When Carrifran was purchased by Borders Forest Trust (BFT) on Millennium Day, January 1st 2000, it had virtually no trees; the result of decades, if not centuries, of over-grazing. Deep peat core samples showed that the valley had once borne many species of native Scottish broadleaf trees, and a plan was hatched to restore it to its former splendour.
A first step was to remove the cattle, sheep and goats, and to fence the perimeter. It is virtually impossible to keep out the deer, and we retain a stalker to control numbers.
Over the intervening years, some 720,000 young broadleaf trees have been planted, with much of the work done by volunteers, supplemented by professional contractors on the steeper slopes where it would not be safe to send volunteers. A policy was set of only using seed stock with a provenance within a particular radius (I forget the figure) from the site. This is increasingly difficult to sustain and the Trust is now more flexible on its other properties.
Carrifran today is a thriving young woodland and, as one of Scotland’s earliest ventures into rewilding, is the subject of very many visits and study groups. We (I’m a BFT Trustee) won’t plant too many more trees at Carrifran as natural regeneration is now taking place, though we continue to experiment with montane scrub planting at the higher altitudes.
Species of birds in the valley have increased in number and variety as the woodland habitat has matured and we monitor that regularly. There has been a South of Scotland Golden Eagle Re-introduction Project, based nearby in Moffat, and it is now not unusual to see Golden Eagles at Carrifran. No guarantees for our walk, I’m afraid, but I’d take your binoculars if you have them. I always take mine.
I have been photographing Carrifran regularly for a decade, more recently with a drone as well as my camera, and the valley never ceases to inspire and delight me. I hope that you can share some of that on our walk.
PRACTICAL STUFF
Bring whatever camera kit suits you. I usually take my DSLR + short-medium zoom and a medium-long zoom lens, but I have been known to spend hours with a macro lens, as the valley is not just full of trees but rich in grasses and wild flowers. Carrifran is a quiet, reflective place and a tripod would be a good idea if that’s your kind of photography.