Summer 2009 - Scottish Natural Heritage

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Island of the cowled women Loch Lomond is famous the world over for the beauty of its wooded shores and islands. Part of the loch is a national nature reserve, including the wonderful island of Inchcailloch. The rocky isle is covered with rich oak woodland and gives stunning views over the loch. It also has an ancient burial ground and a golden beach that’s ideal for picnicking. The best time to visit is from mid-May to June when the bluebells and wild garlic are at their peak, and the woods are alive with summer migrant birds 36 The Nature of Scotland 1
Inchcailloch Trail Make your way to the boatyard in Balmaha where you can hop on one of the old clinker-built ferries for the short trip across to the island. You could complete this woodland walk in an hour and a half, but you’ll probably want to spend at least double that and take time to enjoy all the island has to offer. The summit path across to Port Bawn is steep in places but well worth the effort. Use the numbered map and directions in the text to guide you round. If you want to cut the walk short, then you can take the central path, which takes about 15 minutes to walk. 1 After being dropped at the North Jetty, wander up the hill until you come to a junction. Take the left-hand path that leads to the summit. Oakwoods like the one you’re walking through once surrounded the loch. Over thousands of years they disappeared as trees were cut for fi rewood, building and charcoal. Then, around 200 years ago, there was a demand for leather belts to drive machinery in city factories. Leather is softened and made supple with tannin, a natural material found in oak bark. So Loch Lomond’s landowners planted more new trees around the loch, and on islands like Inchcailloch, to meet the demand. Look out for the island’s fallow deer on your visit. King Robert the Bruce probably introduced fallow deer to Loch Lomond in the 1300s. The islands were used as deer parks where only the king and his nobles were allowed to hunt. The Inchcailloch deer vary a lot in colour, from pale to dark brown, and many have attractive white spots. Key Barn End Burial Ground and Church Ruins 7 6 Farm Ruins MacFarlane Burn Low path Passenger boat to Balmaha Trail Boat Toilet Picnic area Viewpoint Historic structure Farm Burn Tait Burn West Promontory North Bay North Jetty Alder Marsh Summit Viewpoint C h u r c h R i d g e Central path 1 Alder Burn Central Valley Port Bawn Jetty Port Bawn Summit path North Hill Endrick Viewpoint 3 5 4 2 M a i n R i d g e Coffin Valley S o u t h R i d g e South Promontory Clearance Beach 0 200 metres www.snh.org.uk 37
Page 1: Scottish Natural Heritage Summer 20
Page 4 and 5: Credits The Nature of Scotland The
Page 6 and 7: Wild calendar Long days and bright
Page 8 and 9: Brown-eyed twirl Warm summer days,
Page 10 and 11: Unearthing nature’s wonders What
Page 12 and 13: Just what the doctor ordered Scotla
Page 14 and 15: 2 Nature is good for you - that’s
Page 16 and 17: 4 Outdoor activity offers everyone
Page 18 and 19: 1 16 The Nature of Scotland
Page 20 and 21: Dragonfl ies are sensitive to tempe
Page 22 and 23: Dualchas coitcheann Common heritage
Page 24 and 25: City sights The most popular visito
Page 26 and 27: Inspiring children During the week,
Page 28 and 29: NEWS Searching beneath the surface
Page 30 and 31: NEWS Wildcat stronghold project A n
Page 32 and 33: Join the club! Ewen Cameron and Pet
Page 34 and 35: The featured naturalists include th
Page 36 and 37: Events diary 2009 July Saturday 4 O
Page 40 and 41: 2 Walk on for about 10 minutes and
Page 42 and 43: 6 From Port Bawn take the low path
Page 44 and 45: SNH Area News East Highland Corresp
Page 46 and 47: SNH Area News Strathclyde and Ayrsh
Page 48 and 49: 46 The Nature of Scotland
Page 50 and 51: You’ll come across national parks
Page 52 and 53: For instance, Loch Lomond & The Tro
Page 54 and 55: Learning from the past Scotland has
Page 56 and 57: Living with change Over the last hu
Page 58 and 59: National Trust for Scotland ranger
Page 60 and 61: Kids only! You will need: 4 pipe cl
Page 62 and 63: 1 “It was the bestest day in scho
Page 64 and 65: 3 Experience the wild The fi rst pr
Page 66: Join our mailing list The Nature of

Summer 2009 - Scottish Natural Heritage

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