever grew one antler so stood out from
- [Fly’s spring antler growth](https://www.cairngormreindeer.co.uk/2019/06/21/flys-spring-antler-growth/) - Around mid March Fly, one of our mature female reindeer started to grow her antlers. March is pretty early but I suspect due to a warmer winter than we usually have and possibly the growth of vegetation starting earlier this has brought on an early antler growth in some reindeer. Fly has certainly grown some
- [Memorable reindeer of the past: Congo](https://www.cairngormreindeer.co.uk/2019/06/14/congo/) - Congo was one of those reindeer who all of us (older herders) here at the Centre remember so well and wish we had more time with him. However the time we did have with him was definitely quality as he was such a lovely reindeer. One of his claims to fame was, after being trained
- [Volunteering over the Hill!](https://www.cairngormreindeer.co.uk/2019/06/07/volunteering-over-the-hill/) - ‘You’re never too old to volunteer at the Reindeer Centre’ said Mel as we walked reindeer around St. Marks garden in the middle of Lincoln. We were helping out with the Christmas event. So we offered. Two, ‘older generation’, only relatively fit people, but willing and still able to do most domestic chores we thought
- ['Background' Reindeer](https://www.cairngormreindeer.co.uk/2019/05/31/background-reindeer/) - Within a herd of 150 reindeer there are favourites, bold ones, greedy ones and unusual ones that we all talk about and you will hear about, however, 150 is a lot of reindeer and I am sure there are a few out there that you haven’t heard of so much so here is a blog
- [Sleigh Ride in Norway](https://www.cairngormreindeer.co.uk/2019/05/24/reindeer-sleigh-ride-in-norway/) - A couple of months ago there was a woman on our Hill Trip who wondered if we ever did sleigh rides with our reindeer. Apart from our parades around Christmas time, at which we use a sleigh for Santa to sit on, we don’t do any sleigh rides. It is simply not along the lines
- [Calves](https://www.cairngormreindeer.co.uk/2019/05/17/calves/) - After last week's blog of death, this week we bring you the blog of life. Calving season arrived a week later than expected this year with the first calf of the year being born on the latest date in recent years. We thought we'd share a selection of photos from the first few calves to
- [‘When you have livestock…’](https://www.cairngormreindeer.co.uk/2019/05/10/when-you-have-livestock/) - All farmers and animal keepers know the saying. It’s a phrase often learnt the hard way but once learnt, it’s never forgotten. It’s only too easily remembered though when everything, it seems, is going tits up... ‘When you have livestock, you have dead stock’. The subject of death might seem an odd choice for a
- [Doing our bit for the environment.](https://www.cairngormreindeer.co.uk/2019/05/03/doing-our-bit-for-the-environment/) - Nobody can be completely guilt free in what they choose to do through life whether it be what they eat, wear or decide to go on holiday by jumping on an aeroplane. However, everyone can do the small things which will add up and help towards a better and more sustainable environment. Here is how
- [Dynasties: Fly](https://www.cairngormreindeer.co.uk/2019/04/26/dynasties-fly/) - Following from a previous blog about Haze’s dynasty, I thought Fly was another good candidate to look at. Like Haze, she is also a big, striking reindeer, not necessarily the friendliest – she likes her own space – but a dependable leader of the herd and a fantastic mother. Fly was born in our “green
- [A moment in Hen’s memory](https://www.cairngormreindeer.co.uk/2019/04/19/a-moment-in-hens-memory/) - Earlier this year, on discovering how long I’d worked here, a visitor asked me what my favourite story or anecdote from over the years was. I was completely thrown – not only had nobody ever asked me that specific question before, but how on earth was I to pick just one thing? But the question
- [Memorable reindeer of the past: Scout](https://www.cairngormreindeer.co.uk/2019/04/12/memorable-reindeer-of-the-past-scout/) - When I think back over the reindeer that have been part of the herd over the years, one which sticks in my mind is Scout. This is probably in part because he was on my “team” the first time I went off on Christmas tour. It was back in 2010, and as I headed off
- [Outtakes of Reindeer Herding](https://www.cairngormreindeer.co.uk/2019/04/05/outtakes-of-reindeer-herding/) - Recently I got a new phone which made me look back through all my old photos before deciding which ones to keep. Rather than give you some of my best photos from a year and a half of reindeer herding I thought I'd give you some of the 'worst' from my first season of Christmas
- [Mr Moose's Great Escape](https://www.cairngormreindeer.co.uk/2019/03/29/mr-mooses-great-escape/) - Moose, Jonne & Rubiks on a big adventure... Moose, Jonne and Rubiks were the only ones left enclosed, all other reindeer were free-ranging. They thought this was extremely unfair, and took the matter in their own hooves. They decided they’d have none of it, and left for an adventure.. After the Christmas holiday, we shut
- [Dynasties: Haze](https://www.cairngormreindeer.co.uk/2019/03/22/dynasties-haze/) - We recently watched the BBC series Dynasties, narrated by David Attenborough, which looked at matriarchs in different species of animal. There are occasional females in our herd who are extremely successful mothers, and I thought it would be interesting to have a look at some of these family lines, starting with a gorgeous big female
- [Bond's bond, or not](https://www.cairngormreindeer.co.uk/2019/03/15/bonds-bond-or-not/) - Editor's Note: A few months after this blog was written, we came to the conclusion the Bond was actually the calf of Lairig rather than Ladybird, a female who sadly passed away in late summer of 2018. We had seen Lairig earlier in the summer and thought she had lost her calf at that point
- [Christmas and New year!](https://www.cairngormreindeer.co.uk/2019/03/08/christmas-and-new-year/) - I suspect it’s definitely my turn to write a blog and Chris has been very polite and not pestering me but it’s definitely in the back of my mind so I’ll give you a wee sum up of Christmas. As always Christmas went very smoothly in 2018. We covered the length and breadth of the
- [Coming Home](https://www.cairngormreindeer.co.uk/2019/03/01/coming-home/) - As the Reindeer Centre was shut to the public in January Manouk and I were able to take a couple of weeks off to head off skiing in Austria. We had a great time and Manouk patiently taught me to ski so it was a great success. Any time we head away we are always
- [A big thank you to greedy reindeer](https://www.cairngormreindeer.co.uk/2019/02/22/a-big-thank-you-to-greedy-reindeer/) - At the moment we do our Hill Trips with our free ranging females that are roaming around the Cairngorms. As the word free ranging suggests, they are free to go as far as they like. This also means that, if we want to have a trip that doesn’t take up the whole day and that
- [Camouflaged reindeer](https://www.cairngormreindeer.co.uk/2019/02/15/5604/) - Last week we had a brief thaw of the snow, it's an awful lot harder to spot the reindeer! The first few photos show how well they blend in with their surroundings in these conditions. Luckily they don't hide and come running for food whenever we call them and they can hear us, as politely
- [The Blog of Blogs: Blog 200! A bloggy blog...](https://www.cairngormreindeer.co.uk/2019/02/08/the-blog-of-blogs-blog-200/) - Hen noticed the other day that we were fast approaching our 200th blog milestone, so thought we'd better mark the occasion! We started blogging in April 2015 - we'd taken part in a Digital Marketing course for local businesses and one of the pieces of advice is that doing a regular blog can help build
- [How long do reindeer live?](https://www.cairngormreindeer.co.uk/2019/02/01/how-long-do-reindeer-live/) - One of the most common questions I’ve been asked over the years is how long do reindeer live? I’ve always answered about 12-14 years on average, but a conversation with Dave earlier today in the office got me thinking about the topic. The askers of the question tend to be surprised by the answer, expecting
- [And then there was snow (well...)](https://www.cairngormreindeer.co.uk/2019/01/25/and-then-there-was-snow-well/) - The weather here has been chilly but there really hasn't been more than a sprinkling of the white stuff - maybe it's all being saved up for February but it has to be the most snow-free January I've had up here. We had a few days with a dusting of snow on the ground on
- [Feeding the Free-rangers](https://www.cairngormreindeer.co.uk/2019/01/18/feeding-the-free-rangers/) - With Christmas over and the Centre closed to the public for a month, we have put all of our reindeer out to free-range - the males are on the Cromdale mountains and the females are split between there and the Cairngorm mountains. We don't necessarily see them every day, but where possible we like to
- [Ben’s reindeer herder interviews](https://www.cairngormreindeer.co.uk/2019/01/17/bens-reindeer-herder-interviews-part-3-of-3/) - If all the reindeer were to have a 100m race, who would win? Fiona = I reckon Shekel would have won because we exercised them at Christmas he was always in the lead. There’s a great photo of him on our playing cards that we sell in the shop where he looks like The Joker
- [Reindeer herding and hill running](https://www.cairngormreindeer.co.uk/2019/01/11/reindeer-herding-and-hill-running/) - It may not come as a huge surprise to readers that many of our herders are hill runners. In fact, I think almost any herder could be described as one depending on how you define runner. A run in the area where we and the reindeer live is almost automatically a hill run and sometimes
- [Shoe Box Photos.](https://www.cairngormreindeer.co.uk/2019/01/10/shoe-box-photos/) - Hidden away, on the top shelf, at the back, layered with dust is a shoe box with a collection of old photos of the herd from numerous of years. Here are a hand full of the photos, with some information about them. Olly
- [Santa's Choice](https://www.cairngormreindeer.co.uk/2019/01/04/santas-choice/) - This Christmas the Cairngorm Reindeer Centre has been given a very fancy Christmas present. Jaguar cars have given us a 4 x 4 F Pace to drive around free of charge for the next 6 months. Adorned with Cairngorm Reindeer and Jaguar logos it has certainly turned a few heads! So on Christmas Day when
- [Nicky's first day/blog: Volunteering Winter 2017 /2018](https://www.cairngormreindeer.co.uk/2018/12/28/nickys-first-day-blog-volunteering-winter-2017-2018/) - Volunteering Winter 2017 /2018 Last winter I had the amazing pleasure of volunteering at the Cairngorm Reindeer Centre for the first time. After two poor winters, and by poor winters I mean that we had a lack of snow. Most people in the UK would probably deem a good winter one with little snow.
- [Diaries of yesteryear](https://www.cairngormreindeer.co.uk/2018/12/21/diaries-of-yesteryear/) - Ever since the early days of the herd, there has been a "Daily Diary" written, keeping track of the movements of the reindeer, amounts fed, illness and veterinary care, visitors, weather and anything else of note. We still keep this up to this day, though throughout the years this has varied from handwritten to typewritten
- [Poo or rock?](https://www.cairngormreindeer.co.uk/2018/12/14/poo-or-rock/) - As reindeer herders, one of the first things we do in the morning is opening up the Paddocks. This includes cleaning out the exhibition areas, getting the dvds playing and, the best job of them all, clearing the grassy bits from reindeer poo. We start our day of work at 8 ‘o clock in the
- [Svalbard](https://www.cairngormreindeer.co.uk/2018/12/07/5412/) - Svalbard: Born in early June 2011, Mother: Arnish Svalbard was born in the year calves were named after Games and Puzzles, with other reindeer born that year including Hopscotch, Bingo, Monopoly and Jenga. Svalbard was originally named Meccano, however in the autumn of 2011 when he came back off the free-range as a 5-month-old calf
- [The Mysterious Life of an American Reindeer Herder](https://www.cairngormreindeer.co.uk/2018/11/30/the-mysterious-life-of-an-american-reindeer-herder/) - One year after spending Thanksgiving as the lone American in Nepal with a group of runners that included Fiona Smith, I could have never imagined that I would be cooking Thanksgiving dinner for a group of reindeer herders in the Scottish Highlands. Nonetheless, here I am, still the lone American, but with a whole bunch
- [The extraordinary antlers of Pera](https://www.cairngormreindeer.co.uk/2018/11/23/5417/) - The extraordinary antlers of Pera Pera’s antlers really are worth writing about. As a calf he grew short simple antlers, which would not have given us any idea of their shape and form three years later. As a two-year-old, Pera’s antlers were slightly strange - very wide and ‘flattened’ but nothing particularly out of the
- [Reindeer Facts](https://www.cairngormreindeer.co.uk/2018/11/16/reindeer-facts/) - Reindeer are incredibly interesting animals. Many people that come on a hill trip or visit the paddocks conclude this after learning a wee bit about them. I thought so too, when I first came here, and it’s one of the reasons I kept coming back, as a visitor, then volunteer, and now member of staff.
- [How I became a reindeer herder. 20 years in the making](https://www.cairngormreindeer.co.uk/2018/11/09/how-i-became-a-reindeer-herder-20-years-in-the-making/) - I first visited the Cairngorms and the reindeer centre around Easter 1998 on a family holiday. There was a foot of snow on the ground in Glenmore and it was beautiful. This started a 20 year journey which resulted in me moving here to work full time last year. The memory I have from my
- [Julia's Photos Part 2!](https://www.cairngormreindeer.co.uk/2018/11/02/julias-photos-part-2/) - Julia
- [Ohh Viking](https://www.cairngormreindeer.co.uk/2018/10/26/ohh-viking/) - Its well over two years now since Viking was born which also means I have been a Reindeer Herder for well over two years. It was my first trip into the hill enclosure that morning and it was chilly in early May when Fiona and I first caught a glimpse of young Viking. He was
- [Memorable reindeer: Sequin](https://www.cairngormreindeer.co.uk/2018/10/19/sequin/) - Earlier this year we sadly lost Sequin, one of our most well-known females of the herd. Tilly wrote this article about Sequin back in 2015 which we thought we would share once again. Sequin Mother: Polo Born 9th May 2002 Sequin is what we would describe as a ‘normal coloured reindeer’, with a dark back
- [Reindeer Herders Abroad](https://www.cairngormreindeer.co.uk/2018/10/12/reindeer-herders-abroad/) - What do reindeer herders do when they meet reindeer when they are travelling abroad? Right, try to get some interaction! After having volunteered with the herd for a couple of weeks at different times last year, I had to finish my studies and for that I needed to do an internship in Norway (I know,
- [The Shop!](https://www.cairngormreindeer.co.uk/2018/10/05/5321/) - The first association that most visitors have with the Centre is when they come into the shop. This room is at one end of Reindeer House, and is where we greet visitors, book them onto tours, and provide a selection of souvenirs. Back when Mr Utsi and Ethel Lindgren first built Reindeer House, this was
- [Julia's photos](https://www.cairngormreindeer.co.uk/2018/09/28/julias-photos/) - Another summer has come to an end and we have had to say goodbye to Julia once again. Her parting gift to me after her fourth summer working at the Reindeer Centre was lots of lovely photos to make up a couple of blogs out of. Julia is a talented photographer so I hope you
- [Photo Blog: July 2024](https://www.cairngormreindeer.co.uk/2024/07/26/photo-blog-july-2024/) - By the end of July the reindeer finally start looking themselves after what seems like a very long moult. They're now mostly in their short, sleek and darker summer coats and their lovely velvet antlers are looking amazing. It's been a generally cold summer so far which the reindeer have enjoyed as it means less
- [Sookie's Big Adventure](https://www.cairngormreindeer.co.uk/2018/09/21/sookies-big-adventure/) - Since it was quite the internet sensation, we’re assuming most of you may have heard about the disappearance and relieving retrieving of Sookie, our in-house dog at the Reindeer Centre. Many people helped in the search by sharing our story, looking out for her, sending us tips and reports, and by offering us help in
- [Quirky Reindeer! (part two)](https://www.cairngormreindeer.co.uk/2018/09/14/quirky-reindeer-part-two/) - For part two of my Quirky reindeer feature, it's the boys turn. Here's a link to the girls in part one if you missed it last month. http://www.cairngormreindeer.co.uk/2018/08/03/quirky-reindeer-part-one/ Boris: Mr Wonky Nose was born a little bit squint. From when he was a calf Boris has always had a slightly wonky nose. Apparently its from
- [Antler stripping: A blog not for the faint of heart!](https://www.cairngormreindeer.co.uk/2018/09/07/antler-stripping-a-blog-not-for-the-faint-of-heart/) - I took photos with the purpose of writing this blog in September 2017, and then everything got too busy and I didn’t manage to actually write it. But here it is finally, so late that the subject matter has effectively come back into fashion once again! All the photos below are from last year (or
- [A day out on the free-range](https://www.cairngormreindeer.co.uk/2018/08/31/a-day-out-on-the-free-range/) - At the start of August, Lotti and myself were sent out into the mountains to see if we could find the free-ranging females and their calves. Fiona had spied a big herd from the road and thought it would be a good idea to get them to follow us for as long as possible with
- [Grunter, The Monsterful](https://www.cairngormreindeer.co.uk/2018/08/24/grunter-the-monsterful/) - Grunter, The Monsterful (meaning wonderful and extra ordinary) I remember the day Grunter was born. Dixie, his mum was only two years old at the time and rather than taking herself away from the herd to find a nice wee spot to calve she stuck with them and joined in with our daily guided tour.
- [Ben's back!](https://www.cairngormreindeer.co.uk/2018/08/17/5234/) - Four years. That’s how long it’s been since I had my first stint as a ‘Reindeer Herder’. It is a job title that has raised many curious eyebrows in subsequent job interviews. “No it’s not a typo, it really did happen” is a sentence I have found myself saying all too often. Those four years
- [Learning Reindeer Names](https://www.cairngormreindeer.co.uk/2018/08/10/learning-reindeer-names/) - “What’s this one called?” “That’s Aonach again..” A scenario similar to this one has occurred many times since I came back to work at the Cairngorm Reindeer Herd this summer. In the past blogs have been written about how herders learn the reindeer names, and I desperately read a couple of those in the hopes
- [Quirky Reindeer! (part one)](https://www.cairngormreindeer.co.uk/2018/08/03/quirky-reindeer-part-one/) - Just like humans, reindeer come in all shapes, sizes and colours so here are some of the reindeer in our herd who stand out from the crowd. Whether they grow no antlers, are pure white (which is very rare) or maybe part of their body isn’t quite ‘the norm’, they still fit into the herd
- [Reindeer Diaries: The Interview](https://www.cairngormreindeer.co.uk/2018/07/27/reindeer-diaries-the-interview/) - Hi my name is Alison (Ali) and I’ve been asked to write a blog. To be honest I’m not really sure what a blog even is so I’ll do my best (or worst) first blog. So I might as well start from the very beginning. I am a new reindeer herder at the Centre and
- [Memorable Reindeer of the Past: Lilibet](https://www.cairngormreindeer.co.uk/2018/07/20/memorable-reindeer-of-the-past-lilibet/) - Whilst wondering what to write about, I happened to flick back through some of our old photos, and Lilibet’s familiar face made me smile, so I thought I’d talk a little about her, as she was such a character in the herd. Lilibet was born in 2002, to mum Glacier, one of the lightest coloured
- [Tales of a Reindeer Herder: Kate's first day](https://www.cairngormreindeer.co.uk/2018/07/13/tales-of-a-reindeer-herder/) - For the previous few months we have been joined by a new reindeer herder called Kate who helped us out over the busy calving period. Kate was so brilliant to have around we asked her to stay a little longer until some of our regular summer staff returned through June and July. We expect to
- [Finding the free-ranging females](https://www.cairngormreindeer.co.uk/2018/07/06/finding-the-free-ranging-females/) - An incredibly important part of the life of a Cairngorm reindeer is its time free-ranging. For the male reindeer their time to free-range is the cold winter months, where they happily roam the Cromdale hills keeping out of mischief. The life of a female Cairngorm reindeer is even wilder, with almost the entire year spent
- [Winter excursions](https://www.cairngormreindeer.co.uk/2018/06/29/winter-excursions/) - So as most of you already know, during the winter time we locate the herd every morning and a couple of us walk out to bring them in a bit closer for our daily visit at 11am. You’ve heard many stories of this over the years but I thought I’d just put together some of
- [Attack of the flying beasts](https://www.cairngormreindeer.co.uk/2018/06/22/attack-of-the-flying-beasts-2/) - First off, I’m not talking about the reindeer in that heading. Reindeer only fly at Christmas time after Santa has given them the magic powder and our lovely reindeer don’t attack. I am of course talking about the flying mini beasts – flies, bugs and, the worst of the worst, midges. Scotland wouldn’t be Scotland
- [Granny Reindeer](https://www.cairngormreindeer.co.uk/2018/06/15/granny-reindeer/) - Since 1981, reindeer and in particular, the Cairngorm reindeer have taken up a very large portion of my daily life and I have not regretted one bit of it. Along side raising family, earning a living from our reindeer herd and in more recent years branching out into hill farming, reindeer have been for me
- [The twins' first walk](https://www.cairngormreindeer.co.uk/2018/06/08/the-twins-first-walk/) - If you have missed out on the news of our twins then where have you been?! At two weeks old as the twins were getting stronger we brought them down to our paddocks for a few days to make life a little easier for them. Fiona and Chris were away so weren't able to give
- [Sharing A Magical Winter Wonderland with the Reindeer](https://www.cairngormreindeer.co.uk/2018/06/01/sharing-a-magical-winter-wonderland-with-the-reindeer/) - Reindeer Herder Again At the end of March 2018 I again came to be volunteer reindeer herder for a week. This was my 4th time being a volunteer reindeer herder and being with the reindeer, the herders and the dogs means so much to me which I explained in my last blog. Dave very kindly
- [Twins](https://www.cairngormreindeer.co.uk/2018/05/25/twins/) - After 66 years of reindeer herding in Scotland we have had a first. On the 8th May 2018 we had live twins born! 30 years ago we had twins, one was stillborn and the other survived for 12 hours. Since then we have had two sets (2008 and 2015) but both were stillborn so
- [Calving Season](https://www.cairngormreindeer.co.uk/2018/05/18/calving-season/) - It has been a busy few weeks here at reindeer house with with plenty of new calves being born on the hillside. We thought we'd share a few photos of the lovely new members of our herd. Enjoy...
- [The Everest Marathon](https://www.cairngormreindeer.co.uk/2018/05/04/the-everest-marathon/) - The Everest Marathon I packed and unpacked many many times as you can imagine but left with a very civilised 13kg rucksack with everything I needed… I hoped! Having never done anything like this before I was a bit of a fish out of water but what’s the worst that could happen? Alex, my brother,
- [Exciting times ahead!](https://www.cairngormreindeer.co.uk/2018/04/27/exciting-times-ahead/) - Mid April here has a definite ‘calm before the storm’ feeling. The area has quietened down as the school holidays have finished and all is peaceful on the reindeer front…but it won’t be for long. At the start of May, all hell will break loose. Calving is nearly upon us. Although we know exactly which
- [Featured Reindeer: Balmoral](https://www.cairngormreindeer.co.uk/2018/04/20/featured-reindeer-balmoral/) - Balmoral: Born 16th May 2012 Mother: Fly Father: Strudel. For the calves born in 2012 the theme was just ‘2012’ because so much happened that year. It was he Queen’s Jubilee year our 60th anniversary and also the London Olympics. So we had great fun coming up with diverse names to suit the theme and
- [The Northern Corries](https://www.cairngormreindeer.co.uk/2018/04/13/the-northern-corries/) - As it’s my turn to write a blog, I thought I would do something a little different. Here at the Reindeer Centre in Glenmore, every time I look towards the hillside and enclosure, my eyes are always drawn to the daunting shape which stands boldly behind it. These are the Northern Corries of Cairn Gorm.
