An open watercolour challenge with the theme Autumn Colour in the Cairngorms National Park is to be held in Newtonmore over the first weekend in October, based on the Wildcat Trail.   

The Wildcat Trail is a 7-mile (10Km) orbital  path round Newtonmore which takes the walker along the Spey,  through the Calder Gorge and past the Aultlarie waterfalls.  It links areas of established woodland with new plantations and offers magnificent views of the Cairngorm and Mondadhliath mountains. 

If you like painting landscapes, trees or running water, there is endless scope here to do so – let your imagination run wild.

Prizes are being offered in three categories – best overall work,  best work by school pupils and the work which best represents the Cairngorm National Park.  The overall winner will be framed at the expense of the organisers and hung in the Wildcat Centre over the winter months (then returned to the artist!).

The prizes will be elm bowls specially commissioned from the Wildcat Country Furniture company, Newtonmore,  and carved from local timber. 

The challenge is open to all.  Anyone interested is invited  to come along to Newtonmore Village Hall on Saturday, 2nd October, from 10am, to have their paper date stamped. They then have until  4.30pm on Sunday to produce a painting and deliver it to the Village Hall for judging.  Entries will be judged on Sunday, 3rd October between 4.30pm and 5.30pm.  Prize giving will then take place at an open exhibition of the work between 5.30pm and 6.30pm.

An optional introductory walk of the Trail will be led by the first Chairman of the Newtonmore Community Woodland Trust, former Liberal MP James D.G. Davidson,  on the Friday afternoon, 1st October.  The walk starts at the Wildcat Centre beside the Village Hall at 1.30pm.

That evening (Friday 1st)  local artist Anisa Caine will give a talk “Nature and Art – a Personal Experience”.   Anisa is an established watercolour artist and  will judge the entries, along with Councillor Sheena Slimon, wearing her CNPA hat!    Funding for the event has been given by the Cairngorm National Park Authority under their Communities in the Park scheme.

Why not take the opportunity to see this lovely part of the world and  try your hand at capturing the beauty of Autumn in the Cairngorms National Park?  

Entry is £5.00 per adult,  £2.00 for concessions and free for school pupils.

Please contact Janet Davidson at the Wildcat Centre, Newtonmore, 01540 673131 for further details and to say if you wish to take part.   All proceeds go to the upkeep of the Wildcat Trail.