About Glen Tanar

Stretching across 25,000 acres of Caledonian pine forests, heather-clad hills and fertile farmland, Glen Tanar is a historic and picturesque estate in the heart of Royal Deeside, Scotland.

Operating in Scotland’s rural tourism and hospitality sector as a destination for those seeking a connection to nature, Glen Tanar Estate offers holiday cottages, weddings, outdoor activities and conservation. 

It's home to Scotland’s most easterly Munro, Mount Keen, as well as the tumbling Water of Tanar and the River Dee. Glen Tanar sits in the east of the Cairngorms National Park and includes a large National Nature Reserve.

 

A step back in time

The estate was formed in 1865 when a merchant banker and MP from Manchester, Sir William Cunliffe Brooks, bought the land from the Marquis of Huntly. He built houses and bridges, the Tower O'Ess, the Victorian Ballroom and the landscaped gardens, all still standing today. In 1905, Glen Tanar was bought by George Coats, who later became Lord Glentanar. 

The current owners, Michael and Claire Bruce, have lived in the Glen since 1986 and raised their three children here. They are the fourth generation of the Coats family to own and care for the award-winning estate. Now, Glen Tanar comprises forestry, farming and conservation, self-catering holiday cottages, a plethora of country and sporting pursuits and a nationally recognised Victorian Ballroom wedding venue.

 

Glen Tanar today: A working estate

Sustainable tourism and events form part of the Glen Tanar business model. But the traditional activities of a working Highland estate are a crucial backdrop to these enterprises.

With 4,000 hectares of commercial and conservation forestry, the estate produces around 10,000 tonnes of timber each year. Some is used in construction and some for biomass, both on the estate – and to power a local whisky distillery. Visitors to Glen Tanar can explore a native Caledonian pinewood (the third largest in Scotland) and you should look out for rare, protected species, such as red squirrels and Scottish crossbills.

The estate is home to a herd of traditional Highland cattle that can be found grazing in fields close to the road. Glen Tanar also supports local farmers with livestock.

The built heritage of the estate comprises an impressive collection of Victorian buildings, made from pink and grey granite with grey slate roofs. Many were built as model farms with extensive Victorian infrastructure improvements. A range of inscribed stone objects, from horse troughs to memorial stones, can be found scattered across Glen Tanar – why not try to find them? Many boast the initials of the estate's original owner, Sir William Cunliffe Brooks, along with short lines such as ‘Rest and Be Thankful’. Here in this glen, there is history at every turn...

 

The Glen Tanar tweed

Designed to be both stylish and practical for camouflaging estate workers as they roam the glen, tweed designer Araminta Campbell spent time in Glen Tanar to get a feel for the landscape, the people and the place before creating her final design in 2015. 

Little did she know, her creation was uncannily similar to the estate’s original 1940s tweed, which was unearthed months later. So, today’s ghillies and gamekeepers bear a surprising likeness to those of yesteryear – the Glen Tanar tweed endures and history lives on. 

Today's tweed uses a soft palette of greys, muted browns and blues. Contemporary and traditional, it’s as well suited to a chic tote bag as to the figure of a tweed-clad ghillie. As such, a range of items – from handbags to iPad cases – are available to buy by contacting us.