Dunans Heritage Project

The charitable trust has just heard that the Douglas Fir planted in 1849 by Archie Fletcher is now officially the tallest tree in the UK at 63.79 metres! Rechristened recently by the owner of the ground it stands on as the Stronardron Douglas Fir, the title tree has long been thought to be a contender for the title of the tallest tree in the UK, but this is the first time it has been accurately measured.

The tree, which is best viewed from Dunans Castle across the Chaol Ghleann gorge, was climbed by a team of five arborealists from Sparsholt College on the 19th of February. On subsequent days the team measured trees at Dunkeld, Blair Castle and Inverness (we list the results below).

Evidently it is a great boost for the Dunans Charitable Trust, for the community of Colintraive and Glendaruel and for the Cowal Peninsula to have the tallest tree in the UK.

The announcement has been greeted by a large number of blogs and articles in the regional and national press.

• The 210ft Stronardron Douglas Fir That’s Been Crowned Britain’s Tallest Tree (The Daily Mail)
• Kings of the Forest (John Vidal, The Guardian)
• The Stronardron Douglas Fir is the Tallest Tree in the UK (Landscape Juice)
• Scots fir is ‘tallest tree in the UK’ (New York City News)
• Douglas Fir is ‘tallest tree in UK’ (Take Cover)
• UK’s Tallest Tree Found (Wildlife UK Forums)
• Scots fir is ‘tallest tree in UK’ (BBC)
• Trees worth meeting (The Telegraph)
• It’s a tall order measuring the biggest tree in Britain (The Scotsman)
• The tallest tree in the UK… by Fir (The Sun!)
• Douglas Fir in Argyll named tallest tree in Britain (Herald)
• Britain’s tallest tree is 209 ft Douglas Fir (Telegraph)
• The 210ft fir that’s been crowned Britain’s tallest tree – and is still growing (Mail)
• Sparsholt Lecturers Find Tallest Tree (Hampshire Chronicle)
• Is the Tallest Tree in the UK Argyll’s - in Glendaruel? (ForArgyll)
• Views of the Tallest Tree in the UK at Dunans Castle (LairdofDunansCastle.com)
• It’s a YES. Argyll has the tallest tree in the UK - see it from Dunans Castle in Glendaruel (ForArgyll)
• How long will Argyll’s Stronardron Douglas Fir hold on to the ‘UK’s Tallest Tree’ title? (ForArgyll)
• Dunans Castle Views the Tallest Tree in the UK – it’s official! (Dunans Heritage Project)
• Arborist’s to Search for Britain’s Tallest Tree (HortWeek)
• Sparsholt College Lecturers Search for Britain’s Tallest Tree (Sparsholt College)
• Scots Fir is ‘Tallest Tree in UK’ (Care2)
• UK’s new tallest tree (GardenWeb)
• UK’s Tallest Tree Climbed (The Treehouse)
• Tallest trees climbed and measured (Tree Climbers International)
• UKs Tallest Tree Record (My Meetings with Remarkable Trees)

RESULTS:

Stronardron Douglas Fir, Argyll (previously the Dunans Douglas Fir)

• No accurate ground based measurements possible due to time constraints & tree location
• Climbed measurement from tip to highest point at base was 63.79m

Hermitage Douglas Fir, Dunkeld

• 2 x ground based measurements at 60.95m & 60.68m
• Climbed measurement from tip to highest point at base was 61.31m

Diana’s Grove Grand Fir, Blair Castle

• 3 x ground based measurements at 62.32m, 62.60m & 62.47 – other measurements were taken but were discounted due to being unable to clearly sight the stem base
• Climbed measurement from tip to highest point at base was 62.70m

Dughall Mor Douglas Fir, Inverness

• 10 x ground based measurements from a range of positions:
• Position 1 – 61.68 & 61.46
• Position 2 – 63.15 & 62.64
• Position 3 – 60.13 & 58.62 – Measurements discounted due to site – unable to confidently see the tree tip
• Position 4 – 61.53 & 62.21
• Position 5 – 62.07 & 61.91
• Average height taken from positions 1,2,4 & 5 – 62.02m

Photography courtesy of LWimages.co.uk

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