The Odyssey Filming in Culbin Forest
One of Scotland's most distinctive forests, Culbin Forest, is set to feature on cinema screens later this month as a filming location for the movie The Odyssey. The film stars Matt Damon, Anne Hathaway, Tom Holland, and Zendaya, and is based on an ancient poem written nearly 3,000 years ago about the Greek hero Odysseus and his prolonged journey home after years of war.
Last year, Culbin Forest, located on the Moray Firth coast, was among the Scottish sites used for filming a battle scene involving warriors and giants.
The forest's history is rich and varied, including stories of a witch, a violent sandstorm, a significant fire, and even being shelled by the Royal Navy during World War Two.
"Culbin is a unique place,"said Ruaridh Maxwell, environment forester at Forestry and Land Scotland (FLS), the organisation responsible for managing the forest.
The forest attracts hundreds of walkers and cyclists who enjoy the extensive network of long tracks criss-crossing the landscape.
Culbin holds protected status due to its diverse habitats that support a variety of wildlife, including birds, dragonflies, and more than 500 species of flowering plants, such as the rare single-flowered wintergreen.
However, more than 300 years ago, Culbin was described as a "virtual desert".
Historical Transformation of Culbin Forest
Until the late 1690s, Culbin was a thriving agricultural community. Over centuries, sand from extensive dunes along the nearby coast gradually encroached upon the flat, fertile fields.
In 1694, the event known as the Great Sand Drift reportedly engulfed 16 farms and the local laird's home in wind-blown sand overnight.
Residents who fled the storm believed the land was cursed by a witch. Thirty-two years earlier, Isobel Gowdie, a woman from nearby Auldearn, had been accused of witchcraft. During her trial, she predicted that a farm at Culbin would be buried by sand.
In the 1920s, the Forestry Commission, now known as Forestry and Land Scotland (FLS), purchased Culbin Forest partly to stabilise the extensive sand-dune system.
The forest today is a protected habitat supporting insects, birds, and over 500 species of flowering plants.
Forest Management and Historical Events
A document titled A History of Culbin Forest 1921-1951, held in FLS archives, details efforts to stabilise the sand through planting marram grass and Corsican pines.
In June 1939, a wildfire swept through the forest, damaging 382 acres. The history book describes a rare "crown fire" that ignited 60 feet (18 meters) up in the tree canopies.
During World War Two, Culbin Forest was again subjected to conflict-related activity. The forest and surrounding areas were used as a mock battleground for military training, including preparations for the 1944 D-Day Landings.
Royal Navy ships shelled Culbin from the Moray Firth, leaving visible scars for years. Tank crews also conducted live-fire training exercises in the area.
Current Forest Management and The Odyssey Cast
Today, Culbin Forest is managed primarily under a continuous cover system. This approach involves selectively felling trees while maintaining a canopy of mature trees.
"This method has benefits for biodiversity whilst producing quality timber,"Ruaridh Maxwell explained.
"Much of the restocking is done through natural regeneration of trees. This produces trees which are ideally suited to the conditions at Culbin."
The peaceful environment of the forest is now mostly interrupted by visitors, occasional forestry operations, and the sounds of battling Greek heroes during filming.
