Mar Lodge Estate, now operated by National Trust for Scotland, is the UK's largest nature reserve and is situated in the heart of the Cairngorms National Park. It was originally a 19th century hunting lodge, and now comprises one of the few remaining areas of Caledonian pinewoods. The river Dee runs through the estate, which is now a centre for hiking and other outdoor pursuits. It is reputedly a good place to see red squirrels in their natural habitat, although they remained elusive on the day we visited. Perhaps they didn't like the rain?
We might not have spotted a red squirrel, but other people claimed to have more success. Mind you, one of the entries on the board implied that a haggis had been spotted recently...
We followed the
Glen Lui trail, past the old salmon ladder and waterfall. Despite the car park being totally full, we hardly met a soul during the two hour walk around the forest. A very beautiful and peaceful location, even if the local wildlife was playing hard to get.
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