Carnegie’s Fairy Glen woodlands in Sutherland bought by conservation charity

A magical woodland in the north of Scotland that once belonged to the renowned philanthropist Andrew Carnegie has been bought by one of the country’s leading conservation charities.

The Fairy Glen at Spinningdale in Sutherland, once owned by wealthy industrialist Andrew Carnegie, has been bought by the Woodland Trust conservation charity

The Woodland Trust has completed the purchase of the Fairy Glen, at Spinningdale in Sutherland, which was once a favourite picnic spot for the wealthy industrialist and his wife and family.

The site adds to a growing network of forest sites owned by the organisation, which last year bought an entire mountain – Ben Shieldaig – in the north-west Highlands.

The millionaire Scottish-American steel magnate bought the Skibo estate and its Ledmore and Migdale woods in 1897, spending summer holidays there with his family until the outbreak of the First World War.

The woodland site was a favourite summer picnic spot for millionaire steel magnate Andrew Carnegie and his family

The Carnegies named their favourite woodland walk and picnic spot the Fairy Glen, and in 1907 opened it to the public.

A carved stone marking the occasion was uncovered at the site by Woodland Trust Scotland volunteers last week.

It reads: Fairy Glen, opened by Mr, Mrs and Miss Carnegie, 10th September 1907.

The beauty spot still has a path running through it today, but once had a more elaborate route that included nine wooden footbridges across the burn.

Woodland Trust Scotland purchased Ledmore and Midgale in 1993.

Stretching across nearly 700 hectares, it is one of the charity’s largest sites and its most northerly wood in the UK.

The Fairy Glen, which covers around 2.5 hectares, had remained in private ownership until this week’s sale.

The Woodland Trust Scotland works to save and replant native trees and forests. It looks after around 60 sites across Scotland, covering more than 11,000 hectares.

Woodland Trust Scotland site manager Ross Watson, who was part of the team that uncovered the commemorative stone, said: “This is a beautiful little glen with a charming burn tumbling through oakwoods dripping with mosses and ferns.

“It would be a lovely addition to Ledmore and Migdale on its woodland merits alone, but the Carnegie connection makes it all the more fitting.

“We are extremely grateful for the support of The Carman Family Foundation which enabled us to acquire this site.”