3048 Portmoak leaflet 29/11/05 8:26 am Page 1
Front cover: Sphagnum moss/Niall Benive moss/Niall Sphagnum cover: Front Goldcrest
Photograph above:WTPL/Roy Barlow above:WTPL/Roy Photograph
wood owned by the Trust. the by owned wood
ctadel trn hog imgd another Kilmagad, through runs It Scotlandwell.
connecting the villages of Kinnesswood and Kinnesswood of villages the connecting
Tetley Trail, a circular walk of 3 miles (5km) miles 3 of walk circular a Trail, Tetley
The Moss is often walked in combination with The with combination in walked often is Moss The •
Cotton grass Cotton
plenty of small paths are available. are paths small of plenty
beaten track for a better chance of seeing wildlife, seeing of chance better a for track beaten
miles (2km). For those wishing to go off the off go to wishing those For (2km). miles ⁄ 1 4
1 Sphagnum moss Sphagnum
The walk round Portmoak Moss is approximately approximately is Moss Portmoak round walk The •
Roe deer fawn deer Roe Photos from top clockwise: Colin Varndell x 3, Niall Benvie and Colin Varndell. Colin and Benvie Niall 3, x Varndell Colin clockwise: top from Photos
Trail tips Trail
thrive on. thrive
ditches to create the open damp conditions that bog plants bog that conditions damp open the create to ditches
raised bog.This involved removing trees and damming and trees removing involved bog.This raised
In 2004 the Trust began the process of restoring part of the of part restoring of process the began Trust the 2004 In
mammals including the red squirrel. red the including mammals
The wood provides refuge to many species of bird and bird of species many to refuge provides wood The
Woods & bogs – a natural mosaic natural a – bogs & Woods
domestic fuel. domestic
Historically residents had access to the bog to cut peat for peat cut to bog the to access had residents Historically
Red squirrel Red
remains of sphagnum moss over thousands of years. of thousands over moss sphagnum of remains
part of Loch Leven and was formed by the build up of the of up build the by formed was and Leven Loch of part
surrounding land. Originally this one is thought to have been have to thought is one this Originally land. surrounding
Raised bogs are areas of deep, wet peat raised above the above raised peat wet deep, of areas are bogs Raised
bogs in central Scotland with popular woodland walks. woodland popular with Scotland central in bogs
as ‘The Moss’, combines one of the few surviving raised surviving few the of one combines Moss’, ‘The as
Portmoak Moss Community Woodland, locally referred to referred locally Woodland, Community Moss Portmoak
Portmoak Moss Moss Portmoak A Guide to a Community Wood Community a to Guide A
Getting there
Portmoak Moss is located close to Scotlandwell in Perth and Kinross.The main entrance is reached from an Portmoak Moss access track off the B920 just south of the village. There is a parking area halfway along the access track
To Kind purple orchid:WTPL/Steven Early Kinross Wester Balgedie N A 9 1 1
Kinnesswood
Portmoak To Moss Glenrothes Loch Leven Scotlandwell
0 2 9 B Want to know more? The Woodland Trust is the UK’s leading woodland conservation charity. If you enjoyed your visit and would like to support us or find out more about our work, please contact us at: B9097
Great spotted woodpecker:Jakob Sigurdsson/[email protected] spotted woodpecker:Jakob Great The Woodland Trust Scotland © Crown Copyright 2004. Glenruthven Mill,Abbey Road,Auchterarder PH3 1DP All rights reserved. Ordnance Survey Licence number Telephone: 01764 662554 Fax: 01764 662553 100017626 E-mail: [email protected] Website: www.woodland-trust.org.uk Community Group Portmoak Moss is managed in partnership between the Woodland Trust Scotland and the Portmoak Community Portmoak Moss has been supported with funding from SITA Trust, Woodland Group. through the Landfill Tax Credit Scheme
The Woodland Trust Scotland logo is a registered trademark Registered charity no. 294344 Printed on recycled paper 3048 11/05 A guide to a community woodland
3048 Portmoak leaflet 29/11/05 8:26 am Page 1
Front cover: Sphagnum moss/Niall Benive moss/Niall Sphagnum cover: Front Goldcrest
Photograph above:WTPL/Roy Barlow above:WTPL/Roy Photograph
wood owned by the Trust. the by owned wood
ctadel trn hog imgd another Kilmagad, through runs It Scotlandwell.
