People Counter installed at Clach Bhadach path entrance to Cormonachan Community Woodlands, Loch Goil

The Clach Bhadach path entrance from the Lochgoilhead to Carrick Castle road entrance.
(This route was the original drove road between the two villages before the road was built.)

We are pleased to announce that Cormonachan Community Woodlands has gratefully received a grant of £2,076 to have a People Counter installed at the Clach Bhadach path entrance to the woodlands.

We already have a People Counter at the car park entrance that recorded 9,945 people visiting the woodlands through that entrance in 2021.  We do not yet know how many visitors use this other entrance although we do know it is used frequently.

This project is supported by the Rural Communities Ideas into Action fund, supported by the Scottish Government and delivered by Inspiring Scotland to encourage and support innovative approaches to community-led local development in rural communities across Scotland.

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RESOLUTIONS for 2022

RESOLUTIONS for 2022

 

1) If you are not already of member of Cormonachan Community Woodlands Ltd, please support your Loch Goil Community Woodlands in 2022.
https://www.cormonachan-woodlands.co.uk/admin/wp-content/uploads/2021/05/CCW-Membership-Application-Form.pdf

 

2) Please try and volunteer to help maintain our woodlands in 2022 – with 63.9 ha (158 acres) of ancient woodlands to maintain, we need your help.

 

3) You can also help support the woodlands when you buy on the Internet – go to https://www.easyfundraising.org.uk/causes/cormonachancw/?invite=1KQ390&referral-campaign=c2s
They have 4700+ retailers to choose from and so far they’ve’ raised over £35 million for thousands of community groups, schools, sports clubs and charities across the UK.

 

4) Your can also support the woodlands through https://www.argyllcommunitylottery.co.uk/support/cormonachan-community-woodlands-ltd
These lottery tickets are only £1 each and 50 pence goes straight to our charity and you can win up to £25,000.

 

5) If walking around Cormonachan Woodlands and you feel like giving us a donation anonymously, please use the Donations Post by the Contemplation Shelter…

 

6) And finally, a few coins in the Collection Box in the Red Squirrel Hide helps us pay to feed them – they eat £155 of nuts annually!

 

To learn more about Cormonachan Community Woodlands, visit our website – https://www.cormonachan-woodlands.co.uk

 

We are also on Facebook – https://facebook.com/cormonachan – To contact the Secretary, call 01301 703098.

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Indigenous people from the Amazon Rainforest perform a sacred blessing ritual to a Scottish rainforest, Cormonachan Community Woodlands in Argyll, Scotland. The group from Association Jiboiana are in Scotland to attend COP26 in Glasgow but made the special visit to the woodlands.

07/11/2021 Picture Duncan McGlynn +447771370263. ©Duncan McGlynn 

Stunning photo of Association Jiboiana, the indigenous delegates from the Amazon Rainforest attending COP26 in Glasgow during the blessing and planting of an oak tree in Cormonachan Community Woodlands Scottish Rainforest on Sunday 7th November 2021, with photo taken by Duncan McGlynn for the Alliance of Scottish Rainforests.

Other photos of Association Jiboiana have appeared on the front pages of the Herald, the Guardian, the Independent & the Scotsman on Monday 8th November 2021 and online in the Brisbane Times (Australia) and Dunoon Observer with an article on Friday 12th November 2021.

Thank you to Raleigh International who have passed on this information and for the work of their 14 volunteers who volunteered in Cormonachan Woodlands for a whole week maintaining the woodlands and planting trees.

The next volunteers days for locals in Loch Goil planting 200 native trees will be on 26th & 27th November from 10 am each day. If you can help please e-mail Volunteers@cormonachan-woodlands.co.uk to register before the events days please – Thank you!

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Look out for an Invitation to meet the delegation of indigenous people from the Amazon attending COP26 in Glasgow

A big event by invitation only is taking place in Loch Goil on Sunday 7th November 2021 when the delegation of indigenous people from the Amazon attend COP26 in Glasgow and will be visiting Cormonachan Community Woodland’s Scottish Rain Forest. There will be a guided walk for them around the woodlands followed by them blessing the woodlands and planting an oak tree to commemorate their visit with a plaque.

There will then be an event at the Lochgoilhead Village Hall where an invited audience of up to 130 people will meet the delegation of indigenous people from the Amazon for speeches and questions & answers. The whole event is being organised by the Alliance of Scottish Rain Forests, Woodlands Trust and Raleigh International with the press invited. Cormonachan Community Woodlands will have limited numbers of invitations to offer members of its woodlands organisation. ‘The Woodlands Art Trail – 2021’ has been extended from 30th October to cover this event until the 8th November 2021.

Douglas Locke, Secretary, Cormonachan Community Woodlands Ltd, Scottish Charity SC050840.

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Deliver permanent solution to the Rest and Be Thankful by 2024

Please sign the Petition by 31st October 2021 – Thank you!

