"Horse Riding on Royal Deeside: Trekking Through Ancient Caledonian Forest With Glen Tanar's Horses"

Glen Tanar Equestrian Centre sits inside 25,000 acres of ancient Caledonian pine forest on Royal Deeside. You can ride through woodland that has been there since before the last ice age, across the River Dee valley, and up into heather moorland — usually without seeing another soul.

The phrase "Caledonian pine forest" gets used loosely. On most of the Scottish hillside, what you're looking at is a plantation — Sitka spruce or lodgepole pine, planted in rows, essentially monoculture. The Ancient Wood of Caledon at Glen Tanar Estate is something else. These are the descendants of the post-ice-age forest that covered Scotland before human settlement reduced it to a fraction of its original extent. The trees are old, gnarled, far apart, and colonised by species — lichen, wood ants, crested tit, capercaillie — that exist nowhere in a plantation.

Riding through it is not like riding through a forest park. The light is different. The ground flora is different. The silence is real in a way that managed woodland rarely is.

Glen Tanar Equestrian Centre

Glen Tanar Estate near Aboyne encompasses 25,000 acres of Royal Deeside: native pinewoods, open heather moorland, and the broad River Dee valley. The equestrian centre operates within the estate, offering rides that use the full range of this terrain rather than looping around a small designated area.

Horse riding through the ancient Caledonian pinewoods at Glen Tanar Estate near Aboyne Riding through the Ancient Wood of Caledon at Glen Tanar. The pines here predate any forest in mainland Britain.

Two main routes define the programme.

The Loch Ride (One Hour)

The one-hour Loch Ride covers Glen Tanar's lower ground, passing through pinewood sections and open ground with views across the Dee valley. It suits riders who are comfortable in the saddle but not looking for a demanding ride, and it serves as a proper introduction to the estate's landscape at a pace that lets you look around rather than concentrate exclusively on staying on.

The Ancient Wood of Caledon Route (Two Hours)

The two-hour route goes deeper into the estate and through the old-growth pinewood sections that give it its name. This is where the riding becomes something more specific. The canopy is irregular, the paths are root-crossed and varied underfoot, and the forest opens periodically onto moorland or river views before closing back in. You will likely see red squirrels. Red deer are almost certain if you're moving quietly.

Riders on the Ancient Wood of Caledon route at Glen Tanar — through old-growth Scots pine on Royal Deeside The two-hour route through the Ancient Wood of Caledon. The Scots pines here are among the oldest in Scotland.

This route suits riders with some prior experience — the terrain requires a degree of balance and comfort on uneven ground that a purely arena-trained beginner may find challenging. If you are returning to riding after a gap, the one-hour route first is sensible.

Ability Levels and What to Expect

Glen Tanar offers rides for a range of abilities, so contact the equestrian centre directly to explain your experience level before booking. Wearing long trousers and sturdy footwear (proper boots ideally, not trainers) is standard. Helmets are provided. Weight limits apply — standard for any trekking operation.

Aerial view of Glen Tanar Estate — the River Dee valley and surrounding moorland visible from estate high ground The broader Glen Tanar landscape. The equestrian routes cover pinewood, moorland, and valley ground within the estate.

Combining Activities at Glen Tanar

The estate's other activities are worth building into a longer visit. Salmon fishing beats on the River Dee operate through the fishing season; booking a morning on the river followed by an afternoon ride is the kind of day the estate supports and the guides are used to structuring. Deer stalking, wildlife safaris, and mountain biking routes are also available, which means a two-night stay at one of the estate's seven heritage cottages can be filled without leaving the property.

The Tower O'Ess cottage sleeps two; Butler's Lodge sleeps six. The estate is dog-friendly, which matters if you're combining riding with walking. Full cottage listings are on the Glen Tanar Estate page.

Staying Near Glen Tanar: Cairnton and Perkhill

Glen Tanar is near Aboyne. If the estate cottages are full, or if you want more independence, the Royal Deeside settlements of Lumphanan and Aboyne have several farm stay options within easy reach.

Cairnton Farm Cottages, Lumphanan

Cairnton Farm Cottages is run by Margaret and Ken Howie at Lumphanan on Royal Deeside. Three cottages — the Bothy, the Byre, and the Stables — all with hot tubs, set within an Aberdeen Angus cattle farm with long views across the Dee Valley.

The Bothy at Cairnton Farm Cottages with Dee Valley views — Royal Deeside self-catering near Glen Tanar The Bothy decking at Cairnton Farm Cottages. Dee Valley views from the hot tub.

The Deeside Activity Park on the farm adds clay shooting, archery, axe throwing, and quad biking — which makes this a useful base if you are travelling with a group that wants varied activities across the stay. Green Tourism Gold accredited, which is worth noting if you're looking for farms managing their land with some seriousness.

Perkhill Holiday Cottages, Lumphanan

Perkhill Holiday Cottages is run by Pippa and Alex, also at Lumphanan, on a working Aberdeen Angus pedigree farm. Three cottages with private hot tubs, VisitScotland Gold and Green Tourism Gold accredited. The Macbeth connection to the Lumphanan area is historically interesting — the village is traditionally cited as the location of the Scottish king's final battle — though the cottages themselves are considerably more comfortable than 11th-century Scotland would suggest.

Royal Deeside views from Perkhill Holiday Cottages near Lumphanan The Deeside view from Perkhill. The estate riding at Glen Tanar is approximately 20 minutes by road.

Both Cairnton and Perkhill put you within a 20-minute drive of the Glen Tanar equestrian centre — close enough that a morning ride, lunch in Aboyne, and an afternoon on the estate or along the Dee is a natural structure for a day.

Heather hills viewed from Perkhill Holiday Cottages — the Aberdeenshire moorland setting near Lumphanan The heather moorland behind Perkhill. This is the same landscape you ride through on Glen Tanar's upper routes.

When to Go

May and June are the best months on balance. The ground is dry enough after winter, the midges are manageable (they become less manageable from late July onwards, particularly in enclosed woodland — this is worth knowing for a two-hour forest ride), and the light on Royal Deeside in late spring is genuinely extraordinary. The long evenings give you time to ride, eat, and still be outside at 9pm.

July and August are busier and warmer, but the midge question becomes real. If you're riding through the pinewood in late July on a still day, carry repellent.

September is underrated: cooler, quieter, the heather colour on the upper ground, and the beginning of the deer rut in October if you extend your trip.

Book riding directly with Glen Tanar Estate. Cottage accommodation books out ahead of summer — plan accordingly.