- [World Reindeer Herders - Council Meeting in Salekhard, Northern Russia](https://www.cairngormreindeer.co.uk/2018/03/30/world-reindeer-herders-council-meeting-in-salekhard-northern-russia/) - On Thursday 22nd March Tilly and Fiona set off on their journey to the north of Russia where there was a World Reindeer Herders council meeting. This was to be held in Salekhard which is a town at the bottom of the Yamal Peninsula, and also where you find the Nenet reindeer herders. Here are
- [Unpredictable winter weather](https://www.cairngormreindeer.co.uk/2018/03/23/unpredictable-winter-weather/) - As I write, it’s currently our third day in a row stuck in the office as the mountains are stormbound yet again, for what seems like the umpteenth time this winter. This reindeer herder is very much ready for spring… Visitors to the Cairngorms often have a hard time understanding just how unpredictable and harsh
- [I prefer the less tame reindeer.](https://www.cairngormreindeer.co.uk/2018/03/16/i-prefer-the-less-tame-reindeer/) - I prefer the less tame reindeer... We have a lot of very sweet reindeer. They come right up to me and stick their noses right into the feed bag I have just carried up the hill…. Bumble, for instance…. I cuddle Dr Seuss and scruff up his nose hairs. Reindeer are wonderful creatures. So powerful
- [Volunteer Blog: Fiona Murray](https://www.cairngormreindeer.co.uk/2018/03/09/volunteer-blog-fiona-murray/) - So apparently a 2 day stint of volunteering at The Cairngorm Reindeer Centre earns someone the dubious honour of writing a blog!! We have been visiting the reindeer for 14 years or so now. On our first visit we fell in love with a gorgeous calf called Java, immediately sponsored him and the rest as
- [Furry Noses](https://www.cairngormreindeer.co.uk/2018/03/02/furry-noses/) - This winter we have prolonged periods of cold snowy weather, as I write this the weather forecast predicts it's not going to be above zero during the next two weeks! It's pretty chilly for us herders even under our many layers, but for the reindeer it's ideal (if a little mild!) and we have a
- [Memorable Reindeer: Esme](https://www.cairngormreindeer.co.uk/2018/02/23/memorable-reindeer-esme/) - I've been well aware over the last couple of weeks that it's definitely my turn to write a blog, and my justifications of going away on holiday, then having to catch up on work, and reorder stock for the shop, and organise the new adopt gifts, and... have started sounding a little too like excuses.
- [So, what does happen at the Reindeer Centre in January?](https://www.cairngormreindeer.co.uk/2018/02/16/so-what-does-happen-at-the-reindeer-centre-in-january/) - We are now once again open to the public, hooray! Each year the reindeer Centre shuts its doors for about 5 weeks from the end of the Christmas holidays to February half term. This begs the question what do the reindeer and herders do for these weeks of the year! Well, some herders choose to
- [Big boots to fill](https://www.cairngormreindeer.co.uk/2018/02/09/big-boots-to-fill/) - We are all sad to see a beloved member of the Cairngorm Reindeer family moving on to their next step in life. With Morna leaving we have the opportunity to welcome a new member, Chris. He has some big boots to fill, but so far he seems capable! When asked what are your favourite memories
- [A Visitor's Blog](https://www.cairngormreindeer.co.uk/2018/02/02/a-visitors-blog/) - Our blog this week is not written by us, but by one of our visitors. Some of you may have seen it on our facebook page, but it gives a brilliant outsider's perspective on what we do and what amazing animals the reindeer are. With good information and some wonderful photos, click here to read
- [Burns: Robert / Supper / Reindeer](https://www.cairngormreindeer.co.uk/2018/01/26/burns-robert-supper-reindeer/) - Burns Suppers celebrate the life and work of the Scots poet Robert Burns. More commonly known as Burns Night the suppers take place on or around his birthday, 25th January and are effectively a second national day in Scotland. Here at Reindeer House we just love any excuse to get together and eat some fantastic
- [The importance of reindeer to regions in the Arctic](https://www.cairngormreindeer.co.uk/2018/01/19/the-importance-of-reindeer-to-regions-in-the-arctic/) - Reindeer are an integral part of life in the far north. The cultures there rely on the animals for transport, food and skins. Reindeer are the only animal suited to the cold that can provide the people living in the arctic regions with animal protein. They are raised for venison but almost all parts of
- [Calling all deer..](https://www.cairngormreindeer.co.uk/2018/01/12/calling-all-deer/) - Deer in general are fairly quiet animals, uttering little or no noise in their daily lives. However there are two quite vocal times of year, in the spring when female deer calve and in the autumn when the males are competing for the breeding females. In spring time whether it is a Red deer hind,
- [Glenfeshie Girls](https://www.cairngormreindeer.co.uk/2018/01/05/glenfeshie-girls-take-2/) - Every year when the cows and calves come off the high tops from the summer one group tend to head towards Glenfeshie, a part of the Cairngorms they aren’t meant to be. We have got good communications with the landowners and gamekeepers over there so they let us know and we head over in the
- [Out on the mountains](https://www.cairngormreindeer.co.uk/2017/12/29/out-on-the-mountains/) - Hello again, this is Oliver the reindeer herder, and yet again I have been polietly asked to do a blog. I know that others are writing much more interesting blogs than I, but hey ho! This blog is about the weather (not a forecast of the week), and not just any weather, but the reindeer
- [A different view of Christmas](https://www.cairngormreindeer.co.uk/2017/12/22/a-different-view-of-christmas/) - I’ve been helping up at Reindeer House for a good few years now and, after moving back to England, have had to supplement my reindeer fix with helping at Christmas events near to home. I thought it might be interesting to put together a few thoughts and impressions gathered over the years. I never cease
- [The making of the Cairngorms](https://www.cairngormreindeer.co.uk/2017/12/15/the-making-of-the-cairngorms/) - Our reindeer roaming here in the highlands of Scotland live in a truly unique landscape, that has been sculpted over the centuries. However, the formation of the Cairngorms is not known by many, and so here I've summarised a brief part of it to explain how the reindeer got their home. The Cairngorms are underlain
- [Fly Obituary](https://www.cairngormreindeer.co.uk/2024/07/05/fly-obituary/) - We have written much in the past about one of our wonderful female reindeer, Fly. She has been one of the more iconic females in our herd over the years and as she was so dominant (and greedy) this meant she was a good leader during the winter months when we were fetching the herd.
- [Antlers vs Horns - What is the difference?](https://www.cairngormreindeer.co.uk/2015/06/19/antlers-vs-horns-what-is-the-difference/) - Many people who come and visit the reindeer want to know the answer to this very question: What is the difference between antler and horn? Antlers First of all, just in case you are in any doubt, reindeer grow antlers, not horns! Many folk ask us what antlers are made of and ‘are they made of
- [Volunteer Blog: Emm's visit - April 2023](https://www.cairngormreindeer.co.uk/2024/07/19/volunteer-blog-emms-visit-april-2023/) - On my first day I headed up to the hill enclosure with Ben and was very excited to see the reindeer again, our last trip being in December the previous year. We checked the herd and found that Torch was missing, not coming down for breakfast, so Ben went off to find and check on
- [Heading off for the summer](https://www.cairngormreindeer.co.uk/2024/07/12/heading-off-for-the-summer/) - Back in late May, our thoughts start to turn to getting the cows and calves out of the hill enclosure, so they can spend the summer months free-ranging on the mountains, getting peace and quiet and the best of the grazing, and the cows can teach their calves the lie of the land too. In
- [The School of Tour](https://www.cairngormreindeer.co.uk/2017/12/08/the-school-of-tour/) - I added up how many years I'd been involved in Christmas tour with the reindeer the other day, and was astounded to realise that this was my eighth season. As I frequently tell visitors, "I only came for the summer!" but I seem to have fallen under the spell of the reindeer and the Cairngorms.
- [Tour time begins..](https://www.cairngormreindeer.co.uk/2017/12/01/tour-time-begins/) - A couple of weeks ago saw the start of my experience of 'Christmas Tour' - the fabled hectic time of Christmas at Reindeer House, working away at events all over the UK. To kick me off, I had a week with the wonderful Hen and Andi in the far-flung lands of Cardiff and Yorkshire. Much
- [Snow has arrived!](https://www.cairngormreindeer.co.uk/2017/11/24/snow-has-arrived/) - Up here on the Cairngorms (as well as many other places in Scotland), the first proper snow has arrived. As much of our blogging and online posts recently have been about our Christmas tours, I thought I would share with you all some photos, to remind you all where our reindeer live for most of
- [Adopters’ Open Day at the Cairngorm Reindeer Centre](https://www.cairngormreindeer.co.uk/2017/11/03/adopters-open-day-at-the-cairngorm-reindeer-centre/) - Back in 2012, when we got to the 60th year of the Cairngorm Reindeer Herd, we thought we ought to mark the occasion in some way. Therefore, in the October of that year, we ran a special weekend aimed at all our amazing reindeer adopters, who show us so much support from year to year,
- [How reindeer herding changes me](https://www.cairngormreindeer.co.uk/2017/11/17/how-reindeer-herding-changes-me/) - My name is Emm Cassidy and I come and volunteer at the Cairngorm Reindeer Centre for a week at a time which happens normally about once or twice a year. I live in the county of Worcestershire in a little village called Astwood Bank with my mum and dad. I am normally a very anxious
- [Adopter's 65th Anniversary Weekend: Part 2](https://www.cairngormreindeer.co.uk/2017/11/10/adopters-65th-anniversary-weekend-part-2/) - Here’s a wee round up of day two of our 65th Anniversary weekend… After a good night’s kip we were all up bright and early (well, early at least, not sure about the bright!) for another day of fun, this time over at our Glenlivet hill farm. We have a second base there, about an
- [Boomerang reindeer](https://www.cairngormreindeer.co.uk/2017/10/27/boomerang-reindeer/) - After all summer wandering out on the free range, the females come back to the enclosure and we check them and separate who we need for the rut and who can go back out. This year, three of the girls going back out were Sambar, Okapi, and Cailin. They have been known to return occasionally,
- [How does Svalbard get his name?](https://www.cairngormreindeer.co.uk/2017/10/20/how-does-svalbard-get-his-name/) - Each year all the calves are named in September after spending the first four months of their lives free-ranging in the Cairngorms. Every year we select a theme to name the calves by. In 2011 the theme was "Games and Past Times"; as a result we have Scrabble, Rubiks, Rummy, Origami, Monopoly, Puzzle and Jenga
- [Why the reindeer loves its mushrooms](https://www.cairngormreindeer.co.uk/2017/10/13/why-the-reindeer-loves-its-mushrooms/) - For those of you who forage, or for those of you who are naturalists, or even for those of you who aren’t, you’ll know that now is the time for mushrooms. The reindeer know this too, and they have long clocked into the secret of where the best places are, and at this time of
- [All Silent On The Hill](https://www.cairngormreindeer.co.uk/2017/10/06/all-silent-on-the-hill/) - All silent on the hill - just the wind, maybe a raven overhead. Then, in amongst the herd, surrounded by soft clicking as the reindeer move around us. Easy to stand with eyes closed and hear how they move, where they are, feeling a timeless sense of ‘reindeer-ness’ that stretches way over the northern lands.
- [When the cats are away...](https://www.cairngormreindeer.co.uk/2017/09/29/when-the-cats-are-away/) - For those of you who have been up on our hill trips you will know that we carry hessian sacks of reindeer food up with us each day. We do this partially to ensure we don’t over graze our hill enclosure and partially as a bribe so we know the reindeer will show up on
- [A Recovery Mission](https://www.cairngormreindeer.co.uk/2017/09/22/a-recovery-mission/) - Whilst many of our visitors come and meet some of our reindeer, mostly the males, in our hill enclosure, it's great to remember that our herd all get to free-range for part of the year. The males, who are a little lazy at times and can't be relied on to actually go and 'be' reindeer,
- [A Visitor's View](https://www.cairngormreindeer.co.uk/2017/09/15/a-visitors-view/) - Once or twice each day, we take a group of people up the hill to see the reindeer in their natural habitat. Many people cannot believe how friendly and inquisitive (and often greedy!) they are, and it can be wonderful for us to see visitors' reactions to these wonderful creatures. Its interesting for us to
- [Memorable reindeer of the past: Minstrel](https://www.cairngormreindeer.co.uk/2017/09/08/memorable-reindeer-of-the-past-minstrel/) - Having been brought up with the reindeer I have had numerous favourites during that time, one of which was Minstrel. He was a dark coloured male and born in 1998 into the sweetie and chocolates theme. I was 11 when he was born. I remember when he was just 1-2 years old he became quite
- [How does a reindeer see the world?](https://www.cairngormreindeer.co.uk/2017/09/01/how-does-a-reindeer-see-the-world/) - We always encourage questions on our Hill Trips; some are simple to answer whilst others get us thinking more and this particular question even inspired me to write a blog! “Are reindeer colour blind?” The simple answer is... no. Reindeer, like other species of deer, are not colour blind, although they do see the world
- [A Pied Wagtail story](https://www.cairngormreindeer.co.uk/2017/08/25/a-pied-wagtail-story/) - Up on the hill in our 1200 acre enclosure there is a shed. We use the shed to house sick reindeer, catch the wild ones, and store all our hill-working tools and materials. For the last couple of months we have had a visitor in our shed on the hill. A little female Pied Wagtail
- [Identifying reindeer: A summer guide](https://www.cairngormreindeer.co.uk/2017/08/18/identifying-reindeer-a-summer-guide/) - Every reindeer has their own name, based on a different theme every year. Last year the theme was ancient civilisations but we have also had more ridiculous themes such as pop stars (Elvis, Marley, Blondie) and cheeses (Feta, Mozzarella, Brie). However, with almost 160 reindeer in the herd, there is a lot of reindeer to
- [A Picture Paints a Thousand Words](https://www.cairngormreindeer.co.uk/2017/08/11/a-picture-paints-a-thousand-words/) - Hello, my name is Olly; I’ve been working at the Reindeer Centre (on and off) for about 3 years now. I first came up volunteering for work experience when I was studying Countryside conservation and Wildlife management at Sparsholt College. I started once more this season in May and since being here there hasn’t been
- [All you ever want to know about leucism](https://www.cairngormreindeer.co.uk/2017/08/04/all-you-ever-want-to-know-about-leucism/) - So what’s the deal with leucism? Are all white reindeer leucistic? Are all leucistic reindeer deaf? How is leucism passed on? How is leucism different to Albinism? These are questions I have pondered while fixing the boardwalk, closely accompanied by Blue, our male leucistic reindeer. The subject of leucism is quite hotly debated and seems
- [Bulls Over The Years](https://www.cairngormreindeer.co.uk/2017/07/28/bulls-over-the-years/) - The Cairngorm Reindeer Herd was established in 1952 so over the past 65 years there have been many main breeding bulls so here is a little sum up. I can only tell you about the ones I remember but there were many bulls before my time as well. I’ll try to inspire Tilly (or Alan)
- [Fergus comes to visit..](https://www.cairngormreindeer.co.uk/2017/07/21/fergus-comes-to-visit/) - The reindeer all take turns throughout the year to do a two week spell in the paddocks and this time it was Fergus’s turn. We planned it so it was around Mel’s birthday, as being his adopted mother two years ago we thought she’d like a wee visit from him. We didn’t tell her he
- [Differences and Similarities](https://www.cairngormreindeer.co.uk/2017/07/14/differences-and-similarities/) - One of our visitors recently decided to adopt a reindeer they’d met at the Centre, but called us up when they received their pack to let us know that we’d sent a photo of the wrong reindeer. The reindeer they’d met had been a pale brown, with a thick shaggy coat and small antlers, whereas
- [Who's who at Reindeer House (Part 1)](https://www.cairngormreindeer.co.uk/2017/07/07/whos-who-at-reindeer-house-part-1/) - Times are a-changing and we thought we’d keep all you lovely readers informed with who is working here at Reindeer House. People have left, people have arrived, but the reindeer herding goes on… So here goes: Imogen and Abby (aka The Fierce and The Fluff) who both worked here for a few years have left
- [Yellow’s on the Broom](https://www.cairngormreindeer.co.uk/2017/06/30/yellows-on-the-broom/) - This is the title of a Scottish song about the Travellers (sometimes called Tinkers) who lived a nomadic life which often settled for a short while during the harder winter months. The lyrics show the Traveller anxious for Spring and a new start to traveling. The guided walk out to the reindeer herd at this time
- [Memorable reindeer of the past: Comet](https://www.cairngormreindeer.co.uk/2017/06/23/memorable-reindeer-of-the-past-comet/) - Comet was already an old reindeer when I first arrived, but none the less he was still a very visible member of the herd. When our male reindeer get to about 7 or 8, there is a tendency for them to spend more and more time over at our farm where Tilly sees them daily
- [Guess the theme: Trees and Antlers](https://www.cairngormreindeer.co.uk/2017/06/16/guess-the-theme-trees-and-antlers/) - It’s amazing what useless facts you can come across and one such fact was in a booklet I was thumbing through about farm woodlands. In the ‘did you know’ section was the fastest growing tree in the world, the Royal Empress or Foxglove Tree Paulownia tomentosa . Native to central and western China the tree
- [Looking Back Part 2: The Norwegian Reindeer](https://www.cairngormreindeer.co.uk/2017/06/09/looking-back-part-2-the-norwegian-reindeer/) - Recently a Norwegian man got in touch with us while writing a book about the reindeer populations in an area of southern Norway called Setesdal, so I dug out the old records to see what info I could help him with. While most of our herd originated from Sweden (see Looking Back: Part 1), in
- [Reindeer of the Southern Hemisphere](https://www.cairngormreindeer.co.uk/2017/06/02/reindeer-of-the-southern-hemisphere/) - I’m from New Zealand so anything Southern Hemisphere-related reminds me of home.. I have been doing some research about any reindeer activity in the Southern Hemisphere. As we all know reindeer are native to the Arctic region but it appears they quite like the Antarctic region as well. Though animals introduced outside their native land
- [The growing up of the calves](https://www.cairngormreindeer.co.uk/2017/05/26/the-growing-up-of-the-calves/) - Spring is flying by - the trees are finally in leaf and the flowers are poking their heads out here on the Cairngorms - but the passing of time is never more obvious than in the growing of the calves. When the females calve, we move them and their calves into the nursery area up
- [A lesson in Reindeer taxonomy](https://www.cairngormreindeer.co.uk/2017/05/19/a-lesson-in-reindeer-taxonomy/) - Here at the Reindeer Centre we spend much of our time working with reindeer and teaching people about them. It therefore came as a surprise to many of us how much reindeer taxonomy we didn't know! Because of this, I've put together a blog to teach everyone all they need to know about where our
- [Spring has sprung, calving has begun](https://www.cairngormreindeer.co.uk/2017/05/12/spring-has-sprung-calving-has-begun/) - May is here, and with it comes the first of our reindeer calves of the year! They are long-legged and lovely, stumbling around finding their feet and flopping down in a heap of fur and legs on the heather. As with many animals, the reindeer seem to prefer calving early morning. So much to our delight, we start
- [Looking back: The arrival of the first reindeer](https://www.cairngormreindeer.co.uk/2017/05/05/looking-back-the-arrival-of-the-first-reindeer/) - 2017 is our 65th anniversary, and just lately I’ve been trawling through the records of the reindeer herd for one reason or another. As such I’m feeling a bit nostalgic, and think it is time I started another occasional blog series, this time about the history of our herd. If you’ve been on a Hill
- [Reindeer calving: Can we predict whether there will be more males or females born?](https://www.cairngormreindeer.co.uk/2017/04/28/reindeer-calving-can-we-predict-whether-there-will-be-more-males-or-females-born/) - It has been an exceptionally mild winter here in the Cairngorms; the ski season never really seemed to kick off, the herders are missing the snow and it has just felt a bit wetter and warmer than usual. I’m sure you’ve noticed how early the snowdrops and daffodils seem to have emerged and we have
- [Spring](https://www.cairngormreindeer.co.uk/2017/04/14/spring/) - As the year rolls from March into April, here in the Highlands we start to see more definite signs of spring. The snowdrops have of course been and gone, but now the daffodils are out in their full glory, along with primroses and crocuses. There is a noticeable difference in the grass too – during
- [Scottish Rural Awards](https://www.cairngormreindeer.co.uk/2017/04/07/scottish-rural-awards/) - A few months ago, we found out that we had been nominated for an award for rural tourism at the Scottish Rural Awards ceremony being held mid-March at Dynamic Earth in Edinburgh. We still aren’t entirely sure who nominated us so if anyone can shed light on this please do. There were 13 awards altogether
- [Two blondes, a truck and 6 reindeer](https://www.cairngormreindeer.co.uk/2017/03/17/two-blondes-a-truck-and-6-reindeer/) - So you’ve all heard a bit from ‘Team Handi’ (Hen and Andi) on tour at Christmas but thought I’d do a wee write up of my travels round the country during November and December 2016. For my main stint away I was with newbie truck driver, but not newbie reindeer herder, Eve. We set off
- [Memorable reindeer of the past: Eco](https://www.cairngormreindeer.co.uk/2017/03/31/memorable-reindeer-of-the-past-eco/) - Featured Image: Eco and Santa having a moment at one of our Christmas events. Eco probably wanted to know where Santa was hiding the lichen! Every reindeer herder working here remembers the calves here when they first started, who tend to go on to hold a special place to them in the herd as the
- [What happens in the office stays in the office…](https://www.cairngormreindeer.co.uk/2017/03/24/what-happens-in-the-office-stays-in-the-office/) - I thought for a wee change I’d write a bit about one of the most important parts of the Reindeer Company, without which we could not function as a business and place of many a giggle and frustrated sigh. It is… The Office. Reindeer herding is an unparalleled job for variety and us herders cover
- [Keeping Warm](https://www.cairngormreindeer.co.uk/2017/02/03/keeping-warm/) - Reindeer are the past masters at keeping warm. When you evolve to live in temperatures below minus 30 Celsius then you need all your wits about you to keep warm. To begin with they have an extremely dense winter coat, 2,000 hairs to the square centimetre although I have to confess to not having confirmed
- [Who's Who](https://www.cairngormreindeer.co.uk/2017/03/10/whos-who/) - Visitors are often surprised to find that every reindeer in our 150-strong herd has a name, and borderline astounded that we can identify them all at a glance. It’s important to us that we do know them as well as we do, as if one is a little under the weather it means we can
- [Spring Buds](https://www.cairngormreindeer.co.uk/2017/03/03/spring-buds/) - If I was a gardener I would be looking out for the first signs of spring, daffodils pushing out of the ground and buds beginning to form on the trees. But I’m not. I’m a reindeer herder so the buds of spring I look out for are the newly growing reindeer antlers which begin to
- [A Jolly January!](https://www.cairngormreindeer.co.uk/2017/02/24/a-jolly-january/) - As many of you know we close for 4-5 weeks between the school holidays in January / February. This year some of my colleagues had lots of exciting places to go lined up - Thailand, Namibia, New Zealand, Wales and for me just bonny Scotland! Myself, Hen and Andi were the (hard) core staff over
- [Back in business](https://www.cairngormreindeer.co.uk/2017/02/17/back-in-business/) - Well, we’ve had our annual month of closure to the public and are now open again for hill trips! The weather hasn’t been too horrendous this winter and most of us here are really missing the snow; we are all considering going off to the Alps for our skiing and snow fix! Of course, it
- [Emm Cassidy Volunteer Blog 3](https://www.cairngormreindeer.co.uk/2017/02/10/emm-cassidy-volunteer-blog-3/) - The final installment of Emm's blog from volunteering with us in the summer. It was great working with Emm and we're looking forward to seeing her later in the year. I'm sure Mo is too! Thanks for writing such wonderful blogs Emm, and we'll see you soon! Day 5 In the morning, we went to
- [Emm Cassidy Volunteer Blog 2](https://www.cairngormreindeer.co.uk/2017/01/27/emm-cassidy-volunteer-day-2/) - The second installment in Emm Cassidy's volunteering blog. This is the second of three and this week Emm got to meet lots of dogs as well as the reindeer! Day 2 I turned up at Reindeer House at 8am forgetting it was an 8:30am starts as it was a week day and I met Dave
- [January](https://www.cairngormreindeer.co.uk/2017/01/20/january/) - In January, we are closed to the public, and it's the time of the year when we all take the opportunity to take holidays and have a bit of a break. There's still plenty to get on with though at the Centre - the reindeer are all free-ranging but we still feed them daily, if
- [Landrovers and lovely locations](https://www.cairngormreindeer.co.uk/2017/01/13/landrovers-and-lovely-locations/) - Here at the Reindeer Centre, unsurprisingly, requests for some modelling reindeer are not uncommon, particularly around the Christmas season. Of course a change of scenery is always exciting for both reindeer and herders, most of the photo shoots and filming sets can be of a similar ilk. However, when we got a call from Land
- [Emm Cassidy Volunteer Blog 1](https://www.cairngormreindeer.co.uk/2017/01/06/emm-cassidy-volunteer-blog-1/) - As a little winter treat to remind us of the better weather we had in the summer, we now have a series of blogs from volunteer and adopter Emm Cassidy who came to visit us in August. This is the first of three installments. We hope you enjoy! My name is Emm Cassidy and I
- [Rounding up 2016](https://www.cairngormreindeer.co.uk/2016/12/30/rounding-up-2016/) - 2016 has been a very busy year for us here at the Reindeer Centre for both us herders and the reindeer. Of course, the reindeer have been the stars of the show and us herders have just played background roles, so I thought to end the year we would have a little blog with some
- [Olympic](https://www.cairngormreindeer.co.uk/2016/12/23/olympic/) - We all have favourite reindeer in the herd and over the years I had a very special reindeer, Beauty, who I hand-reared, back in 1993. Beauty’s mother Sorrel died when Beauty was born and I became her mother, a relationship which lasted her whole life even though she had calves of her own. Indeed I
- [A Second Day in the Life of a Herder on Tour](https://www.cairngormreindeer.co.uk/2016/12/16/a-second-day-in-the-life-of-a-herder-on-tour/) - It’s a couple of days since I wrote my last blog and I’m on a roll, so here’s another. We’ve travelled back to South Wales from Cornwall, and there’s another event to be done. 7.45am: Once I again I greet my alarm clock with despair, and consider whether I would be better suited to a
- [A Day in The Life of a Herder on Tour](https://www.cairngormreindeer.co.uk/2016/12/02/a-day-in-the-life-of-a-herder-on-tour/) - I thought I'd enlighten readers of a typical day in the life of a reindeer herder on tour. 7.30am: Anyone who knows me will know that I am terrible in the mornings, so my alarm clock is greeted with the usual feeling of utter horror, quickly followed by extreme distress. Fiona (my manager at Reindeer
- [What reindeer would you…?](https://www.cairngormreindeer.co.uk/2016/12/09/what-reindeer-would-you/) - Over the summer during a rather (tipsy) evening, us herders got on to the topic of which reindeer would make good plumbers, friends, travel companions etc… It turned out to be illuminating and hilarious, so here are four of us giving our thoughts – hopefully it’ll be an entertaining insight into our beloved reindeer characters!
