Our Activities

  Stunning weekend spent on Eilean Moileach on Loch Ba at Rannoch Moor.  A remnant semi-natural birch woodland covers the island, which we reached by Canadian canoe. Stags were roaring all day and night, and the Rowans were heavy in fruit.  Found some little Aspen, which was great.  Plenty of deer dung in amongst the ground vegetation, with beasts obviously swimming from the mainland to get at the better grazing…

  Had a visit this month from a founding member of Strath Caulaidh.  Dr. Graeme Swanson emigrated to New Zealand almost 15 years ago and this was only the second time he has been back in Scotland since.  We toured around a few old haunts, and spent some time wandering in the hills.   Interesting to get his take on things, now he is not dealing day-to-day with deer management…

Happened to pass through the low ground of Mar Lodge Estate recently, for the first time in a good while, and was interested to see the spatial distribution of the Scot’s pine (Pinus sylvestris) regeneration present.  Some areas looking really dynamic and benefiting from a reduced density of Red deer (Cervus elaphus), whereas many parts still appear more or less devoid of new trees – and so, in my mind…