Treetops experience

Take to the treetops, zip wire through the forest canopy and then relax with a Scottish Borders woodland wellbeing experience

This full day forest and woodland adventure combines the adrenaline rush of clambering through the upland forest canopy and a chilled woodland wellbeing experience.

Highlights include an amazing high ropes challenge in a Scottish Borders forest, the chance to whizz through the trees on Scotland’s highest zip wire and an opportunity to view ospreys remotely (in season)

The activity takes place in the Glentress Forest near Peebles, where you’ll be guided by experienced instructors as you clamber through the trees and hurtle down the 325m long zip wire.

The forest is home to red squirrels and pine martens and we’ll stop to take a look at the Osprey viewing centre (open from spring to late summer) to catch a glimpse of these magnificent birds.

Glentress sits in the Tweed valley about half an hour’s drive from our base in Selkirk. The short journey back is one of the prettiest routes in the Scottish Borders, passing through gorgeous upland scenery.

We’ll take a lunch break at the local Waterwheel Cafe, where there will be an opportunity to visit the Golden Eagle information centre to learn about the release programme for these magnificent birds. Depending on the time of year, we’ll also look for salmon moving up the fish ladder to the next level of the river.

Mauldsheugh Wood is our own community wildlife project at the heart of the Scottish Borders.

You’ll join a ranger for a nature walk around the wood and after that, you’ll get the chance to help with feeding the resident and visiting birds in the wood, topping up the feeders and waiting to see how many of the more than 40 species we’ve recorded there are around.

Great spotted woodpecker, nuthatch, tree creeper and long tailed tits are just a few of the species you’ll have a chance to see. We also have sparrowhawk, kestrel and tawny owl, along with kingfisher, dipper, heron and little egret on the river.

You can keep an eye out too for the resident roe deer, which can often be seen moving among the trees, and the wood is home to a wide raange of other species including stoats, foxes and badger. We’ve been visited by pine marten, otter and even a red squirrel in the last year!

You can also get involved with a craft activity such as making a bird feeder or willow weaving. For a small additional charge you can build your own nest box and put it up in the wood or take it home.

Your ranger will also lead you on a conservation activity of your choice, which could involve checking birds boxes, building new habitat areas or helping create a new forest school area for local children and community groups.

Prices start at £440 for a private group session for up to four people. Additional adults are charged at £100pp, with children £75pp. Please note that prices are based on the use of your own transport: we can arrange minibus, coach or luxury vehicles at an additional cost. Contact us for details.

We run our nature adventures to give more people a chance to enjoy the wildlife of southern Scotland and to help cover the cost of our community nature and wildlife projects. All profits go back into the community interest company to enable us to continue to operate Mauldsheugh Wood, along with nature clubs, school visits and collaborations with other community groups.