Den of Airlie

Site of Special Scientific Interest · 56.6565, -3.1571

Open in the interactive map →

Also within

Angus CountyPerth and Kinross County

Condition (NatureScot)

Favourable (4) Unfavourable Recovering (1)
UnitFeatureConditionArea (ha)Assessed
F1 Invertebrate assemblage Favourable — 2017-03-16
F2 Bryophyte assemblage Favourable — 2014-04-03
F3 River jelly lichen (Collema dichotomum) Favourable — 2024-08-15
F4 Whorled Solomon's-seal (Polygonatum verticillatum) Favourable — 2024-03-27
F5 Upland mixed ash woodland Unfavourable Recovering — 2007-02-14

Habitats

Ancient woodland, Fast flowing river and stream, Upland mixed ash wood

Geology & landscape

Geological Feature: Gorge / Ravine · Rock Type: Sandstone

Landscape processes: Fluvial

Description

DEN OF AIRLIE Den of Airlie is located along the River Isla and its tributary, the Melgam Water, approximately 9 km west of Kirriemuir. It is one of a series of wooded gorges on base-rich rocks of Old Red Sandstone age in eastern Perth & Kinross and Angus, and is the largest area of ancient woodland in Angus. It is important for its upland mixed ash woodland, bryophytes (mosses and liverworts), invertebrates, the river jelly lichen Collema dichotomum and a rare plant, whorled solomon’s-seal Polygonatum multiflorum. The woodland tends to consist of ash woodland on the deeper richer and often steeper soils, oak woodland on the level ground at the top of the gorge, and alder woodland in wet areas along burns, in seepage areas and near the river. The woodland is very rich in vascular plants and species such as meadow saxifrage Saxifraga granulata, shady horsetail Equisetum pratense, early purple orchid Orchis mascula and herb paris Paris quadrifolia occur. The nationally rare whorled solomon’s-seal Polygonatum multiflorum occurs very locally; the site supports the largest population of this species in Britain. The site is rich in mosses and liverworts with base-rich rock outcrops and boulders near the river being particularly valuable. The nationally rare species Homomallium incurvatum and Anomodontella longifolia occur locally in these habitats. The river jelly lichen Collema dichotomum, an aquatic species which is nationally rare, is found on flat sandstone rocks in the River Isla; the population here is thought to be the largest in Britain. There is a rich invertebrate fauna with notable species of beetles, flies and molluscs, including the fungus gnat Gnoriste bilineata, the snail Malacolimax tenellus and the beetle of dead or decaying wood Dendrophagus crenatus.

Species mentioned

English name
search for this in other sites		 Latin name
search with Google		 IUCN / Red List Type Family
no common name Dendrophagus crenatus Not listed in GB list beetle silvanidae
shady horsetail Equisetum pratense LC herb equisetaceae
early purple orchid Orchis mascula LC herb orchidaceae
herb paris Paris quadrifolia VU herb melanthiaceae
Soloman's seal Polygonatum multiflorum LC herb liliaceae
meadow saxifrage Saxifraga granulata VU herb saxifragaceae
river jelly-lichen Collema dichotomum Not listed in GB list lichen no common name
slender slug Malacolimax tenellus LC mollusc limacidae
bryo Anomodontella longifolia Not listed in GB list moss anomodontaceae

Plant communities

A9 — Fast flowing river and stream, Marginal and inundation, Pond ditch and canal, Sluggish river and stream

Potamogeton natans community

Schoenoplectus lacustris, Juncus bulbosus, Sparganium angustifolium, Sparganium erectum, Sparganium minimum, Alisma plantago-aquatica, Lobelia dortmanna, Equisetum fluviatile, Myriophyllum alterniflorum, Elodea canadensis, Lemna minor, Lemna trisulca, Nymphaea alba, Callitriche platycarpa, Callitriche stagnalis, Littorella uniflora, Potamogeton natans, Ranunculus trichophyllus, Glyceria fluitans, Chara subspinosa

A14 — Fast flowing river and stream

Myriophyllum alterniflorum community

Isolepis fluitans, Juncus bulbosus, Fontinalis antipyretica, Lobelia dortmanna, Equisetum fluviatile, Myriophyllum alterniflorum, Lemna minor, Callitriche stagnalis, Littorella uniflora, Potamogeton filiformis, Potamogeton gramineus, Potamogeton natans, Ranunculus peltatus, Chara spp., Nitella hyalina

