Den of Riechip
Condition (NatureScot)
| Unit | Feature | Condition | Area (ha) | Assessed |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| F1 | Whorled Solomon's-seal (Polygonatum verticillatum) | Favourable | — | 2010-01-29 |
| F2 | Upland mixed ash woodland | Favourable | — | 2007-02-15 |
Geology & landscape
Geological Feature: Gorge / Ravine
Landscape processes: Fluvial
Description
DEN OF RIECHIP Den of Riechip is located to the north-east of Dunkeld, less than 2 kilometres north of Butterstone and the A923. The site follows the wooded ravine of the Buckny Burn. The Den is an area of mixed woodland lying in a gorge on schistose rocks. It contains fragments of ash, hazel, oak and elm woodland with a large number of uncommon higher plant species such as wood fescue Festuca altissima, mountain melick Melica nutans, early purple orchid Orchis mascula, and stone bramble Rubus saxatilis. There is also a large population of the nationally rare plant species whorled Solomon’s seal Polygonatum multiflorum. Perthshire is the only area in great Britain where this nationally rare species is known to occur.
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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| wood fescue | Festuca altissima | Not listed in GB list | grass | poaceae |
| mountain melick | Melica nutans | VU | grass | poaceae |
| early purple orchid | Orchis mascula | LC | herb | orchidaceae |
| Soloman's seal | Polygonatum multiflorum | LC | herb | liliaceae |
| stone bramble | Rubus saxatilis | VU | shrub | rosaceae |
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 |
|---|---|---|
| Small heath Coenonympha pamphilus |
Near Threatened | Festuca spp. |
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.