A Week of Rewilding with Trees for Life

A Week of Rewilding with Trees for Life

Last week I joined one of our 1% for the Planet partners, Trees for Life, on a volunteer rewilding week at Corrimony, deep in the Scottish Highlands. It was an unforgettable mix of hard work, great company, wild weather, and the kind of satisfaction that comes from doing something meaningful outdoors.

Getting Started

There were eight volunteers and two guides in our group, and we all quickly settled into a rhythm — cooking hearty vegetarian meals together, sharing stories, and preparing for early starts. Each day began around 8am, with an hour’s drive from our base to the drop-off point, followed by another hour’s walk across rough ground, bogs, and plenty of soggy bits to reach the planting site.

We were told the forecast was for “character-building weather” — and it didn’t disappoint.

Planting for the Future

Our first day on Sunday was all about getting stuck in. The ground was challenging — steep, wet, and stubborn — but despite the constant drizzle, spirits stayed high. Monday brought clearer skies, a more forgiving site, and a real sense of progress. On the way, we stopped to see the Corrimony Cairn, a 4,000-year-old burial site that was a reminder of how deeply connected people have always been to this landscape.

By the end of the week, we’d planted over 1,000 trees. It might not sound like a massive number, but considering the travel and terrain, it felt like a real achievement. The site had suffered from a fire a couple of years ago, so these new trees will hopefully help the land recover faster.

A Change of Scene

Tuesday was our “day off”, which in the Highlands often means “another day outdoors, just with a different focus.” My original plan was to climb two Munros, but low cloud, heavy rain, and long approaches made that ambitious. Instead, I went for a 9-mile hike over the hill to the Dog Falls and Loch Coire — a beautiful route that more than made up for the missed peaks.

The mountains will always be there another day  (Tom a' Choinich, and Toll Creagach)

On Wednesday we visited Trees for Life’s Dundreggan Estate, their dedicated tree nursery where they grow around 300,000 native trees each year. We spent the day digging up young trees to be graded for onward planting — a different kind of work, but just as satisfying.

Wildlife, Weather, and Wild Places

Thursday was our final planting day, and it turned out to be one of the best. On the drive in, we were lucky enough to spot three black grouse performing their lekking displays — a rare and spectacular sight. On the way back, we stopped at Corrimony Falls and foraged a few chanterelle mushrooms for dinner, a perfect way to end the day.

Planting small trees, helps them establish, while  protecting the roots from wind rocking them about and causing instability

Friday was a fitting finale — a day out canoeing on Loch Beinn a’ Mheadhoin, exploring the beaver release site (the animals had been reintroduced just a week before) and spotting golden eagles circling above during our lunch break. There was, of course, a touch of rain — just to remind us where we were.

This little fella was hopping around nicely until we  temporarily grabbed his lunch spot. 😄

Reflections

It was a week full of mud, mist, and meaningful work — and a reminder of the power of nature and community. Everyone pitched in, everyone learned something, and everyone left feeling that little bit more connected to the landscape and to the cause.

Trees for Life do incredible work restoring Scotland’s ancient Caledonian Forest, one tree — and one volunteer — at a time. If you fancy a week that combines adventure, purpose, and proper fresh air, I can’t recommend it enough.

👉 Find out more about their rewilding weeks here: Trees for Life Rewilding Corrimony

A big thank you to my fellow planters for sharing the images, for great company and laughs.

You can read a bit more about our 1% for the planet committments over here