Words & Photographs by Rory Fuller
One of the first things I notice at Scotland’s Alladale Wilderness Reserve is the sound of the cuckoo, a rare thing back home. Its call becomes a constant during my stay, echoing through the woods, along riverbanks and down this hallowed glen it calls home. The eponymous lodge itself rests on a hillside, looking out toward Glen Alladale and the surrounding mountains, birch leaves catching the spring light.
On my first outing to the Caledonian Forest, Innes MacNeill, the Reserve Manager, explains Alladale’s mission. “This is a lifelong project, spanning generations – a vision for two or three hundred years.” The sense of stewardship that Ines wears on his sleeve, rubs off on his guests. Alladale isn’t just a destination; it’s a story in motion, the transformation of a landscape.
“Originally 23,500 acres was valued by how many stags we could hunt per annum, how many Atlantic salmon we could catch from our rivers and how many grouse we could shoot on the hillside,” continues Innes. This extractive valuation for land-use is beyond outdated and at Alladale they are undoing the old ways step by step by embracing conservation over extraction, and switching from rifles to binoculars.
Since Paul Lister took over, the reserve has seen a flourish in biodiversity – Golden eagles have returned, reintroduced red squirrels roam free and Scottish wildcats are soon to make a comeback. The chorus of swifts, house-martins, willow warblers and tree pipits is ever-present; with luck, the low call of a tawny owl may greet you at dawn. Visually, some say the Highland landscape appears slow to change, but the birdsong here sounds like a landscape in recovery, a testament to what’s been achieved so far.
Over a million native trees - birch, Scots pine, rowan, holly and hazel - have been planted, their roots laying the groundwork for future generations of wildlife and visitors alike. Activities are as varied as the landscape; from birdwatching, foraging and wild swimming, to exploring remnants of ancient Caledonian forest or feeding the Highland cattle. The newly built Willow Centre offers yoga and sound baths in the mornings and evenings, creating a space for wellness seekers and the local community while fostering deeper connections with the reserve’s conservation work.
Alladale is more than a luxury lodge, for while its rooms and cuisine are an idyllic picture-postcard of the Scottish Highlands, this reserve will have you wanting to spend your entire stay outdoors. It is an education in the fundamentals of rebuilding an ecosystem. You will leave this place with a deeper appreciation of the natural world, and more curious than ever about the role wildlife conservation will play in the future of climate recovery.
