Muir of Dinnet NNR

Muir of Dinnet NNR, Aberdeenshire

Muir of Dinnet NNR lies in the North-east of Scotland, on the eastern range of the Cairngorms National Park. The Reserve is home to a mosaic of different habitats, some of which provide an important home for various dragonfly species, including the rare Northern Damselfly. At the heart of the Reserve is Loch Kinord. This fantastic wetland holds a myriad of biodiversity and the circular trail that runs along Loch Kinord means that you can get fantastic views of various wildlife. When walking around the loch in summer, look out for species such as Cuckoo, Goldeneye, Pearl-bordered Fritillary, Adder, lots of dragonflies and much more!

Bog restoration has been going on for over 25 years. Parkins Moss can be accessed by following the purple ‘Parkins Moss Trail’. Parkins Moss is a fantastic peatland full of Sphagnum Mosses, Sundew, Tree Pipit and is home to one of our speciality species, the Northern Damselfly. A boardwalk takes you out onto the moss from which you can see a variety of bog-specialist species. On a warm day, hundreds of Four-spotted Chaser can be seen, alongside Common Hawker, Golden-ringed, Black Darter and Common Darter Dragonflies. A large number of Damselflies can also be seen with Emerald, Blue-tailed and Northern Damselfly showing well amongst others.

To access the Reserve by car, head along the A93 to turn-off onto the B9119 at the brown ‘Muir of Dinnet National Nature Reserve’ sign. Follow the road for a mile to reach the Burn O’ Vat Car Park. From there, various trails can be followed to different areas of the Reserve. To access by bus, there is a bus stop at Dinnet Village.

Discover the history of the reserve in the interpretation centre. Toilets are available.

Link to NatureScot website