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Shian Wood Oban Argyll & Bute |
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| Habitat: Native deciduous woodland growing on a hill overlooking the Lynn of Lorn NSA. |
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| Description: Shian Wood lies in a beautiful setting on a peninsula on the south shore of Loch Creran, within the Lynn of Lorn National Scenic Area. The reserve is a good example of the woods typical of the west coast of Scotland. It was purchased by the Scottish Wildlife Trust in 1995 with money raised by a successful public appeal and funding from Scottish Natural Heritage. Shian Wood is home to an array of wildlife, and the proximity of the sea adds extra diversity of habitats, which increase the conservation interest. |
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| Important for: Birds, Butterflies and Insects, Flowers Best time to visit: Spring: Flowers and breeding birds |
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| Points of interest: Extensive evidence exists of a long history of human occupation in the area, including several nearby ancient cairns. There is a “crannog” (artificial island dwelling) in the shallow channel between the mainland and Eriska Island. Under the trees, the ground layer includes primrose, yellow pimpernel, wood sorrel and bluebell, which forms a blue carpet in the spring. In the wetter glades, cross-leaved heath grows with deep cushions of Sphagnum moss. The grassy glades contain the blue-flowered devil’s-bit scabious, which is the foodplant of the rare marsh fritillary butterfly. Other insects of interest include the Scotch argus and speckled wood butterflies, and the uncommon narrow-bordered bee hawk moth. A full range of woodland birds occurs, including buzzard, woodcock, redstart and sedge warbler. There is a long-established, regularly occupied badger sett on the reserve, and roe deer are present, probably moving freely between the reserve and the surrounding countryside. |
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| To help you locate the reserve, click here for the map
website www.streetmap.co.uk
(Search for Landranger grid reference: NM907418 - the zoom button is below map to the right)  print page
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| Getting there: Shian Wood lies on the south shore of Loch Creran, on a minor road off the A828(T) north of Benderloch. On the north side of Benderloch, leave the A828 and take the minor road sign posted to South Shian. After about 1.5 miles, at a crossroads, turn left for the Island of Eriska. The parking area for the reserve is on the right about 3/4 mile from the crossroads, before you reach Balure Farm. Park by the entrance, off the minor road to Eriska. A waymarked path, with short and long options, leads into the reserve from the car park. Please note: cattle graze the reserve from June to September. Please keep dogs under strict control and leave all gates as you find them. |
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