Abernethy Forest
The largest remnant of the old Caledonian pinewood, round Loch Garten, with ospreys, crested tits, red squirrels and capercaillie.
Abernethy is the largest remnant of the old Caledonian pine forest in Britain, spread round Loch Garten and Nethy Bridge between Aviemore and Grantown-on-Spey, and much of it is an RSPB reserve.
Walking among its huge, gnarled Scots pines, their trunks crusted with lichen, over carpets of blaeberry, juniper and heather, is one of the great pleasures of the Cairngorms.
In spring and summer the forest is alive: ospreys breed here, and there are crested tits, crossbills, red squirrels, bank voles, great spotted woodpeckers and siskins, with capercaillie deep in the trees. On warm days dragonflies patrol the pools, and some of the wood ants' nests on the forest floor are a metre tall and hold a quarter of a million ants. In autumn and winter the evening arrival of wild geese on Loch Garten is a thrilling sight. Waymarked paths lead round the loch and to Loch Mallachie. There is free parking and accessible toilets at the Loch Garten Nature Centre. From April to August dogs must be kept on a lead to protect ground-nesting birds.
The forest is open at any time.
The Loch Garten car park is free, with 52 spaces and electric charging. Toilets open with the Nature Centre. Dogs must be on a lead from 1 April to 31 August, and barbecues and fires are never allowed.
- Parking
- Free, 52 spaces, electric charging, three Blue Badge bays.
- Dogs
- On a lead 1 April to 31 August.
Loch Garten, by Nethy Bridge and Boat of Garten.
Nethy HouseA café with rooms in a granite house in Nethy Bridge, with home baking, Glen Lyon coffee and a welcome for dogs and bikes.2 miles6 min by road
Nethy BridgeThe Forest Village on the River Nethy, wrapped in the Abernethy pinewoods, with a Telford bridge of 1810 and trails through the trees.3 miles7 min by road
Loch Garten Nature ReserveThe RSPB's loch among old pines in Abernethy, known for its ospreys, with a Nature Centre, live cameras and geese at dusk in winter.3 miles7 min by road
The Dell Grocer, Nethy BridgeA little grocer in the forest at the Dell of Abernethy, a mile from Nethy Bridge, with sourdough on Fridays.3 miles10 min by road
KJ's Bothy BakeryThe Mountain Café's new home: a bakery and Kiwi coffee shop on the edge of Grantown-on-Spey, with everything baked on site.7 miles14 min by road
Places to stay near the forest, and when each is next free.
Park Cottage- Sleeps 6
- In Kincraig
- 12 miles from Abernethy
Killiehuntly Bothy- Sleeps 4
- In Cairngorms
- 18 miles from Abernethy
The Hayloft- Sleeps 2
- In Cairngorms
- 18 miles from Abernethy
Killiehuntly Farmhouse- To stay
- In Cairngorms
- 18 miles from Abernethy
Scotland, in print.
Every photograph commissioned, every word written by somebody who went. Printed twice a year, made in Scotland.
For further reading, before you go.