A dalliance with Royal Deeside
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THINK about the Cairngorms National Park and what springs to mind is likely to be the core central area around Aviemore.
For mountaineers, skiers, watersports enthusiasts and tourists who simply want to ride the funicular railway and enjoy dramatic scenery it’s a major draw.
But it’s often overlooked that the park is much bigger – the biggest in the UK. Since 2010 it has included Highland Perthshire, the boundary extending south to take in Blair Atholl and the Glenshee ski area to the east.
But the park also covers Deeside and a largely ignored corner by anyone other than the residents of Aberdeenshire and the north-east of Scotland.
Glen Tanar may not have the grandeur of the high Cairngorm peaks but it is a stunning area of the park, consisting mainly of forests and heather moorland, but also taking in Mount Keen, the most easterly Munro.
The natives are friendly too, and Glen Tanar Estate has an enlightened attitude towards recreation, welcoming outdoor enthusiasts of all persuasions.
There’s a visitor centre with free entry, which has recently undergone a complete revamp and is a good starting point to explore the area.
The rangers manning it are keen to spread the word about the attractions of Glen Tanar, so I took a trip from Inverness over the Lecht to see for myself.
I met up first with assistant ranger Mike Martin who showed me round the visitor centre and exhibition, which details the history, management and wildlife of the estate on a series of interpretation boards.
The estate was formed in the 19th century when a portion of the lands of the Marquis of Huntly was leased, then bought, by the Manchester merchant banker and MP Sir William Cunliffe Brooks.
He brought many changes to the glen, building houses and bridges, the Tower of Ess, a Victorian ballroom still very much in use today for weddings, and landscaped gardens.
In 1905 Glen Tanar was bought by George Coats, later Lord Glentanar. The present owners, Michael and Claire Bruce, are the fourth generation of the family to own the land.
Mike tells me that the refurbished visitor centre allows the rangers to cater better for school and university groups, with classroom space available.
As for wildlife, ospreys have been in Glen Tanar for at least 25 years, and there are golden eagles, meadow pipits and hen harriers to be seen too. The Scottish crossbill, a pinewood specialist, thrives in Glen Tanar, as do red squirrels, with a management programme to keep grey squirrels at bay.
Biodiversity is the buzzword, but the estate doesn’t just pay lip service to it. A refreshingly positive attitude exists here to do things on the ground that benefit the flora and fauna, at the same time dovetailing that with recreation.
Exiting the visitor centre we set off on a walk designed to give me a flavour of what’s on offer and are joined by head ranger Eric Baird, a fount of knowledge about the estate which he’s keen to impart.
For walkers who want an easy stroll there is a series of waymarked routes, varying in length from less than a mile to five miles, with plenty to see. Leaflets are available at the visitor centre detailing walks and mountain bike routes.
We stop after a short distance at the restored Chapel of St Lesmo, named after a holy hermit who lived in Glen Tanar over 1,000 years ago.
Inside the rafters are fashioned from whole trees and the joists are made from curiously twisted branches of locally grown Scotch fir. Nowadays it’s in great demand for weddings.
Pressing on, we head up the Firmounth Road, a former droving route that crosses the moors to the picturesque village of Tarfside in Glen Esk.
On a fine day like this, with the sun showing the scenery off to its best, we stop at Knockie Viewpoint to admire the rolling hills beyond and look back towards our start point.
Mike leaves us here while Eric and I continue on the track, Eric explaining that the intention is to do a circuit of a minor hill ahead of us called The Strone.
He mentions points of interest along the way, including a slightly muddy spot under the trees which acts as a magnet for crossbills, though our luck is out today, with none there.
A short detour for a lunch stop takes us to the Water of Tanar and an ingenious little chute to allow spawning salmon to navigate their way upstream.
Eric also shows me a plaque, well hidden amongst the trees, on the spot where Glen Tanar was declared a National Nature Reserve on September 21, 1979.
The last few kilometres back to Glen Tanar House and the visitor centre are along a track beside the burbling Water of Tanar making its way to the River Dee.
I make a mental note to return for a trek up Mount Keen and to get to know this lovely part of Scotland better.
For more details about Glen Tanar visit the website at www.glentanar.co.uk
