Walk down Glen Banks and Kerelaw Glen
Posted: Tue Oct 31, 2017 7:56 pm
This walk represents a failed attempt to capture the autumn leaves when they were at the peak of their colourfulness: I evidently mistimed my visit, because most of the leaves had been blown off the trees by the time I took my walk! Nonetheless, I thought I’d post some photos.
I waked down the two most attractive stretches of glen that line Stevenston Burn and its tributaries. I started at Glen Banks, then left Stevenston Burn to re-join it at Kerelaw Glen (to follow it all the way to Kerelaw Glen would involve crawling under the bypass).
The Glen Burn runs through Glen Banks, before it joins with Stevenston Burn near where Corsankell Farm stood. It’s muddy and steep-sided, making it a bit of treacherous walk. In fact, ‘scramble’ is a more appropriate word than ‘walk’. But its seclusion and wildness make it an interesting place to visit.
The woodland is unmanaged, so there’s plenty of deadwood, an extremely important microhabitat for woodland wildlife. This is the view downstream: a bunch of trees collapsed into the burn.
Some Candlesnuff fungus growing on deadwood.
Ivy catching the sunlight in the dark interior of the glen.
The most significant waterfall associated with Stevenston Burn and its tributaries is this one in Glen Banks. It’s not awe-inspiring in its grandeur, but it’s still a pleasant feature to spend a few minutes observing.
The south slope of the glen (on the left-hand side in this photo) is very steep and in places is an impressive river cliff.
A river cliff to the right covered in mosses and ferns.
Interesting patterns of an autumn leaf. I’m not sure what caused them.
Lichen growing among the berries on one of the many Hawthorn trees in the wood.
Glen Burn crossing a farm track.
Stevenston Burn shortly after it’s joined by Glen Burn.
Kerelaw Glen lies a few hundred metres downstream from Glen Banks. It has many more mature tree specimens than Glen banks, including this old Beech.
And Kerelaw is also great for deadwood and the rare insects that are associated with it.
The numerous Ivy-covered trees are also great for wildlife. In October, Ivy is the most important nectar source for insects and in summer it makes great nesting sites for birds and roosting sites for bats.
Some photos of the burn as it passes near Kerelaw Castle.
A photo of the wooded glen from the former Kerelaw School grounds/former Kerelaw estate. These overgrown grounds are now haven for wildlife.
Livestock in the adjacent field. When you meet horses that are better dressed than you are, you know that something’s gone wrong in your life!
I waked down the two most attractive stretches of glen that line Stevenston Burn and its tributaries. I started at Glen Banks, then left Stevenston Burn to re-join it at Kerelaw Glen (to follow it all the way to Kerelaw Glen would involve crawling under the bypass).
The Glen Burn runs through Glen Banks, before it joins with Stevenston Burn near where Corsankell Farm stood. It’s muddy and steep-sided, making it a bit of treacherous walk. In fact, ‘scramble’ is a more appropriate word than ‘walk’. But its seclusion and wildness make it an interesting place to visit.
The woodland is unmanaged, so there’s plenty of deadwood, an extremely important microhabitat for woodland wildlife. This is the view downstream: a bunch of trees collapsed into the burn.
Some Candlesnuff fungus growing on deadwood.
Ivy catching the sunlight in the dark interior of the glen.
The most significant waterfall associated with Stevenston Burn and its tributaries is this one in Glen Banks. It’s not awe-inspiring in its grandeur, but it’s still a pleasant feature to spend a few minutes observing.
The south slope of the glen (on the left-hand side in this photo) is very steep and in places is an impressive river cliff.
A river cliff to the right covered in mosses and ferns.
Interesting patterns of an autumn leaf. I’m not sure what caused them.
Lichen growing among the berries on one of the many Hawthorn trees in the wood.
Glen Burn crossing a farm track.
Stevenston Burn shortly after it’s joined by Glen Burn.
Kerelaw Glen lies a few hundred metres downstream from Glen Banks. It has many more mature tree specimens than Glen banks, including this old Beech.
And Kerelaw is also great for deadwood and the rare insects that are associated with it.
The numerous Ivy-covered trees are also great for wildlife. In October, Ivy is the most important nectar source for insects and in summer it makes great nesting sites for birds and roosting sites for bats.
Some photos of the burn as it passes near Kerelaw Castle.
A photo of the wooded glen from the former Kerelaw School grounds/former Kerelaw estate. These overgrown grounds are now haven for wildlife.
Livestock in the adjacent field. When you meet horses that are better dressed than you are, you know that something’s gone wrong in your life!
