The Trust’s History

Glencairn Land and Woods Trust was originally called the Cairnhead Community Forest Trust and was founded in 1998. Its aim was to create community woodland.

Cairnhead Community Forest Trust was successful in creating community woodland at Cairnhead, at the top of Dalwhat Glen, in 2002. The old slate quarry was fenced and signs were put up by volunteers, and a lochan was created. Some 200 trees were also planted.

In 2018, the Cairnhead Community Forest Trust changed its name to the Glencairn Land and Woods Trust to reflect the broadening of the organisation’s focus to the whole of the Glencairn community. This change in name also reflects the GLWT’s aim to work on access to land and sustainable land management.

The sowing fiddle was in common use up to the middle of the 20th century.
Bert Dykes about to prepare the picnic ground at the old slate quarry. The first job was to sow new grass seed with his traditional sowing fiddle, as pictured here.
Sowing grass seed with the fiddle at the picnic ground in the Dalwhat Glen. c.2000