A watery world

Hi, I'm Nick, one of the wardens you may see about on Flanders Moss... but even on a winter's day Flanders isn't this wet.



This is one of the other reserves I work at, Loch Lomond, and I took a little piece of Flanders - our latest newsletter The Moss - with me when I last visited.









As it's the nearest national nature reserve neighbour to Flanders Moss, I've posted a few photos here to give a taste

of what you can see there, in

case you get the chance to

visit.









It was a dull day, but on the beach was what looked like the final remains of a burning bush. I promise the photo isn't touched up - the intense colours of this recently snapped-off alder tree stump, all crimson bark and flame-coloured wood really brought a bit of warmth to the day!





At one time timber and bark from the oak and alder woods around this part of Loch Lomond was used for a variety of purposes including clog making and in chemical manufacture.













Returning to the path, from which you can still see the remains of a stone jetty where timber was loaded onto boats for shipment, I walked on through Shore Wood.









The path here is a quiet haven with views out over the loch towards the island of Inchailloch and further to the snowclad heights of Ben Lomond. At present the lichens on the oaks are showing particularly well, and you may come across vocal flocks of long tailed tits among the trees, see and hear a variety of geese overhead and ducks out on the water.






The path is popular with local people and you can park at the Millenium Hall in Gartocharn and follow

a route down across the fields to access the reserve path at Shore Wood via a quiet lane . I'd allow a couple of hours for a first visit and don't forget your winter footwear for the section across the fields.