Ariundle Oakwood
Ariundle, Gaelic Airigh Fhionndail, or "the shieling of the white meadow" (OS grid reference NM8464) is a part of the ancient Sunart Oakwood and is situated between the village of Strontian and the former lead mine sites. It contains remains from earlier settlements in the Strontian area, including charcoal platforms, pony tracks, enclosure dykes, potato runrigs, and old coppice trees. The wood is a remnant of ancient oakwood that once spanned the Atlantic coasts of Europe from Norway to Portugal. It is a temperate rainforest.
From 1752, the wood was a source of charcoal for the Bonawe iron furnace on Loch Etive and locally in the lead mining industry. Managing the woodland brought about a thousand workers to the area. Lead mining fell off in the early 19th Century and the Bonawe Furnace closed in 1876. After this the woods were no longer needed to supply fuel, but were used as a sheltered area for livestock. In 1961, Ariundle Wood was designated a Nature Reserve.
The main path through the nature reserve is the start of the most accessible route to Sgùrr Dhòmhnuill, a Corbett and the 17th highest relative peak in Britain.
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