CHAPTER XI 



FEALAR, 1918 



THE forest of Fealar, the property of the Duke of 

 Athole, lies in a large amphitheatre between the 

 old deer-grounds of Mar and Athole. It is a huge 

 pocket, bounded on the north by Glen Bruar and 

 Gaick, on the west by Forest Lodge, Athole, and 

 on the east by the main sanctuary of Mar. To 

 the south, beyond the great Glen Mohr, the forest 

 of Invercauld just touches it, whilst to the south- 

 east there are the large sheep-grounds of Glen- 

 fernate, which embrace some of the finest grassy 

 glens in the centre of Scotland. All around, the 

 main ridges practically form the boundaries, and 

 from these descend numerous burns, and in this 

 punchbowl of some 18,000 acres are situated fine 

 hollows and corries where abundant grass is to be 

 found and numerous hinds make their permanent 

 home. The Lodge lies in the centre of the forest 

 at 1700 feet, and from here numbers of little rivers 

 move towards the north-west and empty into the 

 Tarf and Tilt, which last debouch from a small lake 

 (Loch Tilt) in the forest itself. Altogether it is a 

 pleasant, easily-walked forest, with its farthest 

 points at no greater distance than five miles from 

 the Lodge, whilst the heather itself is for the most 

 part well burnt, and contains little " haggy " 

 ground, so distressful to the sportsman. There is 



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