Loch of Clousta

Site of Special Scientific Interest · 60.3064, -1.4292

Also within

Shetland County

Condition (NatureScot)

Favourable (1)
UnitFeatureConditionArea (ha)Assessed
F1 Tall herb ledge Favourable 2012-09-13

Description

Loch of Clousta The Loch of Clousta, approximately 3.5 km north-west of Aith in Shetland Mainland, contains several islands that have a variety of vegetation types. The entire Loch of Clousta is designated, but not is notified for tall herb ledge present on some of the islands. The vegetation on the islands provide an interesting comparison between sites with different levels of grazing pressure and an insight into the former vegetation cover of Shetland. The west island has relict scrub including rowan Sorbus aucuparia, eared sallow Salix aurita, and honeysuckle Lonicera periclymenum, with a tall herb and fern layer containing greater woodrush Luzula sylvatica, wild angelica Angelica sylvestris, meadowsweet Filipendula ulmaria and buckler fern Dryopteris dilatata. Both scrub and tall herb vegetation types are rare in Shetland, and especially so in combination. This is also the only small holm in Shetland with stone bramble Rubus saxatilis. Thick scrub of honeysuckle and rose Rosa spp. covers most of the smaller of the two ungrazed islands in the north-east corner of the loch. On the large central island, which was formerly grazed, honeysuckle is confined to the inaccessible ledges on the south side with dense heather Calluna vulgaris covering the rest of the island. The islands with a causeway connection to the shore are accessible to sheep and so are dominated by short heather and mat grass Nardus stricta. These islands do not contain notified features as they lack tall herbs, ferns and scrub, and are similar to the surrounding moorland.

Species mentioned

English name
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Latin name
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IUCN / Red List Type Family
broad buckler fern Dryopteris dilatata LC fern dryopteridaceae
mat grass Nardus stricta LC grass poaceae
wild angelica Angelica sylvestris LC herb apiaceae
meadow sweet Filipendula ulmaria LC herb rosaceae
honeysuckle Lonicera periclymenum LC herb caprifoliaceae
great wood rush Luzula sylvatica LC rush juncaceae
stone bramble Rubus saxatilis VU shrub rosaceae
bell heather or ling Calluna vulgaris NT shrub dwarf ericaceae
rowan Sorbus aucuparia LC tree rosaceae
eared willow Salix aurita LC tree shrub salicaceae

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.

SpeciesStatusVia host-plant
The lappet
Gastropacha quercifolia
Endangered Salix spp.
Shoulder-striped clover
Heliothis maritima
Endangered Calluna vulgaris
Scarce vapourer
Orgyia recens
Endangered Filipendula ulmaria, Salix spp.
The sprawler
Asteroscopus sphinx
Vulnerable Salix spp.
Broom moth
Ceramica pisi
Vulnerable Calluna vulgaris
Scarce chocolate-tip
Clostera anachoreta
Vulnerable Salix spp.
Mottled umber
Erannis defoliaria
Vulnerable Lonicera periclymenum, Salix spp., Sorbus aucuparia
Marsh fritillary
Euphydryas aurinia
Vulnerable Lonicera periclymenum
Satyr pug
Eupithecia satyrata
Vulnerable Calluna vulgaris, Filipendula ulmaria, Salix spp.
White admiral
Limenitis camilla
Vulnerable Lonicera periclymenum
True lover's knot
Lycophotia porphyrea
Vulnerable Calluna vulgaris
The lackey
Malacosoma neustria
Vulnerable Salix spp.
Silver studded blue
Plebejus argus
Vulnerable Calluna vulgaris
Hedge rustic
Tholera cespitis
Vulnerable Nardus stricta
Pale eggar
Trichiura crataegi
Vulnerable Calluna vulgaris, Salix spp.
Flounced chestnut
Agrochola helvola
Near Threatened Calluna vulgaris, Salix spp.
Beaded chestnut
Agrochola lychnidis
Near Threatened Salix spp.
Garden tiger
Arctia caja
Near Threatened Salix aurita, Sorbus aucuparia
Minor shoulder-knot
Brachylomia viminalis
Near Threatened Salix aurita
The sallow
Cirrhia icteritia
Near Threatened Salix spp.
Small heath
Coenonympha pamphilus
Near Threatened Nardus stricta
Dingy mocha
Cyclophora pendularia
Near Threatened Salix aurita
Brindled ochre
Dasypolia templi
Near Threatened Angelica sylvestris
Grey scalloped
Dyscia fagaria
Near Threatened Calluna vulgaris
Large thorn
Ennomos autumnaria
Near Threatened Salix spp.
Small mountain ringlet
Erebia epiphron
Near Threatened Nardus stricta
Autumnal rustic
Eugnorisma glareosa
Near Threatened Calluna vulgaris
Grey pug
Eupithecia subfuscata
Near Threatened Angelica sylvestris, Salix spp.
White-spotted pug
Eupithecia tripunctaria
Near Threatened Angelica sylvestris
Double dart
Graphiphora augur
Near Threatened Salix spp.
Weaver's wave
Idaea contiguaria
Near Threatened Calluna vulgaris
Swallowtail papilio
Papilio machaon
Near Threatened Angelica sylvestris

