Pass of Killiecrankie

Also within

Perth and Kinross County Cairngorms National Park Loch Tummel Scenic Area

Condition (NatureScot)

Habitats

Ancient woodland, Fast flowing river and stream

Geology & landscape

Geological Feature: Gorge / Ravine

Landscape processes: Fluvial

Birds & fish recorded

Birds

Description

Pass of Killiecrankie The Pass of Killiecrankie is located 4 km north west of Pitlochry in the valley of the River Garry. It is a spectacular gorge with one of the largest areas of oak-dominated woodland in east Perth & Kinross which is also important for its invertebrate interest particularly its flies. Sessile oak is dominant in the canopy and other species include ash, wych elm, hazel, alder and birch. As is typical of ancient woodland on lime-rich soils, the flora of the Pass of Killiecrankie is diverse. The ground flora varies according to soil type from a blaeberry Vaccinium myrtillus and grass community on poorer soils to a more species-rich community including species like dog’s mercury Mercurialis perennis and ramsons Allium ursinum on richer soil. More unusual species occur chiefly on these richer soils, including wood vetch Vicia sylvatica and lily of the valley Convallaria majalis. The bryophyte flora of the woodland and gorge is also rich with a variety of sub-oceanic and basicolous (growing on lime-rich habitats) mosses and liverworts. The varied habitats in the gorge are also reflected in a rich fauna, in particular a number of nationally rare fly species including the fungus gnats Boletina silvatica and Ectrepesthoneura colyeri, the exceptionally rare cranefly Tipula laetabilis, the rare Scottish cranefly Molophilus czizeki and the flower fly Botanophila rupicapra. Although not a notified natural feature of the site, the woodland bird fauna is a very rich example of upland oak woods with a wide variety of species such as breeding pied flycatcher, redstart and wood warbler.

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