Craigellachie National Nature Reserve

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Craigellachie National Nature Reserve
IUCN category IV (habitat/species management area) [1]
Craigellachie and unnamed lochan - geograph.org.uk - 979537.jpg
Lochan and woodland at Craigellachie
Badenoch and Strathspey UK relief location map.jpg
Red pog.svg
Craigellachie, shown within Badenoch and Strathspey, Highland
LocationNear Aviemore, Scotland
Coordinates 57°11′20″N3°50′53″W / 57.188948°N 3.848020°W / 57.188948; -3.848020 Coordinates: 57°11′20″N3°50′53″W / 57.188948°N 3.848020°W / 57.188948; -3.848020
Area257 ha (640 acres) [2]
Established1961
Governing body NatureScot
Craigellachie National Nature Reserve

Craigellachie (Scottish Gaelic: Chreag Eileachaidh) [3] is a hill lying to the west of the village of Aviemore in Strathspey, in the central Highlands of Scotland. Craigellachie was declared a national nature reserve (NNR) in 1961, and is managed by NatureScot through a lease from Reidhaven Estate. [4] The reserve covers 257 hectares on the eastern slopes of the Monadhliath range of hills, lying between 225 and 535 m above sea level. [5] It is dominated by birkwood (birch woodland), being one of the largest remaining areas of this type of habitat on Speyside, and is also of national importance due to the variety of moths present on the reserve. [6] In addition to the birkwoods, the reserve encompasses a variety of other habitats, such as rocky crags, lochans and open heath with blaeberry. [7]

Contents

By tradition Craigellachie was an important place for Clan Grant, being used as a vantage point and as the site for signal fires to gather the clan. Craigellachie appears on the clan's crest, and the clan's Slogan is "Stand fast Craig Elachie!". [5] [4]

Flora and fauna

The birkwood at Craigellachie NNR can be described as "semi-natural", having arisen before the middle of the eighteenth century: the earliest known reference to it was made by mapmaker William Roy in 1750. [8] Many of the birch trees are around 100 years old, and are almost entirely silver birch, although some downy birch is found in areas with poorly drained, peaty soils. Other tree found at the reserve include aspen, rowan, hazel, bird cherry, eared willow, grey willow, Scots pine and juniper. [6]

The range of habitats supports a diverse range of plant communities, with over 385 flowering-plant types being recorded at the reserve, including nationally-scarce species such as least waterlily, serrated wintergreen, dwarf birch, and bog hair grass. 71 species of fungi and 22 lichen species have been recorded at the reserve, owing to the birchwood habitat. [9] [10]

The reserve provides an ideal habitat for invertebrate species and is home to a number of nationally important moth species, 13 of which are UK Biodiversity Action Plan (UKBAP) species. Of particular note are the Kentish glory and Rannoch sprawler, the larvae of which favour young birch saplings as a food source. [7] [11] Woodland butterflies at Craigellachie NNR include Scotch argus and orange tip, as well as the pearl-bordered fritillary, which is also a UKBAP species. [7]

Around 50 bird species are present, including a number of UKBAP species, such as spotted flycatcher, song thrush, bullfinch, lesser redpoll, tree pipit, red grouse and black grouse. [7] [9] Furthermore, a pair of peregrine falcons nest on the crags, which can be viewed through a webcam in the visitor centre section of the Aviemore Youth Hostel. [12] Mammal species found at Craigellachie include red and roe deer, pipistrelle bats, and occasional sightings of pine marten. [9]

Visitors

Around 8500 people each year visit the reserve, which is linked to the centre of Aviemore via an underpass beneath the A9. [13] There are four marked trails, three of which provide circular routes of between 0.7 and 1.8 km. The fourth trail, which is 4.4 km long, continues up to the summit of Craigellachie. [3] In 2007 a ‘Mobitour’ system was trialled, whereby visitors could access information about specific parts of the reserve via a mobile phone. The system proved popular with visitors, and has since been extended to cover all four of the marked trails. [13] [14]

Other designations

The national nature reserve forms part of the Craigellachie Site of Special Scientific Interest (SSSI), which covers a larger area (380 ha). [15] The site lies entirely within the Cairngorms National Park, [16] and is designated a Category IV protected area by the International Union for Conservation of Nature. [1]

Related Research Articles

National nature reserve (Scotland)

The national nature reserves (NNRs) of Scotland are areas of land or water designated under the Wildlife and Countryside Act 1981 as containing habitats and species of national importance. National nature reserves can be owned by public, private, community or voluntary organisations but must be managed to conserve their important habitats and species, as well as providing opportunities for the public to enjoy and engage with nature. There are currently 43 NNRs in Scotland, which cover 154,250 hectares (1,542.5 km2), or less than 1.5% of the land area of Scotland. They range in size from Corrieshalloch Gorge at 7 ha to Mar Lodge Estate, which covers 29,324 ha.

