Glen Affric - the Main Car Parks

Please come prepared

This is a remote area with little or no mobile Affric Kintail Way phone signal. Payment with coins is needed for Glen Affric - the main car parks. Bring all the supplies you The Affric Kintail Way is a superb need including drinking water and be prepared 44 mile long-distance route stretching Gleann Afraig for midges at the height of the summer. from Drumnadrochit on Loch Ness to Morvich at The nearest shop is in Cannich village. Kintail. There are some remote and challenging ‘the glen of the dappled ford’ sections so please plan ahead and be prepared. Help us to take care of this beautiful area. www.affrickintailway.com Take special care with stoves or cigarette ends. Fire is the greatest threat to the pinewoods.

Photo: Colin Leslie Glen Affric’s stunning landscape is world famous. The perfect combination of pinewoods, lochs, rivers and mountains means that many visitors say it is the most beautiful glen in Scotland.

Glen Affric is also home to an amazing range of wildlife. You may be lucky enough to spot a golden eagle, Scottish crossbill or pine marten. There is always something to see.

Wander along the wonderful woodland trails, picnic by picturesque Loch Beinn a’ Mheadhain or bag a Munro or two and you’ll soon discover why Glen Affric is such a special place. Living Heritage

Glen Affric’s famous landscape was sculpted by glaciers during the last ice age. The glaciers melted around 9,000 years ago, and the Caledonian forests grew. Today’s trees are a living link to the past.

1500- The Chisholm clan owned Glen Affric from the 15th century. In 1560 1800 they cut timber for repairing bridges in Inverness. In the early 1800s they evicted their tenant farmers during the notorious Highland clearances, Explore further: Loch Affric when sheep offered more profit than The Loch Affric circuit is around 12 miles. the tenants could give. It is fairly level but the path can be rough. You need to cross burns without bridges on the north side of the loch. You should 1800s In the 19th century, Glen Affric be well prepared and allow at least 5 hours became a sporting estate, and Affric Lodge was built in 1870 as for this trip. This path is not way-marked. In with the old, a gentleman’s shooting lodge. Athnamulloch Cottage out with the new at the head of Loch Affric is used by the Glen Affric is one of Scotland’s finest National In the 1950s the dam was built on charity ‘Trees for Life’. 1950s Nature Reserves, and we are proud to look after Loch Beinn a Mheadhain and a grand Photo: Colin Leslie it. The reserve has a wonderful mosaic of habitats hydro-electric scheme brought with pinewood, moorland and mountain areas, power to the glens. rivers, lochs and bogs. These natural areas are improving and expanding. Our conservation work includes controlling the local deer 1960s The Forestry Commission (now population and removing non-native trees. Forestry and Land Scotland) bought We have also fenced some areas to protect young Glen Affric in 1951, and started the Scots pines. The Caledonian forest is returning. protection of the old pinewoods in 1960.

Enjoy Scotland’s EnjoyEnjoy Scotland’sScotland’s Enjoy Scotland’s Enjoy Scotland’s outdoors responsibly outdoorsoutdoors responsiblyresponsibly outdoors responsibly outdoors responsibly

• take responsibility for your own actions •• take take responsibility responsibility for for your your own own actions actions • take responsibility for your own actions • take responsibility for your own actions • respect the interests of other people •• respect respect the the interests interests of of other other people people • respect the interests of other people • respect the interests of other people • care for the environment. •• care care for for the the environment. environment. • care for the environment. • care for the environment. Photo: Colin Leslie

Dedicated foresters, scientists and volunteers have all helped with this work over the years. Thank you!

Enjoy Scotland’s Enjoy Scotland’s Enjoy Scotland’s Enjoy Scotland’s outdoors responsibly outdoors responsibly outdoors responsibly outdoors responsibly

• take responsibility for your own actions • take responsibility for your own actions • take responsibility for your own actions • take responsibility for your own actions • respect the interests of other people • respect the interests of other people • respect the interests of other people • respect the interests of other people • care for the environment. • care for the environment. • care for the environment. • care for the environment. Trail information Loch Beinn a’ 1 Dog Falls 2 Eas a’ Choin Mheadhain Viewpoint Trail Dog Falls Trail Coire Loch Trail (pronounced ‘loch ben-a-vey-an’) - meaning ‘Loch of the middle hill’ Climb through the forest and drink in the views over Loch Follow the foam-flecked river to feel the awesome power Fall under Glen Affric’s spell on this magical walk Beinn a’ Mheadhain to the breathtaking mountains beyond. of the falls as they tumble into a deep gorge. through a patchwork forest of ancient pines and birches. Mostly wide, firm gravel 1 ¾ miles / Long sections of uneven gravel 2 miles / Discover a secluded little lochan and a wonderful surface. Short narrow 2.9 kms paths with some rocky sections 3.2 kms viewpoint above. section with exposed tree Allow and steps. Long steep slopes Allow Narrow and uneven gravel 2 ¾ miles / Glen Affric roots and uneven stone 1 hr for 500m. Includes a narrow 1 ¼ hrs path with exposed tree 4.5 kms steps. Long fairly sleep bridge and two road crossings. roots and rough rocky Allow Ancient Caledonian pinewoods within slope for half a mile. Walk anti-clockwise for a less steep climb. sections. Long steep 2 hrs an iconic National Nature Reserve slopes for 500m. Photo: Colin Leslie Includes a narrow bridge, road crossings Look up if eaten cones drop onto the Pine martens are the most common and several sets of stone steps. The perfect spot for a picnic, Follow any of the waymarked trails to experience forest floor! You may see crossbills, predators here. Look out for their feeding in the tops of the pine trees. droppings along the tracks, used to or just relax and enjoy the view. the breath-taking beauty of the rushing river, Highlands Listen out for their ‘’chip, chip chip’’ calls. scent-mark their territory. Wander along the loch shore or tumbling waterfalls and majestic trees. head up the ancient track along the Male crossbill, photo: David Whitaker Photo: David Whitaker A patchwork of pinewoods, bogs and burns makes Allt na h-Imrich river for fantastic Dog Falls a perfect home for wildlife. The boggy views over the loch and hills. ground here is ideal for many insects, which feed the Listen for the haunting call of the redstarts, tree pipits, wood warblers and flycatchers red-throated diver in early summer, during summer months. The dawn chorus in spring and for common sandpipers and early summer is magnificent. piping along their shoreline territories. Ospreys have become successful breeders in the area too – look out for them fishing

Photo: Colin Leslie over lochs and the river.

