Glen Tanar

Glen Tanar

An hour’s drive from Aberdeen along the Deeside Road, Glen Tanar, with its breathtaking Highland scenery, is situated on the eastern edge of the Cairngorms National Park.

“Glen Tanar

From rugged heather moorland to towering Caledonian pine forests to the majestic River Dee. Glen Tanar is a destination for exploring the best of natural Scotland.

Estate Safaris
Glen Tanar offer driven guided tours taking you into the heart of the estate where you might spot a golden eagle soaring high above, herons fishing over the secluded trout loch, or red squirrels darting between the ancient Scots pines. The trip includes binoculars and refreshments but don’t forget your camera! Depending on the season and choice of route you may spot red deer, roe deer, red squirrels, adders, golden eagles, osprey, black grouse, merlins, hen harriers and crossbills.

Salmon Fishing
Where better to fish than amidst the breathtaking backdrop of Glen Tanar in Royal Deeside? One of the world’s best spring salmon rivers, the magnificent River Dee has been fished for centuries, and many of the beats within Glen Tanar have been used by anglers since the 1600s. Today, the fast flowing, crystal clear waters host a series of salmon pools that provide anglers with some of the best fly-fishing in Europe.
Fishing on the Dee also includes Sea Trout which start to arrive around May. A lot of people fish for them at night because the trout tend to be more active and it is quite an exciting way of fishing. They are smaller than salmon averaging a couple of pounds but can get up to 3-4lbs.

All fishing on Glen Tanar’s four beats is fly-based and can be booked by week, part week or day, subject to availability, from 1 March until 30 September inclusive. Fishing with a ghillie is included during the Spring season (from 1 March – 30 June), and available on some beats during the Summer season (1 July – 30 September).

Trout Fishing

Trout fishing on Glen Tanar’s private loch guarantees a tranquillity fix in peaceful, secluded surroundings. They offer fly fishing by boat for rainbow trout and brown trout. Lifejackets for adults and children are available but please bring your own fishing equipment. Day and evening sessions are available from March to December. Please visit their website for more details.

Walk, Ride, Cycle
Get off the beaten track and explore Glen Tanar by foot, by bike, or on horseback. There are miles of tracks throughout Glen Tanar making it an ideal location for exploration. Whether it is walking you enjoy or mountain biking, you can experience the wilderness of Scotland by venturing deep into the Estate. Glen Tanar also plays host to Scotland’s most easterly munro, Mount Keen, so if you are feeling adventurous why not bag a munro too!

Wildlife Photography
Glen Tanar is a wildlife photographer’s paradise. To help visitors watch and photograph some of the species that can be found here, there are several hides at various locations throughout the estate. These are positioned to make the most of available light and surrounding views. Visitors should be prepared to spend several hours inside a hide. The prevalence of individual bird species changes each year, and the chance of seeing them depends on breeding success and nest locations. Depending on the time of year you could could be lucky to spot osprey, merlin, black grouse, peregrines, hen harrier and the majestic golden eagle. Full information and booking details can be found on their website.

Geocaching
The Deeside Geotour runs along the Deeside Way from Drumoak to Ballater, continuing up to Braemar and some of the caches will take you into Glen Tanar Estate. All the caches are freely available and you can find out more information at the Glen Tanar Visitor Centre.”

VisitAberdeenshire

From the Wikipedia Page for Glen Tanar:

“Glen Tanar (Scottish Gaelic: Gleann Tanar) is a glen in Aberdeenshire, eastern Scotland, through which the Water of Tanar flows. Near the mouth of the glen, at Tower o’ Ess, the Water of Tanar flows into the River Dee. This flows through Deeside into the North Sea at Aberdeen.

Glen Tanar contains the third largest area of Caledonian Forest in Scotland, and is of national and European importance.

Forty-two square km of the glen is designated by Scottish Natural Heritage as a national nature reserve. Most of the area remains under private ownership as part of the Glen Tanar Estate, however 182 ha is owned by Scottish Natural Heritage, being designated as the “Strict Reserve Zone” of the national nature reserve. Glen Tanar lies within the Cairngorms National Park, and is also designated as a Site of Special Scientific Interest, a Special Protection Area, and a Special Area of Conservation. The national nature reserve is designated a Category IV protected area by the International Union for Conservation of Nature.

Glen Tanar provides the eastern walking route to Mount Keen, Scotland’s most easterly Munro. Starting at the car park at the end of the public road, walkers follow the glen through the native Caledonian Forest into open moorland before crossing the river to begin the ascent.”

Wikipedia Entry for Glen Tanar

Tripadvisor Review