Claish Moss
Encyclopedia
Claish Moss is an upland blanket bog
on the south side of Loch Shiel
, in the Sunart
district of the west highlands of Scotland. A National Nature Reserve
managed by Scottish Natural Heritage
, the Moss is also designated as a Ramsar site of international importance (designated in 1981), a Special Area of Conservation (designated together with Kentra Moss), and a Site of Special Scientific Interest
.
The remote and difficult to access 568 ha
reserve, at an elevation of 11 m - 55 m (average: 22 m), is home to a nationally-important population of 9 different dragonfly
species.
The Moss is an example of a patterned raised mire system in good condition, which are rare in western Europe. Divided by several burns, the ground is very wet and the water quality is excellent. The reserve supports 14 different species of moss
, as well as scarce higher plants.
Red deer
are culled annually to prevent overgrazing
, as they lack natural predators with the extinction of the wolf
in Scotland.
Visitors are not encouraged to visit the reserve as it is dangerous to walk over, with the many partially-hidden bog pools often being of a great depth. It is in any case difficult to access, except by private boat. The only established footpath to the edge of the reserve is the forestry track at Sròn na Gaoithe, south-east of Ardshealach
. There are no paths within the actual reserve.
Blanket bog
Blanket bog or blanket mire is an area of peatland, forming where there is a climate of high rainfall and a low level of evapotranspiration, allowing peat to develop not only in wet hollows but over large expanses of undulating ground. The blanketing of the ground with a variable depth of peat...
on the south side of Loch Shiel
Loch Shiel
Loch Shiel is a 19.3 km2 freshwater loch, 120 m deep, situated 20 km west of Fort William in Lochaber, Highland, Scotland...
, in the Sunart
Sunart
Sunart is a rural district and community in the south west of Lochaber in Highland, Scotland, on the shores of Loch Sunart, and part of the civil parish of Ardnamurchan...
district of the west highlands of Scotland. A National Nature Reserve
National Nature Reserves in Scotland
National Nature Reserves in Scotland are established by Scottish Natural Heritage. Until 2004 there were 73 National Nature Reserves in Scotland, as per the list below...
managed by Scottish Natural Heritage
Scottish Natural Heritage
Scottish Natural Heritage is a Scottish public body. It is responsible for Scotland's natural heritage, especially its natural, genetic and scenic diversity. It advises the Scottish Government and acts as a government agent in the delivery of conservation designations, i.e...
, the Moss is also designated as a Ramsar site of international importance (designated in 1981), a Special Area of Conservation (designated together with Kentra Moss), and a Site of Special Scientific Interest
Site of Special Scientific Interest
A Site of Special Scientific Interest is a conservation designation denoting a protected area in the United Kingdom. SSSIs are the basic building block of site-based nature conservation legislation and most other legal nature/geological conservation designations in Great Britain are based upon...
.
The remote and difficult to access 568 ha
Hectare
The hectare is a metric unit of area defined as 10,000 square metres , and primarily used in the measurement of land. In 1795, when the metric system was introduced, the are was defined as being 100 square metres and the hectare was thus 100 ares or 1/100 km2...
reserve, at an elevation of 11 m - 55 m (average: 22 m), is home to a nationally-important population of 9 different dragonfly
Dragonfly
A dragonfly is a winged insect belonging to the order Odonata, the suborder Epiprocta or, in the strict sense, the infraorder Anisoptera . It is characterized by large multifaceted eyes, two pairs of strong transparent wings, and an elongated body...
species.
The Moss is an example of a patterned raised mire system in good condition, which are rare in western Europe. Divided by several burns, the ground is very wet and the water quality is excellent. The reserve supports 14 different species of moss
Moss
Mosses are small, soft plants that are typically 1–10 cm tall, though some species are much larger. They commonly grow close together in clumps or mats in damp or shady locations. They do not have flowers or seeds, and their simple leaves cover the thin wiry stems...
, as well as scarce higher plants.
Red deer
Red Deer
The red deer is one of the largest deer species. Depending on taxonomy, the red deer inhabits most of Europe, the Caucasus Mountains region, Asia Minor, parts of western Asia, and central Asia. It also inhabits the Atlas Mountains region between Morocco and Tunisia in northwestern Africa, being...
are culled annually to prevent overgrazing
Overgrazing
Overgrazing occurs when plants are exposed to intensive grazing for extended periods of time, or without sufficient recovery periods. It can be caused by either livestock in poorly managed agricultural applications, or by overpopulations of native or non-native wild animals.Overgrazing reduces the...
, as they lack natural predators with the extinction of the wolf
Eurasian Wolf
The Eurasian Wolf , also known as the, European, Common or Forest Wolf is a subspecies of grey wolf which has the largest range among wolf subspecies and is the most common in Europe and Asia, ranging through Mongolia, China, Russia, Scandinavia, Western Europe and the Himalayan Mountains...
in Scotland.
Visitors are not encouraged to visit the reserve as it is dangerous to walk over, with the many partially-hidden bog pools often being of a great depth. It is in any case difficult to access, except by private boat. The only established footpath to the edge of the reserve is the forestry track at Sròn na Gaoithe, south-east of Ardshealach
Ardshealach
Ardshealach is a small hamlet located close to the south west shore of Loch Shiel in Sunart, Lochaber, Highland, less than 1 mile southeast of Acharacle.It is in the Scottish council area of the Highland. Scotland....
. There are no paths within the actual reserve.
See also
- National Nature Reserves in ScotlandNational Nature Reserves in ScotlandNational Nature Reserves in Scotland are established by Scottish Natural Heritage. Until 2004 there were 73 National Nature Reserves in Scotland, as per the list below...
- Ramsar sites in Scotland
- Sites of Special Scientific Interest in South Lochaber
- Special Areas of Conservation in Scotland