We are teaming up with Ron McCombe who is the Scottish nature photographer of the year, to offer photographic workshops, and or trips to local hot spots (bass rock and the Farn Islands).

We can offer a variety of courses or sessions for groups or individuals. At Press Mains you will have endless possibilities of subjects to photograph. Ron can supply equipment if necessary, and can take anyone from beginners upwards.
Please phone for more details.

As part of our on going improvements we are installing a biomass boiler. Instead of burning heating oil which has to be shipped half way around the world, we will burn waste corn and wood produced on the farm

This will dramatically reduce our carbon footprint

Dispite the difficult weather many species are doing well here this year. We currently have cameras on Blackbirds, Swallows, Squirrels and Spotted flycatchers.

However it has been a poor year for insect eating species with pied wagtails, flycatchers and great tits abandoning nests.Worst of all was the poor blue tits all our chicks died at about a week old. We know of several other cases in the area, and think its because the spring was so hot it encouraged the caterpillars on which the blue tits normally feed there young to hatch too early.

We have installed a series of CCTV cameras over a number of wild life sites, depending on the season you will be able to watch nesting swallows, barn owls, a badgers set, red squirrels, bat roosting box and a blue tit nest.

The pictures will be transmitted directly into the comfort of your cottage, where you will have a choice of 4 channels to view. You will have the unique opportunity to view the secret lives of our wild animals without disturbing them.

During the spring we are also building a wildlife hide to view a red squirrel feeding point and a roe deer watering hole along with numerous birds. This depends on the co-operation of the wild life themselves. We are creating way-marked walks around the farm which should help our visitors to understand the relationship between modern farming and wild life.

The wildlife camera viewing is great. We have 4 barn owl chicks. Swallow and Pied Wagtail chicks. Baby badgers are seen every night playing around the sett. Last Mintue offers

Last mintue break in the Castle Cottage from 17th June to 25th June.Stewards Cottage from Saturday 18th June to Tuesday 21st June at £65 per night.

Stewards Cottage available for the week starting 2nd July at £500.

Please check availablity calendar for dates.This is a brilliant time for bird watching.