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

W20 — Montane scrub

Salix lapponum-Luzula sylvatica scrub

Matches 6 species from the description above: Angelica sylvestris, Calluna vulgaris, Dryopteris dilatata, Filipendula ulmaria, Luzula sylvatica, Nardus stricta

Salix arbuscula, Salix cinerea, Salix lapponum, Salix myrsinites, Salix phylicifolia, Salix reticulata, Empetrum nigrum, Calluna vulgaris, Salix lanata, Vaccinium myrtillus, Vaccinium uliginosum, Carex atrata, Carex bigelowii, Carex binervis, Carex flacca, Luzula multiflora, Luzula sylvatica, Huperzia selago, Selaginella selaginoides, Aulacomnium palustre, Mnium hornum, Philonotis fontana, Plagiomnium undulatum, Rhizomnium punctatum, Dicranum bonjeanii, Dicranum majus, Dicranum scoparium, Fissidens adianthoides, Racomitrium lanuginosum, Calliergonell cuspidatum, Ctenidium molluscum, Hylocomium splendens, Hypnum callichroum, Hypnum cupressiforme, Palustriella commutatum, Plagiothecium denticulatum, Plagiothecium undulatum, Pleurozium schreberi, Ptilium crista-castrensis, Rhytidiadelphus loreus, Rhytidiadelphus squarrosus, Rhytidiadelphus triquetrus, Sanionia uncinata, Scorpidium revolvens, Thuidium tamariscinum, Atrichum undulatum, Polytrichastrum alpinum, Sphagnum capillifolium, Sphagnum fallax, Sphagnum girgensohnii, Sphagnum palustre, Sphagnum russowii, Sphagnum squarrosum, Sphagnum subnitens, Sphagnum teres, Barbilophozia barbata, Chiloscyphus polyanthos, Diplophyllum albicans, Lophocolea bidentata, Plagiochila porelloides, Ptilidium ciliare, Scapania undulata, Cladonia squamosa, Peltigera canina, Angelica sylvestris, Caltha palustris, Hieraclium spp., Saussurea alpina, Solidago virgaurea, Campanula rotundifolia, Succisa pratensis, Valeriana officinalis, Rhodiola rosea, Vaccinium vitis-idaea, Thymus praecox, Epilobium anagallidifolium, Dactylorhiza viridis, Euphrasia officinalis, Rhinanthus minor, Oxalis acetosella, Oxyria digyna, Polygonum viviparum, Rumex acetosa, Anemone nemorosa, Ranunculus acris, Thalictrum alpinum, Alchemilla alpina, Alchemilla glabra, Filipendula ulmaria, Geum rivale, Galium boreale, Galium saxatile, Saxifraga aizoides, Saxifraga hypnoides, Saxifraga oppositifolia, Saxifraga stellaris, Viola riviniana, Agrostis canina, Agrostis capillaris, Anthoxanthum odoratum, Deschampsia cespitosa, Deschampsia flexuosa, Festuca ovina, Festuca rubra, Nardus stricta, Dryopteris dilatata, Phegopteris connectilis

