Local Nature Reserves in South Lanarkshire

Morgan Glen

Morgan Glen is located on the western edge of the town of Larkhall in South Lanarkshire. The site is bounded by houses and other development on its eastern edge and by the River Avon to the west. Morgan Glen is a semi-natural woodland gorge following the banks of the River Avon. Morgan Glen was named after John Morgan, the proprietor of the nearby Applebank Inn and owner of the glen before he gifted it to the people of Larkhall in 1939.

Morgan Glen is one of our hidden gems. On the outskirts of Larkhall, it has riverside walks through some of the finest parts of the ancient Clyde Valley woodlands and spectacular views over the Avon gorge. A large section of the woodland is designated as Avondale Site of Special Scientific Interest (SSSI). It is also part of the Clyde Valley Woodlands Special Area of Conservation (SAC). This site is therefore a key element of a wider woodland habitat network, which includes riparian woodlands throughout the Clyde water catchment area. The site supports a number of rare and locally rare plants and animals and has a variety of woodland habitats.

You can walk to Morgan Glen following a footpath from Chatelherault or from Larkhall. Please view our walking and cycle routes information.

For more information on the site, please read the LNR Management Statement. This is one of 16 new LNRs (in addition to the existing LNR at Langlands Moss which has been extended) that South Lanarkshire Council designated in 2022. If you have any questions or would like to get involved with your local nature reserve, please get in touch with the Countryside and Greenspace team by emailing CAG@southlanarkshire.gov.uk.

Map showing the area of the Morgan Glen Local Nature Reserve

Notice of Morgan Glen Local Nature Reserve - No. 1 Declaration 2022

Notice is hereby given that, in pursuance of Sections 19 and 21 of the National Parks and Access to the Countryside Act 1949, on 27 January 2022, South Lanarkshire Council declared that it intends to manage land situated at Morgan Glen, Larkhall in the South Lanarkshire Council area and shown delineated within black boundaries on the Plan attached to said Declaration, as a Local Nature Reserve. In declaring this site as a Local Nature Reserve, the council aims to recognise and protect the area for its biodiversity, cultural history, educational and recreational value. The site is of local value due to its wildlife, natural environment and use by the community; through designation as a Local Nature Reserve, the council will maintain open access to this site for recreation and continue to work with the local community to make improvements for both nature and people.

Publication/Inspection of Documents

The National Parks and Access to the Countryside Act 1949 requires South Lanarkshire Council to publish Notice of such Declarations in such manner as appears to them best suited for informing persons concerned. In terms of the Coronavirus (Scotland) Act 2020 Schedule 6 Part 3 Paragraph 9, South Lanarkshire Council are of the view that giving notice of where copies of the documentation may be inspected, or making them available for inspection in a particular manner, may give rise to a significant risk of the transmission of coronavirus, or is likely to be ineffective or inappropriate due to action taken in order to control the incidence or transmission of coronavirus and is therefore publishing this Notice and the Plan referred to here on our website.

Enquiries

Any enquiries regarding this Notice or the Declaration should be sent by email to CAG@southlanarkshire.gov.uk or by post to:

Countryside and Greenspace Service

Community and Enterprise Resources

South Lanarkshire Council

18 Forrest Street

Blantyre

G72 0JP

Date of Notice: 8 March 2022