Cairngorms National Park

Cairngorms National Park is a national park in northeast Scotland, established in 2003. It was the second of two national parks established by the Scottish Parliament, after Loch Lomond and The Trossachs National Park, which was set up in 2002. The park covers the Cairngorms range of mountains, and surrounding hills. Already the largest national park in the United Kingdom, in 2010 it was expanded into Perth and Kinross.

Ben Lawers

Ben Lawers is the highest mountain in the southern part of the Scottish Highlands. It lies to the north of Loch Tay, and is the highest point of a long ridge that includes seven Munros. It is the highest peak in Perthshire, and is the tenth highest Munro in Scotland. Ben Lawers was long thought to be over 4,000 feet (1,219.2 m) in height; accurate measurement in the 1870s showed it to be some 17 feet (5.2 m) short of this figure.

Insh Marshes

Insh Marshes are an area of floodplain of the River Spey between Kingussie and Kincraig in Badenoch and Strathspey, Highland, Scotland. The marshes are said to be one of the most important wetlands in Europe. They lie at altitude of approximately 240 to 220 m above sea level, and form one of the largest areas of floodplain mire and fen vegetation in Scotland.

Ben Wyvis

Ben Wyvis is a mountain located in Easter Ross, north-west of Dingwall in northern Scotland. It lies in the council area of Highland, and the county of Ross and Cromarty. The mountain is prominent in views of the area, presenting a whale-back shape above the farmland of Strathconon. Geologically, the ridge is composed of Moine pelitic gneiss.

Creag Meagaidh

Creag Meagaidh is a mountain on the northern side of Glen Spean in the Highlands of Scotland. It is a complex mountain, taking the form of a flat summit plateau from which five ridges radiate, and is most famed for the cliffs surrounding the corrie of Coire Ardair on the north-eastern face. These crags are a renowned venue for winter and ice climbing, although being somewhat vegetated they are less suited to summer climbing.

Glenmore Forest Park

Glenmore Forest Park is a remnant of the Caledonian Forest near Aviemore in the Badenoch and Strathspey district of Highland, Scotland. Owned and managed by Forestry and Land Scotland, it lies within the Cairngorms National Park, and is one of six forest parks in the country. The forest park, which was established in 1948, covers 35.7 km2, of which 21.1 km2 is designated as a national nature reserve (NNR). Glenmore surrounds Loch Morlich, and is below the rise of the Cairngorms to the south; to the north the park extends to the summit of Meall a' Bhuachaille. The forest forms part of an expanse of Caledonian Forest that stretches from Glen Feshie to Abernethy, and which as a whole forms the largest single area of this habitat remaining in Scotland. It is home to much wildlife including Scottish crossbills, crested tits, capercaillie, narrow-headed ants, red squirrels and red deer.

Abernethy Forest

Abernethy Forest is a remnant of the Caledonian Forest in Strathspey, in the Highland council area of Scotland. It lies within the Cairngorms National Park, close to the villages of Nethy Bridge, Boat of Garten, and Aviemore. The forest is an RSPB reserve, close to Loch Garten Osprey Centre, which is also owned by the RSPB. It is popular with walkers, as there are various trails throughout the reserve. The forest forms part of the wider Abernethy National Nature Reserve.

Cairnsmore of Fleet

Cairnsmore of Fleet is an isolated hill in the Southern Uplands of Scotland. The mountain forms an unafforested granite massif, whose highest point is about 10 kilometres (6.2 mi) east of Newton Stewart. It is the highest of the "Solway Hills" sub-range, and the southernmost of Scotland's 219 Grahams, thus making it, or rather its subsidiary top, Knee of Cairnsmore, the most southerly mountain in Scotland. The view to the south takes in the Cree Estuary and Wigtown Bay, and extends as far as the Lake District, the Isle of Man and Snowdonia. The highest summits of the Galloway Hills can be seen to the north, and Ireland is in the view to the west.

