SRUC Hill & Mountain Research Centre

The Scottish Rural College's (SRUC) Hill & Mountain Research Centre comprises a 2225-ha / 5498-acre upland estate located between Crianlarich and Tyndrum in Stirling Council Area. It is located within Loch Lomond and Trossachs National Park and both the West Highland Railway and the West Highland Way pass through. The estate extends north from Strath Fillan to include Gleann a' Chlachain and the mountain peaks of Beinn Odhar, Beinn Chaorach, Cam Chreag and Ben Challum. Elevation ranges from 170m / 558 feet next to the River Fillan to 1025m / 3362 feet at the summit of Ben Challum. The land ranges from productive grazing in the valley bottom to high-altitude semi-natural habitats of high conservation value. There are 74 ha (183 acres) of improved pasture, 153 ha (378 acres) of semi-improved pasture below the railway line, 1677 ha (4144 acres) of unimproved hill pasture and 307 ha (759 acres) of woodland and scrub. 275 ha (680 acres) of native woodland (480,000 trees) was planted in the late 1990s.

The researchers based here seek to improve hill farming and devise economically, environmentally and socially sustainable land management systems in the context of international, national and local land use policies, with an emphasis on reducing greenhouse gas emissions. Livestock are primarily hill sheep with a small herd of Aberdeen Angus cattle.

Strathfillan Wigwams (a campsite, residential cabins and a small shop) was established as a farm-diversification venture.


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