- [Christmas Fun](https://www.cairngormreindeer.co.uk/2016/11/25/christmas-fun/) - Well, there's no escaping it now. There's only a month until C-day and here at the Centre we are getting geared up for another busy festive season. We have already munched a fair few mince pies and started reviewing the different mulled wine options available from supermarkets (in the evenings!) as we have been doing
- [Memorable reindeer: Amber](https://www.cairngormreindeer.co.uk/2016/11/18/memorable-reindeer-amber/) - Amber was one of the very first reindeer I remember meeting when I arrived back in 2007. At that time she was in the hill enclosure with her 6-month-old son, Go. Both were very tame and friendly, and with her distinctive curved antlers, I found her easy to recognise amongst the sea of reindeer I
- [In the beginning...](https://www.cairngormreindeer.co.uk/2016/11/11/in-the-beginning/) - Throughout much of the western world, the creation story known is that of Adam and Eve, and perhaps this is the most well-known. The Sámi, however, believe that in the beginning there was only the Sun and the Earth. The Sun was the father, and the Earth the mother, and together they created a Son.
- [Filming reindeer](https://www.cairngormreindeer.co.uk/2016/11/04/filming-reindeer/) - They say you should avoid filming with children and animals and there is no doubt that both can be unpredictable. However in the case of our reindeer I think there is an exception to the rule and whether we are filming with celebrities or for natural history our reindeer are always very amenable, willing and
- [The Kincraig Fayre](https://www.cairngormreindeer.co.uk/2016/10/28/the-kincraig-fayre/) - Recently we attended the Kincraig Fayre. We threw a few reindeer in the trailer and drove down the road. Kincraig is only 15 miles from the Centre so we headed out for the afternoon. Kincraig is a small highland village in the Strathspey, and every year we attend the Kincraig fayre; it is a great
- [Summer 2016 Volunteers](https://www.cairngormreindeer.co.uk/2016/10/21/summer-2016-volunteers/) - So as many of you know we have various folk who volunteer their time and come and work alongside us. This may be for a week or even slightly longer depending on the circumstances. Often they are doing placement work through university or college but sometimes they just want a change of scenery from their
- [The Rut](https://www.cairngormreindeer.co.uk/2016/10/14/the-rut/) - It's an exciting time of year here at the Reindeer Centre as we are now well into the rut. Our main breeding bulls are looking fantastic with their bony antlers, thick necks and chubby bellies. The girls are also looking brilliant after a summer out on the free-range getting lots of tasty morsels and running
- [Fergus](https://www.cairngormreindeer.co.uk/2016/10/07/fergus/) - Well, he stole the hearts of many a visitor last year and we are often asked for updates on the boy, so I thought I'd do a quick blog about the naughty man. I am, of course, talking about the darling little Fergus! In June 2015, Foil gave birth to a baby boy. She was
- [Luciferous Logolepsy](https://www.cairngormreindeer.co.uk/2016/09/30/luciferous-logolepsy/) - Exploring the meanings of unusual words and the Reindeer hoose Office wall... To explain this rather dubious title, in our humble office here at Reindeer House there is a list of rather obscure words stuck to our wall: things like Jargogles, Apricity and Twattle. the latter meaning to gossip or talk idly - a lot
- [Reindeer, anthrax and climate](https://www.cairngormreindeer.co.uk/2016/09/23/reindeer-anthrax-and-climate/) - Recently via Twitter we were moved at the news of an anthrax outbreak in Western Siberia, the Yamalo-Nenets region, which has hospitalised over 90 reindeer herders and caused the deaths of almost 2,500 reindeer. The nomadic families herding reindeer across the area were evacuated or vaccinated - authorities are aiming to vaccinate over 40,000 reindeer.
- [Three old girls](https://www.cairngormreindeer.co.uk/2016/09/16/three-old-girls/) - A few weeks ago Julia was doing one of our guided tours onto the hill with the public when Tuppence, one of our 15-year-old females just turned up. She must have been waiting outside the visitor gate and a visitor let her in thinking that’s where she was meant to be. So for the last
- [It's a strip-tease!](https://www.cairngormreindeer.co.uk/2016/09/09/its-a-strip-tease/) - Autumn is definitely here now, even if we have tried to ignore the fact the leaves are turning and days getting shorter… however it’s not all bad cos it’s the time of year that reindeer are looking at their absolute best. The past 5 months have been full on for the bulls growing these enormous
- [Grunter, The Monsterful (meaning wonderful and extra ordinary)](https://www.cairngormreindeer.co.uk/2016/09/02/grunter-the-monsterful-meaning-wonderful-and-extra-ordinary/) - I remember the day Grunter was born. Dixie, his mum, was only two years old at the time and rather than taking herself away from the herd to find a nice wee spot to calve she stuck with them and joined in with our daily guided tour. Things all happened very fast for her and
- [Dinner Date](https://www.cairngormreindeer.co.uk/2016/08/26/dinner-date/) - So there is often great confusion over what reindeer like to nom on and if you ever find yourself in that special situation where your dinner date is a reindeer we would hate for you to be unprepared! The key to any nice dinner is of course a nice accompanying beverage; reindeer love fresh water
- [Romford Retailer becomes a Cairngorm Reindeer Herder: Part 3](https://www.cairngormreindeer.co.uk/2016/08/19/romford-retailer-becomes-a-cairngorm-reindeer-herder-part-3/) - This is the third and final installment of Sonya's blog about her week volunteering with us and the reindeer. Thanks so much again to Sonya for all of her hard work and we hope you have enjoyed reading all about what our volunteers and staff get up to on a daily basis! (Here's a handy
- [Added Extras](https://www.cairngormreindeer.co.uk/2016/08/12/added-extras/) - So as most, if not all of you know, Glenmore where we are based and the surrounding area is rich in wildlife, and it is always a delight to see other creatures on our walks to the reindeer, as well as the reindeer themselves. It's been such lovely weather recently and we have seen and
- [Taking the Plunge](https://www.cairngormreindeer.co.uk/2016/08/05/taking-the-plunge/) - For the past few years we have run an ‘in house’ competition to guess which reindeer will calve first. It’s restricted to reindeer herders and based on our knowledge of individual reindeer, when they ran with the bull, how rotund they look and their past history of calving we each choose a reindeer. The winner
- [Romford Retailer becomes a Cairngorm Reindeer Herder: Part 2](https://www.cairngormreindeer.co.uk/2016/07/29/romford-retailer-becomes-a-cairngorm-reindeer-herder-part-2/) - The second installment of Sonya's blog about volunteering is here! The weather isn't so great in this blog but Sonya's enthusiasm shines through. If you missed the first installment, here's a link to days 1 and 2 of Sonya's week with us. Day Three The weather is dreadful today, I have become obsessed with the
- [Romford Retailer becomes a Cairngorm Reindeer Herder](https://www.cairngormreindeer.co.uk/2016/07/15/romford-retailer-becomes-a-cairngorm-reindeer-herder/) - Sonya, author of this blog, came up to us in June to volunteer with our beautiful reindeer. She has very kindly written us a blog about her experience, and we will be sharing it over the next few weeks. Thanks so much to Sonya for coming along and being so helpful, and we really hope
- [Summer solstice and reindeer herding!](https://www.cairngormreindeer.co.uk/2016/07/22/summer-solstice-and-reindeer-herding/) - For me the summer solstice always fell on June 21st and I never knew otherwise however apparently this year it was on the 20th… Something to do with being a leap year?!? Anyway to mark the occasion it’s always quite nice to do something, whether we get a group of folk together and have a
- [Glenlivet visitors](https://www.cairngormreindeer.co.uk/2016/07/08/glenlivet-visitors/) - Spring and early summer is a wonderful time here at Glenlivet because the farm comes alive with very noisy breeding birds, in particular waders like Curlew, Oyster catchers and Lapwings. All three species are ground nesting so vulnerable to disturbance, intensive farming and predation. Because of the remote nature of Glenlivet area, the traditional way
- [The Springtime Recruit](https://www.cairngormreindeer.co.uk/2016/07/01/the-springtime-recruit/) - Hello. I’d like to introduce myself. My name is Dave. Yes I am male. I am the first male Reindeer Herder for 100 years and it shows! (Editor's note: This isn't true...) “If you fancy using your man skills and fixing something around here, we’d be pleased.” I heard this line four times on my
- [My, how you've grown!](https://www.cairngormreindeer.co.uk/2016/06/10/my-how-youve-grown/) - Some of you may already know this female reindeer, Ryvita. If you don’t then she is a 7 year old mature female who has a lovely nature and, like most the other reindeer in the herd, is super greedy! Over the past three years she has had her daughter Cheese by her side as she
- [The Early Shift](https://www.cairngormreindeer.co.uk/2016/06/03/the-early-shift/) - No job with animals is entirely "9 til 5". As reindeer herders, we normally work from 8am to 5pm. In calving season, however, this becomes rather more flexible. When cows are ready to give birth, they tend to head away from the herd to find a nice secluded spot, which in our 1,200 acre enclosure
- [Another tale from Glenlivet](https://www.cairngormreindeer.co.uk/2016/05/27/another-tale-from-glenlivet/) - As most of you know part of the Cairngorm reindeer herd lives over near Tomintoul on the Glenlivet Estate. We first took part of the herd over to our hill farm back in the early 1990’s and to this day the herd is split between Glenlivet and Cairngorm. Over the winter months the reindeer at
- [Normal Service Resumes](https://www.cairngormreindeer.co.uk/2016/02/12/normal-service-resumes/) - We’re back! As you regular readers will know, the Reindeer Centre has been closed to the public for about 5 weeks while we spruce the place up for all you lovely people, and get all the maintenance jobs done after yet another busy year. We opened back up last Saturday and awaited the masses with
- [Memorable Reindeer of the Past: Flake](https://www.cairngormreindeer.co.uk/2016/02/19/memorable-reindeer-of-the-past-flake/) - I thought maybe I’d start an occasional blog series remembering particular characters in the herd who are no longer with us, because some readers amongst you may have met them once upon a time, and those of you that didn’t can at least have a brief glimpse of some of the most memorable reindeer from
- [Starting a new life](https://www.cairngormreindeer.co.uk/2016/02/26/starting-a-new-life/) - Just over a week ago, I waved goodbye to my work colleagues in London, where I'd lived for eleven years, jumped in a van, and travelled the 500 miles (so cliche!) to Glenmore to begin my new life at Reindeer House. Three years volunteering with the herd during holidays seeded the thought of moving at
- [There's no such thing as bad weather](https://www.cairngormreindeer.co.uk/2016/03/04/theres-no-such-thing-as-bad-weather/) - "There’s no such thing as bad weather... only unsuitable clothing..." This is very much the mantra us reindeer herders live by and there are unfortunately even days here in the Cairngorms where our beautiful "office" on the mountains leaks and gets a wee bit blustery. This is never more emphasized than during the winter months
- [Antlers for sale](https://www.cairngormreindeer.co.uk/2016/03/11/antlers-for-sale/) - Each year every member of our 150-strong herd (well, with just a handful of exceptions... Malawi, Dixie...) grows a pair of antlers. And every winter, at some point between November and May, those same antlers are naturally cast so the owner can grow a (theoretically) bigger, better set the next year. Over the winter months,
- [Has Spring Sprung?](https://www.cairngormreindeer.co.uk/2016/03/18/is-spring-sprung/) - You’ll all have noticed on our Facebook page the lovely snowy photos we’ve been taking with the reindeer. When news channels report that it’s going to be warm and sunny, that the daffodils are out and spring is in the air, we are usually still huddled under our blankets, heating on full with no sign
- [Always be prepared...](https://www.cairngormreindeer.co.uk/2016/03/25/always-be-prepared/) - At the beginning of March an event occurred in the Cairngorms which only happens once every three years… El Nino or meteor showers you may ask, no, the Reindeer Herders got our First Aid training! On a snowy morning we all headed down to our local village of Kincraig to meet our wonderful trainer Pete
- [Dressed for Winter](https://www.cairngormreindeer.co.uk/2016/04/01/dressed-for-winter/) - ‘There is no such thing as bad weather, merely unsuitable clothing’. It’s a great phrase this and one that is on display in the Reindeer Centre, to warn people to be well prepared for the hill visit to the reindeer (even in summer sometimes!). In the animal kingdom, a number of the arctic animals change
- [Memorable Reindeer of the Past: Arnish](https://www.cairngormreindeer.co.uk/2016/04/08/memorable-reindeer-of-the-past-arnish/) - One of my favourite reindeer when I first arrived was Arnish. To start with this was possibly because she was so distinctive as she didn’t grow any antlers, making her one of the very first reindeer in the herd that I learnt, but quickly my reasoning changed and simply became because she was just so,
- [Annual Vaccinations](https://www.cairngormreindeer.co.uk/2016/04/15/annual-vaccinations/) - Annually, every single reindeer in the herd must get a routine vaccination to protect them against various diseases. This is an injection that can leave them feeling a bit worse for wear the next day, but it’s only for 24 hours and as it's important injection they just have to suck it up! Our herd
- [How to keep a herder happy, or trials and tribulations of herding](https://www.cairngormreindeer.co.uk/2016/04/22/how-to-keep-a-herder-happy-or-trials-and-tribulations-of-herding/) - As you may know reindeer herding isn’t quite as simple as it may first appear, one very common question we are faced with is, is reindeer herding all you do? We’re a wee team here with five core staff and we literally do everything between us which can be quite entertaining when we’re performing office
- [The Calm before the Storm](https://www.cairngormreindeer.co.uk/2016/04/29/the-calm-before-the-storm/) - It is the morning of April 29th, and it is the calm before the storm - the reindeer calving season. All was quiet this morning on the hill, but a sea of large pregnant bellies greeted Sarah and I in the enclosure, ready and waiting… Having spent the first few months of the year free-ranging
- [Cairngorms Nature Festival](https://www.cairngormreindeer.co.uk/2016/05/06/cairngorms-nature-festival/) - Yo! So this blog is a wee bit different, of course there’ll be a wee bit of reindeer chat - what’s a reindeer blog without the reindeer! However, this week we thought we’d plug some of the fab things going on in the Cairngorms next weekend for the Cairngorms Nature Festival – if you’re around
- [Superstitions](https://www.cairngormreindeer.co.uk/2016/05/13/superstitions/) - Since it’s Friday the 13th, I thought I would try to write up a blog about superstitions from reindeer herders around the world. I thought it would be a fairly easy subject to research, but it turns out it is rather difficult and trying to determine what was actually believed way back when, and what
- [Rounding up Winter](https://www.cairngormreindeer.co.uk/2016/05/20/rounding-up-winter/) - So as it's almost summer and I’m having a bit of a phone clear out of all the photos and thought who would most enjoy all my winter reindeer ones… everyone online! It was only 6 months ago I managed to upgrade my trusty old button phone to a smart one so I’ve been making
- [Reindeer Geocaching](https://www.cairngormreindeer.co.uk/2016/06/17/reindeer-geocaching/) - Whilst some of you may have heard of the pastime of geocaching, others may not, so I'll start my story with a wee definition to give you all some background. Geocaching.com, the hub for geocachers the world over, describes it as: "Geocaching is a real-world, outdoor treasure hunting game using GPS-enabled devices. Participants navigate to
- [#Let me take a selfie](https://www.cairngormreindeer.co.uk/2016/06/24/let-me-take-a-selfie/) - All you eagle-eyed social media geniuses would have noticed the anouncement that we are now on Instagram! Instagram is another social media site that is mainly based around photographs. We haven't got too many photos up yet but hopefully we will get lots more up over the coming months. Our instagram name is @cairngormreindeer, so
- [Cows with careers!](https://www.cairngormreindeer.co.uk/2015/09/25/cows-with-careers/) - As some of you may know our female reindeer spend the vast majority of their year pootling about on the Cairngorms in theory not getting into trouble! There are but two times of year when we bring them into our hill enclosure and one of the most important is ready for the breeding season in
- [The challenge of the ‘adopt photo’](https://www.cairngormreindeer.co.uk/2015/10/02/the-challenge-of-the-adopt-photo/) - Each year, September and October become stressful months for me. Although the crazily busy summer season has passed and some sense of normality is returning to the slightly frazzled reindeer herders (shortly to be removed by the onset of the Christmas season, however), autumn is the season of ‘adopt photos’. This is my responsibility (although
- [Awesome autumn](https://www.cairngormreindeer.co.uk/2015/10/09/awesome-autumn/) - The reindeer look superb in Autumn, with their fully grown antlers and thick winter coats just come through. Here's some photos to give you an idea of how good they're looking...