Muir of Dinnet

Muir of Dinnet is a national nature reserve (NNR) situated close to the village of Dinnet in Aberdeenshire, Scotland. The reserve extends 1166 hectares from the River Dee to Culbean hill, and encompasses a wide range of habitats including dry heath, raised bog, woodland, and two lochs: Loch Kinord and Loch Davan. Muir of Dinnet was first declared a NNR in 1977 due to its value as a habitat for flora and fauna, and its important geomorphological features, the most striking of which is the Burn O'Vat. Muir of Dinnet is owned by Dinnet Estate and managed by NatureScot, who provide a visitor centre and a range of other facilities including waymarked paths and a car park. As of 2012 it was estimated that approximately 40,000 people visited Muir of Dinnet each year.

Corrie Fee Corrie and national nature reserve in Angus, Scotland

Corrie Fee is a glacier-carved corrie situated at the head of Glen Clova in the Angus Glens of Scotland. It forms part of Corrie Fee National Nature Reserve (NNR), which is managed by NatureScot and lies within the Cairngorms National Park. The adjoining Corrie Sharroch and the slopes of Craig Rennet are also included in the NNR.

Clyde Valley Woodlands National Nature Reserve

The Clyde Valley Woodlands National Nature Reserve (NNR) comprises six separate woodland sites in the Clyde Valley region of South Lanarkshire, Scotland. These six sites are located along a 12 km section of the River Clyde and its tributaries, and lie close to built-up areas such as Hamilton and Lanark on the southern outskirts of Greater Glasgow. The sites can be easily accessed by about two million people living in the surrounding urban areas, making the reserve unique amongst Scotland's NNRs, most of which tend to be located in more remote areas. The six sites are:

Glasdrum Wood

Glasdrum Wood is national nature reserve (NNR) at the head of Loch Creran in Argyll and Bute on the west coast of Scotland. Managed by NatureScot, the wood is renowned for its diverse flora and fauna, including sessile oak and ash trees, mosses, liverworts and rare invertebrates, like the chequered skipper butterfly. The NNR covers an area of around 169 hectares, encompassing woodland and hillside on the lower slopes of Beinn Churlain. A carpark and 1 km-long waymarked trail are provided for visitors. Since 2004 the reserve has received approximately 2800 visitors each year.

Taynish National Nature Reserve

Taynish National Nature Reserve is situated southwest of the village of Tayvallich in the council area of Argyll and Bute on the west coast of Scotland. The reserve encompasses almost all of the Taynish peninsula, which is around 5 km long and 1 km wide. The woodlands at Taynish are often described as a 'temperate rainforest', benefiting from the mild and moist climate brought about by the Gulf Stream. Taynish is owned and managed by NatureScot and was declared a national nature reserve (NNR) in 1977. The reserve was formerly also a biosphere reserve, but this status was withdrawn in 2014.

Loch Lomond National Nature Reserve

Loch Lomond National Nature Reserve (NNR) encompasses 430 hectares of land at the southeastern part of Loch Lomond in the council areas of Stirling and West Dunbartonshire, in Scotland. It covers the islands of Inchcailloch, Clairinsh, Torrinch, Creinch and Aber Isle, alongside areas of woodland and wetlands to either side of the mouth of the Endrick Water. NatureScot owns two parts of the reserve - the island of Inchcailloch and part of Gartfairn Wood - and the rest is privately owned. The reserve is managed by a partnership consisting of NatureScot, the RSPB Scotland and the Loch Lomond and The Trossachs National Park, along with the owners and tenants of the land under agreements. Within this framework NatureScot directly manage the islands of Clairinsh, Inchcailloch, Torrinch and Creinch, and land to the north of the Endrick Water. The RSPB manages the area to the south of the Endrick Water, and the national park manages visitor facilities on Inchcailloch.

