Glenlivet Wildlife Safaris
Watch Scotland’s Wild Birds & Animals in the Heart of Whisky Country
Glenlivet in the North East Highlands of Scotland is justly famous for its, water of life, the malt whisky that is made from the waters of this tributary of the River Spey. Glenlivet also has a varied and special series of habitats which are home to some of the most special wild animals and birdlife in Scotland. Some of these animals are not easily found or approached by strangers on this difficult and unknown territory. Help is at hand though in the form of four wheel drive safaris driven by a knowledgeable local wildlife expert. What better way to learn about the wildlife than with a local enthusiast on their own ground.
In past times Upper Glenlivet was a hotbed of illicit whisky smuggling and many a secret still was hidden away in the heather. The distillers are mainly legal nowadays but the heather moors of Rivers Ladder and Livet still hold their secrets in the form of their special flora and fauna. David Newland runs Glenlivet Wildlife from his home at Easter Corrie. David knows where the wild birds and animals will be around at any given time, what to look out for as each season approaches and what unusual rarities might be seen at the various times of the year.
White hares, golden eagles and other raptors in the winter or the endangered black grouse at the lek (mating display ground) in the springtime, roaring stags fighting and displaying at the autumn rut and high summer tours deep into the mountains by the River Avon are all possible during different parts of the wildlife year. Birds like the capercaillie and crested tit are unique to this part of the Highlands of Scotland. Animals like the otter, wild cat and pine marten haunt the hills and forests across the vast Cairngorms National Park as do the roe deer, dotterel and the osprey and hen harrier. The red squirrel is a common sight flitting through the Scots pines and other trees of Glenlivet.
What better way to enjoy these birds and animals than from the comfort of a jeep driven by your very own wildlife guide. The fauna is used to the land rover’s habitual presence and David can get his clients really close, much closer than wildlife watchers could get on foot. This all adds up to a unique outdoor experience on the Crown Estate of Glenlivet high in the Grampian Mountains.
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