funding this project. project. this funding
and the Heritage Lottery Fund for for Fund Lottery Heritage the and
hill historic Lothian’s East
Thanks to Scottish Natural Heritage Heritage Natural Scottish to Thanks
A 1 mile walk on on walk mile 1 A
in the production of this guide. guide. this of production the in
Ranger, for her support and advice advice and support her for Ranger, Linton Park. Linton Traprain Law Law Traprain of
thank Laura Douglas, Countryside Countryside Douglas, Laura thank
There are public toilets at East East at toilets public are There
The wild plants plants wild The Lothian Council. We would like to to like would We Council. Lothian
WC Traprain Law is managed by East East by managed is Law Traprain
Thank you Thank
Linton Hotel. Linton
Cover photograph: ©Davie Black ©Davie photograph: Cover Votadini’s coffee shop or the the or shop coffee Votadini’s
May 2013 May
and drink in East Linton such as as such Linton East in drink and
978-1-907141-87-4 ISBN:
There are many options for food food for options many are There Tel: 01722 342730 01722 Tel:
Salisbury, Wiltshire, SP1 1DX, UK 1DX, SP1 Wiltshire, Salisbury,
Refreshments
Plantlife, 14 Rollestone Street, Street, Rollestone 14 Plantlife,
Registered in Scotland, Charity no. SCO38951. no. Charity Scotland, in Registered
sections. slippery
Company No. 3166339. Registered in England and Wales, Charity No. 1059559. 1059559. No. Charity Wales, and England in Registered 3166339. No. Company
e is a charitable company limited by guarantee, guarantee, by limited company charitable a is e Plantlif is steep in places with some rocky, uneven and and uneven rocky, some with places in steep is
life.org.uk www.plant
Moderate. The route follows a grass/earth path which which path grass/earth a follows route The Moderate.
Email: [email protected] Email:
Walk grade Walk
Tel: 01786 478509/479382 01786 Tel:
Stirling, FK8 2QG FK8 Stirling,
1 mile return. mile 1
Balallan House, Allan Park, Allan House, Balallan
Distance Plantlife Scotland Plantlife
Speaking up for the nation’s wild plants wild nation’s the for up Speaking
by East Linton. Linton. East by
reference NT582749). This is signposted from the A199 A199 the from signposted is This NT582749). reference
Start at the car park to the north of Traprain Law (grid (grid Law Traprain of north the to park car the at Start
Where to start to Where Patron: HRH The Prince of Wales of Prince The HRH Patron:
Save it with fl owers. fl with it Save much to see on this rewarding walk. rewarding this on see to much
fl owers and nationally scarce lichens. There is so so is There lichens. scarce nationally and owers fl Scotland’s countryside. Scotland’s
landscape and a refuge for many beautiful wild wild beautiful many for refuge a and landscape
years, today it’s a dramatic feature in an agricultural agricultural an in feature dramatic a it’s today years, has to offer. to has
level. An important site for humans for over 5,000 5,000 over for humans for site important An level. Join us in enjoying the very best that nature nature that best very the enjoying in us Join
ago, Traprain Law rises to a height of 220m above sea sea above 220m of height a to rises Law Traprain ago, heritage is in danger of being lost. being of danger in is heritage
As a result of volcanic activity over 300 million years years million 300 over activity volcanic of result a As landscapes. But without our help, this priceless natural natural priceless this help, our without But landscapes.
wildlife, and their colour and character light up our our up light character and colour their and wildlife,
ancient hill fort hill ancient
Wild fl owers and plants play a fundamental role for for role fundamental a play plants and owers fl Wild
A short walk on East Lothian’s Lothian’s East on walk short A
and to protect their future. their protect to and
here to raise their profi le, to celebrate their beauty, beauty, their celebrate to le, profi their raise to here
Important Plant Area Plant Important walks ower fl Wild our nature reserves to the corridors of Holyrood, we’re we’re Holyrood, of corridors the to reserves nature our
Traprain Law Traprain wild fl owers, plants and fungi. From the open spaces of of spaces open the From fungi. and plants owers, fl wild
Plantlife is the charity that speaks up for Scotland’s Scotland’s for up speaks that charity the is Plantlife
Discover Discover We are Plantlife are We
Discover 1 2 Traprain Law A Quarry 4 Important Plant Area 5 B (dis) 3 C D Directions 6 E Key F 1 Before you leave the car park, see if you G Wild fl owers. Descriptions overleaf can spot meadow saxifrage on the H eastern side, furthest from the gate. Walk route 7 L 2 From the car park go through the gate 13 Reproduced by permission of Ordnance Survey on behalf of HMSO © Crown copyright. and past the information panels and Maiden Stone 12 All rights reserved. Ordnance Survey licence number 100032779 picnic table. Growing on the rock face I Traprain Law 11 just before the stile is the maidenhair K spleenwort, a very small fern J with a dark central stem and 10 rounded leafl ets. 8 9 3 Cross at the stile and continue on the main path which follows the contours along the north side of Traprain Law. To fort your right in the distance is North Berwick Law, another Important Plant Area.