connecting the villages of Kinnesswood and Kinnesswood of villages the connecting
Tetley Trail, a circular walk of 3 miles (5km) miles 3 of walk circular a Trail, Tetley
The Moss is often walked in combination with The with combination in walked often is Moss The •
Cotton grass Cotton
plenty of small paths are available. are paths small of plenty
beaten track for a better chance of seeing wildlife, seeing of chance better a for track beaten
miles (2km). For those wishing to go off the off go to wishing those For (2km). miles ⁄ 1 4
1 Sphagnum moss Sphagnum
The walk round Portmoak Moss is approximately approximately is Moss Portmoak round walk The •
Roe deer fawn deer Roe Photos from top clockwise: Colin Varndell x 3, Niall Benvie and Colin Varndell. Colin and Benvie Niall 3, x Varndell Colin clockwise: top from Photos
Trail tips Trail
thrive on. thrive
ditches to create the open damp conditions that bog plants bog that conditions damp open the create to ditches
raised bog.This involved removing trees and damming and trees removing involved bog.This raised
In 2004 the Trust began the process of restoring part of the of part restoring of process the began Trust the 2004 In
mammals including the red squirrel. red the including mammals
The wood provides refuge to many species of bird and bird of species many to refuge provides wood The
Woods & bogs – a natural mosaic natural a – bogs & Woods
domestic fuel. domestic
Historically residents had access to the bog to cut peat for peat cut to bog the to access had residents Historically
Red squirrel Red
remains of sphagnum moss over thousands of years. of thousands over moss sphagnum of remains
part of Loch Leven and was formed by the build up of the of up build the by formed was and Leven Loch of part
surrounding land. Originally this one is thought to have been have to thought is one this Originally land. surrounding
Raised bogs are areas of deep, wet peat raised above the above raised peat wet deep, of areas are bogs Raised
bogs in central Scotland with popular woodland walks. woodland popular with Scotland central in bogs
as ‘The Moss’, combines one of the few surviving raised surviving few the of one combines Moss’, ‘The as
Portmoak Moss Community Woodland, locally referred to referred locally Woodland, Community Moss Portmoak
Portmoak Moss Moss Portmoak A Guide to a Community Wood Community a to Guide A
Getting there
Portmoak Moss is located close to Scotlandwell in Perth and Kinross.The main entrance is reached from an Portmoak Moss access track off the B920 just south of the village. There is a parking area halfway along the access track
To Kind purple orchid:WTPL/Steven Early Kinross Wester Balgedie N A 9 1 1
Kinnesswood
Portmoak To Moss Glenrothes Loch Leven Scotlandwell
0 2 9 B Want to know more? The Woodland Trust is the UK’s leading woodland conservation charity. If you enjoyed your visit and would like to support us or find out more about our work, please contact us at: B9097
Great spotted woodpecker:Jakob Sigurdsson/[email protected] spotted woodpecker:Jakob Great The Woodland Trust Scotland © Crown Copyright 2004. Glenruthven Mill,Abbey Road,Auchterarder PH3 1DP All rights reserved. Ordnance Survey Licence number Telephone: 01764 662554 Fax: 01764 662553 100017626 E-mail: [email protected] Website: www.woodland-trust.org.uk Community Group Portmoak Moss is managed in partnership between the Woodland Trust Scotland and the Portmoak Community Portmoak Moss has been supported with funding from SITA Trust, Woodland Group. through the Landfill Tax Credit Scheme
The Woodland Trust Scotland logo is a registered trademark Registered charity no. 294344 Printed on recycled paper 3048 11/05 A guide to a community woodland 3048 Portmoak leaflet 29/11/05 8:26 am Page 2
Things to look for at Portmoak Moss...
Life in the A carpet of colour dead wood There are eight species of sphagnum Dead trees have been moss here in all shades of red and left to provide homes green.These are some of the key bog for insects and fungi plants we want to encourage.
and perches for birds Moss:Sphagnum Niall Benvie of prey.
Why all the tree stumps? Non-native conifers were removed to
Jim Christie allow light to the bog surface. Jim Christie
Ditches and dams To Ditches criss-cross the site and were Kinnesswood dug in the past to drain the bog. N These have been dammed to make it
wet again. Barlow WTPL/Roy
Conifer woodland Spruce and pine were planted in the 1960s – you might see a red squirrel if you’re lucky. To Scotlandwell
Woodland Trust boundary Raised peat area Bog restoration area Barlow WTPL/Roy Surfaced footpath Tetley Trail (surfaced)Woodland Trust boundary Informal path Raised peat area Ditch Bog restoration area Surfaced footpath Entrance Tetley Trail (surfaced) Seat Informal path Steps at peat bankDitch Entrance Seat Steps at peat bank Top of the bog! The peat bank A woodland reborn The peat naturally forms a dome and A solid wall of peat, created by local A natural wet birch woodland is this is the highest point.The peat is six people cutting peat for fuel over growing where a conifer plantation metres deep beneath your feet. many centuries. had blown over. Jim Christie WTPL/Roy Barlow WTPL/Roy Jim Christie