Dùn Coillich

  • Launch of Heart of Scotland Forest Partnership
  • Breadalbane S1 on Dun Coillich summit
  • Glengoulandie dam: Dùn Coillich
  • Schiehallion from Dùn Coillich
  • Route marking: Dùn Coillich
  • Fencing Dùn Coillich
  • Braes of Foss working party 20170309 Dùn Coillich
  • Willie McGhee Andy Walker Holly
  • Dùn Coillich and Schiehallion from Glengoulandie
  • Andy Pointer and Elspeth Paul marking the Centre of Scotland on Dùn Coillich
  • Stunning landscape
  • The road to Dùn Coillich
  • Enjoying the river
  • Schiehallion from Dùn Coillich
  • Allt Mohr: Dùn Coillich
  • Dùn Coillich signage
  • Dùn Coillich is a beautiful location for hillwalking
  • Robin and Gillian Hull Memorial Bench

Why it is so important to restore native woodland? Read this report by Andy Walker.

Background

In the autumn of 2001 the heavily over-grazed hinterland of a local deer farm comprising 418 hectares (1100 acres) was put on the open market. The area of land lies adjacent to the 1300 metre iconic mountain of Schiehallion in undulating open country. The ground largely consists of heather-moorland with occasional boggy areas and contrasting limestone outcrops, an anomalous small Scots pine plantation, two burns (streams) running through it and the two hills, Dùn Beag and Dùn Coillich, the latter rising to 572 m.

At the time, the whole area was heavily overgrazed by sheep, deer and feral goats. A group of about 15 local people held a series of discussions leading to the conclusion that the area had great potential for community-based restoration, with the aim of creating a wildlife conservation area with observational and recreational facilities. Formal discussions took place with each of the 12 Community Councils in Highland Perthshire and 3 public meetings were held. The purchase cost of over £200,000 was raised locally and we took possession on 1st May 2002. Its purchase was the first community-led land buy-out in Perthshire and was made possible by great generosity from within Highland Perthshire.

Management objectives (Charitable Purposes)

Through J & H Mitchell WS, Pitlochry, the Highland Perthshire Communities Land Trust (HPCLT) was formed as a Scottish Charity and Limited Company, with the following Charitable Purposes (which you can find laid out in full in the Memorandum and Articles of Association).

To provide benefit tp communities within Highland Perthshire, the Charitable Purposes of the Trust are:

  • to advance environmental protection and improvement by the restoration of native woodland and other habitats as important means of conserving and increasing biodiversity;
  • to advance education and training in ecology, land management and rural skills by facilitating opportunities for educational establishments and other organisations; and
  • to provide and organise recreational opportunities, primarily by providing access.

A Woodland Grant Scheme has provided funding for the establishment of native woodland over about half the area. The whole area is fenced, previously to keep deer and sheep in, now to keep them out because they would eat young trees. In essence, it is our vision to create a mosaic of habitats - mixed woodland, heathland, wetland and limestone edges and grassland together with the associated wildlife and to provide access to the public. Thus we aim to create an environment for both wildlife and for personal well-being. In these goals we are sympathetically aided by our neighbour to the west, the John Muir Trust, which owns the eastern slopes of Schiehallion up to the summit, and has comparable aims.

In the process we aim to include as many members of the community as possible, particularly young people from the schools in Highland Perthshire and organisations such as Beavers, Cubs and Scouts. We hope that young people will come back to Dùn Coillich in 20 years time and be able to say "I planted some of these trees; I helped to create this marvellous place with its wildlife".

» Read more about the work of Highland Perthshire Communities Land Trust here