Fairy Glen (RSPB reserve)
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| Fairy Glen | |
|---|---|
 Lower waterfall | |
  | |
| Type | Nature reserve |
| Location | Rosemarkie (Higland, Scotland) |
| Coordinates | 57°35′37″N 4°07′29″W / 57.5936960°N 4.1246066°W |
| Operated by | RSPB |
| Designations | |
|---|---|
| Official name | The Fairy Glen |
| Designated | 30 March 2003 |
| Reference no. | GDL00357 |
Fairy Glen is a protected area in the Highland, Scotland.[1]
The reserve protects a belt of semi-natural woodland, with predominating broad-leaved trees, stretching at both sides of the Markie Burn, a stream tributary of the Moray Firth. The valley is narrow and steep-sided, and supports a variety of plants and local birds.[2] The wood management usually operates on non intervention basis, besides removal of invasive species and, when necessary, some tree safety interventions.[1]
Wildlife
Among the birds living in the nature reserve are:
Folklore
The Glen is connected to some ancient costoms. Children of nearby villages used to cast flowers petals in the burn, in order to encourage the fairies to provide fresh water to their hamlets.[3] A peculiar sight in the Fairy Glen are some old logs known as Money trees, bearing hundreds of coins hammered into their wood, traditionally considered gifts to the fairies.[4] Nowadays the management of the nature reserve discourages this habit, because of the pollution[5] produced by metal corrosion and oxidation.