4 Throughout this walk you will see informal side paths which branch off. Please stick to 8 Where the path turns sharply to the left look for mounds the main path which is wider, well used and on either side of the path; these are the remains of an marked by small white arrows. This helps ancient defensive rampart. Further on the path levels out to limit erosion of the hill and damage and becomes very uneven with large boulders – this is to plants. another rampart called the Cruden Wall.
5 To your left in the grassland you might see 9 Notice the rocky outcrops at the sides of the path that the beautiful quaking grass swaying in the are covered in lichens and mosses. Look out for tormentil wind, and between cracks in the rocks the and heath bedstraw, which will grow in the more acidic brittle bladder fern may root. Look out for patches of soil on Traprain Law. primrose fl owering in spring time and, later in the summer, ladies bedstraw with its dense 10 Congratulations, when you reach the trig point you are at clusters of tiny yellow fl owers. the summit of Traprain Law.
6 Additional plants to spot along the way include the 11 Look for the “Maiden Stone” – a large slab of rock which beautiful blue harebell, common milkwort and the has split away from the adjacent outcrop. Legend has it distinctive foxglove with its tall spires of bell shaped fl owers. that to walk through the gap between the “Maiden Stone” and “Mother Rock” will increase fertility and good fortune. 7 Traprain Law is steeped in history. Excavations in 1919 found the “Treasure of Traprain”, a hoard of Roman silver 12 Living on the rocks on the summit is the peppered rock which weighed over 53 lbs. In Roman times Traprain Law tripe, a lichen with an unusual name. Traprain Law is was the capital of the local iron age “Votadini tribe” who had Important Plant Areas (IPAs) known to be the single most species-rich site for lichens strong contacts with the Romans. Rock carvings including Traprain Law is internationally signifi cant for its threatened in south-east Scotland, with over 200 species recorded. cup-and-ring marks from the Neolithic period, formerly wild plants and is one of 52 Important Plant Areas (IPAs) in found at the Traprain Law quarry, imply it was an important Scotland. For more information and to discover other IPAs to 13 Please return by the same route. This will give you the site for ritual. Evidence suggests it may have been a burial visit, go to www.plantlife.org.uk/scotland chance to look for any species which you have missed on site in the Bronze Age. the way up.
funding this project. project. this funding
and the Heritage Lottery Fund for for Fund Lottery Heritage the and
hill historic Lothian’s East
Thanks to Scottish Natural Heritage Heritage Natural Scottish to Thanks
A 1 mile walk on on walk mile 1 A
in the production of this guide. guide. this of production the in
Ranger, for her support and advice advice and support her for Ranger, Linton Park. Linton Traprain Law Law Traprain of
thank Laura Douglas, Countryside Countryside Douglas, Laura thank
There are public toilets at East East at toilets public are There
The wild plants plants wild The Lothian Council. We would like to to like would We Council. Lothian
WC Traprain Law is managed by East East by managed is Law Traprain
Thank you Thank
Linton Hotel. Linton
Cover photograph: ©Davie Black ©Davie photograph: Cover Votadini’s coffee shop or the the or shop coffee Votadini’s
May 2013 May
and drink in East Linton such as as such Linton East in drink and
978-1-907141-87-4 ISBN:
There are many options for food food for options many are There Tel: 01722 342730 01722 Tel:
Salisbury, Wiltshire, SP1 1DX, UK 1DX, SP1 Wiltshire, Salisbury,
Refreshments
Plantlife, 14 Rollestone Street, Street, Rollestone 14 Plantlife,
Registered in Scotland, Charity no. SCO38951. no. Charity Scotland, in Registered
sections. slippery
Company No. 3166339. Registered in England and Wales, Charity No. 1059559. 1059559. No. Charity Wales, and England in Registered 3166339. No. Company
e is a charitable company limited by guarantee, guarantee, by limited company charitable a is e Plantlif is steep in places with some rocky, uneven and and uneven rocky, some with places in steep is
life.org.uk www.plant
Moderate. The route follows a grass/earth path which which path grass/earth a follows route The Moderate.