- [Introducing the bulls](https://www.cairngormreindeer.co.uk/2015/10/16/introducing-the-bulls/) - Since some of our female reindeer finally decided to join us at the hill enclosure, the rut has got underway. We use different sections of our 1,200 acre hill enclosure to help us manage the bulls during the rut, as it would be complete chaos if we just put them all in together and left
- [Calf Training 101](https://www.cairngormreindeer.co.uk/2015/10/23/calf-training-101/) - October is a fun time of year as it’s when we train this year’s calves as well as harness training our young Christmas reindeer to pull Santa’s sleigh. Halter training and handling the calves makes them much tamer and easier to handle for the rest of their lives so even if they don’t end up
- [Disappearing Under Paperwork](https://www.cairngormreindeer.co.uk/2015/10/30/disappearing-under-paperwork/) - Newsletters. The very word strikes alarm into the heart of a reindeer herder. Twice a year, our very outdoorsy, active job becomes a little more office bound for a few days, as we frantically scrabble to prepare, write, and compile about 3000 words into a comprehensible piece of A3, and then mail it out to
- [A Reindeer Wedding](https://www.cairngormreindeer.co.uk/2015/11/06/a-reindeer-wedding/) - A few weekends ago a selection of our beautiful reindeer were invited to a wedding, with a special request for the lovely Fergus (the wee calf we are currently hand rearing). Along with Fergus we took four of our Christmas reindeer; Moose (an old hand at pulling the sleigh and wearing bells and harness), Svalbard
- [Getting Ready for Christmas (Tour)](https://www.cairngormreindeer.co.uk/2015/11/13/getting-ready-for-christmas-tour/) - Whilst our reindeer spend the vast majority of the year leading a very relaxed life out on the Cairngorm mountains, for the six weeks running up to Christmas, some of our full-grown adult males and six-month-old calves take it in turns to join in Christmas events across the country. These events serve several purposes: spreading the
- [River Stars Reindeer](https://www.cairngormreindeer.co.uk/2015/11/20/river-stars-reindeer/) - We're pleased to tell you about an exhibition we're helping to host up here in Glenmore. Life in the snow forests: 100-year-old photographs displayed for the first time Indigenous people from the snow forests of Inner Mongolia and Siberia have been reunited with century-old photographs of their family and communities as part of a research
- [Snow!](https://www.cairngormreindeer.co.uk/2015/12/04/snow/) - To any southerner just an inch of snow means great excitement, school closed for a week and the front page story on every newspaper! Having spent the first 18 years of my life living in Bristol, where the yearly day of snow is celebrated (before everything grinds to a halt) you can imagine my excitement
- [Truckin'](https://www.cairngormreindeer.co.uk/2015/12/11/truckin/) - For just six weeks a year, the normal job description of a reindeer herder changes a little, and many of us start driving massive trucks around the country. Well, 7.5 tonne trucks anyway, which are pretty big in comparison to our wee 3 tonne truck (affectionately named Brenda) who we use for day-to-day transport for the rest of
- [Mel's Marathon Madness](https://www.cairngormreindeer.co.uk/2015/11/27/mels-marathon-madness/) - I have decided to run the Paris Marathon in April 2016, what have I let myself in for! I will be raising money for Macmillan Cancer Support, aiming to reach a target of £1000. Luckily, working as a Reindeer Herder is fantastic fitness training….running around the mountains looking for free-ranging reindeer, carrying feed up the
- [Life on Tour](https://www.cairngormreindeer.co.uk/2015/12/18/life-on-tour/) - ‘Christmas’ for us reindeer herders, doesn’t just mean Dec 25th, but rather the entire period of November and December. After 7-8 weeks of (organised) chaos, hectic days and usually less than desirable weather, Christmas Day itself always seems a rather incidental event at the end of it all! While tour is frequently great fun, it
- [Very Merry Christmas Reindeer Crafty Fun](https://www.cairngormreindeer.co.uk/2015/12/25/very-merry-christmas-reindeer-crafty-fun/) - Today’s the day – Merry Christmas everyone! I hope you’re all having a lovely day and have eaten your weight in chocolate and cheese and are having a good rest. If your wee ones (or your big ones!) have already tired of some of their presents, then I have a very quick little Christmas decoration
- [Christmas Reindeer Chaos](https://www.cairngormreindeer.co.uk/2016/01/01/christmas-reindeer-chaos/) - As December dawned upon Glenmore the word ‘Christmas Fun’ began to be whispered amongst the herders, tinsel appeared and Christmas sneezed upon the Reindeer Centre once more. The Christmas period is one of our busiest times of year and we feel we should do something a wee bit extra special this is where Christmas Fun
- [Winter Holidays](https://www.cairngormreindeer.co.uk/2016/01/08/winter-holidays/) - As the schools go back, and the Christmas decorations, sleighs and harness are packed away at the end of another busy but successful season, the Reindeer Centre closes its doors to the public for a wee break. Of course we don't get an actual holiday, the reindeer still like to be fed, but we put
- [How to move your reindeer](https://www.cairngormreindeer.co.uk/2016/01/15/howtomoveyourreindeer/) - Visitors to the Centre often ask how on earth we get our free-ranging reindeer into the enclosure. The answer I give is "shake a bag of food"... whilst it sounds too simple, it can really be that easy. All of our herd are currently out on the mountains, but occasionally its easier to move them
- [Leaflet Award](https://www.cairngormreindeer.co.uk/2016/01/22/leaflet-award/) - We were delighted, if a little surprised, to find out that our leaflet had been entered into a competition by Landmark Press for best design, and amazingly, we won! Puddock was pleased to accept the award on our behalf! Thanks Landmark Press, and well done Emily for her awesome designing skills!
- [‘Snow deer’](https://www.cairngormreindeer.co.uk/2016/01/29/snow-deer/) - It has often amused me that the most arctic living of the deer species, i.e. reindeer and caribou are not called ‘snow deer’. Apart from the obvious and appropriate descriptive title of an animal so 'at home' in the snow, I have always thought it would have been a rather attractive name for them as
- [A Reindeer Herder's Job in January](https://www.cairngormreindeer.co.uk/2016/02/05/a-reindeer-herders-job-in-january/) - You all know Christmas is our busy time of year, however you also know that reindeer are not just for Christmas, so what happens after all the commercial pursuits we undertake and those many visits onto the hill throughout the year…? Well, this is a reindeer herder’s favourite time of the year as the Centre
- [An Epic Day](https://www.cairngormreindeer.co.uk/2015/05/15/an-epic-day/) - Andi and I headed out a few weeks ago on a lovely sunny morning to search for the free-ranging herd - we had a spy and there was no obvious sign but they’d been hanging around the northern corries all week so we decided that was the way to go! While we toddled up the
- [A Day of Firsts](https://www.cairngormreindeer.co.uk/2015/05/22/a-day-of-firsts/) - Having only been part of the Reindeer Centre team for a month, there are usually novel activities for me to take part in: shovelling bark chippings, painting benches or washing the van to name a few. However, I was not expecting to meet a calf, learn to lead reindeer, tag sheep and drive a Landrover
- [Reindeer Calves in the Cairngorms](https://www.cairngormreindeer.co.uk/2015/05/29/reindeer-calves-in-the-cairngorms/) - With so many cute new calves joining the herd in the last few weeks, we thought we'd treat you to some photos of them. Photos are by Jess Greaves and Andi Probert. Hope you enjoy!
- [Tales from Glenlivet: Minute and the Curlew Chick](https://www.cairngormreindeer.co.uk/2015/06/05/tales-from-glenlivet-minute-and-the-curlew-chick/) - Here at our Glenlivet farm one of the best times of day is the evening, when the reindeer are herded back out onto the hill for the night. As they slowly walk up through the birch wood, clicking as they go, the wood is alive with songbirds singing as they flit from tree to tree.
- [So much hair!](https://www.cairngormreindeer.co.uk/2015/06/12/so-much-hair/) - As the milder weather is finally arriving, the reindeer are looking extremely scruffy as they moult out their old thick winter coat, allowing the new shorter darker summer coat to come through. A reindeer's winter coat can have an incredible 2000 hairs per square inch of coat, consisting of a dense wooly undercoat and long
- [From London to Glenmore](https://www.cairngormreindeer.co.uk/2015/06/26/from-london-to-glenmore/) - It’s always quite a contrast from central London where I work, to the hills of the Cairngorms, where I spend my holidays herding reindeer! This time I couldn’t get further away – a small group of reindeer herders headed up north to wildcamp at Sandwood Bay, one of the most northerly and remote beaches in
- [Busy summer - trekking and extra staff!](https://www.cairngormreindeer.co.uk/2015/07/24/busy-summer-trekking-and-extra-staff/) - Summer is well underway with Scottish schools off and English schools just breaking up and here at the Reindeer Centre we have certainly noticed the rise in visitor numbers. We now offer three guided tours onto the hill daily over the next two months with our additional 3.30pm tour on Monday – Fridays. Trekking has
- [Reindeer, Roe or Red: How to recognise your British deer](https://www.cairngormreindeer.co.uk/2015/07/17/reindeer-roe-or-red-how-to-recognise-your-british-deer/) - Although there are only seven species of deer living wild in the UK, there is often confusion as to which species people have seen, not helped by the fact that usually there is only a fleeting glimpse of a fast-moving rump disappearing into the trees! In this week’s blog, I hope to demystify the issue
- [The Calving Bet](https://www.cairngormreindeer.co.uk/2015/07/03/the-calving-bet/) - Every year we reindeer herders have a little flutter into betting around calving time of year - the idea is to pick a reindeer you think is going to calve first and if your reindeer calves last you have to take an icy dip into Loch Morlich. As you can imagine this makes it all
- [Attack of the Flying Beasts](https://www.cairngormreindeer.co.uk/2015/07/10/attack-of-the-flying-beasts/) - First off, I’m not talking about the reindeer in that heading. Reindeer only fly at Christmas time after Santa has given them the magic powder and our lovely reindeer don’t attack. I am of course talking about the flying mini beasts – flies, bugs and, the worst of the worst, midges. Scotland wouldn’t be Scotland
- [An Unexpected Visitor](https://www.cairngormreindeer.co.uk/2015/07/31/an-unexpected-visitor/) - We're lucky to see some pretty awesome wildlife whilst looking after the reindeer on the mountains, but its less usual to see wildlife in our back porch. We were taken by surprise last week when we glanced out the back door and saw a rather worked up male sparrowhawk, who had somehow flown in then
- [Boris: a reindeer of dubious distinction](https://www.cairngormreindeer.co.uk/2015/08/07/boris-a-reindeer-of-dubious-distinction/) - If you’ve visited us in the last couple of years and met Boris up in the hill enclosure, there’s every possibility that he was the reindeer that left the strongest impression on you. However, he’s not, shall we say, our finest specimen in the herd. He’s not particularly big, nor does he grow the most
- [Tales from Glenlivet: Another Muckle Spate (Doric for "a big flood")](https://www.cairngormreindeer.co.uk/2015/08/14/tales-from-glenlivet-another-muckle-spate-doric-for-a-big-flood/) - Since Minute terrified himself and the curlew chick a lot of water has quite literally 'gone under the bridge’. About 4 weeks ago there was tremendous heavy rainfall in the Cairngorm Mountains which resulted in the River Avon (pronounced locally "A’an") beside our Glenlivet farm rising 6 feet in just a matter of hours. The
- [A (very) short history of herding](https://www.cairngormreindeer.co.uk/2015/08/21/a-very-short-history-of-herding/) - Reindeer are the only semi-domesticated animal which naturally belongs to the north. Reindeer herding is conducted in 9 countries; Norway, Finland, Sweden, Russia, Greenland, Alaska, Mongolia, China and Canada. Most importantly of course our small herd here in the Cairngorms! There are roughly 30 different reindeer herding cultures (i.e. the Sami in Scandinavia) with up
- [The Elder Stateswoman](https://www.cairngormreindeer.co.uk/2015/08/28/the-elder-stateswoman/) - The heading tells it all. I am the oldest person working at the Reindeer Centre and, at the age of 71 years, it really makes me feel a lot younger mixing with all the youngsters who work there. Officially, I am the book keeper for the Reindeer Company, but my role involves lots of other
- [Introducing Fergus](https://www.cairngormreindeer.co.uk/2015/09/04/introducing-fergus/) - Many of you may have already heard about our wee orphan reindeer, Fergus, who we have had the joy of hand rearing this summer. Sadly his mum died when he was just 10 days old but he got several very eager human mums instead, not least myself who has gone completely maternal over him, worrying
- [A summer with the reindeer](https://www.cairngormreindeer.co.uk/2015/09/11/a-summer-with-the-reindeer/) - Being a reindeer herder for the summer has been a series of firsts for me: my first job, my first time living away from home and, of course, my first time herding reindeer! It's been an amazing summer (bar the weather) and for this blog I will be writing about going straight from leaving school,
- [The Cairngorm Dog Centre](https://www.cairngormreindeer.co.uk/2015/09/18/the-cairngorm-dog-centre/) - As many of you may know, the Reindeer Centre is not only home to many reindeer, but also several dogs. They are all perfectly unique in their look and personality, and don’t usually get in the way too much when we’re doing ‘reindeer stuff’. There are three dogs here full time: Tiree, Sookie, and Murdoch.
- [Herder Zac - Moving on to Pastures New](https://www.cairngormreindeer.co.uk/2015/05/01/herder-zac-moving-on-to-pastures-new/) - Zac initially came to work here when he was fulfilling his high school work experience week in September 2010. When he turned up, all 6’8” of him, we couldn’t quite believe the height of this 15 year old… of course going through our minds was ‘great, think how much feed he can carry up the
- [Vaccination Day](https://www.cairngormreindeer.co.uk/2015/04/24/vaccination-day/) - An account of vaccination day for the Cairngorm Reindeer Herd
- [Travelling in Style](https://www.cairngormreindeer.co.uk/2015/04/13/travelling-in-style/) - All of our female reindeer are currently free-ranging on the Cairngorm mountains at the moment, so every morning we head out early, track them down and lead them to a suitable area to be fed. Today we moved them from one side of the ridge to the other, where they could enjoy some fresh grazing.
- [What's in a name?](https://www.cairngormreindeer.co.uk/2020/12/11/whats-in-a-name/) - People who see our photos on social media without knowing much about us must wonder why some of our reindeer have such strange names. Where's Dasher and Dancer? Prancer and Vixen? And Rudolph??? Where on earth have 'Pavlova', 'Caterpillar' and 'Clouseau' come from?! We've been naming the reindeer on a theme each year since the
- [Reindeer Obsession!](https://www.cairngormreindeer.co.uk/2020/12/18/reindeer-obsession/) - This week's blog is written by Candice, one of our long standing adopters, who has become something of a obsessed follower over the years! We regularly tell her she's mad... My interest (or rather obsession!) with reindeer started in the early 90’s when holidaying with my parents, I was 11 and animal mad (I’m now
- [Featured Reindeer: Blondie](https://www.cairngormreindeer.co.uk/2018/05/11/featured-reindeer-blondie/) - Blondie Mother: Glacier Born 11th May 2006 Blondie is different to the vast majority of the herd because not only is she pure white but she is also stone deaf. When she was born in May 2006 she was the first pure white reindeer calf for nearly 40 years, indeed since her great-great-great-grandmother Snowflake,
- [Featured Reindeer: Fly](https://www.cairngormreindeer.co.uk/2018/04/06/featured-reindeer-fly/) - Fly: Born May 2007 Mother: Fiddle Calves: Custard 2009, Dragonfly 2010, Domino 2011, Balmoral 2012, Anster 2013, Hudson 2014, Aonach 2015 I was inspired to write about Fly as the featured reindeer for this blog as I followed her back from the far end of the hill enclosure with her new-born male calf back in
- [First impressions of a new reindeer herder](https://www.cairngormreindeer.co.uk/2017/04/21/first-impressions-of-a-new-reindeer-herder/) - As a new herder asked to write a blog post, I thought I would share a few of my first impressions of the herd with you all. There has been a lot to learn and a lot still to learn, but one thing’s for certain: the life of a reindeer herder is never boring… Things

## Pages

- [Home](https://www.cairngormreindeer.co.uk/) - UPDATE: As of FRIDAY 7th AUGUST, we will be fully OPEN again!!! We can't wait to welcome you here in Glenmore! The Cairngorm Reindeer Herd is Britain's only free-ranging herd of reindeer found in the Cairngorm mountains in Scotland. These tame and friendly animals are a joy to all who come and see them. Reindeer are not
- [Contact Us](https://www.cairngormreindeer.co.uk/contact-us/) - Call us on 01479 861228 (We're available on the phone from 8.30am daily, with the shop opening from 10am). Write to us: Cairngorm Reindeer Herd, Glenmore, Aviemore, Highlands of Scotland Or fill in the form below! Please note that all activities can be booked from 30 days in advance only - if the day you
- [Paddocks](https://www.cairngormreindeer.co.uk/paddocks/) - Paddocks and Exhibition From Easter to New Year, visiting the Paddocks is an opportunity for those unable to join us on the Hill Trips to keep it simple and see some of our beautiful reindeer - the Paddocks and Exhibition are accessible for all. Our lovely reindeer spend most of their lives up on the
- [Hill Trips](https://www.cairngormreindeer.co.uk/hill-trips/) - We're delighted to be running our guided Hill Trips most days from the February half term right through the year until the end of the Christmas holidays - these are available to be booked from 30 days in advance via the link lower down the page. It is highly recommended that you pre-book tickets, especially
- [Visit](https://www.cairngormreindeer.co.uk/visit/) - Visiting the reindeer Two great ways to visit the reindeer... Option One - Hill Trip If you have time and can manage a 30-40 minute hill walk over rough ground, this is by far the best way to meet, feed and get in amongst the herd up on the mountainside. Click here for details. Option
- [Adopt](https://www.cairngormreindeer.co.uk/adopt/) - Our adoption scheme has been a lifeline to the herd through the ups and downs of the years - our supporters truly mean the world to us. If you are in a position to help support us, you can adopt our very special free-roaming herd. All of us here at the Centre are incredibly grateful
- [Adoption Renewals](https://www.cairngormreindeer.co.uk/renew/) - NOTICE OF DELAY - We currently have only limited access to our Centre due to the proximity of a large wildfire in the Cairngorms. This means there may be a short delay in posting out adoption packs. We can send a temporary e-certificate however if need be - just drop us an email when you
- [Donate](https://www.cairngormreindeer.co.uk/donate/) - If you would like to send a general donation towards the upkeep of the herd, you can send a donation via the following link: Donate We’d like to highlight that we’re not a charity, but all funds raised will go directly to continuing to care for the reindeer herd.
- [Who's who](https://www.cairngormreindeer.co.uk/whos-who/) - We thought it might be interesting for visitors to be able to put some faces to names, or indeed names to faces, of some of the staff they speak to here at the Centre: Tilly Tilly came to volunteer in 1981 and fell in love with the reindeer, the mountains and the keeper! She married
- [Gift vouchers for visiting the reindeer](https://www.cairngormreindeer.co.uk/gift-vouchers-for-visiting-the-reindeer/) - If you're looking to gift the experience of visiting the herd, we can now offer vouchers to be exchanged for either a Hill Trip or Paddock Visit in the future - click through to see more information! Book online now!
- [FAQ](https://www.cairngormreindeer.co.uk/faq/) - Frequently Asked Questions We've put together some answers to common questions we're asked below, but if you have any further queries please just get in touch. What time should I arrive for the Hill Trip? The shop is open from 10am for you to collect your pre-booked tickets, and remember that you must arrive at
- [How to Find Us](https://www.cairngormreindeer.co.uk/how-to-find-us/) - How to find us Please note that many sat-navs will take you to the wrong place - do not follow them! We love the what3words app, which addresses 3m x 3m grid squares with three simple memorable words - the app is free and you can navigate to us at modifies.drive.breezy (it's also great for
- [Accessibility](https://www.cairngormreindeer.co.uk/accessibility/) - We have a ‘Welcome All’ policy at Cairngorm Reindeer Centre and look forward to welcoming those registered as disabled and their carers. We are keen to promote access to as many areas as possible and for our guests with disabilities to gain as full an experience as possible within the constraints that the local environment
- [Media and Press](https://www.cairngormreindeer.co.uk/media-and-press/) - We've linked below to some footage and articles featuring the herd. If you find any broken links, drop us an email to let us know! Please note, some of the items do have incorrect 'facts' etc, being as they weren't all checked or verified with us before being published, or are now out of date.
- [Herder talks in the Paddocks](https://www.cairngormreindeer.co.uk/winter-herder-talks/) - Get a herder's insight into our wonderful reindeer herd! Our Seasonal Herder Talks in the Paddocks will run from 2pm - 4pm every afternoon from 7th - 22nd February 2026. The Paddocks is usually a self-guided experience, but at certain times throughout the year there will be a herder available to share their knowledge of
- [Christmas Fun](https://www.cairngormreindeer.co.uk/christmas-fun/) - Christmas Fun in the Paddocks Christmas Fun will be back in 2026!!! 10am - 4pm on weekends in December until Christmas, plus the 22nd - 24th! We're very excited to have reindeer on display at our Paddock area on the following dates: 5th/6th December, 12th/13th December, 20th/21st December and 22nd - 24th December 2026. Tickets
- [Reindeer Experience for All Thank yous!](https://www.cairngormreindeer.co.uk/reindeer-experience-for-all-thank-yous/) - A huge thank you to everyone who has supported our project, raising money to create a Reindeer Experience for All. We wanted to acknowledge your contribution with a wee shout out here on our website. If we've missed you below, drop us a message so we can add in your name! Aileen Holin; Alan Kerr;
- [Crowdfunding - Reindeer for All!](https://www.cairngormreindeer.co.uk/crowdfunding/) - Our crowdfunder has ended, but if you'd like to donate towards our project, you can still do this by clicking here. Thank you so much for your support! Reindeer for All! Read more about our project below... 2024 was a very big year for us - we finally got underway building a brand-new Reindeer Centre.
- [What to Expect? Summer 'enclosure' Hill Trips](https://www.cairngormreindeer.co.uk/terrain-summer-hill-enclosure/) - MAY TO SEPTEMBER At this time of year conditions are more suitable for all abilities, with a shorter walk and better weather. Our summer Hill Trip is to a (very large!) enclosure on the mountains, to which we walk mostly along a rough mountain trail before heading off the path onto the open hillside. The
- [What to Expect? Winter 'free-range' Hill Trips](https://www.cairngormreindeer.co.uk/terrain-winter-freerange/) - FEBRUARY TO APRIL From February to April, the reindeer (usually) roam freely on the mountains and the Trip route changes from day to day as a result. It often involves a much steeper and trickier walk than the rest of the year, over difficult terrain (with no path) and frequently in adverse weather conditions. This
- [What to expect? Hill Trips at different times of year](https://www.cairngormreindeer.co.uk/terrain/) - Hill Trips vary hugely throughout the year, due to the mountain environment including the terrain and ground conditions that you will encounter ,but also because we use different routes at different times of year. Please click on the month you are planning to visit us to learn more:
- [What to Expect? Autumn/Winter 'enclosure' Hill Trips](https://www.cairngormreindeer.co.uk/terrain-autumn-winter-enclosure-trips/) - OCTOBER TO JANUARY At this time of year we are still using the same route as in the summer months, which is to a (very large!) enclosure on the mountains, to which we walk mostly along a rough mountain trail before heading off the path onto the open hillside. The route does drop into a
- [Links](https://www.cairngormreindeer.co.uk/links/) - Links http://icr.arcticportal.org/ The Reindeer Portal - Information about reindeer, reindeer husbandry, reindeer herding and reindeer peoples around the Arctic. www.bds.org.uk/ Everything you need to know about deer in the UK. The experts on deer welfare and management, providing training, advice books DVD's and equipment. reindeer.salrm.uaf.edu The Reindeer Research Program is dedicated to the development and
- [Facts](https://www.cairngormreindeer.co.uk/facts/) - Facts We love sharing our reindeer and local knowledge with you. You could join our reindeer herders on a Hill Trip and find out everything you need to know about reindeer or maybe join us while we are travelling around the country at Christmas time. Did you know that reindeer don't melt the snow they
- [History](https://www.cairngormreindeer.co.uk/history-of-the-herd/) - History Reindeer have lived back here in the Cairngorms National Park since 1952, where the herd are permitted to graze on over 10,000 acres upon the mountainsides. The company’s founders visited the area whilst on their honeymoon and very quickly identified the Cairngorms as an ideal place for reindeer to be: "Looking across Rothiemurchus Forest
- [What to Wear for a Hill Trip](https://www.cairngormreindeer.co.uk/footwear/) - What do I need to wear? All year round, it's really important that you have the right clothing and footwear for the Hill Trip - the hillside can be VERY exposed with temperatures below freezing for much of the year, and even in mid-summer the temperature can be below 10 degrees on a regular basis.
