Edinburgh Natural History Society

Ben Vrackie excursion - June 27th, 2009

Roger Holme led us to Ben Vrackie just east of Pitlochry, where high on the mountain, the crags have base-rich soils and ledges with several nationally rare species of vascular plant.

Lunch stop beside Loch a Choire with the species rich crags of Ben Vrackie above.

Brown Bog Rush (Schoenus ferrugineus) may have been transplanted to this base rich flush on the
slopes of Vrackie c.1950 when its single known locality, on Loch Tummel, was under threat.

Alpine Milk Vetch (Astragalus alpinus), a very rare calcicole of rocky ledges, found on a few mica
schist mountains of the Grampians.

Thyme, Alpine Lady's Mantle and the silky-haired leaves of Alpine Mouse-Ear (Cerastium alpinum) all
numerous at c.750m on the same crags.

The stunning flowers of Purple Oxytropis (Oxytropis halleri) another rare alpine, are on show for a
few weeks on just a few geologically similar sites, some near sea level.

We saw several Golden Ringed Dragonflies quartering the moorland around Loch a choire. Doing the same
but sadly not photographed was a 'Silver Ghost' a male Hen Harrier.

Photographs: N. Crowther.

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This page was last updated on 21/9/09.