Email: [email protected] Email:
Walk grade Walk
Tel: 01786 478509/479382 01786 Tel:
Stirling, FK8 2QG FK8 Stirling,
1 mile return. mile 1
Balallan House, Allan Park, Allan House, Balallan
Distance Plantlife Scotland Plantlife
Speaking up for the nation’s wild plants wild nation’s the for up Speaking
by East Linton. Linton. East by
reference NT582749). This is signposted from the A199 A199 the from signposted is This NT582749). reference
Start at the car park to the north of Traprain Law (grid (grid Law Traprain of north the to park car the at Start
Where to start to Where Patron: HRH The Prince of Wales of Prince The HRH Patron:
Save it with fl owers. fl with it Save much to see on this rewarding walk. rewarding this on see to much
fl owers and nationally scarce lichens. There is so so is There lichens. scarce nationally and owers fl Scotland’s countryside. Scotland’s
landscape and a refuge for many beautiful wild wild beautiful many for refuge a and landscape
years, today it’s a dramatic feature in an agricultural agricultural an in feature dramatic a it’s today years, has to offer. to has
level. An important site for humans for over 5,000 5,000 over for humans for site important An level. Join us in enjoying the very best that nature nature that best very the enjoying in us Join
ago, Traprain Law rises to a height of 220m above sea sea above 220m of height a to rises Law Traprain ago, heritage is in danger of being lost. being of danger in is heritage
As a result of volcanic activity over 300 million years years million 300 over activity volcanic of result a As landscapes. But without our help, this priceless natural natural priceless this help, our without But landscapes.
wildlife, and their colour and character light up our our up light character and colour their and wildlife,
ancient hill fort hill ancient
Wild fl owers and plants play a fundamental role for for role fundamental a play plants and owers fl Wild
A short walk on East Lothian’s Lothian’s East on walk short A
and to protect their future. their protect to and
here to raise their profi le, to celebrate their beauty, beauty, their celebrate to le, profi their raise to here
Important Plant Area Plant Important walks ower fl Wild our nature reserves to the corridors of Holyrood, we’re we’re Holyrood, of corridors the to reserves nature our
Traprain Law Traprain wild fl owers, plants and fungi. From the open spaces of of spaces open the From fungi. and plants owers, fl wild
Plantlife is the charity that speaks up for Scotland’s Scotland’s for up speaks that charity the is Plantlife
Discover Discover We are Plantlife are We
Discover 1 2 Traprain Law A Quarry 4 Important Plant Area 5 B (dis) 3 C D Directions 6 E Key F 1 Before you leave the car park, see if you G Wild fl owers. Descriptions overleaf can spot meadow saxifrage on the H eastern side, furthest from the gate. Walk route 7 L 2 From the car park go through the gate 13 Reproduced by permission of Ordnance Survey on behalf of HMSO © Crown copyright. and past the information panels and Maiden Stone 12 All rights reserved. Ordnance Survey licence number 100032779 picnic table. Growing on the rock face I Traprain Law 11 just before the stile is the maidenhair K spleenwort, a very small fern J with a dark central stem and 10 rounded leafl ets. 8 9 3 Cross at the stile and continue on the main path which follows the contours along the north side of Traprain Law. To fort your right in the distance is North Berwick Law, another Important Plant Area.
4 Throughout this walk you will see informal side paths which branch off. Please stick to 8 Where the path turns sharply to the left look for mounds the main path which is wider, well used and on either side of the path; these are the remains of an marked by small white arrows. This helps ancient defensive rampart. Further on the path levels out to limit erosion of the hill and damage and becomes very uneven with large boulders – this is to plants. another rampart called the Cruden Wall.
5 To your left in the grassland you might see 9 Notice the rocky outcrops at the sides of the path that the beautiful quaking grass swaying in the are covered in lichens and mosses. Look out for tormentil wind, and between cracks in the rocks the and heath bedstraw, which will grow in the more acidic brittle bladder fern may root. Look out for patches of soil on Traprain Law. primrose fl owering in spring time and, later in the summer, ladies bedstraw with its dense 10 Congratulations, when you reach the trig point you are at clusters of tiny yellow fl owers. the summit of Traprain Law.
