Winter, Spring and Autumnwatch to be in the Cairngorms

The Cairngorms is to be the home of BBC Two’s Winterwatch, Springwatch and Autumnwatch next year.

Presenters Chris Packham, Michaela Strachan and Gillian Burke will host the programmes from the UK’s largest national park.

The Watches series will start with Winterwatch in January.

The programme’s team will be based at The Dell of Abernethy, a lodge built in 1780 on the edge of the Abernethy Caledonian pine forest.

The show will explore winter’s effects on wildlife and habitats and feature Cairngorms Connect, the UK’s largest landscape-scale conservation project.

‘Happening zone’

Strachan said she was excited to be going to the Cairngorms for Winterwatch.

She said: It’s such a stunning place. Full of wildlife, dramatic, wild and very, very cold.

“The wildlife always delivers from golden eagles to mountain hares, wildcats to black grouse, ptarmigan, pine marten, red squirrel, water vole, otter.

“The Highlands have a wonderful diversity of wildlife and habitats. It’s one of those places in the UK where you can really connect with the natural environment.”

Packham described Scotland as a “land of the brave, home of the wild and hope for the UK’s wildlife”.

He added: “This is the happening zone in conservation and home to the most amazing diversity of sexy species. I can’t wait.”

Burke said: “I cannot wait to get going and bring the best of British wildlife from our new home in the Cairngorms. Brace yourselves for a truly wild Winterwatch.”

Courtesy of BBC Scotland news online.