Muir of Dinnet

Coordinates: 57°4′6″N 2°55′29″W / 57.06833°N 2.92472°W / 57.06833; -2.92472
Source: Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia.

Muir of Dinnet National Nature Reserve
Map showing the location of Muir of Dinnet National Nature Reserve
Map showing the location of Muir of Dinnet National Nature Reserve
LocationDinnet, Aberdeenshire, Scotland
Coordinates57°4′6″N 2°55′29″W / 57.06833°N 2.92472°W / 57.06833; -2.92472
Area11.7 km2 (4.5 sq mi)[2]
Established1977[1]
Governing bodyNatureScot
Muir of Dinnet National Nature Reserve
Official nameMuir of Dinnet
Designated22 July 1999
Reference no.1003[3]

Muir of Dinnet is a

Burn O'Vat.[6] Muir of Dinnet is owned by Dinnet Estate and managed by NatureScot, who provide a visitor centre and a range of other facilities including waymarked paths and a car park.[7] As of 2012 it was estimated that approximately 40,000 people visited Muir of Dinnet each year.[8]

Geology and geomorphology

The Burn O'Vat

Most of the area is underlain by pink-coloured granite, which formed around 425 million years ago by the slow cooling of rocks that had been melted by heat during the formation of a large chain of mountains. The area around and to the south of Loch Kinord consists of an older group of rocks, known as the Dalradian series, that were laid down as layers of sand and mud on the floor of an ancient ocean around 600 million years ago. During the formation of the mountain range around 460 million years ago, they underwent metamorphosis. At Muir of Dinnet, this metamorphic rock, known as gneiss, is pale in colour with dark stripes.[9]

The landscape of the Muir of Dinnet has been heavily influence by the movement and subsequent melting of ice during periods of glaciation; at times the area was covered by ice sheets up to one kilometre thick. The climate warmed rapidly at the end of the

eskers. One of the most impressive features at the Muir of Dinnet is the gorge and giant pothole known as the Burn O'Vat (or simply 'the Vat'), which was carved when a meltwater river encountered an area of hard bedrock, leading to the formation of a whirlpool.[9][10]

Flora and fauna

The variety of habitats at Muir of Dinnet culminate in an impressive range of wildlife and plant species being recorded at the reserve. Approximately 470 ha of the reserve is woodland, with

sphagnum moss.[13]

140 bird species have been recorded at the Muir of Dinnet, 13 of which are

skylark and meadow pipit found on the heaths.[15]

Otters are also regularly seen at Muir of Dinnet NNR, along with seven other UKBAP mammal species, such as red squirrels and pipistrelle, Daubenton's and brown long-eared bats. The reserve is also important for invertebrates, especially moths and water beetles, with at least 349 species of moth having been recorded here.[15][16]

History

Loch Kinord cross slab

The Muir of Dinnet has been inhabited since

logboat has been found on the bed of the loch just offshore.[18] A 9th-century Pictish stone stands on the north shore of the loch.[19] The remains of a medieval moated homestead can be seen on the north shore of Loch Davan. This building, known as The Heugh, is thought to have been the headquarters of Andrew Moray during the Battle of Culblean in 1335.[20] During the 17th century the Burn O'Vat was used as a hide-out by cattle-rustler Gilderoy Macgregor before he was caught and hanged in 1658.[21]

Loch Kinord was partially drained during the early 19th century, leading to level of the loch being lowered by about 1 metre. In 1888 Loch Kinord was further altered in order to provide hydro-electric power for Dinnet House. In 1949 the Muir of Dinnet was identified as a potential national nature reserve by the Scottish Wildlife Conservation Committee, however this was not acted upon at the time. During the early 1970s it was suggested that the area be made a country park, however the area was instead designated as a Site of Special Scientific Interest in 1971.[8] In 1977 the Muir of Dinnet became a national nature reserve as part of the celebrations surrounding the Silver Jubilee of Queen Elizabeth.[5]

Six Striped Rustic, a film which heavily features Muir of Dinnet, was made in 2013 by artist Chris Dooks. It was commissioned by Woodend Barn Arts in Banchory as part of their Atomic Doric season of cultural works about the area.[22]

Conservation designations

In addition to being a national nature reserve Muir of Dinnet holds a number of other designations for its important natural heritage interests.

Special Areas of Conservation (SACs), including the Muir of Dinnet SAC and the River Dee SAC also overlap the reserve.[25][26] The reserve also forms part of the Muir of Dinnet Site of Special Scientific Interest,[27] and includes three scheduled monuments and one Geological Conservation Review site.[28] The national nature reserve is classified as a Category II protected area by the International Union for Conservation of Nature.[1]

References

Citations

  1. ^ a b c "Muir of Dinnet". Protected Planet. Retrieved 14 February 2021.
  2. ^ "Muir of Dinnet NNR". NatureScot. Retrieved 22 September 2020.
  3. ^ "Muir of Dinnet". Ramsar Sites Information Service. Retrieved 25 April 2018.
  4. ^ The Story of Muir of Dinnet National Nature Reserve. pp. 13–15.
  5. ^ a b The Story of Muir of Dinnet National Nature Reserve. p. 26.
  6. ^ The Story of Muir of Dinnet National Nature Reserve. p. 1.
  7. ^ The Story of Muir of Dinnet National Nature Reserve. p. 7.
  8. ^ a b The Story of Muir of Dinnet National Nature Reserve. p. 23.
  9. ^ a b The Story of Muir of Dinnet National Nature Reserve. p. 10.
  10. ^ The Story of Muir of Dinnet National Nature Reserve. p. 11.
  11. ^ The Story of Muir of Dinnet National Nature Reserve. p. 15.
  12. ^ a b The Story of Muir of Dinnet National Nature Reserve. p. 20.
  13. ^ a b The Story of Muir of Dinnet National Nature Reserve. p. 13.
  14. ^ The Story of Muir of Dinnet National Nature Reserve. p. 16.
  15. ^ a b The Story of Muir of Dinnet National Nature Reserve. p. 17.
  16. ^ The Story of Muir of Dinnet National Nature Reserve. p. 18.
  17. ^ Historic Environment Scotland. "Prison Island, Loch Kinord (33984)". Canmore.
  18. ^ Historic Environment Scotland. "Loch Kinord (84541)". Canmore.
  19. ^ Historic Environment Scotland. "Loch Kinord, Cross Slab (33981)". Canmore.
  20. ^ The Story of Muir of Dinnet National Nature Reserve. p. 21.
  21. ^ The Story of Muir of Dinnet National Nature Reserve. p. 22.
  22. ^ Six Striped Rustic
  23. ^ "Muir of Dinnet SPA". NatureScot. Retrieved 22 September 2020.
  24. ^ "Muir of Dinnet Ramsar". NatureScot. Retrieved 22 September 2020.
  25. ^ "Muir of Dinnet SAC". NatureScot. Retrieved 22 September 2020.
  26. ^ "River Dee SAC". NatureScot. Retrieved 22 September 2020.
  27. ^ "Muir of Dinnet SSSI". NatureScot. Retrieved 22 September 2020.
  28. ^ The Story of Muir of Dinnet National Nature Reserve. p. 8.

Bibliography

External links

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