The head of the glen lies close to the border with Aberdeenshire and is an important destination for the outdoor enthusiast with wide open spaces offering opportunities for walking and a range of country sports.
The area is also a favourite destination for nature lovers. At the Loch of Lintrathen, a wildlife reserve provides a summer home for ospreys, while in the winter months, all sorts of wildfowl can be found. Amongst the other outdoor delights is the Backwater Reservoir, where the road takes you across the dam itself. Reekie Linn Falls is an impressive waterfall in natural gorged woodland; its spume effects account for its smoky, 'reekie’ description.
