Fuel for the fiery furnace Richard Ford and Company began operating an iron furnace at in 1753. To make 700 tonnes of iron annually, it needed 1,400 tonnes of charcoal to fuel the Contact 1 Forestry Commission furnace. This meant sustainably harvesting 30 hectares Lorne Forest District of woodland in (that’s similar to 60 football Millpark Road, , , PA34 4NH pitches!). After cutting down the tree, the stumps grew Tel: 01631 566155 Glen Nant shoots that could be harvested again 20 years later. E-mail: [email protected] National Nature Reserve This process is called . Glen Nant was a busy Web: www.forestry.gov.uk/scotland industrial site with hundreds of people working in the Public enquiry line 0845 FORESTS (367 3787) Explore | Discover | Enjoy forest - a very different scene to the tranquility of the For n ra re * 4 woods today. information Loch C Barcaldine

on other 28 A8 G le a Charcoal was made by burning ‘kilns’ of stacked timber B Forestry n e 8 n iv 4 S t * 3 5 Commission a E on ‘hearths’ or platforms. It was packed in huge sacks la h c c h o and carried by ponies to Bonawe. In addition the bark Scotland sites L from oak trees was essential to the tanning industry you can visit in the area aCnonnel A8 which turned cowhide into leather. To Ob 5 *Bonawe see below 2* Furnace Black Ben However, after the furnace closed, work stopped and Lochs Cruachan R i ve the coppiced trees have been growing uncut for the G r A To C Loch * le w ria Nell Glen n e nla N rich a last 100 years. This now creates a dense tree canopy Nant n B t 8 4 5 e in the summer giving the appearance of a natural w Loch A Nant ch woodland, untouched by man. Lo 8 0

e Fearnoch Forest

n 2 u J . c

r Against the dramatic backdrop of , two trails in A . K

Bonawe Furnace 3 . Fearnoch Forest provide you with another opportunity to spot S I &

D wood ants and their nests. -

For nearly 150 years, charcoal from d n a l t Beinn Lora o 3 c Glen Nant fuelled the smelting of iron S n A steep but rewarding climb through the woods at Benderloch o i s s i gives you stunning panoramic views across to the islands at Bonawe near Taynuilt. Historic m m o C y

r Sutherland’s Grove Scotland has t 4 s e r

o Several trails start at the car park and follow the river through an F ,

conserved the furnace s e impressive gorge. There is also a picnic area set in a majestic c i v r e buildings, built in S grove of Douglas Fir. e v i t a t e r

1753. You can visit p r e t n I

the site from April & n g i s e D

to September. : y b d e n g i s e D

For information on public transport services contact: Traveline Scotland, 0871 200 2233 or www.travelinescotland.com

© Crown Copyright 2008 Woodlands with a long history What grows in the woodlands? On the trail of the ants It is thought that the name of the river, and therefore Glaciers and rivers carved Glen Nant and surrounding Spot the ant trails and their nests of Glen Nant, comes from an old Gaelic word for glens out of solid basalt rock. The peaty ground is along the trail. Wood ants live nettles. It is also linked to a medieval Christian site, home to blaeberry, heather, bluebell, wood sorrel in highly-organised colonies, Cladh-na h-Annait. This is reflected in the historical and wild honeysuckle. There are also areas of hunting and killing the caterpillars and name of the wood, Coille Bra`igh na Cille (wood of lime-rich soil with ash and trees, aphids that otherwise eat young leaves - the brae of the church). primrose, wild garlic and wood anemone. nature’s pest control! Scottish wood ant There is a long history of human influence in the These lush Atlantic Oakwoods are a patchwork The nest is built from woodland debris and given a woods - 166 archaeological sites have been recorded. of oak and birch, with a scattering of hazel, thatch of tiny twigs. These ant hills, with controlled Honeysuckle Many are charcoal hearths from the era of Bonawe ash, willow and holly. Work has begun on temperature and humidity, are fortress, foodstore, Furnace, although several hearths are thought to be removing conifers from the reserve allowing maternity hospital and crèche all in one. The ants much older. Domestic smelting of iron and active native trees and ground flora to flourish. This special tenaciously defend their nests by spraying intruders management of the woods had started by at least place is internationally important not only for its with formic acid. the 17th Century. impressive trees, but also for the abundance of You can also listen for warblers, redstarts non-flowering plants such as lichens, mosses, ferns It is also thought that some of the archaeological sites and woodpeckers and watch tits, and liverworts. are much earlier foundations for round timber Great tit jays and treecreepers. Sunny

01 dwellings probably from the Norse period (between T glades attract many a y m

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1 0 the 7th & 15th Centuries). At this time wood had m 0 butterflies and moths and 0 9 3 1 1 2.5miles many and varied uses - elm for instance was used for you may see signs of deer, pine marten and

R i v Riverbank Trail, e r both Norse longbows and for Dalriadic crannogs (stilt N red squirrels. a n 0.5miles t houses) in Loch Awe. Red squirrel Waterfall Forest Road

7 8 0 0 Tailor’s m m 60 When you are in the outdoors: The ruins of Larach a’Chrotail (the lichen house) once 7 m Leap 0m 8 housed a tailor. Within living memory, villagers 0m • take responsibility for your own actions; 8 h 0m c 90 ra 1 m o 00 28 a e m 28 C n 11 • respect the interests of other people; a ih 0m brought their cloths here to be dyed using lichens. n u 1 s D 2 a 0m E 13 0m The same tailor is reported to have had an Know the Code before you go • care for the environment. illicit whisky still - ‘Tailor’s Leap’ is said to be Find out more by visiting www.outdooraccess-scotland.com where he dashed across the river to or phoning your local Scottish Natural Heritage office. Coille Bráigh na Cille m 0 02 6 escape the excise men! 1 G Follow the Grades of Walking 1 1 2 l 1 0 e 0 m 1 m n 0 9 0 Forestry Commission walks are graded according to the degree of difficulty 150m 0 m 8 Mm arkers N 0 140m m Forestry Commission Scotland R and type of conditions visitors can expect. a 7 i 0 130m n v m t e is working together with Scottish r N Easy Moderate Strenuous a n Sensible Waterproof Hillwalking Natural Heritage to manage and t 1 5 0 m Footwe ar Footwe ar Boots 1 6 0 restore this valuable remnant m B

8 4 of semi-natural woodland which 5 Easy Moderate Strenuous Muscle Muscle Muscle is designated as a National 1 4 0 Loosener Stretcher Coppiced 1 m Builder 6 0 1 m 7 0 Nature Reserve. regrowth m P K Easy i 1 lc 90m h Scotland’s r 01 e Access n National Nature 0 1/8km 1/4km a n Trail Reserves Larach a'Chrotail 0 1/8ml 02