Young and old at Grudie Oakwood

Warm sun two weeks ago, snowy blizzards last week, heavy rain yesterday as I headed out west towards Achnasheen.

I was on my annual trip to check our work at the Grudie Oakwood, one of the most northerly oakwoods in Scotland, clothing the hillside above Loch a’Chuilinn.

Miraculously as I got my kit on the rain eased, and heading up into the wood the clouds brightened. My first cuckoo in the distance! Willow warblers and tree pipits singing, those harbingers of late spring; a sigh of relief as the day dried out and warmed.

“Worms!” Craig had called out as we dug to plant the young oak trees grown on from Grudie acorns at our nursery. It’s that unusual for us to be planting in decent soil. Five years later and the trees are doing well, several now higher than the guards. These are the only oak trees here younger than 100, could even be 200 years! We’d chosen an area of rough brash from the plantation felling; a good choice as the deer find it difficult to get through here, and indeed it’s not easy with just two legs. Nevertheless it was also wise to plant in guards as there are some signs of nibbling.

Looking out across the loch towards the snowy peak of Sgurr a’Choire-rainich, the new pinewood on the lower ground is growing well. It’s been randomly planted so is looking quite natural, a welcome relief in contrast to all the open ground to the south.

I sat and enjoyed the scene, appreciating one of the fantastic old oaks in the wood. A huge trunk covered in moss and lichens, gnarled and twisted boughs, dead craggy branches half attached and buds just beginning to break, a true veteran of the centuries.

Elsewhere I looked at aspen suckers we’d protected and some young hazel, bird cherry and aspen planted out in 2013, again in guards. They're doing pretty well. Some larch has been left on site and I spotted a blackcock sitting at the top of one tree; they like the softer shoots. A good view through my new binoculars, a recent present after about 30 years with the old pair.

In late afternoon the sun came out! I sat and enjoyed the scene, appreciating one of the fantastic old oaks in the wood. A huge trunk covered in moss and lichens, gnarled and twisted boughs, dead craggy branches half attached and buds just beginning to break, a true veteran of the centuries. I’m really pleased that we’ve now got some young oaks that are going to grow up as the old veterans begin to decline.

Postscript: Grudie Oakwood is owned by Forestry Commision Scotland. We worked on the restoration of the wood fifteen years ago doing surveys and a lot of felling of young sitka and lodgepole regeneration; in recent years we’ve been back to protect young oak and aspen and to plant out trees grown on at our nursery.