On our last road trip in northern Scotland, whilst looking for somewhere to stop off between Skye and Fort William, and stumbled across the wonderful Dundreggan Rewilding Centre. It is the world’s first rewilding centre, managed by the charity Trees For Life. There are multiple walks to explore, a cafe and various exhibits on the local environment and Gaelic culture, and an accommodation block.
If you’re looking for somewhere to stretch your legs or get a bite to eat on your way to or from Loch Ness or Skye, I can’t recommend Dundreggan highly enough. The staff were incredibly welcoming and knowledgeable, and we left feeling considerably more informed about the rewilding movement and Scottish environmental issues. Bit more interesting than a boring old service station stop!
First up, a bit about rewilding and conservation in Scotland to set the scene. But you can skip straight to the practical information on visiting Dundreggan if you are already all over this issue!
If you would like to explore more of the UK’s conservation projects, check out my review of our stay at the Emley Nature Reserve.
NATURAL SCOTLAND – HOW WILD IS IT REALLY?
Scotland was once a truly wild place. The Highland tiger (a type of wildcat), wolves, bears, elk and lynx roamed its vast pine forests.
Many visitors today would say they are drawn to Scotland by its wildness. The vast, beautiful landscapes are certainly one of the things I love most.
But environmental experts warn that this is leading to what they term “ecological blindness”, hiding how nature depleted Scotland is in reality.
SCOTLAND’S FORESTS
Historically, a large amount of Scotland was covered in forest. The Roman name – Caledonia – means wooded heights. Seven thousand years ago, 5,800 square-miles/15,000 square-kilometres of woodland – the Caledonian Forest – covered Scotland. Native species such as Scots pine, birch, aspen, juniper and rowan dominated woodlands. The west coast was home to the Celtic rainforest, filled with oak and birch trees above a forest floor covered in moss, lichen and ferns.
Deforestation, timber felling, grazing land for sheep and cattle, and climate change, has led to the destruction of these ancient forests. By the 1950s, only one per cent of the original Caledonian Forest remained. Today, Scotland only has 4% native forest cover.
SCOTLAND’S ANIMALS
Lynx, wolves and boar – all now extinct in Scotland – once lived alongside some of Scotland’s rarest inhabitants like the wildcat and capercaillie. Large populations of wild cattle roamed its ancient forests. In the 1700s, widespread sheep grazing and the introduction of sport shooting made a considerable impact on the biodiversity of Scotland’s landscapes. The last wolf is thought to have been shot in 1743. Over grazing, with regular burning to manage the land for agriculture and sport, further destroyed these ancient habitats and prevented those already damaged from regenerating.
REGENERATION AND REWILDING SCOTLAND
The rewilding movement has been gaining traction across some of Scotland’s largest estates in the last few decades. Landowners and conservation groups have sought to reintroduce native species, trees and habitats.
Rewilding can sometimes be a controversial topic. But I do not think it should be. Few would disagree we need to take drastic action to halt, and ideally reverse, the damage we have done to the natural world. For me, rewilding is simply about allowing nature the time and space it needs to recover, sustaining itself and us. I want my children to grow up in a world rich in plants and animals, and on a planet that has a positive and viable future for everyone and everything living on it.
For some, landowners and farmers in particular, rewilding projects raise legitimate concerns about the potential impact on their livelihoods. But I am a firm believer that we therefore need to find ways we – and our way of life – can exist alongside nature, in a manner that is mutually supportive. It should not – for me – be a binary choice between rewilding and agriculture, or rewilding and traditional ways of life in rural areas. Projects such as the Knepp Estate in Sussex or the Elmley Nature Reserve, demonstrate that commercial drivers and rewilding can co-exist in a mutually profitable relationship. We need to find ways to ensure livelihoods and food production are not negatively impacted, whilst also recognising that if we do not give nature a chance to return to a more robust place, all of our livelihoods and food security are threatened. We need to recognise that this means we all need to make changes to our way of life – but not give it up entirely.
CONSERVATION OR REINTRODUCTION?
Habitat restoration – attempting to protect native species ability to regenerate – has been a central tenet of the Scottish rewilding movement. Its success is already evident, with rare species such as wildcats, red squirrels and pine martins, returning to areas they had previously been pushed out of.
In recent years the number of sheep in Scotland has reduced considerably, but populations of red and roe deer (as well as other non-native species) have continued to grow. Deer – given they eat young tree saplings – continue to prevent the regeneration of native woodland in almost every area of Scotland. As their natural predators have long since been extinct – such as bears, wolves and lynx – culling, winter diseases and sport shooting are the only limitation on deer numbers.
Proposals to reintroduce apex predators – like lynx and wolves – have been debated over the last few decades, causing both excitement amongst conservation groups, and concern amongst others. Some species have already been reintroduced in Scotland – such as the mighty sea eagles and beavers.
VISITING DUNDREGGAN
GETTING THERE
The Dundreggan Rewilding Centre is eight miles from Loch Ness’ shores, in Glenmoriston. It is about an hour’s drive from Inverness, Kyle of Lochalsh and Fort William. There is an EV charger in the carpark.
The Scottish Citylink 917 bus passes the Dundreggan Rewilding Centre. There is a request stop on the opposite side of the road to the Rewilding Centre – meaning you need to tell the driver that you want to go to Dundreggan, and they will stop the bus for you.
WHAT TO DO AT DUNDREGGAN REWILDING CENTRE
The Centre is part of the 10,000 acre Dundreggan Estate, which has been owned by Trees of Life since 2008. Opened in April 2023, it is the world’s first rewilding centre. There are more than 4,000 species of plants and animals here, including a number of rare and protected species. Trees of Life are encouraging natural regeneration, allowing the forest to recover, expanding parts of Scotland’s Caledonian forest. The tree nursery grows around 90,000 trees every year.
There are several walking trails to explore the ancient pinewood and juniper forests, interspersed with Gaelic history and cultural information. Walking maps are available, or you can book onto a guided walk to learn more about the site and the forest. Walks range in length and difficulty, with several suitable for a short leg stretch if you are driving to or from Skye.
There is a daily programme of activities – such as tours of the tree nursery or bushcraft skills – which can be booked in advance online. If you want to do several activities, passes are available for three tours. Adult passes are £25, kids passes are £14 and a family pass (two adults and two children) is £50.
Inside the centre there are a number of free exhibits, on Gaelic culture and folklore, rewilding and the natural world. There is a small library and some lovely places to sit. There was a good selection of books for children – including some suitable for our young toddler. I particularly liked this touch – getting youngsters involved in protecting our natural habitats is surely how we safeguard their future. There is also a small play area and some trails are accessible with a pushchair.
EATING AT DUNDREGGAN REWILDING CENTRE
The small, cosy café – An Nead (meaning ‘the nest’ in Gaelic) – serves a changing menu of seasonal lunches, toasties and cakes. Service was super friendly and the food tasty, warming and comforting. High chairs are available.
STAYING AT DUNDREGGAN REWILDING CENTRE
There is an accommodation block, An Spiris, if you want to spend longer at Dundreggan or plan to join one of their residential courses. There are 20 twin and double rooms, with a communal area, kitchen and boot room. Accommodation is clean and comfortable, but think hostel and self catering vibes, rather than hotel.
Residential courses are also offered, focused on rewilding topics, yoga and restorative nature based experiences.
BOOK YOUR STAY HERE
If you’re looking for somewhere to stretch your legs or get a bite to eat on your way to or from Loch Ness or Skye, I can’t recommend Dundreggan highly enough. If you would like to explore more of the UK’s conservation projects, check out my review of our stay at the Emley Nature Reserve.
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