Loch an Eilein

Loch an Eilein, meaning the loch of the island, is the postcard image of the Cairngorms: a clear, dark lake ringed by old Scots pine, with a small island holding the stark ruins of a fourteenth-century castle. It lies in the Rothiemurchus Estate, about five kilometres south of Aviemore, and the path around the loch is one of the most popular walks in the national park because it is easy, scenic and rich in wildlife. The circuit is about seven kilometres on a well-made level track, with the castle seen from many angles, the water often mirror-calm, and the Cairngorm plateau on the skyline. The pine forest around the loch is part of what remains of the ancient Caledonian forest, and its wildlife is part of the draw: red squirrels in the trees, crested tits and Scottish crossbills in the canopy, and in the right season ospreys over the water. A visitor centre and cafe sit at the car park, so you can combine the walk with a coffee and a look at the estate's activities.

The castle is the story of the place. The island fortress was associated with the Wolf of Badenoch, the notorious fourteenth-century lord Alexander Stewart, and later became a Grant stronghold. Local tradition adds that ospreys once nested on the ruin, before the birds were persecuted to extinction in Scotland in the early twentieth century, and their return to nearby Abernethy in the 1950s is one of the great conservation stories of the Highlands.

The castle can only be seen from the shore, since the island is protected for wildlife, and the best photographs come from the north-west corner of the loch where the reflections are good on still mornings.

Walking the loch is straightforward. The path is largely flat, with a few short slopes, and it is suitable for most children and many pushchairs and wheelchairs on the main sections, though it can be muddy after rain. Allow ninety minutes to two hours for the full circuit, longer if you stop for wildlife.

Dogs are welcome on a lead, and a short spur on the east side leads to the little sandy bays where children paddle in summer. A path from the loch also continues toward Loch Gamhna and the wider estate for those who want a longer outing.

Wildlife watching rewards patience. Red squirrels are most active in the early morning and around food sources near the path, and crested tits are often heard before they are seen; move slowly, stop at quiet spots, and bring binoculars. In autumn the birches turn gold and fungi appear, in winter the loch can freeze and the forest goes silent beneath snow, and in spring the pines carry the sound of woodpeckers and the first migrants. Each season is distinct, which is why locals return throughout the year.