The Rest and Be Thankful Campaign

Calling on the Scottish Parliament to urge the Scottish Government to recognize the crisis at the Rest and Be Thankful as an emergency due to the economic and environmental impacts, and high risk of 100k of debris ready to fall which is a risk to life. Deliver a robust 2-way temporary alternative to the A83 by 2022 – the current mitigation works of planting trees and digging pits does not stop landslides or stop the road from being closed every time it rains. Stop wasting time on lengthy consultation and deliver a permanent solution by 2023.

Previous action taken

The ‘Crisis at The Rest’ Campaign Group has engaged with local councillors and MSPs to raise valuable support. This lead to a meeting with Transport Scotland and the Minister for Transport, Graeme Dey, who will not alter their current plans to continue closing when it rains, without a suitable temporary solution, and will not rethink the lengthy project to decide on a permanent solution.

Background information

The A83 from Tarbet to the Rest and Be Thankful provides essential road access to and from Argyll. Landslides and subsequent road closures are not a new problem here. Ten years ago the Scottish Government set out option for a permanent solution, yet since then over £80million of taxpayers money has been wasted on temporary mitigation.

The road is used by 1.3 million vehicles annually yet was closed for 200 days last year, creating an unnecessary barrier to our region.

Furthermore, we know that 100,000 tonnes of debris is ready to fall. This is a risk to life and should therefore be treated as an emergency and addressed with the urgency that it deserves, yet Transport Scotland are now proposing a further 10 years to deliver a permanent solution.

 

Thanks to your support this petition has a chance at winning! We only need more signatures to reach the next goal – can you help?

Take the next step!

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Our recommended way to see the sculptures and artworks in Cormonachan Community Woodlands

‘The Woodlands Art Trail – 2021’
in association with
Argyll Arts Collective

2nd to 30th October 2021

Our recommended way to see the sculptures and artworks in Cormonachan Community Woodlands

From the car park, turn right at the gate and proceed along the ‘Squirrel Trail’ and the blue route and you will see the first sculpture about 100 metres on the right:-

1) ‘Shrine to the Lost Souls’ by Guy Elder

2) ‘Bird in the Sky’ by Liz Evans
(best seen from in front of the Red Squirrel Hide)

Temporarily turn left at the junction and after visiting the Red Squirrel Hide walk up to the fire pit area to see 3) and 4) before returning to the bottom path again.

3) Hanging Logs by Lewis McKay

4) 10 x Copper hanging Artworks in the trees by Derek Prescott

If you do not wish to take the full circular 2.5 km walk that takes about one hour you will miss out nine sculptures and artworks by taking the path up the hill at this point on the half hour walk just around the Squirrel Trail.

Proceeding along the lower path you turn left at the next junction up the hill, however look out on the left side about 100 metres back from the junction for a giant ancient pollarded oak tree set back from the path that is 5.4 metres in circumference, the oldest oak in the woodlands probably around 400 years old (position NS19715 BNG 98300). Now walk up the hill to the top way marker post where you turn right to see a big sculpture next to a Rowan Tree and bench.

5) Multi-Pole Sculpture with Red Squirrels created by Team Vicente in 24 hours from cutting down the timber to creating the 3.5 m high sculpture.

Return to the path and head south up the hill on the blue route. 100 metres along it you will have reached the highest point on the path. You now walk through a Sitka spruce and Larch forest area until you come to the six ‘Little People’ sculptures resting against the trees.

6) 6 x ‘Little People’ Sculptures painted by Lochgoilhead Primary School Children

7) Have-A-Go Flat Stones – Build your own stone towers
(Note: these stones get moved around a lot and may well have been moved into the Labyrinth – you can move them back…!)

8) The Labyrinth by Margaret Ker – walk around it and notice the bat in the tree…

Continue straight ahead at the next junction where you will see the next sculptures.

9) Ceramic Sculpture on tree by Moira Ferguson (on left)

10) Interactive Sculpture by Liz Evans

11) Glass Sculptures by Elaine Broadbent (on right of path under a tree)

12) Ceramic Sculpture on tree by Moira Ferguson (on left)

13) Ceramic Sculpture on tree by Moira Ferguson (on left)

At the Totem Pole with bunting look out for:-

14) Zilaphone by Team Linzi

Due to recent weather conditions, we may not have been able to erect two musical art works, ‘Drum Kit’ and ‘Plinky Plonk’ by Team Linzi, but will do when conditions permit on the opposite right side of the path by the totem pole.

15) Cormonachan Woodlands Photograph Frame by Team Linzi
Have your photos taken with the wonderful view of Loch Goil behind you…

16) Visit the Contemplation Shelter and read the biographies of the artists exhibiting their sculptures and artworks.
(Some of the art will be for sale after the event. Do leave your comments in the book.)

17) Ceramic Plant Holder and Pedestal by Moira Ferguson
This is half way down the path on the way back to the car park and is the last artwork exhibited on the circular route.