- [Gin](https://www.cairngormreindeer.co.uk/gin/) - As keen gin fans, you can imagine how excited us herders were when local micro-distillery Cairngorm Gin got in touch with us about creating a special edition gin to celebrate our 70th anniversary, featuring some of the botanicals associated with reindeer. We were even more delighted that we did, of course, have to taste-test the
- [Visit the reindeer at Glenlivet](https://www.cairngormreindeer.co.uk/wild-farm-tours/) - In the Easter holidays, we run visits to meet part of our reindeer herd at our second site, on the beautiful Glenlivet Estate, as well as the main Hill Trips on the slopes of the Cairngorms. Based 6 miles north of Tomintoul (45-minute drive from Aviemore), our working farm on the Glenlivet Estate provides hill
- [Adopters' Weekend 2022](https://www.cairngormreindeer.co.uk/adoptersweekend/) - 70th Anniversary Celebration: Saturday 8th / Sunday 9th October 2022 Update: 4/10/22 Booking information and last minute updates! Much of the weekend’s activities will be free of charge and will require no booking, but some things DO need to be booked beforehand. Places for these are LIMITED and first come, first served, so please do
- [Summer Fun](https://www.cairngormreindeer.co.uk/summer-fun/) - Throughout July and August we have extra crafting activities and several talks by the Herders during the day, giving you a further insight into the reindeer, their characters and adaptations. As always, around four of our beautiful reindeer will be on display, though please note that they are across the other side of a fence
- [Webstore](https://www.cairngormreindeer.co.uk/webstore/)
- [Sold out](https://www.cairngormreindeer.co.uk/sold-out/) - Unfortunately the item you have selected has sold out. Please contact us directly and we can let you know when it will be available again.
- [Coronavirus](https://www.cairngormreindeer.co.uk/coronavirus/) - Coronavirus Update 22/03/20 In light of current developments, we will unfortunately be completely closed to the public as of 23rd March 2020. As the situation is so unknown, we cannot currently give a date for reopening, but hopefully we will survive long enough to be able to open again once restrictions are lifted, whenever that
- [Donation thanks](https://www.cairngormreindeer.co.uk/donation-thanks/) - Thank you so much for your donation. We appreciate that these are difficult times for everyone, which makes your support even more humbling. Best wishes from all of us at the Reindeer Centre
- [Order complete](https://www.cairngormreindeer.co.uk/order-complete/) - Thank you for your payment. Your transaction has been completed and we've emailed you a receipt for your purchase. Log in to your PayPal account to view transaction details. We will have your order in the post as soon as possible, but please bear in mind at busy times of year it can take us
- [Privacy & Cookies Policy](https://www.cairngormreindeer.co.uk/privacy-cookies-policy/) - Privacy Policy 1 How Your Information Will Be Used 1.1 Introduction Your communications and other interactions with The Reindeer Company Ltd. including the use of our website http://www.cairngormreindeer.co.uk/ are governed by this privacy notice. The Reindeer Company Ltd. is a company incorporated in Scotland (company registration number SC028739). Your privacy and your rights to privacy
- [Cookie Policy](https://www.cairngormreindeer.co.uk/cookie-policy/) - This site uses cookies - small text files that are placed on your machine to help the site provide a better user experience. In general, cookies are used to retain user preferences, store information for things like shopping baskets, and provide anonymised tracking data to third party applications like Google Analytics. As a rule, cookies
- [Christmas](https://www.cairngormreindeer.co.uk/christmas/) - The Cairngorm Reindeer at Christmas Over the months of November and December, our tame and tractable adult male reindeer go out and about on tour nationwide, increasing public awareness of the herd and raising funds to help to maintain their enviable lifestyle. Each individual reindeer will only do a couple of weeks work before returning

## Categories

- [Cairngorms](https://www.cairngormreindeer.co.uk/category/cairngorms/)
- [Calving](https://www.cairngormreindeer.co.uk/category/seasonal/spring/calving/)
- [Christmas](https://www.cairngormreindeer.co.uk/category/seasonal/winter/christmas/)
- [Educational](https://www.cairngormreindeer.co.uk/category/educational/)
- [Glenlivet](https://www.cairngormreindeer.co.uk/category/glenlivet/)
- [Herders](https://www.cairngormreindeer.co.uk/category/herders/)
- [Herding Stories](https://www.cairngormreindeer.co.uk/category/herders/herding-stories/)
- [History](https://www.cairngormreindeer.co.uk/category/educational/history/)
- [Humour](https://www.cairngormreindeer.co.uk/category/humour/)
- [Memorable reindeer](https://www.cairngormreindeer.co.uk/category/memorable-reindeer/)
- [Photos](https://www.cairngormreindeer.co.uk/category/photos/)
- [Reindeer](https://www.cairngormreindeer.co.uk/category/reindeer/)
- [Reindeer House life](https://www.cairngormreindeer.co.uk/category/reindeer-house-life/)
- [Seasonal](https://www.cairngormreindeer.co.uk/category/seasonal/)
- [Snow](https://www.cairngormreindeer.co.uk/category/seasonal/winter/snow/)
- [Wildlife](https://www.cairngormreindeer.co.uk/category/educational/wildlife/)
- [Dynasties](https://www.cairngormreindeer.co.uk/category/memorable-reindeer/dynasties/)
- [Volunteers](https://www.cairngormreindeer.co.uk/category/volunteers/)
- [Locally made](https://www.cairngormreindeer.co.uk/category/locally-made/)
- [Adoption scheme](https://www.cairngormreindeer.co.uk/category/adoption-scheme/)
- [Shop](https://www.cairngormreindeer.co.uk/category/shop/)
- [Winter](https://www.cairngormreindeer.co.uk/category/seasonal/winter/)
- [Rut](https://www.cairngormreindeer.co.uk/category/seasonal/autumn/rut/)
- [Autumn](https://www.cairngormreindeer.co.uk/category/seasonal/autumn/)
- [Summer](https://www.cairngormreindeer.co.uk/category/seasonal/summer/)
- [Spring](https://www.cairngormreindeer.co.uk/category/seasonal/spring/)

## Tags

- [adaptations](https://www.cairngormreindeer.co.uk/tag/adaptations/)
- [adopter](https://www.cairngormreindeer.co.uk/tag/adopter/)
- [adopters weekend](https://www.cairngormreindeer.co.uk/tag/adopters-weekend/)
- [adopting](https://www.cairngormreindeer.co.uk/tag/adopting/)
- [adoption](https://www.cairngormreindeer.co.uk/tag/adoption/)
- [advice](https://www.cairngormreindeer.co.uk/tag/advice/)
- [animal](https://www.cairngormreindeer.co.uk/tag/animal/)
- [animism](https://www.cairngormreindeer.co.uk/tag/animism/)
- [anmal](https://www.cairngormreindeer.co.uk/tag/anmal/)
- [anniversary](https://www.cairngormreindeer.co.uk/tag/anniversary/)
- [annual](https://www.cairngormreindeer.co.uk/tag/annual/)
- [antler](https://www.cairngormreindeer.co.uk/tag/antler/)
- [antlers](https://www.cairngormreindeer.co.uk/tag/antlers/)
- [arctic](https://www.cairngormreindeer.co.uk/tag/arctic/)
- [Arnish](https://www.cairngormreindeer.co.uk/tag/arnish/)
- [Auld Lang Syne](https://www.cairngormreindeer.co.uk/tag/auld-lang-syne/)
- [autumn](https://www.cairngormreindeer.co.uk/tag/autumn/)
- [Aviemore](https://www.cairngormreindeer.co.uk/tag/aviemore/)
- [award](https://www.cairngormreindeer.co.uk/tag/award/)
- [awards ceremony](https://www.cairngormreindeer.co.uk/tag/awards-ceremony/)
- [back in business](https://www.cairngormreindeer.co.uk/tag/back-in-business/)
- [back to work](https://www.cairngormreindeer.co.uk/tag/back-to-work/)
- [Bad luck](https://www.cairngormreindeer.co.uk/tag/bad-luck/)
- [Badenoch and Strathspey](https://www.cairngormreindeer.co.uk/tag/badenoch-and-strathspey/)
- [Balmoral](https://www.cairngormreindeer.co.uk/tag/balmoral/)
- [bbq](https://www.cairngormreindeer.co.uk/tag/bbq/)
- [beach](https://www.cairngormreindeer.co.uk/tag/beach/)
- [beauty](https://www.cairngormreindeer.co.uk/tag/beauty/)
- [behind the scenes](https://www.cairngormreindeer.co.uk/tag/behind-the-scenes/)
- [bells](https://www.cairngormreindeer.co.uk/tag/bells/)
- [bet](https://www.cairngormreindeer.co.uk/tag/bet/)
- [birch](https://www.cairngormreindeer.co.uk/tag/birch/)
- [birds](https://www.cairngormreindeer.co.uk/tag/birds/)
- [biting](https://www.cairngormreindeer.co.uk/tag/biting/)
- [black tie](https://www.cairngormreindeer.co.uk/tag/black-tie/)
- [blizzard](https://www.cairngormreindeer.co.uk/tag/blizzard/)
- [blog](https://www.cairngormreindeer.co.uk/tag/blog/)
- [book keeper](https://www.cairngormreindeer.co.uk/tag/book-keeper/)
- [Boris](https://www.cairngormreindeer.co.uk/tag/boris/)
- [Bovril](https://www.cairngormreindeer.co.uk/tag/bovril/)
- [Boxer](https://www.cairngormreindeer.co.uk/tag/boxer/)
- [breeding](https://www.cairngormreindeer.co.uk/tag/breeding/)
- [bribery](https://www.cairngormreindeer.co.uk/tag/bribery/)
- [bridge](https://www.cairngormreindeer.co.uk/tag/bridge/)
- [buffet](https://www.cairngormreindeer.co.uk/tag/buffet/)
- [bull](https://www.cairngormreindeer.co.uk/tag/bull/)
- [bulls](https://www.cairngormreindeer.co.uk/tag/bulls/)
- [Burns](https://www.cairngormreindeer.co.uk/tag/burns/)
- [Burns Night](https://www.cairngormreindeer.co.uk/tag/burns-night/)
- [cairngorm](https://www.cairngormreindeer.co.uk/tag/cairngorm/)
- [Cairngorm National Park](https://www.cairngormreindeer.co.uk/tag/cairngorm-national-park/)
- [Cairngorm Nature Festival](https://www.cairngormreindeer.co.uk/tag/cairngorm-nature-festival/)
- [Cairngorm reindeer](https://www.cairngormreindeer.co.uk/tag/cairngorm-reindeer/)
- [Cairngormreindeer](https://www.cairngormreindeer.co.uk/tag/cairngormreindeer/)
- [Cairngorms](https://www.cairngormreindeer.co.uk/tag/cairngorms/)
- [Cairngorms National Park](https://www.cairngormreindeer.co.uk/tag/cairngorms-national-park/)
- [cake](https://www.cairngormreindeer.co.uk/tag/cake/)
- [calevs](https://www.cairngormreindeer.co.uk/tag/calevs/)
- [calf](https://www.cairngormreindeer.co.uk/tag/calf/)
- [calves](https://www.cairngormreindeer.co.uk/tag/calves/)
- [calving](https://www.cairngormreindeer.co.uk/tag/calving/)
- [caribou](https://www.cairngormreindeer.co.uk/tag/caribou/)
- [catriona](https://www.cairngormreindeer.co.uk/tag/catriona/)
- [cattle](https://www.cairngormreindeer.co.uk/tag/cattle/)
- [celebrity](https://www.cairngormreindeer.co.uk/tag/celebrity/)
- [cervidae](https://www.cairngormreindeer.co.uk/tag/cervidae/)
- [character](https://www.cairngormreindeer.co.uk/tag/character/)
- [chick](https://www.cairngormreindeer.co.uk/tag/chick/)
- [chilly](https://www.cairngormreindeer.co.uk/tag/chilly/)
- [chinese water deer](https://www.cairngormreindeer.co.uk/tag/chinese-water-deer/)
- [christmas](https://www.cairngormreindeer.co.uk/tag/christmas-2/)
- [christmas fun](https://www.cairngormreindeer.co.uk/tag/christmas-fun/)
- [Christmas tour](https://www.cairngormreindeer.co.uk/tag/christmas-tour/)
- [Chukchi](https://www.cairngormreindeer.co.uk/tag/chukchi/)
- [Ciste](https://www.cairngormreindeer.co.uk/tag/ciste/)
- [cleaning](https://www.cairngormreindeer.co.uk/tag/cleaning/)
- [clothing](https://www.cairngormreindeer.co.uk/tag/clothing/)
- [cloud inversion](https://www.cairngormreindeer.co.uk/tag/cloud-inversion/)
- [clouds](https://www.cairngormreindeer.co.uk/tag/clouds/)
- [clubbing](https://www.cairngormreindeer.co.uk/tag/clubbing/)
- [CNF16](https://www.cairngormreindeer.co.uk/tag/cnf16/)
- [coat](https://www.cairngormreindeer.co.uk/tag/coat/)
- [cold](https://www.cairngormreindeer.co.uk/tag/cold/)
- [colour](https://www.cairngormreindeer.co.uk/tag/colour/)
- [comparison](https://www.cairngormreindeer.co.uk/tag/comparison/)
- [cornwall](https://www.cairngormreindeer.co.uk/tag/cornwall/)
- [corries](https://www.cairngormreindeer.co.uk/tag/corries/)
- [cow](https://www.cairngormreindeer.co.uk/tag/cow/)
- [cows](https://www.cairngormreindeer.co.uk/tag/cows/)
- [CPR](https://www.cairngormreindeer.co.uk/tag/cpr/)
- [crafting](https://www.cairngormreindeer.co.uk/tag/crafting/)
- [crafts](https://www.cairngormreindeer.co.uk/tag/crafts/)
- [Crann](https://www.cairngormreindeer.co.uk/tag/crann/)
- [crcreindeerselfie](https://www.cairngormreindeer.co.uk/tag/crcreindeerselfie/)
- [creative](https://www.cairngormreindeer.co.uk/tag/creative/)
- [Cromdales](https://www.cairngormreindeer.co.uk/tag/cromdales/)
- [Curlew](https://www.cairngormreindeer.co.uk/tag/curlew/)
- [cute](https://www.cairngormreindeer.co.uk/tag/cute/)
- [Day trip](https://www.cairngormreindeer.co.uk/tag/day-trip/)
- [Days out](https://www.cairngormreindeer.co.uk/tag/days-out/)
- [deer](https://www.cairngormreindeer.co.uk/tag/deer/)
- [desert island](https://www.cairngormreindeer.co.uk/tag/desert-island/)
- [design](https://www.cairngormreindeer.co.uk/tag/design/)
- [difference](https://www.cairngormreindeer.co.uk/tag/difference/)
- [differences](https://www.cairngormreindeer.co.uk/tag/differences/)
- [dog](https://www.cairngormreindeer.co.uk/tag/dog/)
- [dogs](https://www.cairngormreindeer.co.uk/tag/dogs/)
- [Dotterel](https://www.cairngormreindeer.co.uk/tag/dotterel/)
- [drifts](https://www.cairngormreindeer.co.uk/tag/drifts/)
- [Eco](https://www.cairngormreindeer.co.uk/tag/eco/)
- [elves](https://www.cairngormreindeer.co.uk/tag/elves/)
- [enclosure](https://www.cairngormreindeer.co.uk/tag/enclosure/)
- [ermine](https://www.cairngormreindeer.co.uk/tag/ermine/)
- [Ethel Lindgren](https://www.cairngormreindeer.co.uk/tag/ethel-lindgren/)
- [evenki](https://www.cairngormreindeer.co.uk/tag/evenki/)
- [event](https://www.cairngormreindeer.co.uk/tag/event/)
- [events](https://www.cairngormreindeer.co.uk/tag/events/)
- [ex herder](https://www.cairngormreindeer.co.uk/tag/ex-herder/)
- [exercise](https://www.cairngormreindeer.co.uk/tag/exercise/)
- [Exhibition](https://www.cairngormreindeer.co.uk/tag/exhibition/)
- [famous](https://www.cairngormreindeer.co.uk/tag/famous/)
- [farm](https://www.cairngormreindeer.co.uk/tag/farm/)
- [favourite](https://www.cairngormreindeer.co.uk/tag/favourite/)
- [fayre](https://www.cairngormreindeer.co.uk/tag/fayre/)
- [feed](https://www.cairngormreindeer.co.uk/tag/feed/)
- [feeding](https://www.cairngormreindeer.co.uk/tag/feeding/)
- [feet](https://www.cairngormreindeer.co.uk/tag/feet/)
- [females](https://www.cairngormreindeer.co.uk/tag/females/)
- [Fergus](https://www.cairngormreindeer.co.uk/tag/fergus/)
- [Feshiebridge](https://www.cairngormreindeer.co.uk/tag/feshiebridge/)
- [festival](https://www.cairngormreindeer.co.uk/tag/festival/)
- [fiona](https://www.cairngormreindeer.co.uk/tag/fiona/)
- [First Aid](https://www.cairngormreindeer.co.uk/tag/first-aid/)
- [firsts](https://www.cairngormreindeer.co.uk/tag/firsts/)
- [Fisherman](https://www.cairngormreindeer.co.uk/tag/fisherman/)
- [Fishing](https://www.cairngormreindeer.co.uk/tag/fishing/)
- [Flake](https://www.cairngormreindeer.co.uk/tag/flake/)
- [flood](https://www.cairngormreindeer.co.uk/tag/flood/)
- [fluffy](https://www.cairngormreindeer.co.uk/tag/fluffy/)
- [fly](https://www.cairngormreindeer.co.uk/tag/fly/)
- [Forbidden](https://www.cairngormreindeer.co.uk/tag/forbidden/)
- [free range](https://www.cairngormreindeer.co.uk/tag/free-range-2/)
- [free-range](https://www.cairngormreindeer.co.uk/tag/free-range/)
- [free-ranging](https://www.cairngormreindeer.co.uk/tag/free-ranging/)
- [frost](https://www.cairngormreindeer.co.uk/tag/frost/)
- [fun](https://www.cairngormreindeer.co.uk/tag/fun/)
- [funny](https://www.cairngormreindeer.co.uk/tag/funny/)
- [funny reindeer](https://www.cairngormreindeer.co.uk/tag/funny-reindeer/)
- [furry](https://www.cairngormreindeer.co.uk/tag/furry/)
- [gales](https://www.cairngormreindeer.co.uk/tag/gales/)
- [gardening](https://www.cairngormreindeer.co.uk/tag/gardening/)
- [geocaching](https://www.cairngormreindeer.co.uk/tag/geocaching/)
- [geocoin](https://www.cairngormreindeer.co.uk/tag/geocoin/)
- [Get involved](https://www.cairngormreindeer.co.uk/tag/get-involved/)
- [glenlivet](https://www.cairngormreindeer.co.uk/tag/glenlivet-2/)
- [Glenmore](https://www.cairngormreindeer.co.uk/tag/glenmore/)
- [Gods](https://www.cairngormreindeer.co.uk/tag/gods/)
- [Good luck](https://www.cairngormreindeer.co.uk/tag/good-luck/)
- [gps](https://www.cairngormreindeer.co.uk/tag/gps/)
- [grazing](https://www.cairngormreindeer.co.uk/tag/grazing/)
- [growth](https://www.cairngormreindeer.co.uk/tag/growth/)
- [gusts](https://www.cairngormreindeer.co.uk/tag/gusts/)
- [Haggis](https://www.cairngormreindeer.co.uk/tag/haggis/)
- [hair](https://www.cairngormreindeer.co.uk/tag/hair/)
- [hairy](https://www.cairngormreindeer.co.uk/tag/hairy/)
- [halter](https://www.cairngormreindeer.co.uk/tag/halter/)
- [handrearing](https://www.cairngormreindeer.co.uk/tag/handrearing/)
- [happy new year](https://www.cairngormreindeer.co.uk/tag/happy-new-year/)
- [harness](https://www.cairngormreindeer.co.uk/tag/harness/)
- [hat](https://www.cairngormreindeer.co.uk/tag/hat/)
- [hats](https://www.cairngormreindeer.co.uk/tag/hats/)
- [headcollar](https://www.cairngormreindeer.co.uk/tag/headcollar/)
- [healthcare](https://www.cairngormreindeer.co.uk/tag/healthcare/)
- [Herder](https://www.cairngormreindeer.co.uk/tag/herder/)
