Craigendarroch

Also within

Aberdeenshire County Cairngorms National Park

Condition (NatureScot)

Habitats

Fast flowing river and stream

Description

CRAIGENDARROCH Craigendarroch (402 m), “rocky hill of oaks” is located by the River Dee to the north of Ballater. Oak, largely pedunculate oak Quercus robur, occupies the south and west faces of the hill, from the lowest slopes by the river (200 m) up to over 300 m, close to the climatic limit of oak woodland in the British Isles. The wood, one of the most extensive oakwoods in Aberdeenshire, is an ancient one, though many of the present trees were probably planted. More recently established, actively regenerating woodlands of pine and birch on the north and east-facing slopes enhance the interest of the site. The woodland’s field layer is one of unusually base-deficient soils, with species such as wavy hair-grass Deschampsia flexuosa, blaeberry Vaccinium myrtillus and cowberry Vaccinium vitis-idaea and/or mosses.

Species mentioned

Insects to look out for

These moths, butterflies and beetles are known to feed on plants recorded at this site, and carry a notable UK conservation status — but a host-plant being present doesn't mean the insect has actually been recorded here. Treat this as "worth watching for," not a confirmed sighting.

Host-plant data: Cook et al. (2025), Traits data for the butterflies and macro-moths of Great Britain and Ireland, 2024, UK Centre for Ecology & Hydrology / Butterfly Conservation; and Padovani et al. (2020), Database of Insects and their Food Plants (DBIF), UK Centre for Ecology & Hydrology (both Open Government Licence). Contains data supplied by UK Centre for Ecology & Hydrology.

Plant communities