Den of Finella
Also within
Condition (NatureScot)
| Unit | Feature | Condition | Area (ha) | Assessed |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| F1 | Upland mixed ash woodland | Favourable | — | 2013-03-20 |
Climate exposure
This is about exposure to a nationwide pressure this habitat type carries — not a verdict on this site's own management.
Coastal habitats are exposed to sea-level rise and storm erosion. Where hard sea defences sit behind them, there's nowhere landward to retreat to — a squeeze that keeps compressing the habitat no matter how well it's managed.
Geology & landscape
Geological Feature: Gorge / Ravine · Rock Type: Sandstone
Landscape processes: Coastal, Fluvial
Description
DEN OF FINELLA The Den of Finella, a small wooded gorge, is located about 10 km north of Montrose, close to the east coast. The woodland in the gorge has a canopy of mixed broad-leaved trees and a luxuriant field layer flora in which ferns and tall herbs predominate. The rocks exposed in the den are andesites of Old Red Sandstone age, which weather to give base-rich soils. Among the more notable plants found here are Hart’s-tongue fern Asplenium scolopendrium, wood garlic Allium ursinum, pendulous sedge Carex pendula, hard shield-fern Polystichum aculeatum and wood false-brome Brachypodium sylvaticum.
Species mentioned
Show the 5 species mentioned in the description, with red-list status| English name search for this in other sites |
Latin name search with Google |
IUCN / Red List | Type | Family |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| hart's-tongue fern | Asplenium scolopendrium | LC | fern | aspleniaceae |
| hard shield-fern | Polystichum aculeatum | LC | fern | dryopteridaceae |
| wood false brome | Brachypodium sylvaticum | LC | grass | poaceae |
| ramson | Allium ursinum | LC | herb | liliaceae |
| pendulous sedge | Carex pendula | LC | sedge | cyperaceae |
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.
| Species | Status | Via host-plant |
|---|---|---|
| Chequered skipper Carterocephalus palaemon |
Endangered | Brachypodium sylvaticum |
| Grayling Hipparchia semele |
Vulnerable | Brachypodium sylvaticum |
| Wall Lasiommata megera |
Near Threatened | Brachypodium sylvaticum |
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.