Trust buys Torridon's Ben Shieldaig and its ancient wood Published duration 21 March 2019

image copyright Steve Carter image caption The hill was bought for £1.6m

A conservation charity has bought a west Highlands hill and its area of ancient Caledonian pinewood and native birchwood.

Ben Shieldaig's pinewood can be traced back to the end of the last ice age.

Woodland Trust Scotland raised £1.6m to purchase the 534m (1,752ft) hill after it was put up for sale by a private landowner.

Ben Shieldaig, near Shieldaig, is one of Scotland's Marilyns, hills with a drop of at least 150m on all sides.

image copyright Steve Carter image caption The hill sits in the Torridon landscape

The trust said the 9,884 acres (4,000ha) involved was among important habitats in the area.

It is now trying to raise more than £3m to help cover management costs.

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