East Schiehallion - John Muir Trust
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MANAGING THE LAND We work to improve important upland habitats at Schiehallion The John Muir Trust works to improve important upland habitats at Schiehallion – including heather moorland and bog – which are home to threatened species such as black grouse. We’re also encouraging natural regeneration of native woodland by controlling deer and sheep numbers. Deer are an essential part of the ecosystem but high populations of deer have a negative impact on habitats through overgrazing and trampling. When the Trust took ownership of Schiehallion in 1998, the main path to the summit from the Braes of Foss car park had become an ugly scar on the hill (extremely muddy and up to 90 feet wide in sections). Over a five-year period, the Trust set out to realign the main path up the hill onto a more sustainable line. The new path was built using locally sourced materials and offers dramatic views. The Trust has since embarked on a programme to heal the damage caused by the old path, and the scar is much less noticeable. JOHN MUIR TRUST PROPERTIES Protecting and enhancing our wild land for generations to come The John Muir Trust is the leading wild land conservation charity in the UK. We love wild places and are dedicated to protecting and improving them for people and wildlife. Over 10,000 members support us in our work. If you care about the natural world, please join us www.johnmuirtrust.org [email protected] 01796 470080 The John Muir Trust is a Scottish charitable company limited by guarantee (Charity No SC002061 Company No SC81620). Registered office: Tower House, Station Road, Pitlochry, PH16 5AN © John Muir Trust 2012 THIS LEAFLET IS PRINTED ON REVIVE 100 UNCOATED WHICH IS AN FSC CERTIFIED RECYCLED GRADE PAPER, CONTAINING 100% POST CONSUMER WASTE AND MANUFACTURED AT A MILL ACCREDITED WITH ISO 14001 ENVIRONMENTAL MANAGEMENT STANDARD do something for wildness and make the mountains glad. john muir, 1901 our properties: 1 SANDWOOD 2 QUINAG 3 SCONSER, STRATHAIRD AND TORRIN ON SKYE 4 LI AND COIRE DHORRCAIL, KNOYDART 5 BEN NEVIS 6 EAST SCHIEHALLION 7 GLENLUDE TOP 10% WILDEST LAND HIGH LOW wild land quality index A guide to East Schiehallion (Sìth Chailleann) A John Muir Trust property www.johnmuirtrust.org LEFT: A classic view of the ‘fairy hill of the Caledonians’, Schiehallion from the west. BELOW: Trust staff and volunteers repair the built section of the path. PHOTOGRAPH: KEITH BRAME PHOTOGRAPH: MORVEN DUNCAN INTRODUCING EAST SCHIEHALLION A distinctive summit with stunning views surrounded by diverse habitats East Schiehallion covers an area of 871 hectares (2,153 acres), which includes the eastern part of Schiehallion as well as the quieter and wilder Gleann Mòr to the south. It forms part of the designated Loch Rannoch and Glen Lyon National Scenic Area and Schiehallion Site of Special Scientific Interest. At 1,083 metres (3,547 feet), Schiehallion is one of Highland Perthshire’s most popular Munros. In Gaelic, Sìth Chailleann means ‘Fairy Hill of the Caledonians’. This symmetrical mountain with its long east-west axis, and widely visible summit, is one of Scotland’s most iconic hills and offers extensive views of Loch Rannoch, the wilds of the Moor of Rannoch and the hills of the central Highlands as far as Glencoe. Schiehallion is home to red deer, hares, many different birds (including black grouse) and a wide range of habitats (including woodland) supporting all sorts of wild flowers and wildlife. It also has a unique place in scientific history as the setting for an 18th Century experiment in ‘weighing the world’. East Schiehallion borders Dùn Coillich, a community woodland trust that’s currently planting native trees on a former deer farm; the Forestry Commission, which owns and manages the Braes of Foss car park and its facilities; and a number of estates, including Kynachan estate with whom the Trust works closely. The heather-dominated heathland on the lower slopes is interspersed with bracken, bog and small areas of herb-rich grassland. EAST SCHIEHALLION: A WILD PLACE • Is home to red deer, hares, and many different birds such as black grouse, the ptarmigan and ring ouzel. • Has a unique place in scientific history as the setting for Rev Neville Maskelyne’s 18th Century experiment in ‘weighing the world’. • Is known in Gaelic as Sìth Chailleann, meaning ‘Fairy Hill of the Caledonians’. • Is where Charles Hutton first developed the concept of contour lines to aid Maskelyne’s calculations. • Was lived on and cultivated from more than 3,000 years ago until around 200 years ago. EXPLORING EAST SCHIEHALLION There are no way markers on the hill. The built path from the car park offers dramatic views and goes as far as the rocky summit ridge. From there, the path disappears and it’s a walk across rocks and boulders to reach the summit. An alternative to climbing the mountain is to head south into Gleann Mòr – a quiet, open glen on the sunny side of the hill with a wooded gorge and grassy areas. The map on this leaflet is for illustrative purposes only and is not intended for navigation. Hardy species like black grouse and purple saxifrage benefit from the Trust’s management of Schiehallion. PHOTOGRAPH: STEVE GARVIE PHOTOGRAPH: JORG HEMPEL
Transcript of East Schiehallion - John Muir Trust
MANAGING THE L AND
We work to improve important upland habitats at SchiehallionThe John Muir Trust works to improve important upland habitats at Schiehallion – includingheather moorland and bog – which are home to threatened species such as black grouse.We’re also encouraging natural regeneration of native woodland by controlling deer andsheep numbers. Deer are an essential part of the ecosystem but high populations of deerhave a negative impact on habitats through overgrazing and trampling.
