Moorland or woodland: what are the real landscapes of Scotland?
When we think of Scotland, we think of works such as Arthur Conan Doyle's The Hound of the Baskervilles and films such as Braveheart, and we think of moors as far as the eye can see, with bright green ferns, heather in a thousand shades of mauve and pink, and black earth darkened by peat. What if this wasn't the real Scottish landscape? Or more than that? What if the true nature of Scotland was something quite different? The Trees for Life association is working to restore the Caledonian forest (another name for the Highlands). Its very name, "Caledonia", bears witness to a landscape that has now disappeared. In fact, given in Roman times and derived from Latin, this designation means "wooded heights". This name, completely out of sync with today's landscape, can be disconcerting. However, according to scientific research, the forest once covered 1.5 million hectares and was made up of birch, Scots pine, aspen and other species. Today, it is estimated that 99% of this forest has disappeared. Deforestation can be explained by a number of historical and economic factors: the original forest was burnt by the Vikings during the invasions, and later to eliminate wolves. Excessive felling of timber and intensive grazing, combined with the increase in deer herds, prevented regeneration. All this is a thing of the past. The time has now come for a new approach to forestry, based on sustainable, responsible management and replanting with a wide range of species - and this is a key point! - native to the country. The UK has taken the problem head on: Forest Enterprise Scotland, a state body, contributes to the management of public forests, and 22% (according to 2016 sources) of private forests are PEFC or FSC certified (European and global sustainable management labels). Scottish Natural Heritage also plays a key role in current reforestation campaigns. See any areas of recent deforestation? It's probably logging, or even the elimination of non-endemic species... Don't cry scandal: the method is certainly clear-cutting, but followed by qualitative and beneficial replanting, for the environment and over a period longer than a human lifetime. The plan is to reforest a fifth of Scotland!
Ecological considerations are complemented by tourism and recreational interests. The forest is a much-appreciated place for sports and walking, hence the national parks and other parks that dot the country.
Remarkable, very (very!) remarkable trees
Multi-century-old trees are legion in Scotland. Some are even thousands of years old, and some estates will happily (and rightly) boast some of the oldest trees in the country. If you're strolling through Perthshire, near Aberfeldy, make a detour to Fortingall to discover its famous yew tree. Located at the corner of the cemetery, it is said to be 5,000 years old, and 9,000 years old by some. Legend has it that it was already 3,000 years old at the time of Christ's crucifixion, and that Pontius Pilate, during his youth in the Roman army, sat under its branches. It is the oldest tree in Europe.
Beware, crossing ducks and otters..
Wildlife is another of Scotland's great attractions for those who enjoy observing animals in their natural environment. You may be surprised to see some unusual signs on the road, warning of ducks and otters.
Scotland's rugged, jagged coastline stretches for thousands of kilometers. Every cove, every cliff, every beach is home to a variety of wildlife that is easy to observe. The Shetland Islands and Handa Island are home to numerous seabirds, to the delight of birdwatchers: puffins, guillemots, kittiwakes, oystercatchers and even penguins. The largest colony of gannets lives on Bass Rock Island, off North Berwick, an hour's drive from Edinburgh (or 30 min by train). Visit the Scottish Seabird Centre to learn all about the country's bird species, and take a boat trip with its naturalist guides. The Northern Isles are probably the most popular site for birdwatchers. The famous observatory at Fair Isle and the North Hoy reserve in Orkney are prime spots for spotting ragged-tailed gulls. The Hermaness National Nature Reserve in the Shetlands is home to 50,000 puffins.
Dreaming of spotting marine mammals? Whales and dolphins can be seen in the Moray Firth. Sea excursions are regularly organized by the Scottish Dolphin Centre. Seals and porpoises can also be seen. The waters off the west coast, Orkney and Shetland Islands are home to around twenty species of whale, including humpbacks and sperm whales. You can also watch dolphins and seals on excursions departing from Inverness, or admire the efforts of the salmon that swim up the rivers north of the Highland capital, at sites such as Falls off Shin.
The hills and glens are home to wildcats and pine martens. Hares and alpine ptarmigans roam the valleys of the Highlands. In the north, the peatlands are dotted with small pools that provide habitat for a wide variety of poetically-named birds: lummos, catmarins, redshanks, golden plovers, sandpipers and marsh harriers.
There are a few amusing curiosities to point out to naturalists: the border between the red and grey squirrel colonies, particularly marked at Callander. While on one side, to the south of a line running diagonally across Scotland, both breeds cohabit, the north is the stronghold of the red squirrel, which is protected because it is endangered. Finally, the beaver is back in Scotland! Since 2009, they've been back in the Argyll region, and more specifically in Knapdale Forest. The Barnluasgan information center is dedicated to beavers, and offers a fun way to observe them through the "Beaver Detective Trial": an easy hike in the footsteps of these rodent-builders.
And just because they're not rare doesn't mean they shouldn't be honoured! Stags, fallow deer and roe deer are everywhere in Scotland. You'll come across red deer in herds at Glencoe or in the Highlands.
Safari cows, calves and especially... sheep!
There's nothing wild about them, though... but you'll have just as much fun watching and photographing them. We're talking about Blackface (or Scottish Blackface) sheep and the emblematic Highland cows. A land of livestock farming, Scotland can easily boast, in some places, more sheep than inhabitants. Sheep are at the heart of Scotland's great cultural symbols. Its wool is used to weave tartan, or kilts. Its skin is used to make traditional bagpipes. Its meat is eaten in classic dishes (chops, leg of lamb, etc.), but above all as the national dish, with the famous haggis...: sheep's belly stuffed with sheep's heart, liver and lung and seasoned with a skilful blend of spices.
The first pass of a " cattle grid " is surprising. For a car, these passages on a grid on the ground seem nothing, but for a cow, sheep or horse, it's a completely different story. It's impossible for them to cross this boundary! On the other hand, in the hundreds of hectares within these crossing points, they are free to come and go as they please, including taking a nap or the first steps of a groggy lamb on the road. So you'll pass through the heart of these moors, skilfully tended by Blackface sheep and Highland cows, taking care not to frighten or injure any animals. Some farmers even warn you that lambs don't know the rules of the road.
If you're a hiker, you may also find yourself in these territories. As well as passing through the cattle grid (which is a lot more perilous than it looks when you're sitting in your car), you'll be subjected to various sheep-proof psycho-technical tests. Almost every gate has its own operation and opening: sometimes a few steps, sometimes a latch to operate, sometimes a turnstile... It's almost as if the farmers are also having fun testing the intelligence and practicality of the humans who roam the pastures for their animals!
There are a few rules to be observed when entering these breeding grounds. Dogs must be kept on a leash, so as not to frighten the animals or injure them. A frightened sheep can cause panic in an entire flock. Sadly, breeders all too often deplore attacks by our domestic carnivores, who, instinct dictates, can sometimes be taken by a bloodthirsty frenzy. Humans, too, should take care to respect the animals' calm, and not attempt to approach them even for peaceful caresses (and even less so for lambs, on pain of forceful reprisals from strong-willed ewes!).
Each season, each month, a different Scotland
Finally, for lovers of flora and fauna, each season has its own attractions. Spring is the season to be moved by newborn lambs, and to marvel at beds of daffodils (April) or wood hyacinths (May), or the floral explosions of rhododendrons (June). Autumn gives way to stunning shades of rust and the sight of salmon swimming upstream.
