Creag Meagaidh
National Nature Reserve

Tèarmann Nàdair Nàiseanta
Creag Mèagaidh

‘Bringing Back The Future’
‘A’ Toirt Air Ais Na Bhios Ann’

A mountain and plateau, corries and cliffs; a wood of Highland trees now reclaiming its native home; a place of study, enjoyment and challenges – Creag Meagaidh is all of these things. It’s a natural haven and a place of renewal, both physical and mental. Come and see for yourself, and be inspired.

Beinn is fireach, coireachan is creagan; coille Ghàidhealach a’ fàs a-rithist; àite airson foghlaim, cur-seachad is dùbhlain – gheibhear iad seo air fad an Creag Mèagaidh. Seo dìdean nàdarrach, bho’m faighear ath-nuadhachadh cuirp is inntinne.

Cool cuts

A gigantic ice sheet once lay heavy on the land here. Again and again over the last two million years, the deep freeze of different ice ages piled on the pressure. Sometimes it smothered the whole mountain, other times it filled only the glens with a glacier or two.

Each big chill left its mark. Hummocks of glacier dumped rubble and the gravel terraces that pattern some slopes are subtle reminders. Look up to the magnificent, armchair-shaped corries scooped from the high ground and the dizzying cliffs of Coire Ardair to see ice carving on a massive scale.

Deigh is creag

Bha uaireigin brat-deighe a’ laighe gu trom air an talamh seo. A-rithist is a-rithist tron dà mhillean bliadhna mu dheireadh bha reodhaidhnean nan Linntean Deighe a’ cur tuilleadh cuideim ris. Uaireannan bhiodh e a’ còmhdach na beinne air fad, aig amannan eile cha bhiodh ann ach deigh-shruth no dhà sna gleanntan.

Dh’fhàg na reodhaidhnean mòra seo an làrach air an talamh: tomain de chlachan a leig na deigh-shruthan às, agus sgeilpean de ghreibheal a chithear air na sliosan mun cuairt. Gu h-àrd chaidh coireachan na beinne a chladhach a-mach, agus creagan mòra Choire Àrdair a shnaidheadh.

Groundbreakers

After the last big thaw, some 10,000 years ago, groundhugging mosses, lichens and small shrubs were the first plants to colonise this land. Many of these hardy plants still live here, able to cope with the arctic-like chill and blast on the tops.

Creag Meagaidh’s mountain hares and ptarmigan, snugly fitted with heat-retaining fur or feather jackets, also have an ancestry stretching back to those early postglacial times. And plants such as rare alpine speedwells, saxifrages and hawkweeds are further relics from the past, able to maintain a delicate root-hold on the crags.

Dwarf birch and willows were the first trees to move back as the climate warmed, with birch, Scots pine, rowan, hazel and many others following after. This woodland became home to many creatures, such as wolves, wildcats and bears. In time it also became a home for people.

Ìosal ri talamh

An dèidh an àiteimh mhòir mu dheireadh, bho chionn 10,000 bliadhna, ‘s e lusan ìosal, mar chòinneach, crotal agus pris bheaga, a dh’fhàs an seo an toiseach. Gheibhear mòran de na luibhean cruaidhe seo ann fhathast, oir seasaidh iadsan ris an fhuachd is na gaothan artaigeach a gheibhear air na mullaich.

‘S ann sna h-amannan àrsaidh ud a shìolaich na gearran-beinne agus na tormachain, air an suaineadh gu blàth am bian no an iteach, a gheibhear air Creag Mèagaidh. Agus cuideachd an lus-crè ailpeach, a’ chlach-bhriseach, agus lus na seabhaig: ‘s e iarmad o na linntean a dh’fhalbh a tha annta seo, is iad a’ tighinn beò air na creagan.

