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Whitehill Colliery Woodland

Whitehill Colliery Woodland lies off the minor road between the A70 east of Ochiltree and the B7046 Skares

Grid Reference: NS 529 183       Streetmap.co.uk

Parking: Limited Parking by the access gate at present

Access: Formal access throughout the site with surfaced footpaths. Some slopes may prove difficult for unaccompanied wheelchair users.

Description: Whitehill Colliery Woodland has a history of deep mining, with an operational deep mine colliery until 1965. At the time of Nationisation in 1947, it had an output of 104,000 tonnes of coal per year, with a manpower of 394 and was serviced by rail with loco 42739 running between Dykes Junction and the colliery. Skares brick works was also situated at Whitehill.

Reclamation: Almost 80% of the site was covered by a 'moonscape' of colliery spoil following attempts to wash the bing to recover coal. As a consequence, the ground was dominated by heavily compacted blaes and shale material with virtually no organic matter content. Whilst the pH of the material was within the range acceptable for tree growth there was virtually no available nitrogen and phosphorous.

Initial site clearance began in August 2000. Re-modelling and remediation of the barren bing was undertaken through 2001 and 2002 and the access network installed by the end of 2002.

Woodland planting took place over two phases, in the spring of 2003 and 2004.

As Whitehill Colliery Woodland establishes and matures, further opportunities will arise to enhance and diversify the area for visitors and wildlife.

Spring and summer sees the influx of migrant bird species such as blackcap, willow warbler and sedge warbler with their rich and varied sounds while reed bunting can be heard around the wetland areas. The more mature woodland is home to resident finch, tit and thrush species while skylark, meadow pipit, buzzard and kestrel can be found in the more open areas.

The open areas and woodland are at their most vibrant during the spring and summer, with the glowing colour of red campion, cranesbills, bluebells, dog violet and wood avens, together with the sweet scent of wild honeysuckle.

Dragonflies and damselflies provide shimmering flashes of colour around the wetlands in summer, which are home to a range of invertebrate species.

Autumn brings the rich tapestry of yellows, red and oranges as the trees change colour. The colder onths bring the sounds of migrant fieldfare and redwing, descending on berry bearing shrubs and trees and flocks of passing crossbill noisily feeding in the woodland canopy.

Selected Bird Species:

Reed Bunting (Emberiza schoeniclus)
Sedge Warbler (Acrocephalus schoenobaenus)
Common Whitethroat (Sylvia communis)
Willow warbler (Phylloscopus trochilus)
Blackcap (Sylvia atricapilla)
Blackbird (Turdus merula)
Song Thrush (Turdus philomelos)
Treecreeper (Certhia familiaris)
Wren (Troglodytes troglodytes)
Robin (Erithacus rubecula)
Great Spotted Woodpecker (Dendrocopus major)
Buzzard (Buteo buteo)
Common Crossbill (Loxia curvirostra)