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Kirkton Farm
Winter view of Kirkton (opens in new window)
Kirkton and Auchtertyre – SAC’s Highland Research Farms
Kirkton and Auchtertyre are SAC’s major research farms in the West Highlands. They host scientists and staff from SAC’s Hill and Mountain Research Centre (HMRC) who manage projects that utilise the livestock, land and vegetation of the farms and manage Strathfillan Wigwams.
The farms cover some 2,200 hectares of land rising from the cultivated flood plain of the River Fillan, to above the West Highland rail line, to a series of mountain tops, Beinn Odhar, Beinn Charoach, Cam Chreag and Ben Challum (1,025m), at the head of the catchment.
The livestock enterprise, like much of the highlands of Scotland, is concentrated on hill sheep, with currently some 1,750 ewes. In recent years, new native woodlands, extensive lowland and hill paths and Strathfillan Wigwams and its farm shop have been established to diversify the land-based opportunities on the farms.
The office for HMRC is located at Kirkton Farm, within the farm steading, alongside the ruins of St Fillan’s Priory and its old graveyard.
Strathfillan Wigwams is located at Auchtertyre.
Land & Enterprises
The farming enterprise utilises the following areas of land; 36.5 ha of ploughable land most of which is improved land; 151.5 ha of semi-improved land, much of it on the complex of moraine deposits that are typical of the area; and then 1,693 ha of hill land, virtually all of it unimproved.
History
Kirkton and Auchtertyre, and the valley of Strathfillan, have a rich history relating to local historical figures (St Fillan in particular).
Strathfillan Wigwams
Strathfillan Wigwams was established in 1996 as the pressures on hill farming, the need to diversify and the need to explore the opportunities between land use, biodiversity and landscape and tourism became apparent.
Biodiversity At Kirkton & Auchtertyre
The farms have a wide range of habitats which have been managed in conjunction with low intensity farming for many generations.
How To Find Kirkton Farm
Entrance to Kirkton, and offices of the Hill and Mountain Research Centre, are 3 miles north of Crianlarich on the A82/A85 between Crianlarich to Tyndrum road.