When the Trust took ownership ofSchiehallion in 1998, the main path to the summit from the Braes of Foss carpark had become an ugly scar on the hill(extremely muddy and up to 90 feet widein sections). Over a five-year period, theTrust set out to realign the main path up the hill onto a more sustainable line. The new path was built using locallysourced materials and offers dramaticviews. The Trust has since embarked on a programme to heal the damage causedby the old path, and the scar is much less noticeable.
JOHN MUIR TRUST PROPERTIE S
Protecting and enhancing our wild land for generations to comeThe John Muir Trust is the leading wild land conservation charity in the UK. We love wildplaces and are dedicated to protecting and improving them for people and wildlife. Over10,000 members support us in our work.
If you care about the natural world,please join uswww.johnmuirtrust.org [email protected] 01796 470080
The John Muir Trust is a Scottish charitable company limited by guarantee (Charity No SC002061 Company No SC81620). Registered office: Tower House, Station Road,Pitlochry, PH16 5AN
© John Muir Trust 2012
THIS LEAFLET IS PRINTED ON REVIVE 100 UNCOATED WHICHIS AN FSC CERTIFIED RECYCLED GRADE PAPER, CONTAINING100% POST CONSUMER WASTE AND MANUFACTURED AT AMILL ACCREDITED WITH ISO 14001 ENVIRONMENTALMANAGEMENT STANDARD
do somethingfor wildnessand make themountainsglad.john muir, 1901
our properties:
1 SANDWOOD 2 QUINAG3 SCONSER, STRATHAIRD
AND TORRIN ON SKYE4 LI AND COIRE DHORRCAIL,
KNOYDART5 BEN NEVIS 6 EAST SCHIEHALLION7 GLENLUDE
TOP 10%WILDEST LAND
HIGH
LOW
wild land quality index
A guide to
East Schiehallion(Sìth Chailleann)
A John Muir Trust propertywww.johnmuirtrust.org
LEFT: A classic view of the ‘fairy hill of theCaledonians’, Schiehallion from the west.BELOW: Trust staff and volunteers repair the built section of the path.
PH
OTO
GR
APH
: KEI
TH B
RAM
E
PH
OTO
GR
APH
: MO
RVE
N D
UN
CAN
IN TRODU CING E AST S CHIEHALLION
A distinctive summit with stunning views surrounded by diverse habitatsEast Schiehallion covers an area of 871 hectares (2,153 acres), which includes the eastern part of Schiehallion as well as the quieter and wilder Gleann Mòr to the south. It forms part of the designated Loch Rannoch and Glen Lyon National Scenic Area andSchiehallion Site of Special Scientific Interest.
At 1,083 metres (3,547 feet), Schiehallion is one of Highland Perthshire’s most popularMunros. In Gaelic, Sìth Chailleann means ‘Fairy Hill of the Caledonians’. This symmetricalmountain with its long east-west axis, and widely visible summit, is one of Scotland’s mosticonic hills and offers extensive views of Loch Rannoch, the wilds of the Moor of Rannochand the hills of the central Highlands as far as Glencoe.
Schiehallion is home to red deer, hares, many different birds (including black grouse) and a wide range of habitats (including woodland) supporting all sorts of wild flowers andwildlife. It also has a unique place in scientific history as the setting for an 18th Centuryexperiment in ‘weighing the world’.
East Schiehallion borders Dùn Coillich, a community woodland trust that’s currentlyplanting native trees on a former deer farm; the Forestry Commission, which owns andmanages the Braes of Foss car park and its facilities; and a number of estates, includingKynachan estate with whom the Trust works closely.
The heather-dominated heathland on the lowerslopes is interspersed with bracken, bog andsmall areas of herb-rich grassland.
E AST S CHIEHALLION: A WILD PL ACE• Is home to red deer, hares, and many different birds such as black
grouse, the ptarmigan and ring ouzel.
• Has a unique place in scientific history as the setting for Rev NevilleMaskelyne’s 18th Century experiment in ‘weighing the world’.
• Is known in Gaelic as Sìth Chailleann, meaning ‘Fairy Hill of theCaledonians’.
• Is where Charles Hutton first developed the concept of contour lines to aid Maskelyne’s calculations.
• Was lived on and cultivated from more than 3,000 years ago until around 200 years ago.
E X PLORING E AST S CHIEHALLIONThere are no way markers on the hill.The built path from the car park offersdramatic views and goes as far as therocky summit ridge. From there, thepath disappears and it’s a walk acrossrocks and boulders to reach the summit.
An alternative to climbing the mountainis to head south into Gleann Mòr – aquiet, open glen on the sunny side of the hill with a wooded gorge and grassy areas.
The map on this leaflet is for illustrativepurposes only and is not intended fornavigation.
Hardy species like black grouse and purplesaxifrage benefit from the Trust’s managementof Schiehallion.
PH
OTO
GR
APH
: STE
VE G
ARVI
E
PH
OTO
GR
APH
: JO
RG
HEM
PEL