IMPORTANT INFORMATION
Please park prettily up to the logs on the ground allowing for others to park as well; the paths may well be slippery due the rain, so take care particularly when walking up and down the hilly areas, this is a Scottish Rain Forest and ‘Leave No Trace’ of your visit, except comments! We hope you enjoy your visit.
For more information on the paths visit https://www.cormonachan-woodlands.co.uk/woodlands-paths/

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Argyll Community Lottery Results for Saturday 26th June 2021

Draw results

at 26 Jun 2021
6 7 5 1 8 1

Matching numbers: You must match the first or last 2 to 6 numbers in a row to win!

Draw winners

Top prize 🏆
Hebridean Whale & Dolphin Trust
Ms M (DUNOON) supporting Hebridean Whale & Dolphin Trust matched 3 numbers and won £25.00
Top prize 🏆
Dochas Carers Centre
Mr M (INVERARAY) supporting Dochas Carers Centre matched 3 numbers and won £25.00
Top prize 🏆
Cormonachan Community Woodlands Ltd
Mr H (GLASGOW) supporting Cormonachan Community Woodlands Ltd matched 3 numbers and won £25.00
Top prize 🏆
Thank you Mr H for donating your winnings to Cormonachan Community Woodlands
West of Scotland Military Wives Choir
Mr D (DUMBARTON) supporting West of Scotland Military Wives Choir matched 3 numbers and won £25.00
Second prize
Crossroads Caring for Carers Cowal & Bute SCIO
Ms H (DUNOON) supporting Crossroads Caring for Carers Cowal & Bute SCIO matched 2 numbers and won 3 extra tickets
Second prize
Dunoon Burgh Hall Trust
Ms S (DUNOON) supporting Dunoon Burgh Hall Trust matched 2 numbers and won 3 extra tickets
Second prize
Friends of Hermitage Park Association
Ms B (HELENSBURGH) supporting Friends of Hermitage Park Association matched 2 numbers and won 3 extra tickets
Second prize
Garelochhead Station Trust
Mr M (HELENSBURGH) supporting Garelochhead Station Trust matched 2 numbers and won 3 extra tickets
Second prize
Helensburgh and District Twinning Association
Ms B (HELENSBURGH) supporting Helensburgh and District Twinning Association matched 2 numbers and won 3 extra tickets
Second prize
Helensburgh and District Twinning Association
Ms M (HELENSBURGH) supporting Helensburgh and District Twinning Association matched 2 numbers and won 3 extra tickets
Second prize
Isle of Kerrera Development Trust
Ms S (OBAN) supporting Isle of Kerrera Development Trust matched 2 numbers and won 3 extra tickets
Second prize
Mactaggart Community Cyber Cafe
Ms J (ISLE OF ISLAY) supporting Mactaggart Community Cyber Cafe matched 2 numbers and won 3 extra tickets
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A ”Thank You”…!

We would very much like to thank (KD – can’t add his name in full as we don’t have his permission) for sending the Cormonachan Community Woodlands Ltd a cheque for £150.00 ”in appreciation and thanks for the wonderful facility you are developing – enchanting.”

We would very much have liked to thank him by letter or e-mail but we have no contact details to do so, so if you know KD please thank him for us.

We have now raised £17,437.24 locally for the Cormonachan Community Woodlands Heritage and Paths Project more than the 5% minimum required by the National Lottery Heritage Fund.

We have been able to apply for about 50% of the total construction costs of £253,146.66 from the Scottish Government’s Agri-Environmental Climate Scheme for Improving Public Access so hopefully the Lottery Heritage will now fund the balance.

Douglas Locke, Secretary,
Cormonachan Community Woodlands Ltd
Charity Number SC050840

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Volunteers Days of Friday 28th & Saturday 29th May plus Friday 4th June 2021

Friday 28th May 2021 10 am to 4 pm
Team 1: Team Leader & First Aider: Frances Walker
Tasks: To roll the cut up logs off the new path route from the Contemplation Shelter heading south and clear the brash from where the logs were and stack ready for burning at a later date.
Clearing growth from around the newly planted trees and removing self-seeded Sitka spruce around the woodlands. We have already reached the second burn.
Team 2: Team Leader & First Aider: Douglas Locke
Tasks: Organise strimming of the paths and then prepare the Red Squirrel Hide, Shed and Contemplation Shelter ready for painting and if warm enough and dry commence painting. (If unsuitable weather it will be cleaning the picnic tables and benches).
Saturday 29th May 2021 10 am to 2 pm
Team 1: Team Leader & First Aider: Douglas Locke
Tasks: Organise strimming of the paths and then continue at the Red Squirrel Hide, Shed and Contemplation Shelter preparing for painting and if warm enough and dry commence or continue painting. (If unsuitable weather it will be cleaning the picnic tables and benches).

Friday 4th June 2021 10 am to 2 pm (National Volunteering Week)
Team 1: Team Leader & First Aider: Frances Walker
Work to do includes erecting the lectern and interpretation board at the Medieval Settlement and clear away the already cut down logs from the site. Access will be from the Forest Road above the Settlement.
Please contact Frances if you can help on one or more of these days please – Volunteers@cormonachan-woodlands.co.uk
We do hope that you can help us?
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