Scotland’s newest National Nature Reserves

The National Trust for Scotland cares for Scotland’s two newest National Nature Reserves (NNRs) – Mar Lodge Estate in Aberdeenshire and Glencoe in Argyll. They received this accolade from Scottish Natural Heritage (an agency of the Scottish government) on 11 May 2017. We now look after eight NNRs in total.

At 29,000 hectares, the breathtaking Mar Lodge Estate is our largest property and is one of the most important conservation landscapes in Europe. Home to wading birds, black grouse, ptarmigan, otters and red deer, the estate has featured three times on the BBC’s Winterwatch. Its tumultuous landscape encompasses 15 Munros – including Ben Macdui, the UK’s second highest mountain – and ever-expanding Caledonian forests, the subject of a 200-year regeneration plan. Mar Lodge Estate is now the largest nature reserve in the British Isles.

Glencoe may be infamous for the dark events of February 1692 but today it welcomes many visitors who wish to experience the dramatic scenery. The glacier-carved slopes boast eight Munros and a delicate ecosystem of birch woodland, moorland and peat bogs. Overhead, buzzards and golden eagles soar, and snow bunting and ptarmigan grace the high peaks; on the lower ground you may see thriving bog myrtle, cotton grass, butterwort, sundew and bladderwort.

Can you help us care for these internationally important landscapes?