History of Dorback
The landscape in which Dorback is situated has been sculpted by glacial events over a series of ice ages dating back as far as 22,000 years ago, leaving us with a unique and breath-taking landscape. The estate now encompasses the fringes of the more recent ancient Abernethy Caledonian Forest and the ‘Braes of Abernethy’ which are located in the northern reaches of the Cairngorms National Park, the largest and highest National Park in Britain.
Grant Clan of Strathspey
Historically, Dorback was one half of the Dorback and Revack Estate, which formed part of the large land holding owned by the Grant Clan of Strathspey. From the mid-14th Century to the mid-16th Century the Grant Estate grew through a combination of land purchases and Royal Charters and it remained in the Grant family for centuries to come, more recently operating as Seafield Estates.
In the late 20th Century, Lady Pauline Ogilvie-Grant Nicholson, the sister of the Earl of Seafield, who, at that time, had ownership of Dorback and Revack, marketed the estates for sale.
For Sale
The estate was available for sale as a whole or in 7 lots, and ultimately Dorback Estate, the largest of the 7 lots, was sold to the owners. The sale completed in 2000 and was the first time the estate had changed hands out with the Grant family in over 300 years.
Following their purchase, the the owners took on the management of Dorback Estate with vigour, and invested in regenerating the estate farm and hill land to offer first class habitat for wildlife and sporting birds. Since purchasing the estate, three generations of the family have already been involved in the management and enjoyment of the estate with the future vision being to maintain the estate as one of Scotland's premier sporting properties.
