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Glen AffricAncient Caledonian pinewoods within an iconic National Nature Reserve
Highlands
Giùthsachan (say gi-oosuchun) is Gaelic for ‘pine forests’.
Pinewood acrobats: red squirrels thrive around Plodda. Most can outmanoeuvre a pine marten through the trees and stay safe!
Climb through the forest and drink in the views over Loch Beinn a’ Mheadhain to the breathtaking mountains beyond.
A brisk climb through the bracken and birch trees reveals a magnificent viewpoint looking across Loch Affric to the mountains beyond.
Visit an amazing vertical cascade dropping beneath the Douglas firs into the Abhainn Deabhag with an almighty roar.
Descend to the banks of the River Affric, where the peaty waters surge powerfully between Loch Affric and Loch Beinn a’ Mheadhain.
Wander through the majestic Douglas firs and larch, planted by Lord Tweedmouth on the former Guisachan estate.
Fall under Glen Affric’s spell on this magical walk through a patchwork forest of ancient pines and birches. Discover a secluded little lochan and a wonderful viewpoint above.
Viewpoint Trail
Am Meallan Viewpoint Trail Plodda Falls Trail
Dog Falls Trail
River Trail Tweedmouth Trail
Coire Loch Trail
Trail information
Trail information Trail information
Eas a’ Choin
Abhainn Afraig Eas Ploda
Mostly wide, firm gravel surface. Short narrow section with exposed tree roots and uneven stone steps. Long fairly sleep slope for half a mile.
Firm gravel path with uneven rocky sections. Steep slopes and several sets of rocky steps. Includes a road crossing.
Mostly firm gravel surface, with uneven section that may be narrow, grassy or muddy. Steep slopes with some stone steps. Includes some exposed tree roots.
Uneven gravel path with rocky sections and exposed tree roots. Some steep slopes and several sets of uneven stone steps. Optional rough and narrow rocky section.
Uneven gravel and earth paths with narrow and rocky sections. Several steep slopes and sets of stone steps. Includes some potentially muddy sections and exposed tree roots.
Narrow and uneven gravel path with exposed tree roots and rough rocky sections. Long steep slopes for 500m. Includes a narrow bridge, road crossings and several sets of stone steps.
1 ¾ miles / 2.9 kmsAllow 1 hr
¼ mile / 0.6 kmAllow ¼ hr
½ mile / 1 kmAllow ½ hr
½ mile / 0.9 kmAllow ½ hr
1 ½ miles / 2.4 kmsAllow 1 hr
Follow any of the waymarked trails to experience the breath-taking beauty of the rushing river, tumbling waterfalls and majestic trees.
A patchwork of pinewoods, bogs and burns makes Dog Falls a perfect home for wildlife. The boggy ground here is ideal for many insects, which feed the redstarts, tree pipits, wood warblers and flycatchers during summer months. The dawn chorus in spring and early summer is magnificent.
The perfect spot for a picnic, or just relax and enjoy the view. Wander along the loch shore or head up the ancient track along the Allt na h-Imrich river for fantastic views over the loch and hills.
Listen for the haunting call of the red-throated diver in early summer, and for common sandpipers piping along their shoreline territories. Ospreys have become successful breeders in the area too – look out for them fishing over lochs and the river.
Stunning views of Loch Affric and the surrounding mountains reward your journey to the end of the road. The short waymarked trails are a great introduction to the area, and well prepared walkers can head into the hills.
One of Scotland’s hidden treasures, with a spectacular waterfall cascading past towering trees.
Lord Tweedmouth, a rich brewer and Liberal Member of Parliament bought this area from Laird Fraser in 1856. He planted the magnificent Douglas fir, larch, grand fir and redwoods, and built Guisachan House here. The house is long gone, but the legacy of fine trees lives on.
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From the Viewpoint Trail you can see Gaelic named mountains Tom a’ Chòinnich - ‘hill of the moss’ (say tome-a-hoinich), Toll Creagach - ‘rocky hole’ and Mullach Fraoch-choire - ‘summit of the heathery corrie’.
Hidden under the pinewood trees and shrubs are many special flowers like the beautiful and very rare twinflower.
Look up if eaten cones drop onto the forest floor! You may see crossbills, feeding in the tops of the pine trees. Listen out for their ‘’chip, chip chip’’ calls.
Glen Affric is one of the best places for seeing dragonflies in Scotland. On Coire Loch, look out for chasers, hawkers, darters and delicate damselflies.
Tree beard: Trees festooned with lichen are a sign of clean air. Glen Affric is internationally known for its number of lichen species.
Explore further: The Loch Affric circuit starts from here. See the main overview map on the other side of the leaflet for more information.
