Just 10 minutes from my parents front door is Glen Strathfarrar, a stunning piece of what was once Fraser country that is now home to a hunting lodge and a vast number of red deer. Popular with outdoor enthusiasts Glen Strathfarrar boasts beautiful scenery, a hydro dam, pine forest and an abundance of wildlife.
A limited number of vehicles are allowed access between 28th March and 31st October (except all day on Tuesdays and Wednesday mornings) with a maximum of 25 being permitted in the glen each day. The entrance is controlled by a gate-keeper so when you knock on their cottage door cross your fingers and hope there’s still room for you in the glen! A couple of weeks ago on a bright sunny morning we decided to take the chance and see if there was space for one more car.
The road is single track and pretty bumpy so leave your sports car at home and keep your wits about you as you wind your way through the impressive landscape. You’ll pass the remnants of the ancient Forest of Caledon, the River Farrar, two lochs, Loch a’ Mhuillidh and Loch Beannacharan and Braulen, a sandstone hunting lodge built in 1840 before heading up towards Monar Dam, the biggest arch dam in Britain. At the end of the road you can park near a power station which spurts out water and walk up into the mountains or look out for golden eagles which my family have often seen soaring high above the ridges.
We weren’t lucky enough to see any eagles on our visit but we did appreciate the scenery and I enjoyed borrowing my Dad’s telephoto lens for some close ups of the locals.