Glasdrum Wood National Nature Reserve

Glasdrum Wood is a national nature reserve on the west coast of Scotland, at the head of Loch Creran in Argyll and Bute. Managed by NatureScot, it covers 169 hectares of ancient woodland and hillside on the lower slopes of Beinn Churlain. The reserve includes sessile oak and ash trees, mosses, liverworts and rare invertebrates such as the chequered skipper butterfly. A car park and a 1 km-long waymarked trail are provided for visitors. Around 2,800 people visit the reserve each year. The wood has been managed since at least the 17th century, with evidence of industrial activity from the 18th and 19th centuries. Remains of charcoal platforms and a limekiln show how wood was used for industry. The Forestry Commission acquired parts of the wood in the 1950s and 1960s, but the Nature Conservancy Council leased and later purchased land to protect the native woodland. The reserve was declared in 1967 and expanded in 1977. Visitors find an ancient woodland with sessile oak, ash, birch and alder trees. The reserve lies within the Glen Creran Woods Site of Special Scientific Interest and Special Area of Conservation. It supports a wide variety of lichens, mosses and liverworts, as well as 21 butterfly species and over 200 moth species. The rare chequered skipper butterfly is one of the highlights. The humid woodland habitat and climate provide excellent conditions for these species.