Muirkirk & North Lowther Uplands Special Protection Area
Encyclopedia
Muirkirk & North Lowther Uplands Special Protection Area is an extensive area of moorland extending south from near Darvel
in southern Ayrshire
to near Kirkconnel
in Dumfries and Galloway
. The SPA is of outstanding interest for its variety of upland habitats and breeding birds.
There are large tracts of blanket bog, wet and dry heaths and upland grasslands which provide a diversity of habitats that supports a rich variety of moorland breeding birds.
55°30′35"N 04°04′35"W
Darvel
Darvel is a small town in East Ayrshire, Scotland, located at the eastern end of the Irvine Valley and is sometimes referred to as "The Lang Toon" due to its quaint appearance on Ordnance Survey maps....
in southern Ayrshire
Ayrshire
Ayrshire is a registration county, and former administrative county in south-west Scotland, United Kingdom, located on the shores of the Firth of Clyde. Its principal towns include Ayr, Kilmarnock and Irvine. The town of Troon on the coast has hosted the British Open Golf Championship twice in the...
to near Kirkconnel
Kirkconnel
Kirkconnel is a small parish and town in Dumfries and Galloway, southwestern Scotland. It is located on the A76 near the head of Nithsdale. Kirkconnel led a more quiet existence than neighboring towns like Sanquhar. Principally it has been a farming community. There are few buildings of any...
in Dumfries and Galloway
Dumfries and Galloway
Dumfries and Galloway is one of 32 unitary council areas of Scotland. It was one of the nine administrative 'regions' of mainland Scotland created in 1975 by the Local Government etc. Act 1973...
. The SPA is of outstanding interest for its variety of upland habitats and breeding birds.
There are large tracts of blanket bog, wet and dry heaths and upland grasslands which provide a diversity of habitats that supports a rich variety of moorland breeding birds.
External links about the Special Protection Area
- Muirkirk
- Birdlife Fact Sheet for Airds Moss and Muirkirk Uplands
- Joint Nature Conservation Committee
- RSPB and Powharnal Coal Mine
- Scottish Executive announcement of launch of SPA on 7th March 2003
- Scottish Natural Heritage
- UK Biodiversity Action Plan for Black Grouse
55°30′35"N 04°04′35"W