Find the main forest remnants

Directions to get to some of the main remnants of the Caledonan Forest

There are about 77 remnants of the Caledonian Forest, accordingly to the native pinewood inventory maintained by Forestry Commission Scotland. Many of them are small in extent, and remote and difficult to gain access to. The directions below are for some of the largest and best remnants, that are also readily accessible. The directions are based on departing from Inverness, so if you are coming from a different direction, you’ll need to take account of that.

Map showing the location of the main pinewood remnants. Click a number or a name for directions.

Glen Affric Glen Strathfarrar Beinn Eighe Abernethy Rothiemurchus Glen More Black Wood of Rannoch Mar Lodge Glen Tanar

1. Glen Affric

From Inverness City Centre:

• Take the A82
• Turn right at Drumnadrochit onto the A831
• Continue to Cannich
• Just beyond Cannich, at the Hydroelectric power station, turn right onto a narrow road signposted Glen Affric
• After 4 miles, Loch Beinn a’Mheadhoin is on the left
• The road ends just short of Loch Affric, where there is a picnic area.

Website: http://www.glenaffric.org/glen_affric.html

Map showing the location of Glen Affric

2. Glen Strathfarrar

Gated entrance. From Inverness City Centre:

• Take the A862,
• Just before Beauly, keep to the left onto A831
• Take the right turn just before Struy, where a small sign says Strathfarrar. This road shortly becomes private and you are advised to phone in advance to have the gate opened.

Please see the following link for more information.

Website: http://www.glenaffric.org/glen_strathfarrar.html

Map showing the location of Glen Strathfarrar

3. Beinn Eighe

• From Inverness take the A9 north over the Kessock Bridge
• At the roundabout, take the A835. Follow this over the next roundabout
• Bear left onto the A832 at Gorstan
• Bear right at Kinlochewe, staying on the A832
• The visitor’s centre is 2 miles further on the left

Website: http://www.snh.org.uk/nnr-scotland/reserve.asp?NNRId=15

Map showing the location of Beinn Eighe

4. Abernethy

From Inverness City Centre:

• Take the A9 south
• Follow signs to Aviemore
• From Aviemore take the B9150/A95 and follow the RSPB ‘Osprey’ signs to Loch Garten

There is a Visitors’ Centre with good facilities and well signposted trails.

Website: http://www.rspb.org.uk/reserves/guide/l/lochgarten/index.asp

Map showing the location of Abernethy

5. Rothiemurchus

From Inverness City Centre:

• Take the A9 South
• Follow the signs to Aviemore
• At the main junction just before Aviemore, take the B9152
• Take the first left to Inverdruie
• Rothiemurchus Visitor Centre is on the left

Website: http://www.rothiemurchus.net/

Map showing the location of Rothiemurchus

6. Glen More

From Inverness City Centre:

• Take the A9 South
• Follow signs to Aviemore
• At Aviemore, take the ski road East towards the Cairngorm skiing area.
• After 6 miles, Loch Morlich is on your right.
• The Visitors' Centre is just past the Loch on your left.

Website: http://www.forestry.gov.uk/website/wildwoods.nsf/LUWebDocsByKey/ScotlandHighlandGlenmoreForestPark

Map showing the location of Glen More

7. Black Wood of Rannoch

From Inverness City Centre:

• Take the A9 south towards Perth
• Turn right onto B847 at Calvine
• Turn right onto the B846
• Turn left in Kinloch Rannoch onto a single track road.
• Loch Rannoch is on your right and the Black Wood of Rannoch is on the left, on the south side of the Loch.

Website: http://www.rannoch.net/Black Wood.htm

Map showing the location of the Black Wood of Rannoch

8. Mar Lodge

From Inverness:

• Take the A9 south to Aviemore
• Turn left onto the A938
• Briefly join the A95 then turn right onto the A939 at the Spey Bridge
• Follow the A939 past Tomintoul
• Turn right onto the A93 to Braemar
• Once at Braemar, turn right onto a single track road signposted “Linn of Dee”
• Mar Lodge is 3 miles from Braemar, past Inverey and Muir.

Website: http://www.nts.org.uk/Property/45/

Map showing the location of Mar Lodge

9. Glen Tanar

• From Inverness take the A9 south to Aviemore
• Turn left just before Carrbridge onto the A938
• Briefly join the A95 then turn right onto the A939 at the Spey Bridge
• Continue on the A939 until you meet the A93, where you take a left
• Turn off onto the B976
• Follow signs to Glen Tanar and turn left at the Tower of Ess into the Estate

Website: http://www.glentanar.co.uk/

Map showing the location of Glen Tanar

 
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