Linn of Dee Car Park
Kingsley Clivus composting toilets
National Trust for Scotland Mar Lodge Estate, Braemar
OS reference: NO 064898
We are very grateful to Peter Holden, Senior Ranger and Naturalist at the NTS Mar Lodge Estate, Braemar for helpful discussions.
Background
Linn of Dee is the farthest point along the River Dee
that can be reached by public road. The Linn itself is a
narrow rocky gorge through which the river Dee
passes - spectacular after prolonged rain. Much of the
semi-natural Caledonian pine woods in Scotland are
within the Dee catchment.
Linn of Dee is also the starting point for foot excursions into the Cairngorm
range and is the southern access point for the Lairig Ghru, the high-level pass
that cuts through the Cairngorm massif to the Spey valley.
The National Trust for Scotland (NTS) car park located at Linn of Dee was
upgraded in 2005, including the introduction of parking charges. A consultation
exercise indicated that the majority of visitors would not be averse to paying,
on the understanding that all proceeds were reinvested in the maintenance
and management of the car park and ancillary facilities, and the associated
footpath networks.
The car park was upgraded with the creation of additional parking spaces, an
information board, and a toilet block. The original cattle grid at the entrance to
the parking area was also removed, aiding wheelchair access.
Toilets installation
Twin composting toilets were installed in the centre of the Linn of Dee parking area. The elegant
wooden structure comprises two unisex DDA-compliant toilets with public entry through doors on
opposite sides of the building.
The upper toilet structure rests on a dual-vault composter supplied by Kingsley Clivus, one vault for
each of the toilets.
The design of the toilet block was based on reviewing the RSPB experience at Loch Garten
Osprey Center. Whereas the Loch Garten installation was built on two levels, with access to the
vaults on the lower level, site constraints and the planning process led to a smaller, more compact
design being chosen with the vaults installed below ground level and access to the vaults being
through the floor of the toilet.
Toilet waste falls onto a sloping horizontal grill in the vaults that drains the liquid into a lower
holding tank while retaining the solids. Wood shavings, sourced from a local sawmill, are used as a
bulking agent.
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