Heritage in Argyll Forest Park

Argyll Forest Park has a special place in the history of Scottish forestry. Leased in 1921, Glenbranter was the Forestry Commisson's first bit of land in Scotland.

At the time, the estate laird was Sir Harry Lauder, one of Britain’s most popular entertainers. In the village cemetery there’s a poignant memorial to Sir Harry’s son, who was killed in the First World War.

Later, Glenbranter became a workers’ village for the many foresters. They helped with the huge planting schemes that covered Argyll. Then hundreds of thousands of trees were grown in a tree nursery at Ardentinny. They were then sent to plant forests all over Scotland.

Today, the best place to get a flavour of the spirit of forest research is Kilmun Arboretum. With its exotic collection of trees from around the world, it’s the ideal location for a peaceful stroll.