Photos from my Dundreggan day off

On Wednesday (10th), during the work week, we had a day off, as usual.  I took the opportunity to walk West across the estate, from the lodge, to some land adjacent to the estate (above Dalchreichart), that has been planted with Scots Pine in the last 10 years.  The land owner has erected a deer fence all around the land, but there are two gates into the area from Dundreggan.

It was a beautiful cold, crisp, sunny day, with frost in the dips and cracks in the hills.  In some places the Scots Pine, which I estimate at about 8 years old, is above my head height.  There is also a good thicket of Birch regeneration, just downhill from the Dundreggan plantation, but the few planted Birch that I found were either dead or in poor health.  There were signs of deer damage, and I found two hinds in the exclosure (exclosure because it is designed to keep deer out).

In the western part of the exclosure there is a deep gorge with a waterfall at one end.  Walking up it was easily the highlight of my day.  Above the waterfall a stand of Aspen hang on to the cliff top, and suckers are having some success in getting further away.  But it’s a precarious situation and I hope the deer are removed before they cause them too much damage.