Lord of the glens: Autumn and winter are the best times to see red deer here, as they move to the woodland for food and shelter.
You get great views of Sgùrr na Lapaich - ‘peak of the bog’ - from the River Trail.
2 ¾ miles / 4.5 kmsAllow 2 hrs
Eyes in the sky: Glen Affric is home to some of our rarest birds of prey. Golden eagle, osprey, hen harrier and merlin hunt the remoter parts of the glen.
Dog Falls
River Affric Plodda Falls
Loch Beinn a’ Mheadhain
Allt na h-Imrich – ‘the burn of the flitting’ - named from when crofters moved into sheilings on higher ground for summer grazing.
Coille Ruigh na Cuileige near here means ‘windy hill of the midges’!
(pronounced ‘loch ben-a-vey-an’) - meaning ‘Loch of the middle hill’
Phot
o: C
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Les
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Common blue damselfly, photo: David Whitaker
Phot
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Photo: Colin Leslie
Photo: Colin Leslie
Phot
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Phot
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Les
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Head for heights?: You can get a tremendous view over Plodda Falls from our viewing platform.Photo: Colin Leslie
Photo: Colin Leslie
Male crossbill, photo: David Whitaker
Golden eagle, photo: David Whitaker
Photo: Colin Leslie
Contact details: Inverness, Ross & Skye Forest District Tel: 0300 067 6100Email: [email protected] enquiry line: 0300 067 6156
© Crown Copyright 2017
For information on public transport services contact: Traveline Scotland, 0871 2002233 or www.travelinescotland.com
For more ideas of great days out in the forest, visit our website: www.forestry.gov.uk/scotlandFo
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If you need this publication in an alternative format, please contact:
The Diversity Team Tel: 0300 067 5000E-mail: [email protected]
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Front cover main image: Looking towards Loch Beinn a’ Mheadhain from the Viewpoint Trail, Dog Falls. Photo by Colin Leslie.
Follow the foam-flecked river to feel the awesome power of the falls as they tumble into a deep gorge.
Long sections of uneven gravel paths with some rocky sections and steps. Long steep slopes for 500m. Includes a narrow bridge and two road crossings.Walk anti-clockwise for a less steep climb.
Pine martens are the most common predators here. Look out for their droppings along the tracks, used to scent-mark their territory.
2 miles / 3.2 kmsAllow 1 ¼ hrs
Photo: David Whitaker
Glen Affric -
Gleann Afraig‘the dappled glen’
The Chisholm clan owned Glen Affric from the 15th century. In 1560 they cut timber for repairing bridges in Inverness. In the early 1800s they evicted their tenant farmers during the notorious Highland clearances, when sheep offered more profit than the tenants could give.
In the 19th century, Glen Affric became a sporting estate, and Affric Lodge was built in 1870 as a gentleman’s shooting lodge.
In the 1950s the dam was built on Loch Beinn a Mheadhain and a grand hydro-electric scheme brought power to the glens.
The Forestry Commission bought Glen Affric in 1951, and started the protection of the old pinewoods in 1960.
1800s
1950s
1960s
1500-1800
Dedicated foresters, scientists and volunteers have
all helped with this work over the years. Thank you!
Please come prepared This is a remote area with little or no mobile phone signal. Payment with coins is needed for the main car parks. Bring all the supplies you need including drinking water and be prepared for midges at the height of the summer. The nearest shop is in Cannich village.
Help us to take care of this beautiful area. Take special care with stoves or cigarette ends. Fire is the greatest threat to the pinewoods.
In with the old, out with the newGlen Affric is one of Scotland’s finest National Nature Reserves, and we are proud to look after it. The reserve has a wonderful mosaic of habitats
with pinewood, moorland and mountain areas,
rivers, lochs and bogs. These natural areas are
improving and expanding. Our conservation work
includes controlling the local deer population and
removing non-native trees. We have also fenced
some areas to protect young Scots pines.
The Caledonian forest is returning.
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.
Affric Kintail WayThe Affric Kintail Way is a superb 44 mile long-distance route stretching from Drumnadrochit on Loch Ness to Morvich at Kintail. There are some remote and challenging sections so please plan ahead and be prepared.www.affrickintailway.com
Athnamulloch Cottage
at the head of Loch
Affric is used by the charity ‘Trees for Life’.
Phot
o: C
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Les
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Photo: Colin Leslie
Phot
o: C
olin
Les
lie
Explore further: Loch AffricThe Loch Affric circuit is around 12 miles. 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 be well prepared and allow at least 5 hours for this trip. This path is not way-marked.
Living HeritageGlen 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.
