Would you like to be part of the stewardship of the land on the Knoydart peninsula? Then our Land Works Programme may be for you.
In collaboration with Knoydart Forest Trust, the Knoydart Foundation Ranger Service invite you to join us for a long weekend of conservation based activities from native tree planting to invasive species eradication.
Leave a lasting legacy by helping to nurture our unique habitat back to a thriving, biodiverse rainforest.
You will be part of a small group of up to 8 volunteers in bunkhouse accommodation with breakfast and dinner provided.
Make friends. Give something back to nature. Have fun.
Friday 17th – Monday 20th July
Outline for the weekend
| Morning 9-12 | Afternoon 1-5 | Evening | |
| Friday | Arrive and make your way to the bunkhouse (if you can manage to walk past the pub). | 7.30pm Meet in the bunkhouse kitchen for dinner and a welcome talk | |
| Saturday | Ranger guided walk through Inverie and Millburn Woods to the tree nursery where we will wrap trees ready for planting. | Drive to planting site for native tree planting. | 7.00pm dinner Optional sauna Optional pub |
| Sunday | Drive to weeding site and cut bracken to young free trees. | Rhododendron bash over Sgurr Coire Choinnachan | 5pm early dinner in the pub (food included in cost) 6pm Departure for some |
| Monday | Depart (or not?!) |
Getting here
Train or bus travel to Mallaig is regular and spectacular. It’s worth checking that your train matches up with a Western Isles Cruises crossing to Inverie although most of their services leave Mallaig harbour 15 minutes after the train gets it. This is plenty of time to walk from the train station to the jetty.
Your crossing to and from Inverie with Western Isles Cruises should be pre booked online. We won’t kick off the Friday night welcome until the last boat has arrived (6pm from Mallaig) and everyone is assembled at the bunkhouse, so around 7.30pm. Dinner will be waiting for you.
We encourage you to use public transport to get to Inverie. Parking in Mallaig can be difficult at this time of year. If you do drive to Mallaig, parking is either in the main carpark on your left as you enter the village or anywhere on the sea front as you follow the road through the town and round the bay. There are parking notices in the car park that ask you to pay for parking and ones that tell you not park in the bay for long. These are not enforced. Yet!
Of course, you could always walk in 😉
If you arrive before 5pm do drop in and introduce yourselves to us at the Ranger Station situated next to the pub.
Things to bring
We strongly recommend you bring;
- warm layers
- full arm and leg coverings
- work or gardening gloves
- sturdy boots
- full waterproofs
- a midge net / midge suit
- A flask for coffee or tea if you are caffeine dependent
This is summer but it’s also the west coast of Scotland!
If you could also bring a small day pack with you this will help during our days on the hill. You might also want to remember some snacks, lunch supplies and toiletries. Please remember any medication you are on and let us know in advance if you have any medical or dietary requirements using the form attached.
Accommodation
You will be staying at the Knoydart Foundation Bunkhouse at the east end of the village, about a miles walk from the pier. Accommodation is in shared dorms with a communal kitchen, bathroom and comfortable lounge.
The bunkhouse provides all bedding and there are towels to hire if you don’t want to bring your own.
Food
Breakfast will be provided but will be a help-yourself affair.
Lunch supplies can be brought in or bought in the village shop.
Dinner will be prepared by us on Friday and Saturday nights with Sunday nights dinner served in the pub (included in the cost)
Facilities in Inverie
Inverie has a pub, small shop, cafe (open 9-3 Monday – Friday) and post office. The shop is open from 10-6 every day of the week and sells all the basics as well as local venison and locally roasted coffee. We also have a sauna that can be pre-booked here if you are keen. We recommend Saturday before dinner around 6pm for sauna action or Friday afternoon if you’re coming on an early boat.
