Glasdrum Wood National Nature Reserve

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Overview

The ancient ash and oak woodland of the Glasdrum Wood NNR cloaks the slopes of Beinn Churalain, rising steeply above Loch Creran on the west coast of Scotland. A waymarked trail climbs through the Atlantic rainforest, where the trunk of every tree is softened by a thick coat of dripping mosses and lichens, and ferns sprout from every crevice. Where spring sunlight penetrates between the trees, wildflowers like bluebell, violet, marsh thistle and bugle – whose deep blue blooms are a favourite nectar source for the rare chequered skipper butterfly – form a colourful blanket. Few other places in Scotland can rival Glasdrum for its variety of butterflies and moths. Grazing and coppicing,a tradition that continues today, have created beautiful glades where butterflies flourish and red and roe deer graze. And shy otters have been known to slip surreptitiously between the woodland and the crystal waters of Loch Creran.

Location

Fasnacloich

About the area

This is a county that’s all about awe-inspiring landscapes and unique island cultures. Ex-Beatle Paul McCartney put the area on the map when he wrote Mull of Kintyre, recorded in 1977 with the local pipe band backing his group.

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Glasdrum Wood National Nature Reserve

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Glasdrum Wood National Nature Reserve

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