While the wider Fyvie estate is still owned by the Forbes-Leith family (the previous owners of the castle), the National Trust for Scotland cares for the immediate surroundings of the castle. These include the walled garden, extensive lawns, ornamental drives, acres of forests and, most strikingly, an 18th-century man-made lake.
General William Gordon created the Fyvie Lake to serve as a place of peace and tranquility and a haven for wildlife. The lake is home to a wide range of birdlife, from nesting swans and migratory geese to an occasional osprey. A bird hide stands on the lakeside from which you can sit and admire these wonderful creatures, although on the 1½-mile walk around the lake you’re likely to spot many species without much effort at all.
The grounds have much to offer at any time of the year; from the blooming daffodils of spring to the stark beauty of the frozen lake in winter, and from the carpets of bluebells to the autumnal hues of the woodland. Also at any time of the year you’ve a good chance of spotting one of our famous red squirrels, an icon of Scottish wildlife, as they go about their day.