The West Highland Way 2008
March 26, 2007
Flora and Fauna of the West Highland Way
Some of the plants and wee beasties seen along the way, and I can’t tell if I’m right on all of them or even some of them! Some I just don’t know and haven’t the time to look them up. But it does show the variety to be seen when out and about. If you can identify any of the don’t knows please get in touch and this page can be updated. In all the days I didn’t see any birds of prey – maybe its not the season or just too many people passing by?
Day One:
A gander staying cool near Gartness
An umbrella plant? by the old railway track
Some sort of Wort? by the old railway track
Don’t know? by the old railway track
An easy one – Chaffinch near Drymen
Day Two:
Another don’t know?
A Tortoiseshell with it’s tongue out!
Some triffid like ferns close to Balmaha
Lovely wild primrose
Day Three:
Alfred Hitchcock – The Birds – waiting for victims of the loch path
A close pair of Barnacle Geese
I’ll name that bulb in one!
A stunning growth of moss next to the path near Ptarmigan Lodge
Wild Garlic – doesn’t smell so good
Errm – is it a Bluebell
A lovely Oak on the Loch Lomond shore
Bertie Beetle on his holidays
Wild primroses
A wild goat – a great hairy beast – the goat not me
A delicate lavender coloured Viola
Day Four:
Future frogs if it rains soon
I don’t fancy their chances of survival
The first of many wee ones
Don’t know I’ll look it up
Oxalis??
The local creche
Mint sauce mmnn
Not big enough yet
Marsh Marigolds? Near Tyndrum
Tired looking gorse near Tyndrum
Day Five:
A two headed horsey past Tyndrum
Highland cattle having a nosh at the Auch Estate
Why did the hen cross the military road?
More wee beasties of the hairy variety
Nice foliage of a mountain ash
A Swallow near Inveroran
A pink Orchid? Type??
A white one
Don’t know I’ll look it up
Bog something or other?
Another Viola
A wild Deer
Wild no more – probably never have been
Day Six:
A hairy beast
Iceland Poppy in woods near Kinlochleven
Armeria on the shores of Loch Leven
A young buck near Glen Finnan
Day Seven:
Buttercups
An Azalea above Kinlochleven
A Rhododendron on the other side of the path
Some nice Gneiss
Wild Sage ??
Finally a Cuckoo
This was as close as I could get…hint…his head is on the left
Don’t know!
Some lowly Bryophytes curling up their toes in the dry
A yellow wagtail near to Fort William
Another Orchid?
Day Nine:
A going home shot on Loch Lomond at Tarbet
Another Barnacle Goose
Another two Barnacle Geese
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