A17 — Chalk river and stream, Fast flowing river and stream

Ranunculus penicillatus ssp. pseudofluitans community

Berula erecta, Nasturtium officinale, Elodea canadensis, Lemna minor, Callitriche stagnalis, Veronica beccabunga, Polygonum amphibium, Polygonum hydropiper, Potamogeton crispus, Potamogeton pectinatus, Ranunculus penicillatus ssp. pseudofluitans

A18 — Fast flowing river and stream

Ranunculus fluitans community

Fontinalis antipyretica, Fontinalis squamosa var. curnowii, Myriophyllum alterniflorum, Myriophyllum spicatum, Elodea canadensis, Mentha aquatica, Lemna gibba, Lemna minor, Potamogeton perfoliatus, Ranunculus fluitans, Glyceria fluitans, Phalaris arundinacea

W8 — Lowland mixed oak and ash wood, Upland mixed ash wood

Fraxinus excelsior-Acer campestre-Mercurialis perennis woodland

Hedera helix, Salix caprea, Salix cinerea, Acer pseudoplatanus, Ilex aquifolium, Betula pendula, Betula pubescens, Carpinus betulus, Corylus avellana, Fagus sylvatica, Castanea sativa, Quercus hybrid, Quercus petraea, Quercus robur, Tilia cordata, Tilia platyphyllos, Fraxinus excelsior, Larix decidua, Malus sylvestris, Prunus avium, Prunus padus, Sorbus aria, Sorbus aucuparia, Sorbus domesticus, Alnus glutinosa, Populus tremula, Taxus baccata, Ulmus glabra, Ulmus minor, Ulmus procera, Sambucus nigra, Viburnum lantana, Viburnum opulus, Euonymus europaeus, Cornus sanguinea, Ribes sylvestris, Ribes uva-crispa, Ligustrum vulgare, Clematis vitalba, Rhamnus cathartica, Crataegus hybrid, Crataegus laevigata, Crataegus monogyna, Prunus spinosa, Rubus saxatilis, Daphne laureola, Daphne mezereum, Carex remota, Carex sylvatica, Juncus effusus, Luzula sylvatica, Mnium hornum, Plagiomnium affine, Plagiomnium rostratum, Plagiomnium undulatum, Rhizomnium punctatum, Dicranella heteromalla, Fissidens curnovii, Fissidens taxifolius, Amblystegium serpens, Brachythecium rutabulum, Cirriphyllum piliferum, Climacium dendroides, Ctenidium molluscum, Eurhynchium striatum, Hypnum cupressiforme, Isothecium myosuroides, Kindbergia praelonga, Oxyrrhynchium hians, Plagiothecium denticulatum, Plagiothecium nemorale, Rhynchostegium confertum, Rhytidiadelphus loreus, Rhytidiadelphus triquetrus, Thamnobryum alopecurum, Thuidium tamariscinum, Atrichum undulatum, Lophocolea bidentata, Lophocolea heterophylla, Plagiochila asplenioides, Plagiochila porelloides, Pellia epiphylla, Tamus communis, Adoxa moschatellina, Narcissus pseudonarcissus, Angelica sylvestris, Anthriscus sylvestris, Conopodium majus, Heracleum sphondylium, Sanicula europaea, Arum maculatum, Arctium minus, Lapsana communis, Mycelis muralis, Taraxacum officianalis, Myosotis sylvatica, Alliaria petiolata, Cardamine flexuosa, Campanula latifolia, Campanula trachelium, Lonicera periclymenum, Moehringia trinervia, Silene dioica, Stellaria holostea, Euphorbia amygdaloides, Mercurialis perennis, Vicia sepium, Geranium robertianum, Hypericum hirsutum, Iris foetidissima, Ajuga reptans, Glechoma hederacea, Lamiastrum galeobdolon, Stachys sylvatica, Teucrium scorodonia, Allium ursinum, Convallaria majalis, Hyacinthoides non-scripta, Polygonatum multiflorum, Chamerion angustifolium, Circaea lutetiana, Epilobium montanum, Neottia ovata, Orchis mascula, Platanthera chlorantha, Oxalis acetosella, Digitalis purpurea, Veronica chamaedrys, Veronica montana, Rumex crispus, Rumex sanguineus, Lysimachia nemorum, Primula elatior, Primula vulgaris, Anemone nemorosa, Ficaria verna, Ranunculus acris, Ranunculus auricomus, Ranunculus repens, Filipendula ulmaria, Fragaria vesca, Geum urbanum, Potentilla sterilis, Rosa canina, Rosa villosa, Rubus caesius, Rubus fruticosus agg., Rubus idaeus, Galium aparine, Galium odoratum, Chrysosplenium oppositifolium, Urtica dioica, Viola odorata, Viola riviniana, Arrhenatherum elatius, Brachypodium sylvaticum, Bromopsis ramosa, Dactylis glomerata, Deschampsia cespitosa, Holcus lanatus, Holcus mollis, Melica nutans, Melica uniflora, Milium effusum, Poa nemoralis, Poa trivialis, Schedonorus giganteus, Asplenium scolopendrium, Pteridium aquilinum, Dryopteris borreri, Dryopteris dilatata, Dryopteris filix-mas, Polystichum aculeatum, Polystichum setiferum, Polypodium vulgare, Athyrium filix-femina

