A Walk in Rosehall Forest

On days with forecast showers we love to walk in the forests. To avoid the crowds in the National Park, we headed for Rosehall Forest in Sutherland. With a mixture of pine, spruce, firs and beech, there is always some tree-cover close by when we need it.

The log cabin that welcomes us by the car park was built by community volunteers. It has a few chairs and tables and information boards which tell you about the history of the forest. Since most of the nearby cafes are closed for Winter, this is a good spot for a picnic when it rains.

two whippets in black winter jackets on a forest trail beside young trees and brown grass

A former deer park, Rosehall Forest is now owned by the forestry commission. Horse-drawn carriages used to travel along these wider tracks. Today the track is used as a logging road and part of a sustainable working forest.

a blue whippet in a black winter jacket running on a narrow forest trail

There are several narrow paths off the main track, which are great for whippet zoomies. You can walk in a loop or follow these paths deeper into one section of the forest and link up with other paths later. The suggested trails combine into a 9km/5.5 mile walk and you can extend this further if you want to.

view of a flowing stream from the forest trail above in Winter

The main path continues to climb and crosses a flowing burn with moss-covered banks. The sound of water tumbling over the stones follows us into the forest.

a sign with a poem about the otter on the bank of a flowing stream in Rosehall Forest

On the banks of the burn that flows through the forest we find a sign designed by pupils from the local primary school. It has a picture of an otter and a poem that reads:

I catch only a glimmer
as you shine and shimmer
for a second in the sunlit water
I wish I could dive and slide and play
and share your world for just one day

two whippets in black winter jackets walking side by side down a narrow forest trail

The paths between the trees are soft underfoot and very kind on the pads of dogs too. The banks on either side are covered in pale grass, moss and winter heather.

lr-1530474 ww

At the highest point of the trail the light is bright, even in the drizzle. Green grass grows among the gold. Climbing over the brow we catch a glimpse of Strath Oykel.

a black whippet in a black winter jacket climbing onto a bank beside a forest trail

The forest is home to sika deer and other wildlife. Although Eivor is curious about deer, he won’t chase them. If you’re walking here with dogs with a strong instinct for hunting, this is a good place to keep them close or put them on the lead before descending back into the deeper forest.

a black whippet in a black winter jacket looking between the trees from a forest trail

The path winds further down to join the main path where we started our walk. Some of the mosses and lichens that grow on the lower ground are very similar to those found in the Celtic rainforests of the West.

close up shot of raindrops hanging of the branch of a fir tree

We hope you enjoyed our little stroll in the rain. There will be a few more images from the trail in tomorrow’s post Part of Our World.

With love from Eivor, Pearl and Xenia xxx

Photographs by Xenia Tran, edited in lr.

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Author: whippetwisdom

The stories, poems and photographs on this blog are the original creative work of Xenia Tran. Inspired by life in the Scottish Highlands and in awe of nature she gives voice to the wisdom of her adopted and fostered whippets.

65 thoughts on “A Walk in Rosehall Forest”

    1. Thank you so much for your kind words dear Laurie, so happy you enjoyed walking along with us here 🙂💜 It’s a truly magical place and we’ll be posting more pictures from here again soon! 🙂🐾💖🐾 xxx

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    1. Thank you so much for your kind words dear Cathy and for walking along with us through the forest 💜 I love the otter poem too! Hope you are having a great day and much love to you and Finn from all of us here 🤗🐾💖🐾 xxx

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  16. Such a lovely please to walk with our dogs!! I think I could have walked there for hours and Fanny would love it. The images are gorgeous and together with your words it feels like getting along with you. Thanks for that Xenia 😀 🐾🐾🐕 💖

    Since we got Fanny, our Basenji I feel that life has changed a lot. You meet new people and their dogs almost everyday and people talk to each other so easily when having a dog. I also met so many for me, new dogs of different breeds and at least three whippets. It’s a lovely breed and Fanny is happy to play with them. When they run together she try to catch up and she’s fast, but not that fast. 😉

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    1. Thank you so much for your kind words dear Anita, it’s a beautiful area and you and Fanny would really enjoy walking here too! It’s so lovely to see you enjoy your life and your walks with Fanny and it sounds as if she had a lot of fun running with those whippets! Please give her a big pat from all of us here 🤗💖🐕 xxx

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  25. How Fortunate Are We Xenia To Be Able to
    Commune in Love With Nature And the Pets
    We Provide Forever Homes for Who We Vault to Equal
    Or Beyond Status of Human Beings So Beautiful it is
    When Two
    Different
    Species
    Share
    Unconditional
    Love Unabridged
    By Any Cultural Difference
    You have always been Kind to
    Yellow Boy he has fought Against
    Feline Leukemia Most all 10 Years
    of His Life and He Has Slowly Been
    Losing that Battle for the Last Two
    Years to only the Refusal to Let
    Go of the Love We Bring to
    Him.. This May Be His
    Last Week on
    Earth but
    How Much
    Joy Will another
    Member of a Species
    that and who Only Weighs
    13 to 15 LBS or So Will Bring to
    Us in all the Colors of Love any Human Will Possibly Bring
    Yellow Boy was a Killer in the Woods for Two Years Before
    He asked for Predictable Subsistence underneath our Shed
    if He
    can
    be
    a Greatest
    Reformed only Lover
    i have Hope that the
    Rest of Humanity has a chance too..
    Saviors of Souls (Love/God) come in the smallest of Packages..:)

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    1. We are so blessed to walk this journey with soul mates from the animal kingdom who ooze unconditional love and remind us of all the delights in the simple things, the magic that’s all around us in nature. Sending love and blessings to you, Katrina and sweet Yellow Boy from all of us here 💞💜💞🐈 xxx

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  29. Such a BEAUTIFUL and tranquil looking place to walk! If I lived near there I would want to go often. Thank you for taking us with you with your beautiful photos and narrative!

    Oh, have you heard of the health benefits of “forest bathing” (a relaxing walk)? If not, I have a post about it on my site behrrake.wordpress.com

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