Brodie Castle Policies, Raffpark Wood

Raffpark wood is a rectangular wood lying between the pond and the A96 road divided diagonally into two parts by the Inverness-Aberdeen railway, the majority of which is in NTS ownership, apart from the Brodie Countryfayre site, and is the largest wood of the estate. The north part of the wood is on mossland crossed by drains and comprises natural regeneration dominated by birch, with alders, willow, ash, sycamore etc with extensive rhododendron and a fringe of conifers along the pondside. The South pond path C19 meanders through the area avoiding the W06 former pond depression .

The large rectangle of Raff Park is shown on Brown’s plan as a wood with a Central rondpoint and radiating rides. McLean’s plan shows the wood with no rides and his terrier records ‘Wet flat ground under dwarf birch and young firs’ (Plot 83). By the time of the 1st edition OS, the railway has cut the wood in two. The wood has been prospected for sign of the rides and central feature and no signs found.

(BRD14 P24)

Information from NTS (SCS) February 2016