Beautiful Glenmore Forest

[ilovescotty]

An excellent hike through Glenmore Forest Park, easily the most natural and 'wild' area of forest I have ever visited in the UK.

We started around 11 am, setting off from our cabin at Pine Bank Chalets just outside Aviemore (excellent accommodation I might add). I would have preferred a much earlier start in an attempt to spot some more wildlife, but alas my girlfriend is a sloth in the mornings.

We pulled up just past Loch Morlich, and entered the woods. Having spent so much time recently in the Forest of Dean, Gloucestershire (an equal mix of ancient deciduous woodland and spruce plantation), I was particularly looking forward to seeing how the woodlands up here differed in terms of tree species and wildlife.

Emma stood by the stream, what a charming grin.

Caledonian pinewoods have such a different feel to any other type of forest/woodland in the UK. A genuine feeling of being in a pure and untouched wilderness is a very special feeling indeed. Despite obviously having foot-paths dotted around, and a few other subtle signs of forestry commission work, this place really did feel unspoilt.

We continued further into the woods, spotting (yet failing to photograph) a cheeky red squirrel who dashed across the path and up a nearby pine. We had already spotted two of the little critters outside our cabin before we left that morning, and I must say, they are far more charming than their grey rat-like cousins in the south.

Some of the stunning scenery captured along the way

As we got further and further into the woods, we would often veer off the path, further enhancing that 'wild feeling'. I was very pleased to see how many young Scots Pines hatchlings were sprouting from the floor, hopefully one day helping to increase the tree cover and extend these beautiful native woodlands.

We continued along a path, which got narrower and became hidden beneath undergrowth, until eventually it disappeared altogether.

we scrambled down a small rocky slope, and found ourselves next to another rushing stream, which we crossed carefully, trying to avoid the more slippery of the scattered stepping stones.

What awaited us on the other side was a completely secluded, pathless and hiker-free expanse of beautiful forest. This was my favorite point of the whole walk.

A female Capercaillie flew out of a nearby tree, the unmistakable clicking sound allowing us to identify it clearly. To the left, we caught a glimpse of two Red stags dashing behind a moss covered mound, and dissapearing into the dense covering of trees beyond.

The sun began to shine through the wet misty pines, and I was overcome with a real feeling of joy. Such a privilege to be in a place so unspoiled by human activity (although perhaps our presence spoiled things for the poor startled deer).

Everything from that point onward was just icing on the cake, despite a slight feeling of disappointment from failing to catch any of our remarkable wildlife on camera (not through lack of trying- deer are bloody fast runners when startled).

We continued for a while longer, eventually stumbling back onto a footpath. At this point, we almost turned back, slightly concerned that we did not know exactly where we were. However, we decided that we should continue a little further.

Emma enjoying the rain

I was so glad we persevered, as we saw even more amazing scenery, and I got some great close ups of the local musshies!

Incidently, mushrooms are much easier to photograph than deer. They don't tend to run away when they see a human.