Glenmore National Nature Reserve

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Overview

The Glenmore NNR is part of the Glenmore Forest Park in the Cairngorms National Park, and provides a haven for wildlife and outdoor enthusiasts alike. Glenmore – which translates from the Gaelic simply as ‘the big glen’ – is a unique mixture of ancient Caledonian pinewoods, high mountain scenery and beautiful lochs, the largest and most important of which is Loch Morlich. The forest is alive with the sound of birdsong, and you should keep your eyes peeled for red squirrels, crested tits and crossbills. You could also seek out some of the small but beautiful plants living on the forest floor, such as the rare and delicate twinflower or the one-flowered wintergreen. Or you can just savour the fragrant carpet of needles beneath the ancient ‘Granny’ pines. On the high tops, Britain’s only herd of wild reindeer can be seen in summer, along with the clucking ptarmigan among the boulders and heather.

Location

Glenmore Lodge

About the area

Apart from the Orkneys and the Shetlands, Highland is Scotland’s northernmost county. Probably its most famous feature is the mysterious and evocative Loch Ness, allegedly home to an ancient monster that has embedded itself in the world’s modern mythology, and the region’s tourist industry.