6 Additional plants to spot along the way include the 11 Look for the “Maiden Stone” – a large slab of rock which beautiful blue harebell, common milkwort and the has split away from the adjacent outcrop. Legend has it distinctive foxglove with its tall spires of bell shaped fl owers. that to walk through the gap between the “Maiden Stone” and “Mother Rock” will increase fertility and good fortune. 7 Traprain Law is steeped in history. Excavations in 1919 found the “Treasure of Traprain”, a hoard of Roman silver 12 Living on the rocks on the summit is the peppered rock which weighed over 53 lbs. In Roman times Traprain Law tripe, a lichen with an unusual name. Traprain Law is was the capital of the local iron age “Votadini tribe” who had Important Plant Areas (IPAs) known to be the single most species-rich site for lichens strong contacts with the Romans. Rock carvings including Traprain Law is internationally signifi cant for its threatened in south-east Scotland, with over 200 species recorded. cup-and-ring marks from the Neolithic period, formerly wild plants and is one of 52 Important Plant Areas (IPAs) in found at the Traprain Law quarry, imply it was an important Scotland. For more information and to discover other IPAs to 13 Please return by the same route. This will give you the site for ritual. Evidence suggests it may have been a burial visit, go to www.plantlife.org.uk/scotland chance to look for any species which you have missed on site in the Bronze Age. the way up. The plants of E Brittle bladder fern I Foxglove Cystopteris fragilis Digitalis purpurea Traprain Law This fragile fern grows in the cracks This well-known wild flower has tall Unusual conditions mean a unique mix of wild between rocks on Traprain Law, forming spikes which can bear up to 80 bell- flowers, lichens and mosses grow on this hill. loose tufts. The stalks of this species shaped flowers. The spots on the petals are brittle, hence its common name. are more than decoration – they guide They include: Ferns produce spores rather then seeds. bees into the flower. The Gaelic name The spores form on the underside of the is Lus nam Ban-sidh which means A Meadow saxifrage leaves or “fronds”. “plant of the faery woman”. Saxifraga granulata With its snow-white, five-petalled F Common knapweed flowers this species is a beauty to spot. J A plant of old grasslands, this once Centaurea nigra Heath bedstraw common plant is in decline due to a Also known as black knapweed or Galium saxatile loss of habitat. It flowers from April hardheads, this thistle-like plant Look closely to spot the tiny cream- to June. can be seen in flower from June coloured flowers of this delicate trailing right through to September and is plant. Other members of the bedstraw a favourite of butterflies, hoverflies family include cleavers and ladies B and bees. It has been used in the bedstraw. They all have tiny flowers Primrose past to make green, yellow and with four petals, four-angled stems and Primula vulgaris brown dyes. leaves in “whorls” around the stem. Flowering from March to May, the pale yellow flowers of the primrose are a sure sign that spring is here. Its K Tormentil common name derives from prima rosa G Harebell meaning “first rose” of the year. Potentilla erecta Campanula rotundifolia A plant typical of acid The blue, nodding, bell-shaped grassland, heath and moor. C flowers of the harebell may look Its four-petalled yellow flowers Common milkwort delicate but this is a resilient plant, Polygala vulgaris bloom from June to September and occurring in dry and often exposed provide nectar for solitary bees. The A plant of many colours, its flowers grassland and heath. Also known roots produce a red dye and were once are normally dark blue but also can as the Scottish bluebell, it flowers used to tan leather. be pink, purple or white. Its Latin from July to September, providing name comes from the Greek polugalon an autumnal source of nectar for or “much milk”. It was believed that bumblebees and other insects. milkwort increased the flow of milk in cattle and it was once prescribed to nursing mothers. L Peppered rock tripe H Ladies bedstraw Umbilicaria deusta Galium verum Growing on the exposed basalt D These tiny yellow flowers have a rocks, this uncommon lichen is Quaking grass attached at its central point only. Briza media wonderful honey aroma and when dried, were once a popular choice Its green-brown to dark-brown lobes, A distinctive and beautiful grass, the for scenting bedding. There is a which spread across the rock, look a pendulous flower and seed heads dance rich folklore surrounding this plant, bit like tripe, which is how it got its on their stalks in the slightest breeze which includes the past use of the unusual common name. and appear from June to September. flowers to curdle milk. Illustrations reproduced by permission of Philip’s from The Philip’s Guide to Wild Flowers of Britain and Northern Europe, Bob Gibbons and Peter Brough, 2008 Quaking grass, Brittle bladder fern, Peppered rock tripe illustrations by Andrew Evans.