A traditional rural estate in Sutherland is hosting a free public open day next month inviting people to learn more about the conservation of its precious environments and works to improve properties and places in the local communities.

Grosvenor’s Reay Forest Estate a conservation and sporting estate famed for deer, trout and salmon as well as its wild beauty and remote landscapes, is welcoming members of the public to the open day on 20 April from 10am-4pm. No prior booking is necessary. 

A selection of 12 activity centres have been developed enabling estate employees to demonstrate the wide-ranging works which take place on the estate. These will include Project Laxford – a landscape scale, ecosystem-wide, conservation project in partnership with the Atlantic Salmon Trust with the goal of restoring wild Atlantic salmon and sea trout populations in the River Laxford – the long-term stewardship of the estate’s many designated habitats, deer management, sustainable forestry activities, rural estate careers and philanthropy through the Westminster Foundation. 

In addition, visitors will be able to hear from the estate’s partner organisations, such as Wildlife Estates Scotland and Countryside Learning Scotland, as well as local businesses.

“Soup and sweet” will be available at £5 per adult, £3 children and free for under 5s, with all proceeds donated to the estate’s employee adopted charity High Life Highland, which develops and promotes opportunities in culture, learning, sport, leisure, health and wellbeing across ten services throughout the whole of the Highlands, for the benefit of both residents and visitors.

A separate schools focussed event will take place earlier in the week with more than 100 pupils from nearby secondary and primary schools in Kinlochbervie, Gairloch, Ullapool, Durness, Scourie and Lochinver expected to attend. 

The last open days were hosted in May 2022 when 126 pupils from across Sutherland as well as 150 people on the public open day visited the Reay Forest, learning more about how Grosvenor is delivering a lasting economic, social and environmental benefit through its activities. 

For more information, please telephone +44 1971 500221 or email ruralestates.enquiries@grosvenor.com.