- [Herders](https://www.cairngormreindeer.co.uk/tag/herders/)
- [herding](https://www.cairngormreindeer.co.uk/tag/herding/)
- [highland](https://www.cairngormreindeer.co.uk/tag/highland/)
- [highlands](https://www.cairngormreindeer.co.uk/tag/highlands/)
- [highly commended](https://www.cairngormreindeer.co.uk/tag/highly-commended/)
- [hills](https://www.cairngormreindeer.co.uk/tag/hills/)
- [history](https://www.cairngormreindeer.co.uk/tag/history/)
- [hooves](https://www.cairngormreindeer.co.uk/tag/hooves/)
- [horn](https://www.cairngormreindeer.co.uk/tag/horn/)
- [ice](https://www.cairngormreindeer.co.uk/tag/ice/)
- [identification](https://www.cairngormreindeer.co.uk/tag/identification/)
- [identify](https://www.cairngormreindeer.co.uk/tag/identify/)
- [instagram](https://www.cairngormreindeer.co.uk/tag/instagram/)
- [insulated](https://www.cairngormreindeer.co.uk/tag/insulated/)
- [interactive](https://www.cairngormreindeer.co.uk/tag/interactive/)
- [interesting](https://www.cairngormreindeer.co.uk/tag/interesting/)
- [january](https://www.cairngormreindeer.co.uk/tag/january/)
- [Judi Dench](https://www.cairngormreindeer.co.uk/tag/judi-dench/)
- [kincraig](https://www.cairngormreindeer.co.uk/tag/kincraig/)
- [Landmark Press](https://www.cairngormreindeer.co.uk/tag/landmark-press/)
- [landrover](https://www.cairngormreindeer.co.uk/tag/landrover/)
- [lapwing](https://www.cairngormreindeer.co.uk/tag/lapwing/)
- [leading](https://www.cairngormreindeer.co.uk/tag/leading/)
- [leaflet](https://www.cairngormreindeer.co.uk/tag/leaflet/)
- [leaving](https://www.cairngormreindeer.co.uk/tag/leaving/)
- [Lego](https://www.cairngormreindeer.co.uk/tag/lego/)
- [lichen](https://www.cairngormreindeer.co.uk/tag/lichen/)
- [litter](https://www.cairngormreindeer.co.uk/tag/litter/)
- [loch](https://www.cairngormreindeer.co.uk/tag/loch/)
- [Loch A'an](https://www.cairngormreindeer.co.uk/tag/loch-aan/)
- [Loch Avon](https://www.cairngormreindeer.co.uk/tag/loch-avon/)
- [Loch Morlich](https://www.cairngormreindeer.co.uk/tag/loch-morlich/)
- [loch ordie](https://www.cairngormreindeer.co.uk/tag/loch-ordie/)
- [london](https://www.cairngormreindeer.co.uk/tag/london/)
- [luck](https://www.cairngormreindeer.co.uk/tag/luck/)
- [male](https://www.cairngormreindeer.co.uk/tag/male/)
- [males](https://www.cairngormreindeer.co.uk/tag/males/)
- [meall a bhuacaiile](https://www.cairngormreindeer.co.uk/tag/meall-a-bhuacaiile/)
- [midge](https://www.cairngormreindeer.co.uk/tag/midge/)
- [migrants](https://www.cairngormreindeer.co.uk/tag/migrants/)
- [Mongolia](https://www.cairngormreindeer.co.uk/tag/mongolia/)
- [mop](https://www.cairngormreindeer.co.uk/tag/mop/)
- [moulting](https://www.cairngormreindeer.co.uk/tag/moulting/)
- [mountain](https://www.cairngormreindeer.co.uk/tag/mountain/)
- [mountains](https://www.cairngormreindeer.co.uk/tag/mountains/)
- [MROTP](https://www.cairngormreindeer.co.uk/tag/mrotp/)
- [muckle spate](https://www.cairngormreindeer.co.uk/tag/muckle-spate/)
- [munro](https://www.cairngormreindeer.co.uk/tag/munro/)
- [Murdo](https://www.cairngormreindeer.co.uk/tag/murdo/)
- [national park](https://www.cairngormreindeer.co.uk/tag/national-park/)
- [nature](https://www.cairngormreindeer.co.uk/tag/nature/)
- [new calves](https://www.cairngormreindeer.co.uk/tag/new-calves/)
- [new year](https://www.cairngormreindeer.co.uk/tag/new-year/)
- [newsletter](https://www.cairngormreindeer.co.uk/tag/newsletter/)
- [newt](https://www.cairngormreindeer.co.uk/tag/newt/)
- [north](https://www.cairngormreindeer.co.uk/tag/north/)
- [Norway](https://www.cairngormreindeer.co.uk/tag/norway/)
- [nose](https://www.cairngormreindeer.co.uk/tag/nose/)
- [office](https://www.cairngormreindeer.co.uk/tag/office/)
- [office work](https://www.cairngormreindeer.co.uk/tag/office-work/)
- [okapi](https://www.cairngormreindeer.co.uk/tag/okapi/)
- [open day](https://www.cairngormreindeer.co.uk/tag/open-day/)
- [Orochen](https://www.cairngormreindeer.co.uk/tag/orochen/)
- [Oscar Mamen](https://www.cairngormreindeer.co.uk/tag/oscar-mamen/)
- [osprey](https://www.cairngormreindeer.co.uk/tag/osprey/)
- [outwardly mobile](https://www.cairngormreindeer.co.uk/tag/outwardly-mobile/)
- [oystercatcher](https://www.cairngormreindeer.co.uk/tag/oystercatcher/)
- [paddocks](https://www.cairngormreindeer.co.uk/tag/paddocks/)
- [paint](https://www.cairngormreindeer.co.uk/tag/paint/)
- [parade](https://www.cairngormreindeer.co.uk/tag/parade/)
- [peewit](https://www.cairngormreindeer.co.uk/tag/peewit/)
- [Pera](https://www.cairngormreindeer.co.uk/tag/pera/)
- [personal](https://www.cairngormreindeer.co.uk/tag/personal/)
- [photo](https://www.cairngormreindeer.co.uk/tag/photo/)
- [Photos](https://www.cairngormreindeer.co.uk/tag/photos/)
- [photoshoot](https://www.cairngormreindeer.co.uk/tag/photoshoot/)
- [pigment](https://www.cairngormreindeer.co.uk/tag/pigment/)
- [polytheism](https://www.cairngormreindeer.co.uk/tag/polytheism/)
- [pom pom](https://www.cairngormreindeer.co.uk/tag/pom-pom/)
- [pregnant](https://www.cairngormreindeer.co.uk/tag/pregnant/)
- [preparation](https://www.cairngormreindeer.co.uk/tag/preparation/)
- [ptarmigan](https://www.cairngormreindeer.co.uk/tag/ptarmigan/)
- [pubbing](https://www.cairngormreindeer.co.uk/tag/pubbing/)
- [Puddock](https://www.cairngormreindeer.co.uk/tag/puddock/)
- [rabbit](https://www.cairngormreindeer.co.uk/tag/rabbit/)
- [rain](https://www.cairngormreindeer.co.uk/tag/rain/)
- [random days at work](https://www.cairngormreindeer.co.uk/tag/random-days-at-work/)
- [red deer](https://www.cairngormreindeer.co.uk/tag/red-deer/)
- [reindeer](https://www.cairngormreindeer.co.uk/tag/reindeer/)
- [reindeer herding](https://www.cairngormreindeer.co.uk/tag/reindeer-herding/)
- [reindeer photos](https://www.cairngormreindeer.co.uk/tag/reindeer-photos/)
- [reindeer picture](https://www.cairngormreindeer.co.uk/tag/reindeer-picture/)
- [relaxed](https://www.cairngormreindeer.co.uk/tag/relaxed/)
- [research](https://www.cairngormreindeer.co.uk/tag/research/)
- [rest](https://www.cairngormreindeer.co.uk/tag/rest/)
- [Ring ouzel](https://www.cairngormreindeer.co.uk/tag/ring-ouzel/)
- [River A'an](https://www.cairngormreindeer.co.uk/tag/river-aan/)
- [River Avon](https://www.cairngormreindeer.co.uk/tag/river-avon/)
- [River Stars Reindeer](https://www.cairngormreindeer.co.uk/tag/river-stars-reindeer/)
- [Robert Burns](https://www.cairngormreindeer.co.uk/tag/robert-burns/)
- [rocks](https://www.cairngormreindeer.co.uk/tag/rocks/)
- [roe deer](https://www.cairngormreindeer.co.uk/tag/roe-deer/)
- [rubbish](https://www.cairngormreindeer.co.uk/tag/rubbish/)
- [rut](https://www.cairngormreindeer.co.uk/tag/rut/)
- [ryvita](https://www.cairngormreindeer.co.uk/tag/ryvita/)
- [sad](https://www.cairngormreindeer.co.uk/tag/sad/)
- [Sami](https://www.cairngormreindeer.co.uk/tag/sami/)
- [sami culture](https://www.cairngormreindeer.co.uk/tag/sami-culture/)
- [Santa](https://www.cairngormreindeer.co.uk/tag/santa/)
- [scheme](https://www.cairngormreindeer.co.uk/tag/scheme/)
- [science](https://www.cairngormreindeer.co.uk/tag/science/)
- [Scotland](https://www.cairngormreindeer.co.uk/tag/scotland/)
- [scottish](https://www.cairngormreindeer.co.uk/tag/scottish/)
- [scottish rural tourism award](https://www.cairngormreindeer.co.uk/tag/scottish-rural-tourism-award/)
- [Sculpture Trail](https://www.cairngormreindeer.co.uk/tag/sculpture-trail/)
- [selfie](https://www.cairngormreindeer.co.uk/tag/selfie/)
- [selfies](https://www.cairngormreindeer.co.uk/tag/selfies/)
- [Sergei Shirokogoroff](https://www.cairngormreindeer.co.uk/tag/sergei-shirokogoroff/)
- [sheep](https://www.cairngormreindeer.co.uk/tag/sheep/)
- [Siberia](https://www.cairngormreindeer.co.uk/tag/siberia/)
- [sika deer](https://www.cairngormreindeer.co.uk/tag/sika-deer/)
- [similarities](https://www.cairngormreindeer.co.uk/tag/similarities/)
- [sledging](https://www.cairngormreindeer.co.uk/tag/sledging/)
- [sleet](https://www.cairngormreindeer.co.uk/tag/sleet/)
- [sleigh](https://www.cairngormreindeer.co.uk/tag/sleigh/)
- [sleigh training](https://www.cairngormreindeer.co.uk/tag/sleigh-training/)
- [snow](https://www.cairngormreindeer.co.uk/tag/snow/)
- [snow balls](https://www.cairngormreindeer.co.uk/tag/snow-balls/)
- [snow deer](https://www.cairngormreindeer.co.uk/tag/snow-deer/)
- [Soay](https://www.cairngormreindeer.co.uk/tag/soay/)
- [social media](https://www.cairngormreindeer.co.uk/tag/social-media/)
- [Sookie](https://www.cairngormreindeer.co.uk/tag/sookie/)
- [sparkle](https://www.cairngormreindeer.co.uk/tag/sparkle/)
- [sparrowhawk](https://www.cairngormreindeer.co.uk/tag/sparrowhawk/)
- [species](https://www.cairngormreindeer.co.uk/tag/species/)
- [Spring](https://www.cairngormreindeer.co.uk/tag/spring/)
- [squint](https://www.cairngormreindeer.co.uk/tag/squint/)
- [staff](https://www.cairngormreindeer.co.uk/tag/staff/)
- [stoat](https://www.cairngormreindeer.co.uk/tag/stoat/)
- [stockeld park](https://www.cairngormreindeer.co.uk/tag/stockeld-park/)
- [storm](https://www.cairngormreindeer.co.uk/tag/storm/)
- [suitable](https://www.cairngormreindeer.co.uk/tag/suitable/)
- [summer](https://www.cairngormreindeer.co.uk/tag/summer/)
- [sun](https://www.cairngormreindeer.co.uk/tag/sun/)
- [sunny](https://www.cairngormreindeer.co.uk/tag/sunny/)
- [sunshine](https://www.cairngormreindeer.co.uk/tag/sunshine/)
- [superstition](https://www.cairngormreindeer.co.uk/tag/superstition/)
- [support](https://www.cairngormreindeer.co.uk/tag/support/)
- [Swallow](https://www.cairngormreindeer.co.uk/tag/swallow/)
- [Sweden](https://www.cairngormreindeer.co.uk/tag/sweden/)
- [swim](https://www.cairngormreindeer.co.uk/tag/swim/)
- [tagging](https://www.cairngormreindeer.co.uk/tag/tagging/)
- [team](https://www.cairngormreindeer.co.uk/tag/team/)
- [tilly](https://www.cairngormreindeer.co.uk/tag/tilly/)
- [tinsel](https://www.cairngormreindeer.co.uk/tag/tinsel/)
- [Tiree](https://www.cairngormreindeer.co.uk/tag/tiree/)
- [toothbrush](https://www.cairngormreindeer.co.uk/tag/toothbrush/)
- [tour](https://www.cairngormreindeer.co.uk/tag/tour/)
- [trackable](https://www.cairngormreindeer.co.uk/tag/trackable/)
- [training](https://www.cairngormreindeer.co.uk/tag/training/)
- [treat](https://www.cairngormreindeer.co.uk/tag/treat/)
- [tree](https://www.cairngormreindeer.co.uk/tag/tree/)
- [trekking](https://www.cairngormreindeer.co.uk/tag/trekking/)
- [truck](https://www.cairngormreindeer.co.uk/tag/truck/)
- [UK](https://www.cairngormreindeer.co.uk/tag/uk/)
- [utsi hut](https://www.cairngormreindeer.co.uk/tag/utsi-hut/)
- [vaccinations](https://www.cairngormreindeer.co.uk/tag/vaccinations/)
- [velvet](https://www.cairngormreindeer.co.uk/tag/velvet/)
- [village](https://www.cairngormreindeer.co.uk/tag/village/)
- [visit](https://www.cairngormreindeer.co.uk/tag/visit/)
- [Visit Scotland](https://www.cairngormreindeer.co.uk/tag/visit-scotland/)
- [volunteer](https://www.cairngormreindeer.co.uk/tag/volunteer/)
- [volunteer blog](https://www.cairngormreindeer.co.uk/tag/volunteer-blog/)
- [walk](https://www.cairngormreindeer.co.uk/tag/walk/)
- [Walking](https://www.cairngormreindeer.co.uk/tag/walking/)
- [walks](https://www.cairngormreindeer.co.uk/tag/walks/)
- [warm](https://www.cairngormreindeer.co.uk/tag/warm/)
- [weather](https://www.cairngormreindeer.co.uk/tag/weather/)
- [wedding](https://www.cairngormreindeer.co.uk/tag/wedding/)
- [white](https://www.cairngormreindeer.co.uk/tag/white/)
- [white reindeer](https://www.cairngormreindeer.co.uk/tag/white-reindeer/)
- [wild](https://www.cairngormreindeer.co.uk/tag/wild/)
- [wildlife](https://www.cairngormreindeer.co.uk/tag/wildlife-2/)
- [Willow Warbler](https://www.cairngormreindeer.co.uk/tag/willow-warbler/)
- [wind](https://www.cairngormreindeer.co.uk/tag/wind/)
- [winner](https://www.cairngormreindeer.co.uk/tag/winner/)
- [winter](https://www.cairngormreindeer.co.uk/tag/winter/)
- [Wooden Tom](https://www.cairngormreindeer.co.uk/tag/wooden-tom/)
- [Woodworking](https://www.cairngormreindeer.co.uk/tag/woodworking/)
- [wool](https://www.cairngormreindeer.co.uk/tag/wool/)
- [work](https://www.cairngormreindeer.co.uk/tag/work/)
- [working hard](https://www.cairngormreindeer.co.uk/tag/working-hard/)
- [world](https://www.cairngormreindeer.co.uk/tag/world/)
- [world tour](https://www.cairngormreindeer.co.uk/tag/world-tour/)
- [yoga](https://www.cairngormreindeer.co.uk/tag/yoga/)
- [Zac](https://www.cairngormreindeer.co.uk/tag/zac/)
- [esme](https://www.cairngormreindeer.co.uk/tag/esme/)
- [memorable](https://www.cairngormreindeer.co.uk/tag/memorable/)
- [scottishwinter](https://www.cairngormreindeer.co.uk/tag/scottishwinter/)
- [beastfromtheeast](https://www.cairngormreindeer.co.uk/tag/beastfromtheeast/)
- [memorable reindeer](https://www.cairngormreindeer.co.uk/tag/memorable-reindeer/)
- [cairn gorm](https://www.cairngormreindeer.co.uk/tag/cairn-gorm/)
- [Blondie](https://www.cairngormreindeer.co.uk/tag/blondie/)
- [Fonn](https://www.cairngormreindeer.co.uk/tag/fonn/)
- [Parmesan](https://www.cairngormreindeer.co.uk/tag/parmesan/)
- [Tambourine](https://www.cairngormreindeer.co.uk/tag/tambourine/)
- [Dynasties](https://www.cairngormreindeer.co.uk/tag/dynasties/)
- [Morven](https://www.cairngormreindeer.co.uk/tag/morven/)
- [Spy](https://www.cairngormreindeer.co.uk/tag/spy/)
- [Koro](https://www.cairngormreindeer.co.uk/tag/koro/)
- [Hobnob](https://www.cairngormreindeer.co.uk/tag/hobnob/)
- [Tap](https://www.cairngormreindeer.co.uk/tag/tap/)
- [Angua](https://www.cairngormreindeer.co.uk/tag/angua/)
- [families](https://www.cairngormreindeer.co.uk/tag/families/)
- [Volunteers](https://www.cairngormreindeer.co.uk/tag/volunteers/)
- [Educational](https://www.cairngormreindeer.co.uk/tag/educational/)
- [diaries](https://www.cairngormreindeer.co.uk/tag/diaries/)
- [jaguar](https://www.cairngormreindeer.co.uk/tag/jaguar/)
- [Covid-19](https://www.cairngormreindeer.co.uk/tag/covid-19/)
- [Coronavirus](https://www.cairngormreindeer.co.uk/tag/coronavirus/)
- [adopt](https://www.cairngormreindeer.co.uk/tag/adopt/)
- [Dr Seuss](https://www.cairngormreindeer.co.uk/tag/dr-seuss/)
- [Spartan](https://www.cairngormreindeer.co.uk/tag/spartan/)
- [Bourbon](https://www.cairngormreindeer.co.uk/tag/bourbon/)
- [Houdini](https://www.cairngormreindeer.co.uk/tag/houdini/)
- [Olympic](https://www.cairngormreindeer.co.uk/tag/olympic/)
- [Svalbard](https://www.cairngormreindeer.co.uk/tag/svalbard/)
- [Pratchett](https://www.cairngormreindeer.co.uk/tag/pratchett/)
- [Moose](https://www.cairngormreindeer.co.uk/tag/moose/)
- [Bingo](https://www.cairngormreindeer.co.uk/tag/bingo/)
- [Atlantic](https://www.cairngormreindeer.co.uk/tag/atlantic/)
- [Origami](https://www.cairngormreindeer.co.uk/tag/origami/)
- [Beastie](https://www.cairngormreindeer.co.uk/tag/beastie/)
- [Jonas](https://www.cairngormreindeer.co.uk/tag/jonas/)
- [Strudel](https://www.cairngormreindeer.co.uk/tag/strudel/)
- [Stenoa](https://www.cairngormreindeer.co.uk/tag/stenoa/)
- [Sherlock](https://www.cairngormreindeer.co.uk/tag/sherlock/)
- [Matto](https://www.cairngormreindeer.co.uk/tag/matto/)
- [Hamish](https://www.cairngormreindeer.co.uk/tag/hamish/)
- [furlough](https://www.cairngormreindeer.co.uk/tag/furlough/)
- [art](https://www.cairngormreindeer.co.uk/tag/art/)
- [polled](https://www.cairngormreindeer.co.uk/tag/polled/)
- [antlerless](https://www.cairngormreindeer.co.uk/tag/antlerless/)
- [nutrition](https://www.cairngormreindeer.co.uk/tag/nutrition/)
- [orphaned](https://www.cairngormreindeer.co.uk/tag/orphaned/)
- [genetic](https://www.cairngormreindeer.co.uk/tag/genetic/)
- [Aztec](https://www.cairngormreindeer.co.uk/tag/aztec/)
- [Roman](https://www.cairngormreindeer.co.uk/tag/roman/)
- [LX](https://www.cairngormreindeer.co.uk/tag/lx/)
- [Diamond](https://www.cairngormreindeer.co.uk/tag/diamond/)
- [Mozzarella](https://www.cairngormreindeer.co.uk/tag/mozzarella/)
- [Emmental](https://www.cairngormreindeer.co.uk/tag/emmental/)
- [Olmec](https://www.cairngormreindeer.co.uk/tag/olmec/)
- [Brie](https://www.cairngormreindeer.co.uk/tag/brie/)
- [Lace](https://www.cairngormreindeer.co.uk/tag/lace/)
- [colours](https://www.cairngormreindeer.co.uk/tag/colours/)
- [Heather](https://www.cairngormreindeer.co.uk/tag/heather/)
- [leather](https://www.cairngormreindeer.co.uk/tag/leather/)
- [Shekel](https://www.cairngormreindeer.co.uk/tag/shekel/)
- [Caddis](https://www.cairngormreindeer.co.uk/tag/caddis/)
- [Diddly](https://www.cairngormreindeer.co.uk/tag/diddly/)
- [Sporran](https://www.cairngormreindeer.co.uk/tag/sporran/)
- [Dylan](https://www.cairngormreindeer.co.uk/tag/dylan/)
- [Sting](https://www.cairngormreindeer.co.uk/tag/sting/)
- [Loch Ness Leather](https://www.cairngormreindeer.co.uk/tag/loch-ness-leather/)
- [hoof](https://www.cairngormreindeer.co.uk/tag/hoof/)
- [foot](https://www.cairngormreindeer.co.uk/tag/foot/)
- [trim](https://www.cairngormreindeer.co.uk/tag/trim/)
- [trimming](https://www.cairngormreindeer.co.uk/tag/trimming/)
- [long](https://www.cairngormreindeer.co.uk/tag/long/)
- [Elvis](https://www.cairngormreindeer.co.uk/tag/elvis/)
- [old](https://www.cairngormreindeer.co.uk/tag/old/)
- [lazy](https://www.cairngormreindeer.co.uk/tag/lazy/)
