Mar Lodge Estate

Mar Lodge Estate National Nature Reserve
The River Quoich
Map showing the location of Mar Lodge Estate National Nature Reserve
Map showing the location of Mar Lodge Estate National Nature Reserve
Mar Lodge Estate (shown) within Scotland (mark centred on principal building Mar Lodge)
LocationAberdeenshire, Scotland
Coordinates56°59′31″N 3°29′21″W / 56.991857°N 3.489304°W / 56.991857; -3.489304
Area293 km2 (113 sq mi)[2]
DesignationNatureScot
Established2017
OwnerNational Trust for Scotland
Websitehttps://www.nts.org.uk/visit/places/mar-lodge-estate

Mar Lodge Estate is a highland estate in western Aberdeenshire, Scotland, which has been owned and managed by the National Trust for Scotland (NTS) since 1995. Its principal building, Mar Lodge, is about 4 miles (6.4 km) west of the village of Braemar. The estate is recognised as one of the most important nature conservation landscapes in the British Isles and occupies nearly 8% of the Cairngorms National Park, covering 29,340 hectares (72,500 acres).[3] The natural heritage value of the estate is reflected by the fact that much of it is designated as a Site of Special Scientific Interest (SSSI), a Special Area of Conservation (SAC) and a Special Protection Area (SPA).[4] The entire estate has been classified as a national nature reserve since May 2017,[5] and is designated a Category II protected area by the International Union for Conservation of Nature.[1]

Extreme weather conditions are experienced across the estate, especially on the plateau. Landslides, avalanches and floods alter the landscape and give it an interesting geomorphology.[6] The estate is characterised by rounded granite Cairngorm mountains to the north, with deep corries and crags down to the valley floor. Spectacular glacial breaches include the Lairig Ghru and Lairig an Laoigh. To the south west are the more open, rolling hills of the Geldie. Waters flowing from the mountains become the headwaters of the River Dee.

The estate is popular with hill walkers, containing 14 Munros, and 4 of the 5 highest mountains in Scotland, including Britain’s second highest mountain, Ben Macdui. A car park and toilet facilities are provided by NTS close to the waterfall of the Linn of Dee, which is the main access point to the area.[7] Public access to the estate for outdoor activities such as hillwalking, climbing and wild camping is permitted by the general right to responsible access that applies to all land in Scotland under the Scottish outdoor access code.[8]

  1. ^ a b "Mar Lodge Estate". Protected Planet. Retrieved 14 February 2021.
  2. ^ "Mar Lodge Estate". Scottish Natural Heritage. Retrieved 6 February 2018.
  3. ^ Whole Estate Forest Plan, National Trust for Scotland, 2012
  4. ^ "Scotland's Newest National Nature Reserves". National Trust for Scotland. 17 April 2017. Archived from the original on 8 February 2018. Retrieved 7 February 2018.
  5. ^ Cite error: The named reference case was invoked but never defined (see the help page).
  6. ^ "Mar Lodge Estate". National Trust for Scotland. Retrieved 14 September 2020.
  7. ^ "Scottish Outdoor Access Code". Scottish Natural Heritage. Retrieved 3 May 2018.