Nuair a bhlàthaich a’ chlìomaid ‘s e beithe-bheag is seileach na ciad chraobhan a thill, le beithe, giuthas, caorann, calltainn agus eile gan leantainn. ‘S iomadh beathach a bha a’ tighinn beò sa choille seo, leithid madaidhean-allaidh, cait fhiadhaich, agus mathain. Tro thìde thàinig daoine a dh’fhuireach innte cuideachd.

Wanderers, fugitives and settlers

No-one knows precisely when the first settlers arrived at Creag Meagaidh (from the Gaelic meaning ‘Crag of the Boggy Place’). But they were probably nomads, staying in temporary camps for a few months each year while they hunted, fished the lochs and gathered food from trees and bushes.

Early farmers began to clear the trees for fuel and work the land. For many centuries MacDonald clanspeople occupied small townships around Loch Laggan, growing crops on small strips of ground and using the hill as common grazings for livestock. Their black cattle and multi-coloured goats would have held back the natural development of the forest.

The arrival of sheep in 1780 had a further impact. Much of the present-day layout of Aberarder Farm dates from that time, when the owners introduced their flocks of Cheviots. Sheep prices later slumped, however, and deer stalking took over as a major activity. By the 1980s, grazing by large numbers of red deer, together with some remaining sheep, meant that young trees stood no chance of survival.

Luch-fògair is luchd-àitich

Chan eil fhios cuine thàinig a’ chiad luch-àitich gu Creag Mèagaidh. Ach is dòcha gur e iniltearan a bha annta, a’ fuireach ghreiseagan ann an campaichean agus a’ sealg, ag iasgach nan lochan, agus a’ cruinneach bho chraobhan is pris.

Thòisich tuathanaich thràthail air leagail nan craobhan airson connadh, agus air àiteach na talmhainn. Airson fada ‘s e Dòmhnallaich a bha a’ fuireach sna bailtean beaga mu Loch Lagan, is iad ag àiteach mhàgan de thalamh le’n cuid sprèidh ag ionaltradh air a’ mhonadh: chuireadh an crodh dubh is na gobhair bhreaca bha aca bacadh cuideachd air fàs na coille.

Ràinig na caoraich mu 1780, is bha buaidh mhòr aca air an àite. Aig an àm sin chaidh an cruth a chithear gus an latha an diugh a chur air tuathanas Obar Àrdair, nuair a thàinig an teaghlach Sinton le’n caoraich mhaola. Ach an dèidh sin thuit prìs nan caorach gu mòr, agus ‘s e stàcadh fhiadh a ghabh an àite. Mu dheireadh sna 1980n bha ionaltradh nam fiadh, le beagan chaorach nam measg, aig ìre ‘s nach robh cothrom idir aig craobhan òga a bhith beò.

Starting over

Creag Meagaidh was bought on behalf of the nation in 1985, after public concern over plans to create a forestry plantation on the lower ground at Aberarder and beyond. Since then, the site has been managed as a ‘place for nature’.

The creation of the National Nature Reserve in 1986 signalled a new era. From the outset, the main aim has been to revive the land by restoring natural plant and animal communities that were lost or degraded down the centuries.

Key to this recovery work has been the need to reduce red deer numbers – both by live catching and conventional stalking. This has been underpinned by careful research to chart the many changes that have taken place.

The transformation has been remarkable. In the fairly short time the reserve has existed, the forest has sprung back to life. Thousands of young trees have colonised beyond the old woodland and established new boundaries. And the mix of other plants, insects, birds and mammals grows richer and more abundant by the year.

All this has been achieved by simply reducing grazing pressure – and without the use of fences.

A’ tòiseachadh as ùr

Chaidh Creag Mèagaidh a cheannach as leth an nàisein an 1985, agus cùram air daoine gun robh coille gu bhith air a planndaigeadh air an talamh ìosal mu Obar Àrdair. Bhon uair sin ‘s e dòigh-rianachd mar ‘àite airson nàdair’ a tha air a bhith oirre.