- [technique](https://www.cairngormreindeer.co.uk/tag/technique/)
- [Starsky](https://www.cairngormreindeer.co.uk/tag/starsky/)
- [bottle-feeding](https://www.cairngormreindeer.co.uk/tag/bottle-feeding/)
- [Ibex](https://www.cairngormreindeer.co.uk/tag/ibex/)
- [Clouseau](https://www.cairngormreindeer.co.uk/tag/clouseau/)
- [Anster](https://www.cairngormreindeer.co.uk/tag/anster/)
- [Austen](https://www.cairngormreindeer.co.uk/tag/austen/)
- [Ochil](https://www.cairngormreindeer.co.uk/tag/ochil/)
- [Bumble](https://www.cairngormreindeer.co.uk/tag/bumble/)
- [Pony](https://www.cairngormreindeer.co.uk/tag/pony/)
- [Poirot](https://www.cairngormreindeer.co.uk/tag/poirot/)
- [Mo](https://www.cairngormreindeer.co.uk/tag/mo/)
- [Emm](https://www.cairngormreindeer.co.uk/tag/emm/)
- [Slioch](https://www.cairngormreindeer.co.uk/tag/slioch/)
- [Spike](https://www.cairngormreindeer.co.uk/tag/spike/)
- [Monopoly](https://www.cairngormreindeer.co.uk/tag/monopoly/)
- [Athens](https://www.cairngormreindeer.co.uk/tag/athens/)
- [Helsinki](https://www.cairngormreindeer.co.uk/tag/helsinki/)
- [Kota](https://www.cairngormreindeer.co.uk/tag/kota/)
- [Glenshee](https://www.cairngormreindeer.co.uk/tag/glenshee/)
- [volunteering](https://www.cairngormreindeer.co.uk/tag/volunteering/)
- [social distancing](https://www.cairngormreindeer.co.uk/tag/social-distancing/)
- [Rubiks](https://www.cairngormreindeer.co.uk/tag/rubiks/)
- [behaviour](https://www.cairngormreindeer.co.uk/tag/behaviour/)
- [Celt](https://www.cairngormreindeer.co.uk/tag/celt/)
- [Ost](https://www.cairngormreindeer.co.uk/tag/ost/)
- [Ben](https://www.cairngormreindeer.co.uk/tag/ben/)
- [memories](https://www.cairngormreindeer.co.uk/tag/memories/)
- [scruffy](https://www.cairngormreindeer.co.uk/tag/scruffy/)
- [quiz](https://www.cairngormreindeer.co.uk/tag/quiz/)
- [lockdown](https://www.cairngormreindeer.co.uk/tag/lockdown/)
- [Galilee](https://www.cairngormreindeer.co.uk/tag/galilee/)
- [Gloriana](https://www.cairngormreindeer.co.uk/tag/gloriana/)
- [Lotti](https://www.cairngormreindeer.co.uk/tag/lotti/)
- [Kipling](https://www.cairngormreindeer.co.uk/tag/kipling/)
- [questions](https://www.cairngormreindeer.co.uk/tag/questions/)
- [border terrier](https://www.cairngormreindeer.co.uk/tag/border-terrier/)
- [Moskki](https://www.cairngormreindeer.co.uk/tag/moskki/)
- [Tuva](https://www.cairngormreindeer.co.uk/tag/tuva/)
- [Red Squirrel](https://www.cairngormreindeer.co.uk/tag/red-squirrel/)
- [Crested tits](https://www.cairngormreindeer.co.uk/tag/crested-tits/)
- [Snow buntings](https://www.cairngormreindeer.co.uk/tag/snow-buntings/)
- [Mallards](https://www.cairngormreindeer.co.uk/tag/mallards/)
- [Capercaillie](https://www.cairngormreindeer.co.uk/tag/capercaillie/)
- [meat](https://www.cairngormreindeer.co.uk/tag/meat/)
- [centre closed](https://www.cairngormreindeer.co.uk/tag/centre-closed/)
- [Iceland](https://www.cairngormreindeer.co.uk/tag/iceland/)
- [Beth](https://www.cairngormreindeer.co.uk/tag/beth/)
- [Biscuit](https://www.cairngormreindeer.co.uk/tag/biscuit/)
- [Crowdie](https://www.cairngormreindeer.co.uk/tag/crowdie/)
- [Velvet antlers velvet nose](https://www.cairngormreindeer.co.uk/tag/velvet-antlers-velvet-nose/)
- [Alan](https://www.cairngormreindeer.co.uk/tag/alan/)
- [Alex](https://www.cairngormreindeer.co.uk/tag/alex/)
- [Lora](https://www.cairngormreindeer.co.uk/tag/lora/)
- [Hen](https://www.cairngormreindeer.co.uk/tag/hen/)
- [Andi](https://www.cairngormreindeer.co.uk/tag/andi/)
- [Oasis](https://www.cairngormreindeer.co.uk/tag/oasis/)
- [Indigo](https://www.cairngormreindeer.co.uk/tag/indigo/)
- [ill](https://www.cairngormreindeer.co.uk/tag/ill/)
- [poorly](https://www.cairngormreindeer.co.uk/tag/poorly/)
- [temperature](https://www.cairngormreindeer.co.uk/tag/temperature/)
- [ticks](https://www.cairngormreindeer.co.uk/tag/ticks/)
- [fever](https://www.cairngormreindeer.co.uk/tag/fever/)
- [Laptev](https://www.cairngormreindeer.co.uk/tag/laptev/)
- [Grunter](https://www.cairngormreindeer.co.uk/tag/grunter/)
- [Jenga](https://www.cairngormreindeer.co.uk/tag/jenga/)
- [Blue](https://www.cairngormreindeer.co.uk/tag/blue/)
- [Visitors](https://www.cairngormreindeer.co.uk/tag/visitors/)
- [Marple](https://www.cairngormreindeer.co.uk/tag/marple/)
- [Merida](https://www.cairngormreindeer.co.uk/tag/merida/)
- [Camembert](https://www.cairngormreindeer.co.uk/tag/camembert/)
- [Horse](https://www.cairngormreindeer.co.uk/tag/horse/)
- [Russia](https://www.cairngormreindeer.co.uk/tag/russia/)
- [chelsea](https://www.cairngormreindeer.co.uk/tag/chelsea/)
- [spider](https://www.cairngormreindeer.co.uk/tag/spider/)
- [druid](https://www.cairngormreindeer.co.uk/tag/druid/)
- [silk](https://www.cairngormreindeer.co.uk/tag/silk/)
- [hopscotch](https://www.cairngormreindeer.co.uk/tag/hopscotch/)
- [Addax](https://www.cairngormreindeer.co.uk/tag/addax/)
- [Cheer](https://www.cairngormreindeer.co.uk/tag/cheer/)
- [Christie](https://www.cairngormreindeer.co.uk/tag/christie/)
- [Hemp](https://www.cairngormreindeer.co.uk/tag/hemp/)
- [Jonne](https://www.cairngormreindeer.co.uk/tag/jonne/)
- [Oatcake](https://www.cairngormreindeer.co.uk/tag/oatcake/)
- [Oryx](https://www.cairngormreindeer.co.uk/tag/oryx/)
- [Texel](https://www.cairngormreindeer.co.uk/tag/texel/)
- [Pine marten](https://www.cairngormreindeer.co.uk/tag/pine-marten/)
- [Tinto](https://www.cairngormreindeer.co.uk/tag/tinto/)
- [adopters](https://www.cairngormreindeer.co.uk/tag/adopters/)
- [Snowflake](https://www.cairngormreindeer.co.uk/tag/snowflake/)
- [Butterwort](https://www.cairngormreindeer.co.uk/tag/butterwort/)
- [Sundew](https://www.cairngormreindeer.co.uk/tag/sundew/)
- [Duke](https://www.cairngormreindeer.co.uk/tag/duke/)
- [Soleil](https://www.cairngormreindeer.co.uk/tag/soleil/)
- [Baffin](https://www.cairngormreindeer.co.uk/tag/baffin/)
- [Scolty](https://www.cairngormreindeer.co.uk/tag/scolty/)
- [Congo](https://www.cairngormreindeer.co.uk/tag/congo/)
- [icicles](https://www.cairngormreindeer.co.uk/tag/icicles/)
- [Pagan](https://www.cairngormreindeer.co.uk/tag/pagan/)
- [Cicero](https://www.cairngormreindeer.co.uk/tag/cicero/)
- [Pumpkin](https://www.cairngormreindeer.co.uk/tag/pumpkin/)
- [Flax](https://www.cairngormreindeer.co.uk/tag/flax/)
- [names](https://www.cairngormreindeer.co.uk/tag/names/)
- [naming themes](https://www.cairngormreindeer.co.uk/tag/naming-themes/)
- [Morse](https://www.cairngormreindeer.co.uk/tag/morse/)
- [Real Rudolph](https://www.cairngormreindeer.co.uk/tag/real-rudolph/)
- [book](https://www.cairngormreindeer.co.uk/tag/book/)
- [2020](https://www.cairngormreindeer.co.uk/tag/2020/)
- [Spud the Piper](https://www.cairngormreindeer.co.uk/tag/spud-the-piper/)
- [Holy Moley](https://www.cairngormreindeer.co.uk/tag/holy-moley/)
- [Edamame](https://www.cairngormreindeer.co.uk/tag/edamame/)
- [Butter](https://www.cairngormreindeer.co.uk/tag/butter/)
- [Sleep](https://www.cairngormreindeer.co.uk/tag/sleep/)
- [Arta](https://www.cairngormreindeer.co.uk/tag/arta/)
- [Lima](https://www.cairngormreindeer.co.uk/tag/lima/)
- [Kernel](https://www.cairngormreindeer.co.uk/tag/kernel/)
- [Chickpea](https://www.cairngormreindeer.co.uk/tag/chickpea/)
- [Haricot](https://www.cairngormreindeer.co.uk/tag/haricot/)
- [Juniper](https://www.cairngormreindeer.co.uk/tag/juniper/)
- [Poetry](https://www.cairngormreindeer.co.uk/tag/poetry/)
- [poems](https://www.cairngormreindeer.co.uk/tag/poems/)
- [Green Loch](https://www.cairngormreindeer.co.uk/tag/green-loch/)
- [Nan Shepherd](https://www.cairngormreindeer.co.uk/tag/nan-shepherd/)
- [TV](https://www.cairngormreindeer.co.uk/tag/tv/)
- [Mikel Utsi](https://www.cairngormreindeer.co.uk/tag/mikel-utsi/)
- [Dr Lindgren](https://www.cairngormreindeer.co.uk/tag/dr-lindgren/)
- [Jokkmokk Winter Market](https://www.cairngormreindeer.co.uk/tag/jokkmokk-winter-market/)
- [travel](https://www.cairngormreindeer.co.uk/tag/travel/)
- [Doughnut](https://www.cairngormreindeer.co.uk/tag/doughnut/)
- [Jigsaw](https://www.cairngormreindeer.co.uk/tag/jigsaw/)
- [Caterpillar](https://www.cairngormreindeer.co.uk/tag/caterpillar/)
- [Fern](https://www.cairngormreindeer.co.uk/tag/fern/)
- [Fiji](https://www.cairngormreindeer.co.uk/tag/fiji/)
- [Coral](https://www.cairngormreindeer.co.uk/tag/coral/)
- [Shell](https://www.cairngormreindeer.co.uk/tag/shell/)
- [Bell](https://www.cairngormreindeer.co.uk/tag/bell/)
- [Eagle comic](https://www.cairngormreindeer.co.uk/tag/eagle-comic/)
- [Nicolaus Labba](https://www.cairngormreindeer.co.uk/tag/nicolaus-labba/)
- [Sarek](https://www.cairngormreindeer.co.uk/tag/sarek/)
- [Sam](https://www.cairngormreindeer.co.uk/tag/sam/)
- [Bond](https://www.cairngormreindeer.co.uk/tag/bond/)
- [Scully](https://www.cairngormreindeer.co.uk/tag/scully/)
- [old words](https://www.cairngormreindeer.co.uk/tag/old-words/)
- [Domino](https://www.cairngormreindeer.co.uk/tag/domino/)
- [Stuc](https://www.cairngormreindeer.co.uk/tag/stuc/)
- [Reindeer House](https://www.cairngormreindeer.co.uk/tag/reindeer-house/)
- [Oslo](https://www.cairngormreindeer.co.uk/tag/oslo/)
- [Camus](https://www.cairngormreindeer.co.uk/tag/camus/)
- [Sika](https://www.cairngormreindeer.co.uk/tag/sika/)
- [Bordeaux](https://www.cairngormreindeer.co.uk/tag/bordeaux/)
- [Santana](https://www.cairngormreindeer.co.uk/tag/santana/)
- [Pavlova](https://www.cairngormreindeer.co.uk/tag/pavlova/)
- [Berlin](https://www.cairngormreindeer.co.uk/tag/berlin/)
- [Dixie](https://www.cairngormreindeer.co.uk/tag/dixie/)
- [Lulu](https://www.cairngormreindeer.co.uk/tag/lulu/)
- [Dante](https://www.cairngormreindeer.co.uk/tag/dante/)
- [Inca](https://www.cairngormreindeer.co.uk/tag/inca/)
- [Meadow](https://www.cairngormreindeer.co.uk/tag/meadow/)
- [Florence](https://www.cairngormreindeer.co.uk/tag/florence/)
- [Blyton](https://www.cairngormreindeer.co.uk/tag/blyton/)
- [Kiruna](https://www.cairngormreindeer.co.uk/tag/kiruna/)
- [proposal](https://www.cairngormreindeer.co.uk/tag/proposal/)
- [Mikel Usti](https://www.cairngormreindeer.co.uk/tag/mikel-usti/)
- [Fritzen](https://www.cairngormreindeer.co.uk/tag/fritzen/)
- [Ruski](https://www.cairngormreindeer.co.uk/tag/ruski/)
- [Importing](https://www.cairngormreindeer.co.uk/tag/importing/)
- [Tjakko](https://www.cairngormreindeer.co.uk/tag/tjakko/)
- [Biscay](https://www.cairngormreindeer.co.uk/tag/biscay/)
- [Antler Crafts](https://www.cairngormreindeer.co.uk/tag/antler-crafts/)
- [taxidermy](https://www.cairngormreindeer.co.uk/tag/taxidermy/)
- [Olly](https://www.cairngormreindeer.co.uk/tag/olly/)
- [Sheena](https://www.cairngormreindeer.co.uk/tag/sheena/)
- [Manouk](https://www.cairngormreindeer.co.uk/tag/manouk/)
- [Joe](https://www.cairngormreindeer.co.uk/tag/joe/)
- [Wood](https://www.cairngormreindeer.co.uk/tag/wood/)
- [carving](https://www.cairngormreindeer.co.uk/tag/carving/)
- [Reindeer: An Arctic Life](https://www.cairngormreindeer.co.uk/tag/reindeer-an-arctic-life/)
- [shop](https://www.cairngormreindeer.co.uk/tag/shop/)
- [Pollyanna](https://www.cairngormreindeer.co.uk/tag/pollyanna/)
- [submarine](https://www.cairngormreindeer.co.uk/tag/submarine/)
- [London Zoo](https://www.cairngormreindeer.co.uk/tag/london-zoo/)
- [HMS Trident](https://www.cairngormreindeer.co.uk/tag/hms-trident/)
- [Jack](https://www.cairngormreindeer.co.uk/tag/jack/)
- [Hare](https://www.cairngormreindeer.co.uk/tag/hare/)
- [Buzzard](https://www.cairngormreindeer.co.uk/tag/buzzard/)
- [Nutti](https://www.cairngormreindeer.co.uk/tag/nutti/)
- [obituary](https://www.cairngormreindeer.co.uk/tag/obituary/)
- [Feta](https://www.cairngormreindeer.co.uk/tag/feta/)
- [Suebi](https://www.cairngormreindeer.co.uk/tag/suebi/)
- [Mawar](https://www.cairngormreindeer.co.uk/tag/mawar/)
- [ears](https://www.cairngormreindeer.co.uk/tag/ears/)
- [Turtle](https://www.cairngormreindeer.co.uk/tag/turtle/)
- [Jan Knippenberg](https://www.cairngormreindeer.co.uk/tag/jan-knippenberg/)
- [Lisette](https://www.cairngormreindeer.co.uk/tag/lisette/)
- [Bobby](https://www.cairngormreindeer.co.uk/tag/bobby/)
- [Dave](https://www.cairngormreindeer.co.uk/tag/dave/)
- [Fava](https://www.cairngormreindeer.co.uk/tag/fava/)
- [Borlotti](https://www.cairngormreindeer.co.uk/tag/borlotti/)
- [hot](https://www.cairngormreindeer.co.uk/tag/hot/)
- [skiing](https://www.cairngormreindeer.co.uk/tag/skiing/)
- [Scrabble](https://www.cairngormreindeer.co.uk/tag/scrabble/)
- [Nok](https://www.cairngormreindeer.co.uk/tag/nok/)
- [Cheese](https://www.cairngormreindeer.co.uk/tag/cheese/)
- [Soay sheep](https://www.cairngormreindeer.co.uk/tag/soay-sheep/)
- [lamb](https://www.cairngormreindeer.co.uk/tag/lamb/)
- [Walter](https://www.cairngormreindeer.co.uk/tag/walter/)
- [Jesse](https://www.cairngormreindeer.co.uk/tag/jesse/)
- [Eveny](https://www.cairngormreindeer.co.uk/tag/eveny/)
- [Reindeer culture](https://www.cairngormreindeer.co.uk/tag/reindeer-culture/)
- [book review](https://www.cairngormreindeer.co.uk/tag/book-review/)
- [eyes](https://www.cairngormreindeer.co.uk/tag/eyes/)
- [vision](https://www.cairngormreindeer.co.uk/tag/vision/)
- [reintroduction](https://www.cairngormreindeer.co.uk/tag/reintroduction/)
- [morning](https://www.cairngormreindeer.co.uk/tag/morning/)
- [Akubra](https://www.cairngormreindeer.co.uk/tag/akubra/)
- [myth](https://www.cairngormreindeer.co.uk/tag/myth/)
- [facts](https://www.cairngormreindeer.co.uk/tag/facts/)
- [waterproof](https://www.cairngormreindeer.co.uk/tag/waterproof/)
- [hill trip](https://www.cairngormreindeer.co.uk/tag/hill-trip/)
- [children](https://www.cairngormreindeer.co.uk/tag/children/)
- [age limit](https://www.cairngormreindeer.co.uk/tag/age-limit/)
- [restriction](https://www.cairngormreindeer.co.uk/tag/restriction/)
- [change](https://www.cairngormreindeer.co.uk/tag/change/)
- [difficult](https://www.cairngormreindeer.co.uk/tag/difficult/)
- [Adzuki](https://www.cairngormreindeer.co.uk/tag/adzuki/)
- [Witch](https://www.cairngormreindeer.co.uk/tag/witch/)
- [yawn](https://www.cairngormreindeer.co.uk/tag/yawn/)
- [silly](https://www.cairngormreindeer.co.uk/tag/silly/)
- [Christmas reindeer](https://www.cairngormreindeer.co.uk/tag/christmas-reindeer/)
- [Cottage](https://www.cairngormreindeer.co.uk/tag/cottage/)
- [shy reindeer](https://www.cairngormreindeer.co.uk/tag/shy-reindeer/)
- [Malawi](https://www.cairngormreindeer.co.uk/tag/malawi/)
- [Sholto](https://www.cairngormreindeer.co.uk/tag/sholto/)
- [Sambar](https://www.cairngormreindeer.co.uk/tag/sambar/)
- [Magnus](https://www.cairngormreindeer.co.uk/tag/magnus/)
- [Beanie](https://www.cairngormreindeer.co.uk/tag/beanie/)
- [Torch](https://www.cairngormreindeer.co.uk/tag/torch/)
- [mushy](https://www.cairngormreindeer.co.uk/tag/mushy/)
- [jester](https://www.cairngormreindeer.co.uk/tag/jester/)
- [Vilda](https://www.cairngormreindeer.co.uk/tag/vilda/)
- [fur](https://www.cairngormreindeer.co.uk/tag/fur/)
- [Leguma](https://www.cairngormreindeer.co.uk/tag/leguma/)
- [Cowboy](https://www.cairngormreindeer.co.uk/tag/cowboy/)
- [Cannellini](https://www.cairngormreindeer.co.uk/tag/cannellini/)
- [newsletters](https://www.cairngormreindeer.co.uk/tag/newsletters/)
- [Gazelle](https://www.cairngormreindeer.co.uk/tag/gazelle/)
- [Pink badge](https://www.cairngormreindeer.co.uk/tag/pink-badge/)
- [Ruth](https://www.cairngormreindeer.co.uk/tag/ruth/)
- [Jimmy](https://www.cairngormreindeer.co.uk/tag/jimmy/)
- [silver mount](https://www.cairngormreindeer.co.uk/tag/silver-mount/)
- [northern corries](https://www.cairngormreindeer.co.uk/tag/northern-corries/)
- [mangetout](https://www.cairngormreindeer.co.uk/tag/mangetout/)
- [boardwalk](https://www.cairngormreindeer.co.uk/tag/boardwalk/)
- [legume](https://www.cairngormreindeer.co.uk/tag/legume/)
- [Roule](https://www.cairngormreindeer.co.uk/tag/roule/)
- [Vienna](https://www.cairngormreindeer.co.uk/tag/vienna/)
- [Rusa](https://www.cairngormreindeer.co.uk/tag/rusa/)
- [filming](https://www.cairngormreindeer.co.uk/tag/filming/)
- [Topi](https://www.cairngormreindeer.co.uk/tag/topi/)
- [calendar](https://www.cairngormreindeer.co.uk/tag/calendar/)
- [naked](https://www.cairngormreindeer.co.uk/tag/naked/)
- [charity](https://www.cairngormreindeer.co.uk/tag/charity/)
- [cairngorm mountain rescue](https://www.cairngormreindeer.co.uk/tag/cairngorm-mountain-rescue/)
- [Zoom](https://www.cairngormreindeer.co.uk/tag/zoom/)
- [Fab](https://www.cairngormreindeer.co.uk/tag/fab/)
- [Sorbet](https://www.cairngormreindeer.co.uk/tag/sorbet/)
- [Busby](https://www.cairngormreindeer.co.uk/tag/busby/)
- [99](https://www.cairngormreindeer.co.uk/tag/99/)
- [Magnum](https://www.cairngormreindeer.co.uk/tag/magnum/)
- [counting](https://www.cairngormreindeer.co.uk/tag/counting/)
- [Peanut](https://www.cairngormreindeer.co.uk/tag/peanut/)
- [Beret](https://www.cairngormreindeer.co.uk/tag/beret/)
- [Mochi](https://www.cairngormreindeer.co.uk/tag/mochi/)
- [Choc-ice](https://www.cairngormreindeer.co.uk/tag/choc-ice/)
- [pip](https://www.cairngormreindeer.co.uk/tag/pip/)
- [viennetta](https://www.cairngormreindeer.co.uk/tag/viennetta/)
- [news](https://www.cairngormreindeer.co.uk/tag/news/)
- [Reindeer Centre](https://www.cairngormreindeer.co.uk/tag/reindeer-centre/)
- [Veikka](https://www.cairngormreindeer.co.uk/tag/veikka/)
