Rothiemurchus Forest

Rothiemurchus Forest stands near Aviemore in the Scottish Highlands as one of the last patches of the ancient Caledonian Forest. It stretches from the River Spey up to the high mountain plateau within the Cairngorms National Park. The forest mixes Scots pines with open glades and lochs, creating a varied landscape. Much of the land belongs to the Rothiemurchus Estate, which the Grant family has owned since the 1540s. Today the estate is managed by Johnnie Grant, the 13th Earl of Dysart, and his family. A large part of the upper forest was sold to Forestry and Land Scotland in 2014. The forest is important for wildlife, hosting species like the osprey, Scottish crossbill, capercaillie, crested tit and European wildcat. During the Napoleonic Wars timber sales reached £1,500 a year, though floating logs damaged salmon traps and caused disputes. By the 1820s timber income rose to between £4,000 and £5,000 annually, yet the costs of maintaining dams, sluices and horses were high. In 1839 the old pinewood was described as ‘much exhausted’. In 1859 Rothiemurchus was turned into a deer forest. Visitors find marked paths and quiet tracks winding through pinewoods and beside lochs. The estate offers routes for walking, cycling and wildlife watching. Birdwatchers come to spot the crested tit and capercaillie in the canopy. The River Spey flows along the southern edge, where ospreys may be seen fishing. The open moorland above the forest gives wide views across the Cairngorms.