Faskally Forest facts for kids
Quick facts for kids Faskally Forest |
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Faskally Forest around Loch Dunmore
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| Type | Mixed woods |
| Location | Perth and Kinross, Scotland |
| Area | 25 acres (10 ha) |
| Created | 1953 |
| Operated by | The Forestry Commission |
| Open | All year |
Faskally Forest, also known as Faskally Woods, is a beautiful wooded area in Perthshire, Scotland. It's famous for its amazing bright colors, especially during autumn. This forest is part of the special "Perthshire Big Tree County" because of its many trees.
Faskally Forest started in the 1800s as a "model woodland" by Archibald Edward Butter. Later, in 1953, the Forestry Commission of Scotland bought it. They used Faskally House, located in the forest, to train young foresters.
One of the most exciting things about Faskally is "The Enchanted Forest" event. This colorful annual show won awards for three years in a row (2011–2013) as the Best Cultural Event in Scotland!
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Where is Faskally Forest?
Faskally Woods is located about 1 mile (1.6 km) north-west of Pitlochry. Pitlochry is a town with a train station, making it easy to visit.
The forest sits on the north side of Loch Faskally. Inside the forest, you'll find another beautiful lake called Loch Dunmore. When the Forestry Commission first bought the forest, it was about 55 hectares (140 acres) big. Today, it covers about 25 hectares (62 acres). The historic Faskally House is also found within this lovely forest.
History of Faskally Forest
Faskally Forest was first created in the 1800s by Archibald Butter. He built his estate here, making it a special place. Later, the entire estate was bought by the Forestry Commission.
Faskally House was used as a training center for people learning about forestry. This continued until the late 1960s. Today, the forest is carefully looked after. It is managed to keep its trees growing continuously, rather than just for cutting timber. The main goal for Faskally Wood is now to be a beautiful place for people to visit and enjoy nature.
What Kinds of Trees Grow Here?
The soil in Faskally Forest is a mix of brown earth and hard iron layers. This area often experiences frost because it is sheltered. The forest gets about 900 millimetres (35 in) of rain each year.
Many different types of trees grow in Faskally Forest. In the early 1900s, you would find trees like European beech, Douglas-fir, European larch, Norway spruce, and Scots pine.
After the Forestry Commission bought the land, they planted even more trees. These included Douglas fir, Norway spruce, western hemlock, European beech, Scots pine, European larch, and silver birch.
By 1995, Faskally Woods had 23 different kinds of trees! These included a mix of both cone-bearing trees (conifers) and broad-leaf trees. Some examples are Douglas fir, silver firs, wild cherry, and oak. Many of these trees are very old, with some being over 100 years old!
Events at Faskally
If you like to run, there's a free 5K parkrun held every Saturday morning at 9:30 am. It's a great way to explore the forest and get some exercise!
