Scottish Charity Number: SC034859
“Providing Education and Career Pathways Across All Rural Related Businesses”
Giving young people a greater sense of rural life and work
As part of our progression pathway in Pathways to Rural Work, we offer a variety of residential opportunities for schools to participate in.
We work with residential centres, rural businesses and partners across Scotland to develop a range of residential learning experiences to give young people a greater sense of practical hands-on rural life.
The residentials offered often depend on the requirements of schools in a region or needs of local businesses and runs as part of Pathways to Rural Work.
Upcoming Opportunities:
19th – 25th July 2026 – Lionel Main Junior Angling Course hosted at Castle Grant on the River Spey. This course is now full booked.
October 2026 – Miramichi River, New Brunswick, Canada exchange trip. All places are fully booked.
Details of other upcoming opportunities will be posted on this page when they are available.
Our Residential Programmes
Lionel Main Junior Angling Course
Organised in partnership with Windward Education, this residential is held annually and focuses on encouraging young people to improve their knowledge and skills on the river – fishing, ecology, conservation and sustainable fisheries management. To support progress towards careers involving our water resources.
The course includes participants working towards their National Progression Award Level 3 in Angling.
The course is currently hosted on the River Spey at Castle Grant, kindly sponsored by funding raised in memory of Lionel Main, the highly regarded former Head Ghillie on the fishing beat.
An extraordinary new opportunity for 2026 – there is an organised Canada exchange project. A group of young Canadians will make the trip over to join the 2026 course. And then, in October, some of our own participants will venture to the Miramichi River, New Brunswick to discover fly fishing and river ecosystems across new horizons!
If you are interested in this residential or know somebody that is, get in touch with us to find out more!
This residential would not be possible without our grateful sponsors: Seafield and Strathspey Estates, Saxavord, House of Bruar.
SCQF Level 4 Rural Skills Residential
This week long course aimed at S3 and S4, allows pupils gain experience in:
- animal care with day to day skills of handling, feeding and checking the health of sheep,
- estate maintenance skills like repairing fences, setting up water pipes, repairing dystone walls and managing vegetaion.
- learning about land-based careers that exist and routes into work.
Combining practical tasks with collaborating on presentations and work review tasks help young people achieve this SQA qualification which schools are able to use in their own attainment data.
In 2020 we based this course at PGL Dalguise and farms in Perthshire in partnership with Borders College.
In 2023 we were based at SRUC Kirkton at Crianlarich working with the college and Windward Education.
Bellshill Academy's experience on residential
S1 – S2 Rural Experience Residential
This course is aimed at young people in S1 and S2 to develop their interest and knowledge of rural skills. It can be used by schools as a taster for pupils considering taking Rural Skills classes in the future. During the residential the young people have the opportunity to try different skills and work with various rural workers.