Corrie Fee
Lying within the Angus Glens is Corrie Fee, gaelic for Corrie of
the Deer, an outstanding area of natural beauty, a National Nature
Reserve, an SSSi (site of special scientific interest), lying
within Caenlochan SSSi, a Special Area of Conservation (for it's
special habitats) and a Special Protection Area (for golden eagle,
dotterel etc) and a remarkable geological feature. It is also a
part of the Cairngorms National Park.
Corrie
Corrie, or coire, is Gaelic for kettle, and it is a very good
description of the amphi-theatre like valley head, formed at the
top of a glacial, or U-shaped valley. The open part of the
amphi-theatre faces down the valley, with the seating part of the
amphi-theatre usually being composed of steep sloped rocky faces.
In the centre of the corrie a small lochan may form. This forms
against a dam of debris (till) or a bedrock threshold. The highest
part of the steep side is referred to as the Headwall The rock has
been worn into its characteristic shape through a process known as
“nivation” where freeze-thaw cycles cause erosion on a
slope to form a hollow. When 2 corries form close to each other,
they can leave a very thin knife-edge ridge between them, known as
an arête, or when 3 form together a Pyramidal peak may form. The
Matterhorn is a good example of this. These amphitheatres last held
glaciers some 9000-12,000 years ago, as the ice receded during the
end of the last ice age, but these corries may have seen many
glaciers over the last 2.4 million years. The last ice age saw the
formation of a massive ice sheet known as the Loch Lomond Stadial.
These glaciers advanced across Scotland, easterly, and indeed a
Geologist, Godard noted that 71% of Scotland’s glaciers
pointed north and east. This advance ice sheet lead to the
formation of smaller peri-glaciers and the corries in the Angus
Glens are good examples of these. The debris left behind is known
as “moraine” and this is in evidence in the flat plains
of the Strathmore Valley.
Flora and Fauna
Corrie Fee and its area have been designated a National Nature
Reserve as it is home to some of the rarest plant species in
Europe, being famed for the most extensive stand of Montane Willow
Scrub and also its other rare Arctic-Alpine plants that grow on its
cliffs. Many of the plants are so rare they only grow in a handful
of locations. These include rare mosses, rushes, ferns, shrubs and
a host of scarce flowers. Many of the plants have survived here
since the last ice age and evidence of this lies in the sediments
in the base of the corrie. The plants are in very close contact
with the rock, but thanks to a rich band of “hornblende
schist” which is rich in minerals that plants require for
growth. Yellow oxytropis is a an example of a very rare plant. The
flora of Corrie fee was first described botanist, George Don of
Forfar, in 1813 Corrie Fee is also home to Mountain Hares, which
change their coat depending on the season, white in the winter and
blue grey in the summer. This protects them from the local Golden
Eagles. Although it is named after the deer, Corrie Fee’s
deer numbers are being reduced to help protect the rare, and
delicious as far as the deer are concerned, plant species. You will
have noticed the large deer fence as you enter corrie from the
forest. Water voles also populate the wetter parts of the corries.
They were wiped out in 2003 by marauding mink, but as the mink were
controlled, there are signs that the voles are returning.
Pollen
A core taken from a small in-filled lochan has a fascinating
pollen record dating back for over 9,500 years. From this pollen
record we can see that the site promoted a diverse vegetation
cover, with the valleys supporting a mixed birch-hazel woodland
with occasional elm, oak and ash. Above the tree line, at
approximately 600-700m, shrubs and arctic plants would have
predominated, also with a large coverage of juniper. With the
passage of time, the core shows the changes as the climate and
terrained changed, into the flora and fauna we see now.
Logging this Cache
To log this cache, firstly put a picture of yourself or your GPS
in Corrie Fee into the Gallery. It looks amazing at all times of
the Year, but especially in the winter.
Then e-mail me the answers to the following questions.
1. Large boulders litter the floor of the corrie. What are large
remnant glacial boulders properly called? There is one as you leave
the forest and enter the Coire, estimate its width at the widest
point.
2. The word Corrie, or Coire is Gaelic. Can you give 2 further
examples of the word from other Languages?
3. What are the main plant-boosting chemical components of
horneblende schist?
4. Estimate the height of the headwall, corrie floor to top, where
the Fee Burn tumbles down?
Corrie Fee National Nature Reserve is located at the head of
Glen Clova in the north of Angus. Follow the B955, 25 km north of
Kirriemuir. From the Forestry Commission Scotland car park take
‘Jock’s Road’ and then follow the Fee Burn, up
through Glen Doll forest for a distance of 3.5km, to the stunning
view at the entrance of the NNR.
Please respect the area, as it is sensitive, but most of all
enjoy it. Good Luck
Click here
to for access to a fabulous leaflet all about Coire Fee.
Click here for more
information about Scottish Natural Heritage.
Click here for
more information about Scotland's National Nature Reserves.
Click here for more
information about the Cairngorm's National Park Authority.
Many thanks to Shona Hill (South Operations Area Officer, Angus)
for her help in setting up this Earthcache.