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A river winds through a misty pine forest, rocks breaking the surface and reeds growing along the bank.
Dumfries and Galloway

Otter's Pool

A wide shallow pool on the Black Water of Dee, halfway down the Raiders' Road.

Welcome

The Raiders' Road runs ten miles of forest track between the A762 and the A712, following the Black Water of Dee for most of it, and Otter's Pool is where everybody stops.

A calm river winds between conifers and shrubs under an overcast sky, scattered rocks breaking its surface.

The river spreads out wide and shallow over gravel here, with grass banks and a stone beach, and it is the one place on the drive built for getting out of the car: people paddle, picnic and swim in it, and the water is peat-dark and cold. The drive is a toll road and it shuts for the winter. The Raiders' Road is named for the route the cattle reivers used, and was made famous by S R Crockett's novel. There are otters on the Dee, but you will be lucky.

Before you go
How long
Three quarters of an hour to three hours
Cost
By ticket
Getting there
On the Raiders' Road forest drive, a toll road open in season only.

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Did you know

A calm river winds between pine and deciduous trees, rocks breaking the surface and reeds lining the bank.
Did you know

Halfway down a toll road.

The Raiders' Road is ten miles of forest drive along the Black Water of Dee, open in season, with a toll at the gate.

A calm river winds between pine and deciduous trees, rocks breaking the surface and reeds lining the bank.
Did you know

Where everybody stops.

The river spreads wide and shallow over gravel here, which makes it the one place on the drive people get out and into the water.

A calm river winds between pine and deciduous trees, rocks breaking the surface and reeds lining the bank.
Did you know

Named for cattle thieves.

The road takes its name from the route the reivers drove stolen cattle along, and from S R Crockett's novel The Raiders.

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Where it is

Midway along the Raiders' Road forest drive, in Galloway Forest Park.

Close byThe rest of Dumfries and Galloway, near at hand.
  1. Galloway Forest ParkGalloway Forest ParkBritain's largest forest park, over 300 square miles of forest, lochs and hills in Galloway, and the UK's first Dark Sky Park.Under a mile 1 min by road
  2. Bruce’s StoneBruce’s StoneA granite boulder above Loch Trool, where Bruce watched an English force break.1 mile 7 min by road
  3. Aerial view of a winding loch surrounded by autumn woodland and hillsLoch TroolA dark loch under the Merrick, where Bruce rolled rocks onto an English column.1 mile 8 min by road
Directions

Nothing of ours in this part of the map.

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The Daily for 25 October, from Scotland with love. bare tree stumps standing in an autumn loch, forested hills reflected in the still water

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