W9 — Altantic hazel wood, Limestone pavement, Upland mixed ash wood

Fraxinus excelsior-Sorbus aucuparia-Mercurialis perennis woodland

Hedera helix, Salix cinerea, Acer campestre, Acer pseudoplatanus, Ilex aquifolium, Betula pendula, Betula pubescens, Corylus avellana, Fagus sylvatica, Quercus hybrid, Quercus petraea, Quercus robur, Fraxinus excelsior, Pinus sylvestris, Prunus padus, Sorbus aucuparia, Alnus glutinosa, Populus tremula, Ulmus glabra, Sambucus nigra, Crataegus monogyna, Rubus saxatilis, Carex pallescens, Carex sylvatica, Luzula sylvatica, Mnium hornum, Plagiomnium rostratum, Plagiomnium undulatum, Rhizomnium punctatum, Dicranum scoparium, Fissidens curnovii, Fissidens taxifolius, Brachythecium rutabulum, Cirriphyllum piliferum, Ctenidium molluscum, Eurhynchium striatum, Hylocomium splendens, Hypnum cupressiforme, Isothecium alopecuroides, Isothecium myosuroides, Kindbergia praelonga, Loeskeobryum brevirostre, Oxyrrhynchium hians, Plagiothecium denticulatum, Plagiothecium succulentum, Rhytidiadelphus loreus, Rhytidiadelphus squarrosus, Rhytidiadelphus triquetrus, Thuidium delicatulum, Thuidium tamariscinum, Atrichum undulatum, Polytrichum formosum, Lophocolea bidentata, Plagiochila asplenioides, Pellia endiviifolia, Pellia epiphylla, Adoxa moschatellina, Angelica sylvestris, Anthriscus sylvestris, Conopodium majus, Heracleum sphondylium, Sanicula europaea, Arum maculatum, Cirsium heterophyllum, Cirsium palustre, Crepis paludosa, Jacobaea vulgaris, Tussilago farfara, Cardamine flexuosa, Succisa pratensis, Valeriana officinalis, Silene dioica, Stellaria holostea, Mercurialis perennis, Vicia sepium, Geranium robertianum, Geranium sylvaticum, Ajuga reptans, Lamiastrum galeobdolon, Stachys sylvatica, Allium ursinum, Hyacinthoides non-scripta, Circaea lutetiana, Circaea x intermedia, Epilobium montanum, Oxalis acetosella, Digitalis purpurea, Veronica chamaedrys, Veronica montana, Rumex acetosa, Lysimachia nemorum, Primula vulgaris, Anemone nemorosa, Ficaria verna, Ranunculus acris, Ranunculus repens, Trollius europaeus, Alchemilla glabra, Alchemilla xanthochlora, Filipendula ulmaria, Fragaria vesca, Geum rivale, Geum urbanum, Potentilla erecta, Potentilla sterilis, Rosa canina, Rubus fruticosus agg., Rubus idaeus, Cruciata laevipes, Galium aparine, Galium odoratum, Galium saxatile, Chrysosplenium oppositifolium, Urtica dioica, Viola riviniana, Agrostis capillaris, Agrostis stolonifera, Anthoxanthum odoratum, Arrhenatherum elatius, Brachypodium sylvaticum, Bromopsis ramosa, Dactylis glomerata, Deschampsia cespitosa, Holcus lanatus, Holcus mollis, Melica uniflora, Milium effusum, Poa trivialis, Schedonorus giganteus, Asplenium scolopendrium, Blechnum spicant, Pteridium aquilinum, Dryopteris borreri, Dryopteris dilatata, Dryopteris filix-mas, Athyrium filix-femina