Rare, fragile plant and lichen communities survive the sub-zero temperatures and hundred-mile-an-hour winds in the winter, alongside hardy ptarmigan. Scots pine trees grow pale and stunted in bog woodland, a rare habitat with specialist species.įormed by volcanic activity and shaped by glaciers, the sub-Arctic plateau of the Cairngorm Mountains is unique in the UK. Brightly coloured sphagnum mosses act like sponges and store water, creating invertebrate-rich, boggy areas.
Rich, peaty-brown water flows in the rivers and fills the lochs. In August, the hillsides erupt in a riot of fragrant purple heather, attracting nectar-seeking invertebrates. The heather between the trees continues through the forest edge, to form stretches of moorland. A myriad of fungi helps to break down the deadwood, a vital component of a healthy forest. Pinewood specialities like twinflower and creeping ladies tresses are to be found, nestling in the lush vegetation. Huge, gnarled, lichen-encrusted Scots pine trees dot the landscape, interspersed with other species such as juniper, rowan, birch, blae’berry and heather. The wildlife-rich Caledonian pineforest is like no other forest in the UK. You’ll be delighted at how feather-light they are and how their claws tickle.įurther afield, golden eagles, ptarmigan, black grouse, red deer and many more iconic Highland wildlife species await – all set against the magnificent backdrop of the Cairngorms. Stand off the road, on the shores of Loch Garten and the geese will fly-in low, skimming the tops of the pine trees and over your head.Īt this time of year, you can also feed coal tits from your hand outside the Nature Centre (closed from October). The arrival of wild greylag and pink-footed geese to roost on Loch Garten at dusk, is an exhilarating display in autumn and winter.
Wood-ant nests contain up to 250,000 ants and some of our nests are a metre tall! On warm summer days, look out for dragonflies and damselflies, including white faced-darter and four-spotted chaser. The track up to the centre is one of the best places on the reserve to see tooth fungi, with different varieties appearing in late summer.Ĭreeping-ladies-tresses orchids and the tiny twinflower show their delicate flowers amongst the forest floor. Visit the Nature Centre during spring and summer for a wealth of Highland wildlife: breeding osprey, crested tits, red squirrels, bank voles, great spotted woodpeckers, siskins, common lizards and other close-up views of Caledonian forest wildlife.
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