Okay so who doesn’t love dogs? A survey in 2021 found that 34% of households have a dog, closely followed by 28% of households with cats. Some may have both, some may be allergic to dogs, but I think it’s safe to say that many people love them in some way. For Christmas last year, Beth booked for us to go away to Aberdeen for a weekend. It was a lovely wintery trip, especially as it featured a visit to today’s Hidden Gem. Husky Haven.
A Haven of Huskies?!
Yes it’s as great as it sounds. Nestled off the beaten path in Stonehaven (even difficult for our taxi driver to find) is Husky Haven. Its entrance is a grand wooden gate, flanked by a couple of statues of huskies. After driving up the driveway you come to the main site, where you’re greeted by the team. Beth had arranged for the full day package, which meant we not only got to meet the huskies, but we also got to hear stories from the owner, who has competed in mushing events around the world. His name is Wattie McDonald.
We had a tour of the site and when they ‘released the hounds’ we were in our element. Seeing the huskies bound around (in the snow, might I add) was great – they were so excitable and playful! We wrapped up warm and were shown how to setup our sledges for some mushing.
Sledging
Our sledges weren’t the traditional ones, but that’s due to the fact that Aberdeen doesn’t actually get that much snow! The trails that the huskies mush along are, for the most part of the year, covered in tarmac and grass. Considering the huskies’ natural environment is snow, our trip in February was the first time many of the young dogs had seen it! We saddled up on our trike-style sledges and were shown the ropes. Before long we were off, heading out into the hills following the lead quad bike.
The route was great. We headed off into the wilderness (well, the hills outside Aberdeen) which were coated in fresh snow. I loved the experience, but the dogs loved it more! They kept stopping to enjoy this new powdery goodness, either eating it or rolling around in it! We stopped about halfway around for a break and more husky cuddles.
It was downhill on the way back. The ice cold breeze on our faces countered the warmth of our hands as we were gripping for dear life! Thankfully the trikes had brakes and they were very much in use. We arrived back at the site and warmed up with a coffee before the second part of the day.
Stories and Kennel Tour
As if riding around in the snow (no Santa jokes please) wasn’t enough, the full package had more. We sat inside the warm and were shown some videos of Wattie competing in mushing competitions out in Alaska. He’s participated in several editions of the Iditarod race and is known for the great care he has over his dogs. Many of the racers lose dogs along the way due to the gruelling conditions, however Wattie ensures his team take plenty of breaks. While this can be detriment to his race times, dog welfare is his top priority. He would rather finish last with all his dogs than winning and suffering injuries along the way! That’s the best way to be in my opinion!
We watched a few videos of some of his races, then went outside again for the kennel tour. Wattie talked through the foods they give to the dogs and their daily routine, then we were privileged to see the puppies be let out for their feed. The adult dogs were kept away, as the pack mentality of the huskies is more in touch with nature than the domesticated dogs we have at home. It was incredible to see. More husky cuddles followed and the day came to an end.
Aberdeen’s Husky Haven should be sung about. I don’t want to go into too much detail; it’ll ruin the magic if (and when) you decide to visit! We had a great, wintery weekend and were greeted with Scotland’s welcoming charm. Genuinely. Everyone was really friendly and our experience here just topped that off. The last Hidden Gem I blogged about was in the UK too – maybe this is becoming a habit…
Good to know!