Scotland Rewilded: A Journey into the Wild Heart of the Highlands

The exact itinerary varies according to local factors, including the weather. This is a sample of the experiences on the Cairngorms Rewilding Journey.

After arrival and introductions, we savour welcoming ‘Scottish’ cocktails and a pre-dinner presentation setting the scene for our adventure. We then get together around our farmhouse dining table to enjoy our first evening meal, prepared by our in-house catering team.

Day 2:

We begin our journey right outside the door with a walk and talk along the spectacular River Feshie in the rewilding reserve, part of the Northwoods Rewilding Network. Here the emphasis is on letting nature shape and govern the landscape, assisted by a free-roaming herd of Highland cattle that replicate the grazing patterns of lost wild herbivores.

Following a hearty breakfast, we explore a secret forest waterfall before descending into the regenerating landscape of Glenfeshie. The glen is part of the Cairngorms Connect initiative – a 200-year vision to restore forests, peatlands and rivers across a vast area. The signs of recovery are everywhere, providing a glimpse into what much of Scotland could look like in the future.

After a picnic lunch by the cascading river, we travel a short distance to a viewpoint overlooking Insh Marshes, one of the most expansive wetlands in the UK. We spend time scanning for hen harriers and white-tailed eagles, as well as the herd of Konik ponies that graze the marshes.

Supporting local communities is a significant part of our Rewilding Journeys and so, we may round the day off with coffee and cake at a local café – rewilding can be such hard work!

Day 3:

Today we head west to spend time along the shores of Loch Ness, exploring the alluvial woodlands of Urquhart Bay. Here the rivers Enrick and Coiltie flow out into Loch Ness, forming one of the best examples of surviving wet woodland in the UK.

We then travel the short distance to the Dundreggan Estate, home of our friends Trees for Life, and the world’s first dedicated Rewilding Centre. After lunch in the centre’s lovely cafe, we take a guided tour of the tree nursery and learn about the pioneering work taking place producing rare and difficult-to-grow species, such as aspen.

After dinner, we may make an optional visit to a local osprey nest offering great views of these majestic raptors, so symbolic of nature recovery in Scotland over recent decades. An option later in the year is to witness the incredible Atlantic salmon leaping a waterfall, as they make their way back to their spawning grounds.

Day 4:

After a long day yesterday, we take a slightly later breakfast before our next meeting with a rewilding practitioner. This site, another Northwoods partner, was once home to grazing livestock that limited the natural regeneration, but thanks to the vision and hard work of its owners, it is slowly being transformed into a vibrant mosaic of natural habitats.

Following a picnic lunch at Northwoods partner Anagach Woods, we meet another couple committed to nature recovery. Lynn and Sandra of Lynbreck Croft, have transformed their upland farm and are pioneering ways to combine high-quality food production with the principles of rewilding. Their story is one of inspiration.

Day 5:

Today, we head east to the opposite side of the Cairngorms National Park, a landscape of very different character. We spend time travelling through extensive areas of patchwork grouse moor, discussing how and why the landscape is managed in this way.

Once at our destination, we meet one of the rangers at Mar Lodge Estate, where after decades of traditional management, large areas of land are being allowed to regenerate naturally. We see how the pinewoods, home to red squirrels, golden eagles and pine martens, are once again spreading over open moorland, bringing abundance and diversity of life as they go.

After our final evening meal, we sit back, relax and enjoy a film that brings together many of the places and principles we have seen and learned about during our journey.

Day 6:

We say our farewells after a hearty breakfast.