Ferry Wood is a small yet magical remnant of Scotland’s temperate Atlantic rainforest. It surrounds the landing site of the old ferry that once carried coal and other provisions across
from the far side of West Loch Tarbert. Oak is the dominant tree species, but the wood also holds substantial stands of hazel, birch and willow, threaded throughout with holly and rowan. Thanks to the typically high rainfall and humidity of the west coast, the woodland is rich with remarkable lichens, liverworts, mosses and epiphytic ferns. As in much of Scotland’s rainforest, non-native rhododendron has taken hold here, though the wood’s owners have made admirable progress in controlling it.