St Cyrus National Nature Reserve

St Cyrus National Nature Reserve (NNR) is situated between the village of St Cyrus and the North Sea in the far south of the council area of Aberdeenshire in Scotland. The reserve comprises a narrow strip of land that is 3.5 km long and less than 500 m across at its widest point: the total area is 92 hectares, most of which is only a few metres above sea level and bounded by cliffs to the west. It forms the northern third of Montrose Bay, with the River North Esk marking its southern boundary. The reserve was declared in 1962, and is managed by NatureScot. The cliffs and dunes provide a nationally important habitat for flowering plants and insects, many of which are at their northern limit in Britain. The reserve is one of the most important botanical sites on the north-east coast of Scotland, supporting over 300 plant species.

Glen Tanar Glen of the Water of Tanar and national nature reserve in northeast Scotland

Glen Tanar is a glen in Aberdeenshire, eastern Scotland, through which the Water of Tanar flows. Near the mouth of the glen, at Tower o' Ess, the Water of Tanar flows into the River Dee. This flows through Deeside into the North Sea at Aberdeen. Glen Tanar contains the third largest area of Caledonian Forest in Scotland, and is of national and European importance.

Glen Nant Woodland and nature reserve in Argyll and Bute, Scotland

Glen Nant is glen lying to the south of Taynuilt in the Argyll and Bute council area of Scotland. An area of woodland of 339 hectares on the western side of the River Nant is designated as national nature reserve (NNR), which is owned and managed by Forestry and Land Scotland (FLS). It is an example of an Atlantic Oakwood, and is one of largest areas of upland oak woodland in north Argyll.

Invereshie and Inshriach National Nature Reserve

Invereshie and Inshriach is a national nature reserve on the western flank of the Cairngorms in the Highland council area of Scotland. The reserve covers habitats at a range of different altitudes, ranging from Caledonian Forest beside the River Feshie in the west, via bog and open moorland, to an arctic-alpine environment on the Cairngorm plateau. The Munro summit of Sgòr Gaoith (1118 m) lies on the eastern boundary of the reserve. The forested areas of the reserve form part of an expanse of Caledonian pinewood that stretches from Glen Feshie to Abernethy, and which as a whole forms the largest single area of this habitat remaining in Scotland. The reserve is owned and managed jointly by NatureScot and Forestry and Land Scotland (FLS): NatureScot own the Invereshie portion of the reserve and FLS the Inshriach area.

Moine Mhòr Area of raised bog in Argyll and Bute, Scotland

Moine Mhòr encompasses a large area of raised bog in the Kilmartin Glen area of Argyll and Bute, Scotland. As well as raised bog there are areas of saltmarsh, brackish grassland, alder carr, fen and woodland, and the variety of habitats at Moine Mhòr provide important habitats for a variety of animal and plant species. The area was declared a national nature reserve (NNR) in 1987, and is now owned and managed by NatureScot. According to NatureScot lowland raised bogs like Moine Mhòr are some of the rarest and most threatened natural wildlife habitats in Europe, due to removal of peat, afforestation and reclamation of farmland.

References

  1. 1 2 "Craigellachie". Protected Planet. Retrieved 14 February 2021.
  2. ↑ "Craigellachie NNR". NatureScot. Retrieved 15 September 2020.
  3. 1 2 "Visit Craigellachie National Nature Reserve" (PDF). Scottish Natural Heritage. Retrieved 15 September 2020.
  4. 1 2 The Story of Craigellachie National Nature Reserve. p. 2.
  5. 1 2 The Story of Craigellachie National Nature Reserve. p. 1.
  6. 1 2 The Story of Craigellachie National Nature Reserve. p. 4.
  7. 1 2 3 4 The Story of Craigellachie National Nature Reserve. p. 5.
  8. ↑ The Story of Craigellachie National Nature Reserve. p. 8.
  9. 1 2 3 The Story of Craigellachie National Nature Reserve. p. 6.
  10. ↑ The Story of Craigellachie National Nature Reserve. p. 7.
  11. ↑ "Rannoch Sprawler Brachionycha nubeculosa". UK Moths. Retrieved 2019-01-24.
  12. ↑ Scottish Natural Heritage (9 June 2016). "Craigellachie's all-new peregrine TV and visitor hub" . Retrieved 15 September 2020.
  13. 1 2 The Story of Craigellachie National Nature Reserve. p. 11.
  14. ↑ The Story of Craigellachie National Nature Reserve. p. 12.
  15. ↑ "Craigellachie SSSI". NatureScot. Retrieved 15 September 2020.
  16. ↑ "Cairngorms National Park". NatureScot. Retrieved 15 September 2020.

Bibliography

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