I am up there shortly for work- I need a patch of woodland close to the school to work in for the day, for forest school things. I need somewhere to tarp a shelter up and have a few kelly kettles etc

(The school contact is not being helpful…).

The woodland between the leisure centre and the academy maybe useful – is it really public? Or would I be better to head to Quarry woods – and is quarry woods Forestry Commission?

been more than 10 years since I lived in Elgin now so bit out of date, but I presume you mean Quarrelwood just to the east of Elgin – and it is FC (there are some quarries in it…which is why it gets confusingly named)and it’s called (wrongly) Quarry Wood on Google maps

http://www.forestry.gov.uk/website/recreation.nsf/LUWebDocsByKey/ScotlandMorayandAberdeenshireNoForestForestsofMorayandAberdeenshireQuarrelWood

There’s a contact numbber on that web page

Everything you need will be in there.

From what I remember the patch of trees between Academy and the lesiure centre isn’t very big, and I think it’s quite steep certainly downstream of the footbridge. – Might be quite different by now though.

Thank you – my bad it is Quarrel wood, hence why I could not find it on FC site… 🙂

Quarrel Wood, or Oakwoods we used to call it…

Not sure of precise ownership of some of it, there’s a residents association that can get a bit NIMBY.
If the FC are unhelpful (or the school are) there may be other bits of woodland you could access, but you’d need to find ownership and arrange permission..

There’s various bits to the Oakwoods, but ideal bit would be behind Mcintosh Drive estate really.

Lass at FC, Rachel, used to do similar woodland activities for John Muir Trust and so on so may be able to assist / guide you.

seconded on the woodland between Academy and LC — nothing there likely to be of real use, risk assessment would have a fit 🙂

Cheers all.

Now spoken to FC and sorted (or wheels in motion) to get permissions for fires and such. 😈

Anyone up for a nightride in January?

Nightrides at the oakies once or twice a week, get in touch when you’re up…

We manage the nearby Rothes Estate – some big woodlands there, and they woud be v happy to host something like that.

Good riding round Forres – Darnaway Estate and the Findhorn – give us a shout if you want a guide.

Cheers

I have some work Jan – June up there, and will be all over Moray…the bike will be going with me… First day at Elgin is Jan 13th evening. matt_outandabout At Hotmail.com
I would come to other places, but this is being booked out of schools for ease of access / a theme of what we do, so I would love to come and play at Rothes…but can’t 🙁

Where did the name Quarrel Wood come from then? Did they just make it up when they created the Quarrel Wood Association for the walkers? Was always either Quarry Wood or Oakwoods when I was a kid. Always just Oakies now 🙂