Glen Affric is one of the best Coille Ruigh na Cuileige near here places for seeing dragonflies means ‘windy hill of the midges’! in Scotland. On Coire Loch, Allt na h-Imrich – ‘the burn of the flitting’ look out for chasers, hawkers, - named from when crofters moved into darters and delicate damselflies.

sheilings on higher ground for summer grazing. Photo: Mark Hamblin/2020VISION

Common blue damselfly, photo: David Whitaker Photo: Colin Leslie Tree beard: Trees festooned From the Viewpoint Trail you can see Gaelic Hidden under the pinewood with lichen are a sign of named mountains Tom a’ Chòinnich - ‘hill of trees and shrubs are many clean air. Glen Affric is the moss’ (say tome-a-hoinich), Toll Creagach - special flowers like the beautiful internationally known for ‘rocky hole’ and Mullach Fraoch-choire - and very rare twinflower. . © Crown copyright and database right [2020]. All rights its number of lichen species. ‘summit of the heathery corrie’ reserved. Ordnance Survey Licence number [100024925] Photo: Colin Leslie Photo: Colin Leslie

Eyes in the sky: Glen Affric is home 3 to some of our rarest birds of prey. 4 For more information River Affric Golden eagle, osprey, hen harrier and Plodda Falls Abhainn Afraig merlin hunt the remoter parts of the glen. Eas Ploda Tel: 0300 067 6100 Golden eagle, photo: David Whitaker Email: [email protected]

Inverness Photo: Colin Leslie

Lord of the glens: Autumn and 2 winter are the best times to see red deer here, as they move to the woodland for food and shelter. Crown copyright and database right [2020]. All rights Crown copyright and database right [2020]. All rights © reserved. Ordnance Survey Licence number [100024925]. 1 Stunning views of Loch Affric and the surrounding Photo: Colin Leslie mountains reward your journey to the end of the road. The short waymarked trails are a great Pinewood acrobats: red squirrels One of Scotland’s hidden treasures, with a spectacular Explore these forests nearby: introduction to the area, and well prepared thrive around Plodda. Most can waterfall cascading past towering trees. Explore further: The Great Glen walkers can head into the hills. outmanoeuvre a pine marten © Crown copyright and database right [2020]. All rights 1 The Loch Affric through the trees and stay safe! Lord Tweedmouth, a rich brewer and Liberal Member of reserved. Ordnance Survey Licence number [100024925] Explore the forests which cloak circuit starts from Parliament bought this area from Laird Fraser in 1856. the magnificent natural fault line You get great views of Sgùrr here. See the main Photo: Colin Leslie He planted the magnificent Douglas fir, larch, grand fir between Inverness and Fort William. na Lapaich - ‘peak of the bog’ - overview map and redwoods, and built Guisachan House here. The Head for heights?: You can get 2 Lochalsh from the River Trail. on the other side house is long gone, but the legacy of fine trees lives on. a tremendous view over Plodda Head west and visit these

Photo: Colin Leslie of the leaflet for Falls from our viewing platform. stunning forests on the way to Skye. more information. Photo: Colin Leslie Trail information Trail information Use #FoundMyForest on your pictures and videos, and we’ll share Am Meallan Viewpoint Trail River Trail Plodda Falls Trail Tweedmouth Trail them on social media. Designed by Design & Visitor Planning, Forestry and Land Scotland-22K/JTCP/Jan 2020/Edition 1. and Land Scotland-22K/JTCP/Jan Design & Visitor Planning, Forestry Designed by and Land Scotland unless otherwise stated. © Forestry Photography

A brisk climb through the bracken and birch trees reveals Descend to the banks of the River Affric, where the Visit an amazing vertical cascade dropping beneath Wander through the majestic Douglas firs and larch, a magnificent viewpoint looking across Loch Affric to peaty waters surge powerfully between Loch Affric the Douglas firs into the Abhainn Deabhag with an planted by Lord Tweedmouth on the former the mountains beyond. and Loch Beinn a’ Mheadhain. almighty roar. Guisachan estate. Find out more: 1 ½ miles / Mostly firm gravel surface, ½ mile / Uneven gravel and forestryandland.gov.scot Firm gravel path with ¼ mile / Uneven gravel path with ½ mile / 2.4 kms with uneven section that 1 km earth paths with narrow uneven rocky sections. 0.6 km rocky sections and exposed 0.9 km Allow may be narrow, grassy Allow and rocky sections. Steep slopes and several Allow tree roots. Some steep Allow 1 hr or muddy. Steep slopes ½ hr Several steep slopes For information on public transport services sets of rocky steps. ¼ hr slopes and several sets ½ hr contact: Traveline Scotland, 0871 2002233 Includes a road crossing. of uneven stone steps. Giùthsachan (say gi-oosuchun) with some stone steps. and sets of stone steps. Includes some potentially or www.travelinescotland.com Optional rough and narrow rocky section. is Gaelic for ‘pine forests’. Includes some exposed tree roots. muddy sections and exposed tree roots. © Crown Copyright 2020