KINGSBURGH FOREST
A community-owned woodland in the Isle of Skye.
WALK, RELAX & EXPLORE
A COMMUNITY-OWNED FOREST
Kingsburgh Forest is a 178-hectare community-owned forestry that has two plantations, Glenhinnisdal and Glenuachdarach.
The forest consists of birch, oak, willow, spruce and alder trees and is home to wildlife such as eagles and red deer as well as lots of wild plants.
DOG- FRIENDLY TRAILS
Fully fenced and no livestock – a perfect place to walk your dogs.
STUNNING LANDSCAPE
The landscape of Skye is unbeatable at any time of year
REGULAR EVENTS
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OUR PAST
Kingsburgh forest was planted in the mid-1960s on land previously part of Kingsburgh Common Grazings. The Scottish government (the landlord) and the Forestry Commission had deemed it of strategic value to create a commercial woodland stocked with mainly Sitka spruce and Lodgepole pine.
There was an additional planting in 1977 following a fire. However, there had been no subsequent maintenance or access improvements. It is not known if there was significant consultation with Kingsburgh Common Grazings. The trees, of course, just grew and matured.
In 2002, Kingsburgh Common Grazings, led by the local vet, the late Neal Stephenson, got wind of a Forestry Commission plan to sell the woodland by putting it on the open market.
OUR PRESENT
The original forest trees have now been harvested, apart from a section in the far end housing the local White Tailed Eagles.
Income from harvesting has allowed new deer fencing and replanting, which has been carried out in stages so as the trees don't all mature at the one time.
Income is also used to enable maintenance of the road and the paths. Pedestrian gates through to some forest sections have been introduced, for easier access.
The forest is well used recreationally by both locals and visitors and Kingsburgh crofters have enhanced access to their common grazings.