- [Go](https://www.cairngormreindeer.co.uk/tag/go/)
- [Kermit](https://www.cairngormreindeer.co.uk/tag/kermit/)
- [Bee](https://www.cairngormreindeer.co.uk/tag/bee/)
- [Cowbridge](https://www.cairngormreindeer.co.uk/tag/cowbridge/)
- [Police elves](https://www.cairngormreindeer.co.uk/tag/police-elves/)
- [Nutkins](https://www.cairngormreindeer.co.uk/tag/nutkins/)
- [Nuii](https://www.cairngormreindeer.co.uk/tag/nuii/)
- [Mystery](https://www.cairngormreindeer.co.uk/tag/mystery/)
- [Harrods](https://www.cairngormreindeer.co.uk/tag/harrods/)
- [Lolly](https://www.cairngormreindeer.co.uk/tag/lolly/)
- [Wapiti](https://www.cairngormreindeer.co.uk/tag/wapiti/)
- [zap](https://www.cairngormreindeer.co.uk/tag/zap/)
- [Gelato](https://www.cairngormreindeer.co.uk/tag/gelato/)
- [Tub](https://www.cairngormreindeer.co.uk/tag/tub/)
- [Viking TV](https://www.cairngormreindeer.co.uk/tag/viking-tv/)
- [pinto](https://www.cairngormreindeer.co.uk/tag/pinto/)
- [rocket](https://www.cairngormreindeer.co.uk/tag/rocket/)
- [Suidhe](https://www.cairngormreindeer.co.uk/tag/suidhe/)
- [Solero](https://www.cairngormreindeer.co.uk/tag/solero/)
- [popsicle](https://www.cairngormreindeer.co.uk/tag/popsicle/)
- [running](https://www.cairngormreindeer.co.uk/tag/running/)
- [cornetto](https://www.cairngormreindeer.co.uk/tag/cornetto/)
- [Jelly](https://www.cairngormreindeer.co.uk/tag/jelly/)
- [Glacée](https://www.cairngormreindeer.co.uk/tag/glacee/)
- [mr whippy](https://www.cairngormreindeer.co.uk/tag/mr-whippy/)
- [vanilla](https://www.cairngormreindeer.co.uk/tag/vanilla/)
- [Fraoch](https://www.cairngormreindeer.co.uk/tag/fraoch/)
- [trilby](https://www.cairngormreindeer.co.uk/tag/trilby/)
- [sunflower](https://www.cairngormreindeer.co.uk/tag/sunflower/)
- [Caesar](https://www.cairngormreindeer.co.uk/tag/caesar/)
- [Parfa](https://www.cairngormreindeer.co.uk/tag/parfa/)
- [lupin](https://www.cairngormreindeer.co.uk/tag/lupin/)
- [Wild Farm Cottage](https://www.cairngormreindeer.co.uk/tag/wild-farm-cottage/)
- [holiday](https://www.cairngormreindeer.co.uk/tag/holiday/)
- [Calippo](https://www.cairngormreindeer.co.uk/tag/calippo/)
- [Kulfi](https://www.cairngormreindeer.co.uk/tag/kulfi/)
- [Winnie](https://www.cairngormreindeer.co.uk/tag/winnie/)
- [Alba](https://www.cairngormreindeer.co.uk/tag/alba/)
- [Scoop](https://www.cairngormreindeer.co.uk/tag/scoop/)
- [Wafer](https://www.cairngormreindeer.co.uk/tag/wafer/)
- [Glacier](https://www.cairngormreindeer.co.uk/tag/glacier/)
- [Hutch](https://www.cairngormreindeer.co.uk/tag/hutch/)
- [Iskrem](https://www.cairngormreindeer.co.uk/tag/iskrem/)
- [Sophie](https://www.cairngormreindeer.co.uk/tag/sophie/)
- [Neige](https://www.cairngormreindeer.co.uk/tag/neige/)
- [Amber](https://www.cairngormreindeer.co.uk/tag/amber/)
- [Josephine](https://www.cairngormreindeer.co.uk/tag/josephine/)
- [Ubaye](https://www.cairngormreindeer.co.uk/tag/ubaye/)
- [France](https://www.cairngormreindeer.co.uk/tag/france/)
- [Family trees](https://www.cairngormreindeer.co.uk/tag/family-trees/)
- [Eidart](https://www.cairngormreindeer.co.uk/tag/eidart/)
- [Trout](https://www.cairngormreindeer.co.uk/tag/trout/)
- [Oka](https://www.cairngormreindeer.co.uk/tag/oka/)
- [Colorado](https://www.cairngormreindeer.co.uk/tag/colorado/)
- [Yangtze](https://www.cairngormreindeer.co.uk/tag/yangtze/)
- [Shopping](https://www.cairngormreindeer.co.uk/tag/shopping/)
- [Orinoco](https://www.cairngormreindeer.co.uk/tag/orinoco/)
- [Mekong](https://www.cairngormreindeer.co.uk/tag/mekong/)
- [Amazon](https://www.cairngormreindeer.co.uk/tag/amazon/)
- [Ob](https://www.cairngormreindeer.co.uk/tag/ob/)
- [Isla](https://www.cairngormreindeer.co.uk/tag/isla/)
- [Shannon](https://www.cairngormreindeer.co.uk/tag/shannon/)
- [Murray](https://www.cairngormreindeer.co.uk/tag/murray/)
- [Wallace](https://www.cairngormreindeer.co.uk/tag/wallace/)
- [Amur](https://www.cairngormreindeer.co.uk/tag/amur/)
- [Mississippi](https://www.cairngormreindeer.co.uk/tag/mississippi/)
- [Lute](https://www.cairngormreindeer.co.uk/tag/lute/)
- [Polo](https://www.cairngormreindeer.co.uk/tag/polo/)
- [Ring](https://www.cairngormreindeer.co.uk/tag/ring/)
- [Ludo](https://www.cairngormreindeer.co.uk/tag/ludo/)
- [Dragonfly](https://www.cairngormreindeer.co.uk/tag/dragonfly/)
- [Addja](https://www.cairngormreindeer.co.uk/tag/addja/)
- [Comet](https://www.cairngormreindeer.co.uk/tag/comet/)
- [Hannah](https://www.cairngormreindeer.co.uk/tag/hannah/)
- [Cassie](https://www.cairngormreindeer.co.uk/tag/cassie/)
- [New Centre](https://www.cairngormreindeer.co.uk/tag/new-centre/)
- [Ferrari](https://www.cairngormreindeer.co.uk/tag/ferrari/)
- [Danube](https://www.cairngormreindeer.co.uk/tag/danube/)
- [Limpopo](https://www.cairngormreindeer.co.uk/tag/limpopo/)
- [helicopter](https://www.cairngormreindeer.co.uk/tag/helicopter/)
- [Sundae](https://www.cairngormreindeer.co.uk/tag/sundae/)
- [Darling](https://www.cairngormreindeer.co.uk/tag/darling/)
- [Dug](https://www.cairngormreindeer.co.uk/tag/dug/)
- [Elbe](https://www.cairngormreindeer.co.uk/tag/elbe/)
- [Hippo](https://www.cairngormreindeer.co.uk/tag/hippo/)
- [Sitini](https://www.cairngormreindeer.co.uk/tag/sitini/)
- [Mel](https://www.cairngormreindeer.co.uk/tag/mel/)
- [Abby](https://www.cairngormreindeer.co.uk/tag/abby/)
- [Broc](https://www.cairngormreindeer.co.uk/tag/broc/)
- [Murdoch](https://www.cairngormreindeer.co.uk/tag/murdoch/)
- [Imogen](https://www.cairngormreindeer.co.uk/tag/imogen/)
- [Julia](https://www.cairngormreindeer.co.uk/tag/julia/)
- [Macaroon](https://www.cairngormreindeer.co.uk/tag/macaroon/)
- [Lilac](https://www.cairngormreindeer.co.uk/tag/lilac/)
- [Champagne](https://www.cairngormreindeer.co.uk/tag/champagne/)
- [Sargasso](https://www.cairngormreindeer.co.uk/tag/sargasso/)
- [Eve](https://www.cairngormreindeer.co.uk/tag/eve/)
- [Vicky](https://www.cairngormreindeer.co.uk/tag/vicky/)
- [Nulpu](https://www.cairngormreindeer.co.uk/tag/nulpu/)
- [Kips](https://www.cairngormreindeer.co.uk/tag/kips/)
- [Sarah](https://www.cairngormreindeer.co.uk/tag/sarah/)
- [Impala](https://www.cairngormreindeer.co.uk/tag/impala/)
- [Minute](https://www.cairngormreindeer.co.uk/tag/minute/)
- [Emily](https://www.cairngormreindeer.co.uk/tag/emily/)
- [Cailin](https://www.cairngormreindeer.co.uk/tag/cailin/)
- [Nepal](https://www.cairngormreindeer.co.uk/tag/nepal/)
- [Merrick](https://www.cairngormreindeer.co.uk/tag/merrick/)
- [Tanner](https://www.cairngormreindeer.co.uk/tag/tanner/)
- [Aonach](https://www.cairngormreindeer.co.uk/tag/aonach/)
- [Fyrish](https://www.cairngormreindeer.co.uk/tag/fyrish/)
- [Wales](https://www.cairngormreindeer.co.uk/tag/wales/)
- [Windsor](https://www.cairngormreindeer.co.uk/tag/windsor/)
- [Paris](https://www.cairngormreindeer.co.uk/tag/paris/)
- [marathon](https://www.cairngormreindeer.co.uk/tag/marathon/)
- [Tip](https://www.cairngormreindeer.co.uk/tag/tip/)
- [Macmillan](https://www.cairngormreindeer.co.uk/tag/macmillan/)
- [Arrochar](https://www.cairngormreindeer.co.uk/tag/arrochar/)
- [Brimick](https://www.cairngormreindeer.co.uk/tag/brimick/)
- [Cioch](https://www.cairngormreindeer.co.uk/tag/cioch/)
- [Monty](https://www.cairngormreindeer.co.uk/tag/monty/)
- [Hne](https://www.cairngormreindeer.co.uk/tag/hne/)
- [Gandi](https://www.cairngormreindeer.co.uk/tag/gandi/)
- [Bandy](https://www.cairngormreindeer.co.uk/tag/bandy/)
- [Cambozola](https://www.cairngormreindeer.co.uk/tag/cambozola/)
- [Hudson](https://www.cairngormreindeer.co.uk/tag/hudson/)
- [Lairig](https://www.cairngormreindeer.co.uk/tag/lairig/)
- [Max](https://www.cairngormreindeer.co.uk/tag/max/)
- [Gnu](https://www.cairngormreindeer.co.uk/tag/gnu/)
- [Peru](https://www.cairngormreindeer.co.uk/tag/peru/)
- [Chime](https://www.cairngormreindeer.co.uk/tag/chime/)
- [Colin](https://www.cairngormreindeer.co.uk/tag/colin/)
- [polled reindeer](https://www.cairngormreindeer.co.uk/tag/polled-reindeer/)
- [Jaffa](https://www.cairngormreindeer.co.uk/tag/jaffa/)
- [Harry](https://www.cairngormreindeer.co.uk/tag/harry/)
- [Minto](https://www.cairngormreindeer.co.uk/tag/minto/)
- [Bajaan](https://www.cairngormreindeer.co.uk/tag/bajaan/)
- [leucism](https://www.cairngormreindeer.co.uk/tag/leucism/)
- [mountain hare](https://www.cairngormreindeer.co.uk/tag/mountain-hare/)
- [Clarinet](https://www.cairngormreindeer.co.uk/tag/clarinet/)
- [touch](https://www.cairngormreindeer.co.uk/tag/touch/)
- [Sequin](https://www.cairngormreindeer.co.uk/tag/sequin/)
- [Ladybird](https://www.cairngormreindeer.co.uk/tag/ladybird/)
- [wagtail](https://www.cairngormreindeer.co.uk/tag/wagtail/)
- [Lch Morlich](https://www.cairngormreindeer.co.uk/tag/lch-morlich/)
- [Squirrel](https://www.cairngormreindeer.co.uk/tag/squirrel/)
- [Red Grouse](https://www.cairngormreindeer.co.uk/tag/red-grouse/)
- [Alba Wildlife](https://www.cairngormreindeer.co.uk/tag/alba-wildlife/)
- [Jack Ward](https://www.cairngormreindeer.co.uk/tag/jack-ward/)
- [till](https://www.cairngormreindeer.co.uk/tag/till/)
- [old fashioned](https://www.cairngormreindeer.co.uk/tag/old-fashioned/)
- [Hornet](https://www.cairngormreindeer.co.uk/tag/hornet/)
- [Kate](https://www.cairngormreindeer.co.uk/tag/kate/)
- [handreared](https://www.cairngormreindeer.co.uk/tag/handreared/)
- [shedding](https://www.cairngormreindeer.co.uk/tag/shedding/)
- [Tuppence](https://www.cairngormreindeer.co.uk/tag/tuppence/)
- [Shinty](https://www.cairngormreindeer.co.uk/tag/shinty/)
- [Sooty](https://www.cairngormreindeer.co.uk/tag/sooty/)
- [Maramedia](https://www.cairngormreindeer.co.uk/tag/maramedia/)
- [day in the life](https://www.cairngormreindeer.co.uk/tag/day-in-the-life/)
- [Paintpot](https://www.cairngormreindeer.co.uk/tag/paintpot/)
- [Nazca](https://www.cairngormreindeer.co.uk/tag/nazca/)
- [Lilibet](https://www.cairngormreindeer.co.uk/tag/lilibet/)
- [2016](https://www.cairngormreindeer.co.uk/tag/2016/)
- [Bhuachaille](https://www.cairngormreindeer.co.uk/tag/bhuachaille/)
- [Orkney](https://www.cairngormreindeer.co.uk/tag/orkney/)
- [Vandal](https://www.cairngormreindeer.co.uk/tag/vandal/)
- [Byron](https://www.cairngormreindeer.co.uk/tag/byron/)
- [Frankie](https://www.cairngormreindeer.co.uk/tag/frankie/)
- [Kara](https://www.cairngormreindeer.co.uk/tag/kara/)
- [Viking](https://www.cairngormreindeer.co.uk/tag/viking/)
- [reindeer families](https://www.cairngormreindeer.co.uk/tag/reindeer-families/)
- [carrots](https://www.cairngormreindeer.co.uk/tag/carrots/)
- [dram](https://www.cairngormreindeer.co.uk/tag/dram/)
- [pet peeves](https://www.cairngormreindeer.co.uk/tag/pet-peeves/)
- [Cameron](https://www.cairngormreindeer.co.uk/tag/cameron/)
- [teeth](https://www.cairngormreindeer.co.uk/tag/teeth/)
- [Ascot](https://www.cairngormreindeer.co.uk/tag/ascot/)
- [Rummy](https://www.cairngormreindeer.co.uk/tag/rummy/)
- [Pict](https://www.cairngormreindeer.co.uk/tag/pict/)
- [Morna](https://www.cairngormreindeer.co.uk/tag/morna/)
- [Moormore](https://www.cairngormreindeer.co.uk/tag/moormore/)
- [re-introduction](https://www.cairngormreindeer.co.uk/tag/re-introduction/)
- [reindeer trekking](https://www.cairngormreindeer.co.uk/tag/reindeer-trekking/)
- [habitat](https://www.cairngormreindeer.co.uk/tag/habitat/)
- [Kivi](https://www.cairngormreindeer.co.uk/tag/kivi/)
- [Scotland's reindeer](https://www.cairngormreindeer.co.uk/tag/scotlands-reindeer/)
- [Hoofprints](https://www.cairngormreindeer.co.uk/tag/hoofprints/)
- [South Georgia](https://www.cairngormreindeer.co.uk/tag/south-georgia/)
- [Falklands](https://www.cairngormreindeer.co.uk/tag/falklands/)
- [southern hemisphere](https://www.cairngormreindeer.co.uk/tag/southern-hemisphere/)
- [introduced species](https://www.cairngormreindeer.co.uk/tag/introduced-species/)
- [Norwegian reindeer](https://www.cairngormreindeer.co.uk/tag/norwegian-reindeer/)
- [Jacob](https://www.cairngormreindeer.co.uk/tag/jacob/)
- [Wally](https://www.cairngormreindeer.co.uk/tag/wally/)
- [Boko](https://www.cairngormreindeer.co.uk/tag/boko/)
- [Vikhta](https://www.cairngormreindeer.co.uk/tag/vikhta/)
- [Laila](https://www.cairngormreindeer.co.uk/tag/laila/)
- [trees](https://www.cairngormreindeer.co.uk/tag/trees/)
- [Paulownia](https://www.cairngormreindeer.co.uk/tag/paulownia/)
- [broom](https://www.cairngormreindeer.co.uk/tag/broom/)
- [Utsi's bridge](https://www.cairngormreindeer.co.uk/tag/utsis-bridge/)
- [gorse](https://www.cairngormreindeer.co.uk/tag/gorse/)
- [2017](https://www.cairngormreindeer.co.uk/tag/2017/)
- [Stella](https://www.cairngormreindeer.co.uk/tag/stella/)
- [Ann](https://www.cairngormreindeer.co.uk/tag/ann/)
- [Derek](https://www.cairngormreindeer.co.uk/tag/derek/)
- [hand-reared](https://www.cairngormreindeer.co.uk/tag/hand-reared/)
- [Zambezi](https://www.cairngormreindeer.co.uk/tag/zambezi/)
- [Crackle](https://www.cairngormreindeer.co.uk/tag/crackle/)
- [Gustav](https://www.cairngormreindeer.co.uk/tag/gustav/)
- [Utsi](https://www.cairngormreindeer.co.uk/tag/utsi/)
- [Cluster](https://www.cairngormreindeer.co.uk/tag/cluster/)
- [leucistic](https://www.cairngormreindeer.co.uk/tag/leucistic/)
- [deaf](https://www.cairngormreindeer.co.uk/tag/deaf/)
- [Black Loch](https://www.cairngormreindeer.co.uk/tag/black-loch/)
- [Sally](https://www.cairngormreindeer.co.uk/tag/sally/)
- [Pied wagtail](https://www.cairngormreindeer.co.uk/tag/pied-wagtail/)
- [eyesight](https://www.cairngormreindeer.co.uk/tag/eyesight/)
- [ultraviolet](https://www.cairngormreindeer.co.uk/tag/ultraviolet/)
- [reindeer eyes](https://www.cairngormreindeer.co.uk/tag/reindeer-eyes/)
- [Minstrel](https://www.cairngormreindeer.co.uk/tag/minstrel/)
- [Find Yourself Lost](https://www.cairngormreindeer.co.uk/tag/find-yourself-lost/)
- [John and Holly](https://www.cairngormreindeer.co.uk/tag/john-and-holly/)
- [Glen Feshie](https://www.cairngormreindeer.co.uk/tag/glen-feshie/)
- [Clootie](https://www.cairngormreindeer.co.uk/tag/clootie/)
- [Mice](https://www.cairngormreindeer.co.uk/tag/mice/)
- [Mouse](https://www.cairngormreindeer.co.uk/tag/mouse/)
- [reindeer feed](https://www.cairngormreindeer.co.uk/tag/reindeer-feed/)
- [Helen Leaf](https://www.cairngormreindeer.co.uk/tag/helen-leaf/)
- [mushrooms](https://www.cairngormreindeer.co.uk/tag/mushrooms/)
- [digestion](https://www.cairngormreindeer.co.uk/tag/digestion/)
- [rumen](https://www.cairngormreindeer.co.uk/tag/rumen/)
- [Fly Agaric](https://www.cairngormreindeer.co.uk/tag/fly-agaric/)
- [iron age pigs](https://www.cairngormreindeer.co.uk/tag/iron-age-pigs/)
- [highland cattle](https://www.cairngormreindeer.co.uk/tag/highland-cattle/)
- [Aral](https://www.cairngormreindeer.co.uk/tag/aral/)
- [Beatrix](https://www.cairngormreindeer.co.uk/tag/beatrix/)
- [Cardiff](https://www.cairngormreindeer.co.uk/tag/cardiff/)
- [antler growth](https://www.cairngormreindeer.co.uk/tag/antler-growth/)
- [reindeer antler](https://www.cairngormreindeer.co.uk/tag/reindeer-antler/)
- [Nile](https://www.cairngormreindeer.co.uk/tag/nile/)
- [Amy](https://www.cairngormreindeer.co.uk/tag/amy/)
- [Rob](https://www.cairngormreindeer.co.uk/tag/rob/)
- [geology](https://www.cairngormreindeer.co.uk/tag/geology/)
- [geography](https://www.cairngormreindeer.co.uk/tag/geography/)
- [Bradford reindeer parade](https://www.cairngormreindeer.co.uk/tag/bradford-reindeer-parade/)
- [Christmas parade](https://www.cairngormreindeer.co.uk/tag/christmas-parade/)
- [Christmas event](https://www.cairngormreindeer.co.uk/tag/christmas-event/)
- [Kathleen](https://www.cairngormreindeer.co.uk/tag/kathleen/)
- [Oli](https://www.cairngormreindeer.co.uk/tag/oli/)
- [Glenfeshie](https://www.cairngormreindeer.co.uk/tag/glenfeshie/)
- [stag](https://www.cairngormreindeer.co.uk/tag/stag/)
- [buck](https://www.cairngormreindeer.co.uk/tag/buck/)
- [Fallow deer](https://www.cairngormreindeer.co.uk/tag/fallow-deer/)
- [deer species](https://www.cairngormreindeer.co.uk/tag/deer-species/)
- [Nenets](https://www.cairngormreindeer.co.uk/tag/nenets/)
- [Chris](https://www.cairngormreindeer.co.uk/tag/chris/)
- [Traveltoes Shaly](https://www.cairngormreindeer.co.uk/tag/traveltoes-shaly/)
- [reindeer herder](https://www.cairngormreindeer.co.uk/tag/reindeer-herder/)
- [Hopper](https://www.cairngormreindeer.co.uk/tag/hopper/)
- [Bum](https://www.cairngormreindeer.co.uk/tag/bum/)
- [Second](https://www.cairngormreindeer.co.uk/tag/second/)
- [red nose](https://www.cairngormreindeer.co.uk/tag/red-nose/)
- [Bega](https://www.cairngormreindeer.co.uk/tag/bega/)
- [Salekhard](https://www.cairngormreindeer.co.uk/tag/salekhard/)
- [World Reindeer Herders Congress](https://www.cairngormreindeer.co.uk/tag/world-reindeer-herders-congress/)
- [World Reindeer Herders Association](https://www.cairngormreindeer.co.uk/tag/world-reindeer-herders-association/)
- [Nenet](https://www.cairngormreindeer.co.uk/tag/nenet/)
- [reindeer racing](https://www.cairngormreindeer.co.uk/tag/reindeer-racing/)
- [Great slab](https://www.cairngormreindeer.co.uk/tag/great-slab/)
- [calmbeforethestorm](https://www.cairngormreindeer.co.uk/tag/calmbeforethestorm/)
- [Everest marathon](https://www.cairngormreindeer.co.uk/tag/everest-marathon/)
- [himalayas](https://www.cairngormreindeer.co.uk/tag/himalayas/)
- [Kathmandu](https://www.cairngormreindeer.co.uk/tag/kathmandu/)