Where Eagles Soar

Speyside offers a rare window into Scotland's wild side

- By NICK DRAINEY

WALKING for me usually means having a pre-determined aim — a summit, circuit of a loch or glen, the foot of a remote waterfall.

But what if the aim wasn’t to complete an actual route? Instead, it was to see something just as stunning as the wonderful Scottish landscapes — the wildlife that lives here.

The animals that make up Scotland’s rich rural tapestry have always held a fascination for me. But they have been an add-on to the day — albeit pretty impressive extras when it is a bellowing red deer stag, swooping osprey or even a rigid slow-worm pretending to be a twig on the edge of a path.

In order to maximise the chances of seeing these creatures, I set out from Glenmore with expert watcher Ailie Brown from Speyside Wildlife.

She was going to take me around the Cairngorms, introduce me (hopefully) to some wonderful species and teach me how I can try to repeat the wildlife experience when I next set off up a mountain or along a glen.

Deep in the Rothiemurchus Forest, far from the usual walking routes I knew about, was the place to start. A haven of peace and tranquillity, rich in nature and full of promise.

But even before we arrived there was the chance to see wildlife — black-throated divers on Loch Morlich, or crossbills drinking from water in the roadside ditches. Stopping and going slowly was to become a theme, even when in a vehicle.

Our first walk of the day began on a track, with the Glenmore Forest and hills in view across a canopy of Scots pine — a nice place to be regardless of whether or not we saw wildlife.

But there were creatures aplenty to look at. First of all was a dunnock. These are “under-rated” according to Ailie, and she’s correct.

Stopping to watch one flit from bush to tree top and back again was more enjoyable than keeping my head down and walking past.