Forest of Ae
The Forest of Ae spreads over the hills between the upper parts of Nithsdale and Annandale in Dumfriesshire, at the southern edge of the Lowther Hills. This is is one of the largest forests in Britain, at about 25,000 acres (10,000 ha).
The forest is owned and managed by the Forestry Commission. It is not an ancient woodland but was first created in the 1920s, one of the Commission's early new plantations. It was planted mainly with Sitka spruce.
From amongst the slopes within the forest run numerous burns which join together to form the Water of Ae, a tributary of the River Annan. There is a thriving population of otters in the river.
The village of Ae was built in the 1940s, on the Water of Ae below the forest, to house forestry workers.
The forest is a working forest. It has been designated a 'Priority Forest' for Red Squirrel conservation.
A variety of mountain bike trails have been built as part of the Forestry Commission 7stanes project.
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