KILMAURS WALKING FESTIVAL FIRST!
Kilmaurs Community Council and East Ayrshire Countryside Services Department will be hosting their first walking festival, this weekend, Friday 3 September to Sunday 5 September.
The event will kick off on Friday with a sponsored walk for P6 and P7 pupils from Kilmaurs Primary School around the Kilmaurs Town Trail. Bottles of water have been kindly donated by Sainsbury’s for the walk.
On Saturday 4 September you are invited to join the Countryside Rangers on an evening bat walk and discover ..read more Read more
THE XCHANGE FACTOR!
There may not be much singing, but there’s certainly plenty of hard work going on at Dean Castle Country Park just now as the Council’s Countryside Services Section work with Xchange Scotland to develop an international volunteer project in the park.
Xchange Scotland is a voluntary organisation developed by Scottish volunteers and others committed to making positive changes in society. For the past six years, the members have been deeply involved in international volunteering with numerous local partners all around the ..read more Read more
LOCAL CRAFTERS AT THE DEAN
Some of Ayrshire’s best local crafters will be at Dean Castle Country Park this Sunday 29 August from 12 – 4pm.
If you’re looking for a special gift, want to treat yourself or want to grab some early Christmas bargains then this event is for you. Visitors will be able to buy quality local crafts and can browse unique stalls and artisan wares including jewellery, handbags, glass paintings, cards and favours, home baking and much more.
For further information contact 01563 ..read more Read more
ORCHESTRE D’HARMONIE DE JOUE-LES-TOURS
The French wind band Orchestre d’Harmonie de Joué-lès-Tours, from our French twin town of Joué-lès-Tours, played a selection of rousing tunes at Dean Castle Country Park last Saturday
Provost Stephanie Young, who presented the orchestra with a gift on behalf of East Ayrshire, said: “I was delighted to meet our friends from Joué-lès-Tours and thoroughly enjoyed their wonderful music. The rain stayed away just long enough for the musicians to set up in the courtyard of the castle and play ..read more Read more
A LITTLE BIT OF MAGIC!
Tiny the Owl and his feathered friends will be regular visitors to Dean Castle Country Park over the summer months.
Owl Magic will be showing their extensive range of hand reared owls at the park and there will be the opportunity for the young and young at heart to handle these incredible birds of prey. Souvenir photos will also be available on the day.
For further information about Owl Magic check out – www.owl-magic.com
Owl Magic will visit Dean Castle Country Park ..read more Read more
JOIN THE KENNEDY DRIVE CLEAN UP
The Countryside Rangers and the Countryside Services team are seeking volunteers who don’t mind getting their hands dirty.
On Sunday 30 May between 1pm and 4pm the team will be cleaning up the land within Dean Castle Country Park which lies adjacent to Kennedy Drive. The clear up will benefit the local community by improving the environment and will help wildlife living in this area.
Councillor Bobby McDill, Spokesperson for Delivering Community Regeneration said: “The Council has run some very ..read more Read more
COUNTRYSIDE SERVICES EVENTS
WILDLIFE AWARENESS DAY
Visit Dean Castle Country Park this Sunday 16 May to celebrate Wildlife Awareness Day.
As part of the International Year of Biodiversity celebrations, come along and find out everything you’ve ever wanted to know about Scottish wildlife. Speak to experts from leading organisations including the RSPB, Butterfly Conservation, Heal the Earth and East Ayrshire Countryside Rangers. There will also be wildlife related crafts and challenges for the whole family to enjoy from 12pm.
Don’t forget that Saturday 15 May is ..read more Read more
CLASSIC CARS PARADE THROUGH KILMARNOCK
Provost Stephanie Young joined hundreds of visitors at the “Cars and Crafts” show at Dean Castle Country Park at the weekend.
Once again, Dean Castle Country Park played host to Ayrshire Classic Car Club in staging an amazing display of some of the finest examples of classic cars in Scotland. Prior to the show, the classic cars paraded through Kilmarnock in what was a first for the town.
Provost Young said: “The parade was an excellent way of showcasing these beautiful ..read more Read more
HISTORICAL WOODLAND TO BE RESTORED
Work has started on the restoration of a historical pinetum at Dean Castle Country Park.
The pinetum, which was planted in the early part of the twentieth century, included a large collection of over 130 rare and unusual conifers from across the world. In order to reintroduce this beautiful feature to the park it is essential that the invasive Rhododendron ponticum must first be completely removed from the site.
Although Rhododendron ponticum is an attractive ornamental species, it is an ..read more Read more
RANGER EVENTS IN THE GREAT OUTDOORS
Join the Countryside Rangers for some Bat Magic on an evening walk around Dean Castle Country Park on Saturday 24 April, to discover more about our favourite nocturnal mammals.
Find out which bat is so small it can fit inside a matchbox and which bat can hear a ladybird walking on a leaf! Take a walk around the park with the Rangers and the Ayrshire Country Moth recorder and hope to find bats with long ears, red arms – and those ..read more Read more