‘S e tòiseachadh ùr a bha ann nuair a chaidh an Tèarmann Nàdair Nàiseanta a chruthachadh an 1986. Bho thùs gnothaich b’ e am prìomh amas an talamh ath-bheothachadh, agus na còmhlain nàdarrach de lusan is de bheathaichean, a chaidh a chall tro na linntean, ath-chruthachadh. Airson seo tachairt bha e fìor riatanach gum biodh àireamh nam fiadh air a lùghdachadh, agus rannsachadh mionaideach ga dhèanamh air a liuthad atharrachadh a bha a’ tighinn air an àite.

Agus tha atharrachaidhean iongantach air a bhith ann. San ùine ghoirid a tha an tèarmann air a bhith stèidhichte tha a’ choille air tighinn beò a-rithist dha-rìribh, agus tha na mìltean de chraobhan òga air sgaoileadh gu talamh ùr taobh a-muigh na seann choille. Agus tha am measgachadh de lusan, frìdean, eòin agus mamailean a’ fàs nas saidhbhire a h-uile bliadhna.

Thachair seo dìreach le bhith a’ lùghdachach ìre an ionaltraidh – agus gun feansaichean a bhith ann.

Have an ice day

Ice helped to shape Creag Meagaidh, and it’s still a big part of its attraction. When snow fills the big gullies and the mountain buttresses glaze with cascades of steep ice, the winter climbs here are among the best in the country. These routes, known to generations of climbers, and the scope for ski-touring on the plateau, draw more people here in winter than at any other time.

Visitors are welcome all-year-round, and there’s a splendid 6km (4 ml) path from the Aberarder entrance car park rising to scenic Lochan a’ Choire at 620 m (2034 ft). But at any season, Creag Meagaidh demands respect. In snowy winters, avalanches are not uncommon if there’s a sudden thaw. Even in summer, the gales, rain and low cloud can close in quickly.

And the wildlife, now returning in greater variety than for many years, needs respect too. You’ll stand a far better chance of seeing some of Creag Meagaidh’s wilder inhabitants at close range if you don’t bring a dog with you. If you return, chances are you’ll see something different. For this is a place on the up – changing, recovering and challenging as ever.

Cur-seachad air deigh

‘S e an deigh a chuir a cruth air Creag Mèagaidh, agus an diugh tha i a’ tarraing dhaoine chun an àite. Nuair a bhios na claisean mòra làn sneachd sa gheamhradh, agus sliosan na beinne air an còmhdach le deigh, gheibhear àiteachan sreap an seo cho math ‘s a tha san dùthaich. Tha barrachd dhaoine a’ tighinn sa gheamhradh air sgàth an t-sreap, agus cuideachd airson sgitheadh air an fhireach àrd, na aig àm sam bith eile.

Tha fàilte ro luchd-tadhail fad na bliadhna, agus tha ceum math ann 6 cm (4 mìle) bhon chàr-phàirc aig Obar Àrdair gu Lochan a’ Choire aig 620 m (2034 tr). Ach feumar urram a thoirt do Chreag Mèagaidh an àm sam bith den bhliadhna. Sa gheamhradh faodaidh maoimean-sneachda bhith ann ma thig aiteamh grad. Fiù ‘s as t-samhradh faodaidh gèile, uisg is sgòthan ìosal a thighinn luath.

Feumar urram a shealltainn cuideachd don fhiadh-bheatha. Bidh cothrom mòran nas fheàrr agad air biast no beathach fhaicinn faisg is tu gun chù cuide riut. Agus ma thilleas tu, deagh theans gum faic thu rudeigin ùr. Oir tha an t-àite seo a’ dol am feabhas – a’ sìor atharrachadh is a’ sìor fhàs.

Creag Meagaidh lies on the north shore of Loch Laggan, half way along the A86 road between Fort William and Newtonmore.

Tha Creag Mèagaidh suidhichte ri taobh Loch Lagan, leitheach slighe air an rathad A86 eadar An Gearastan agus Bail Ùr an t-Slèibh.