It’s now 20 years since the community purchased the woodland and those who use the woodland often will have experienced great improvements over these years.
“We are now looking for groups and individuals who would like to engage with us to bring fresh thinking and new ideas that would attract even more people to enjoy our facilities.
“Some of the suggested ideas include introducing bird hides, mountain biking track, additional trails and tracks.
“There are also maintenance tasks and care of the forest habitat that need further development.
“We are particularly keen to see more use made of this excellent community asset for the benefit of schools and youth groups. Innovative ideas have included geocaching, Gruffalo trails and even a forest school.”
They say: “Come and share your ideas” at a meeting at 7pm on Thursday 6 March at the Resource Centre, Kershader HS2 9QA
“We will present a slide show on all the developments over the last 20 years so please come and support this wonderful community asset and bring some fresh ideas and lots of enthusiasm.”
Picture: Donnie Morrison, chairman Aline Community woodland receiving the defibrillator from Heather MacRae and young Tommy.
Aline Community Woodland are delighted to have been donated a defibrillator which is now located in the cabin at the main carpark. The defibrillator was handed over recently by Heather MacRae from Eishken who was accompanied by her young nephew Tommy. Sadly the momentum to donate these defibrillators came about through the sad and sudden death of Heather’s partner John Devine. John passed away on 5th March 2024 from a heart attack due to an undiagnosed heart condition at the age of 37 and while employed as a gamekeeper at Eishken.
The walking tracks and playpark at Aline Community Woodland are widely used by the public and while you hope never to have to use a defibrillator, having one available at the right time can be a lifesaver.
Some members of our Aline Community Woodland volunteer group have recently completed the renovation of the map and information plinth in the main car park at the woodland. A carefully constructed wooden canopy has been erected over the new map and revised information boards. New wildlife information boards have been posted too. All of this work has been kindly funded by local and national organisations.
For some time, people visiting the Aline Woodland have been asking if we can make it easier to make a donation towards the maintenance and upkeep of our beautiful community-owned asset. With much appreciated support from funders, we’ve been working toward erecting voluntary donation ‘stations’ around the site.
The children’s play area is a much loved facility visited and enjoyed by families from all over Lewis and Harris and people visiting our islands from all over the world. We recently installed signage which includes information and guidelines, options for making a small donation by text or by scanning a QR code (suggested voluntary donation £2) and a secure money box for good old fashioned cash.
The Coach Parking area is now fully operational and we have erected signage by the roadside for drivers and in the coach park with information and guidelines for users including for visitors in camper vans who want to stay over-night. There is now a donations box in the coach parking area for cash, text and QR code with simple pre-set donation amounts of the suggested £10 per stay for coaches during daytime and for those parking overnight. We simply ask visitors using the site for overnight camping to keep their stay to between 6pm and 10am and to respect this resource by taking any rubbish away with them when they leave.
Our volunteers are now working to complete a new, covered information stand in the main car park. It will feature a large map with information panels about the site, the wildlife and flora, features of the woodland, and the boardwalks, tracks and paths (including the Hebridian Way which passes through part of the woodland). There will also be a donations box and cashless options (by text or QR code) to enable visitors to support our fantastic community asset.
Our volunteers have continued through this autumn and winter to keep up with cleaning and servicing the cabins at the main car park and by the children’s play-park. Some work was completed to repair small sections of the boardwalk. Many thanks to visitors and friends of Aline for getting in touch to let us know where there has been a problem.
The newly laid and upgraded paths joining the new coach parking area and the main car park has been completed now. We are working on new signage for both car parks and updating the information plinth.
Recently the access slope up to small car park cabin was improved with a roll of chicken wire to help prevent slips. As always please be aware of the weather conditions when you are visiting and take care on the uneven stone paths and occasionally slippery boardwalks.
The new coach parking area at Aline Community Woodland is now completed and the main public car park has been re-surfaced and greatly improved. All this good work is thanks to funding through Crown Estates and grant assistance from Muaitheabhal Community Wind Farm Trust.
Our volunteers continue to care for the site on a weekly basis, ensuring the cabins are clean, the play area is safe to use, any rubbish is cleared, rainwater in the tank is at an ample level and that the facilities are fit for purpose. Thank you to everyone who helps with these tasks and to our visitors who enjoy this most valuable community project.
We are also hoping to do some further work in the coming months at the car park to improve the signage and interpretation board.
The Pairc and Kinloch HealthWalk Group are planning a walk at Aline on 8th October along the Hebridean Way boardwalk and old road towards
Some substantial new work is now underway at Aline Community Woodland to create two coach parking spaces in a separate area from the public car park. This will mean tour coaches will have dedicated spaces to park up and visit the site. The project has been generously funded through Crown Estates and grant assistance from Muaitheabhal Community Wind Farm Trust. We will publish updates on the work being done and more photographs in due course.
The next Pairc and Kinloch HealthWalk Group will be meeting on Saturday 25th June at Aline Community Woodland setting off at 11am. The group will be walking on the west side along the board walk and then along a short part of the Hebridean Way path towards Griamacleit. The HealthWalk Group is supported and encouraged by the NHS Walk on Hebrides initiative and Paths For All, a Scottish charity which promotes walking to improve physical and emotional well-being. There is no need for special walking gear. They will be meeting in the main car park and there is some additional parking below the children’s playground up on the hillside. Everyone is welcome is to join the walking group as a guest.
Aline Community Woodland will soon be getting another 400 seedling trees delivered from The Woodland Trust to plant on our site. We need volunteers to help plant them during the second half of April. Its a really fun thing to do. We’ve had volunteers of all ages supporting our recent tree planting projects and we’d like to invite you to join us for the next sessions. Get in touch here, or on our Facebook and Instagram sites and we’ll let you know dates and times.
A brief update on the gate posts at the entrance to the pathway to Grigaspul by Loch Seaforth. Thank you for the really excellent work done to restore the gates to their former protective glory.
We also need to remind our visitors to please take rubbish home whenever you can and/or to use the bin provided in the car park. Dog owners: just a reminder that your pets are not allowed in the childrens’ playground to ensure that everyone is safe.