Where Can I See Pine Martens in Scotland?

The question, "Where can I see pine martens in Scotland?" is one I have seen often asked in forums or social media groups. The following is my answer, along with evidence... Right here at Frugaldom is where you can see pine martens in Scotland. We have huts that can be used as hides plus overnight parking for those who want to visit and park up in a campervan or motorhome (max. 7.5m). 

Contrary to common belief, pine martens can be seen at all hours of day and night, unlike their larger mustelid cousins, the badgers. The latter seldom put in an appearance before sunset.

This year, we noted at least two kits visiting the spruce tree feeding platform along with one or other of their parents, most likely to be mum.

Frugaldom is set within its own private wilderness that has been intentionally rewilded over the past decade. This 5 hectare site sees near nightly visits from pine martens and badgers, as well as offering the possibility of spotting buzzards, owls, hen harriers, red kites, kestrels, sparrowhawks and countless small birds.

The jays can often be heard in the surrounding woodlands and at the feeding stations. Their raucous calls are unmistakable.

By night, with the help of infra red trail cameras, we document the comings and goings of our resident pine martens, badgers and foxes. 

For those choosing to spend a night in an off-grid observation hut, the pine martens and the badgers are likely to come close enough to photograph through the windows. On occasion, sightings have been much closer than expected. 😆

From the campervan park-up site, you can see the spruce tree platform, which is great for anyone with the right camera equipment or for those happy just to quietly observe from a distance.

This particular photo was taken through the window on my mobile phone when one of the more senior pine martens came bounding along the decking to help himself to peanuts.

I can never guarantee anyone will spot and photograph a pine marten here at Frugaldom but our corner of Dumfries & Galloway in southwest Scotland has a thriving and growing population - some of them have chosen to revisit our land regularly.

Campervan and motorhome parking costs £15 for 1 night, £25 for 2 nights, £75 for a full week. Overnight, exclusive use of a hut costs £50 and each has it's own log burner, ensuring convenient use throughout the year. To check availability, please text or WhatsApp 07795870688 or email frugaldom@gmail.com

If you would like to support this wildlife project, you can join Friends of Frugaldom from as little as £5 per month. 

See www.ko-fi.com/Frugaldom for further details, to subscribe or to donate. 

If you have read this far, thank you very much for taking the time to read this blog post. You can like, follow and/or share your favourite posts, of which, there are many. 😊🏴󠁧󠁢󠁳󠁣󠁴󠁿