One of my favourite places to write about for my book was Muir of Dinnet, a nature reserve near Ballater in the Cairngorms National Park. Within a pretty small area, there are lochs, streams and patches of woodland, grassland and bog with a handy boardwalk for wildlife watching with dry feet.

I always spend the whole day here when I visit, strolling along its various waymarked trails. On this occasion I saw a diverse mix of birds, mammals, insects and even a surprise common lizard rustling in bracken beside the path.

Muir of Dinnet is a really special place and I’m often singing its praises! Here’s a medley of photos from my most recent visit, showing just how much this reserve has to offer.