Glencoe - Glencoe Lochan (Argyll & Bute)

September 2016

Coast Redwoods - September 2016

Coast Redwoods - September 2016

Scott wrote to say; "I had another good find recently. I spent a few days walking and camping around Glencoe, western Scotland, an area I thought I knew pretty well, when I found several groves of Coast Redwood in the lovely woodland at Glencoe Lochan (Lochan is Gaelic for 'small loch'), by Glencoe Village. The oldest only dating from around 1895, so they are still relatively young and not particularly big. There are probably upwards of 60 or 70 (I stopped counting) spread between 4 groves and in quite a 'natural' setting surrounded by thick mixed woodland including native trees, Cedars, Sitka Spruce, and some huge Douglas-firs. The woodland is under the care of the Forestry Commision and was planted shortly after 1895 when the owner of the estate, Lord Strathcona, needed to cheer up his homesick Canadian wife by creating some native Canadian forest. Definitely one of my favourite finds and much nicer than the groves at Kilmun Arboretum, where they have planted too many too close together so they loose their size and impact." Thanks Scott, a great find and one I hope to see for myself the next time I visit Scotland.