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Special Areas of Conservation

Craighall Gorge

Designated Special Area of Conservation (SAC)
Country Scotland
Unitary Authority Eastern Scotland
Centroid* NO174483
Latitude 56.61944444
Longitude -3.345833333
SAC EU Code UK0030123
Status Designated Special Area of Conservation (SAC)
Area (ha) 53.65
* This is the approximate central point of the SAC. In the case of large, linear or composite sites, this may not represent the location where a feature occurs within the SAC.
Location of Craighall Gorge SAC

General site character

  • Inland water bodies (Standing water, Running water) (11.4%)
  • Mixed woodland (88.6%)

Download the Standard Data Form for this site (PDF <100kb)

Note When undertaking an appropriate assessment of impacts at a site, all features of European importance (both primary and non-primary) need to be considered.

Annex I habitats that are a primary reason for selection of this site

  • 9180 Tilio-Acerion forests of slopes, screes and ravines  * Priority feature

    With Keltneyburn, Craighall Gorge is one of two sites selected to represent the central-eastern range of Tilio-Acerion forest within Scotland. It is one of a series of wooded gorges in the region cut into Old Red Sandstone. There is a well-developed sub-montane basicolous bryoflora, particularly on the conglomerate cliffs, and a lichen flora which includes old woodland indicator species, and one semi-aquatic species occurring in the River Ericht, ear-lobed dog lichen Peltigera lepidophora, for which this site is the only known British station. On the steep slopes of the gorge there is a considerable amount of ash Fraxinus excelsior with some wych elm Ulmus glabra. The ground flora is extremely species-rich with a large number of higher plants of restricted distribution, including the nationally rare whorled Solomon’s seal Polygonatum verticillatum. The dead-wood resource is outstanding, as there has been little management intervention.

Annex I habitats present as a qualifying feature, but not a primary reason for selection of this site

  • Not Applicable

Annex II species that are a primary reason for selection of this site

  • Not Applicable

Annex II species present as a qualifying feature, but not a primary reason for site selection

  • Not Applicable

Many designated sites are on private land: the listing of a site in these pages does not imply any right of public access.