Robert Scott (deer stalker)

Robert 'Bob' Lane Scott (1903–1981) was probably the best known deer stalker on Mar Lodge Estate, in Aberdeenshire, Scotland.

The son of Donald Scott (1852–1915) and his wife Elizabeth Birnie (1862–1911), Bob was born in Linn of Dee Cottage, attended the school at Inverey, and worked as a Deer Stalker, all on Mar Lodge Estate.

In Smith (1989) a school photograph - taken at the school in Inverey - shows Bob looking about ten years old.

Bob will probably be best remembered by the many hill walkers who spent a night or two in the bothy at Luibeg during the years that he lived in that cottage – and by the weary ones to whom he offered lifts between Luibeg and the public road between Linn of Dee and Linn of Lui.

The Bothies

From about 1952 Bob offered the use of part of the outbuildings near Luibeg Cottage as a bothy for a nominal fee. This was the first Bob Scott's Bothy and was destroyed by fire in 1986.

The second Bob Scott's Bothy was built soon afterwards, on the east-bank of the Lui Water on the downstream edge of Derry Wood. That had an open fireplace and was also destroyed by an untended fire 17 December 2003.

The third Bob Scott's Bothy was built, on the same site (see photograph below), but with an enclosed fire (stove).

Retirement

If you add 65 to 1903 you get 1968 - so Bob retired sometime after that - Watson (1975) refers to Bob being the ex-stalker of Luibeg.

I believe that Bob was "officially retired" during the shooting season of 1971 but he appeared to work a pretty full day taking guests fishing, helping with grouse shoots and shifting Landrovers. In those days Mar Lodge was a hotel with a public bar and Bob was to be found in the bar in the early evening on most days as he entertained the shooting guests, and everyone else, with his stories. At that time he lived at Luibeg with his daughter Eileen.

After retiring Bob lived in the cottage by the Quoich Water near Allanaquoich.

Gallery

Sources