W22 — Hedgerow scrub, Mixed scrub

Prunus spinosa-Rubus fruticosus scrub

Matches 2 species from the description above: Filipendula ulmaria, Lonicera periclymenum

Hedera helix, Acer campestre, Corylus avellana, Ulex europaeus, Prunus spinosa, Plagiomnium undulatum, Brachythecium rutabulum, Eurhynchium striatum, Kindbergia praelonga, Thuidium tamariscinum, Atrichum undulatum, Lophocolea bidentata, Achillea millefolium, Cardamine flexuosa, Lonicera periclymenum, Moehringia trinervia, Silene dioica, Silene uniflora, Stellaria media agg., Mercurialis perennis, Geranium robertianum, Stachys sylvatica, Teucrium scorodonia, Hyacinthoides non-scripta, Oxalis acetosella, Digitalis purpurea, Plantago lanceolata, Veronica chamaedrys, Armeria maritima, Rumex acetosa, Filipendula ulmaria, Geum urbanum, Rosa canina, Rubus fruticosus agg., Rubus idaeus, Galium aparine, Urtica dioica, Viola riviniana, Agrostis capillaris, Brachypodium sylvaticum, Dactylis glomerata, Festuca rubra, Holcus lanatus, Holcus mollis, Poa trivialis, Asplenium scolopendrium, Pteridium aquilinum, Dryopteris borreri, Dryopteris filix-mas

W21 — Hedgerow scrub, Mixed scrub

Crataegus monogyna-Hedera helix scrub

Matches 1 species from the description above: Lonicera periclymenum

Hedera helix, Salix cinerea, Acer pseudoplatanus, Ilex aquifolium, Betula pendula, Corylus avellana, Fagus sylvatica, Quercus robur, Fraxinus excelsior, Malus sylvestris, Sorbus aria, Taxus baccata, Ulmus glabra, Ulmus procera, Sambucus nigra, Viburnum lantana, Euonymus europaeus, Cornus sanguinea, Juniperus communis, Ligustrum vulgare, Clematis vitalba, Rhamnus cathartica, Crataegus laevigata, Crataegus monogyna, Prunus spinosa, Juncus effusus, Plagiomnium undulatum, Brachythecium rutabulum, Kindbergia praelonga, Rhynchostegium confertum, Tamus communis, Heracleum sphondylium, Torilis japonica, Arum maculatum, Arctium minus, Cirsium arvense, Lonicera periclymenum, Moehringia trinervia, Silene dioica, Stellaria graminea, Stellaria holostea, Stellaria media agg., Calystegia sepium, Mercurialis perennis, Geranium robertianum, Iris foetidissima, Glechoma hederacea, Lamium purpureum, Origanum vulgare, Stachys sylvatica, Teucrium scorodonia, Allium ursinum, Hyacinthoides non-scripta, Circaea lutetiana, Rumex sanguineus, Anemone nemorosa, Ranunculus repens, Fragaria vesca, Geum urbanum, Potentilla sterilis, Poterium sanguisorba, Rosa arvensis, Rosa canina, Rubia peregrina, Rubus fruticosus agg., Galium aparine, Urtica dioica, Viola riviniana, Anisantha sterilis, Arrhenatherum elatius, Brachypodium pinnatum, Brachypodium sylvaticum, Bromopsis erecta, Dactylis glomerata, Elytrigia repens, Holcus lanatus, Holcus mollis, Poa trivialis, Asplenium scolopendrium, Pteridium aquilinum, Dryopteris filix-mas