Cairngorm Reindeer

The morning started well with a great sighting of a red squirrel chasing up a tall pine tree next to our car as we were loading up to go out for the day. We were off to Glenmore Forest to see the reindeer.

It's been 12 years since we visited the only herd of reindeer in the UK. We've adopted several since then, and managed to get back to see them today. Our latest adoption - Svalbard - was in the paddocks but wouldn't lift up his head from feeding at any point! He does have a beautiful white muzzle. (see extras).

We went out on the hills to meet the male reindeers and feed them by hand. They're kept in a huge enclosure at this time of the year to get them in great shape for the forthcoming rut. The females are currently out in the hills in the Cairngorm Mountains with their young.

We had hoped to go for a short walk this afternoon around Loch Morlich but the heavens opened when we got back to the car. So we had lunch in the Glenmore Cafe and then came back to the cottage. The weather was completely different here so went went for a stroll around the pine wood adjacent to the cottage.

Again all quiet from my dad's quarters.