Glen Maye. Glen Maye Village (SC ) 4.14 hectares. Ownership: Private and Isle of Man Government (DEFA) Species Count:

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1 Glen Maye is a partly replanted While not the equal of the oak/hazel woodland ravine, neighboring Ballure Glen in terms though species retaining richness, significant and ecological enough interest, ecological Elfin Glen interest extends its to be an ASSI, influence partly through on the basis of its woodland neighboring fauna plantation and flora. The woodlands of Claughbane and site is also a popular visitor Llergy Frissel which contain destination. many native and planted The can site also is essentially be found in the in leafy two parts, suburbs the first and alleyways is a wide of ravine with Southern dense woodland Ramsey where cover wood while speedwell and woodruff are the lower half is scrubby found among mature oak trees. woodland Expansion on is a also sheer uphill south with facing cliff secondary above the woodland river. This extending scrub cover 200m becomes up the valley thinner into towards upland the valley sea until mire it as fades well as out into completely just short of the bay. This scrub area is where much of Most common woodland types the botanical interest is, such as are well represented with W8/9 the and wood W10/11 vetch, dominating southern the polypody valley flanks and, and the W7 now in the probably valley gone, bottom. hairy Smaller brome. Areas It is of also W17 here that can both be found dark and on the spotted fringes of bush the plantation, indeed the crickets can be found. Both mature conifer plantations species support are a protected good mixed under flora. Elfin the Wildlife Glen is Act. also notable for the presence of several pure Within pedunculate the denser oak (Quercus woodland robur) sanicle coppice occurs, stools. though wood sedge The is lower now part much of the diminished Glen is following somewhat a landslip. impoverished Wood by vetch occurred many mature in this planted part of Beech the woodland before it was shaded out. seeding Hazel themselves is occasional widely on within the northern glen. slope This and said the a fine more veteran coppice open oak footpaths occurs are above bounded the by species rich vegetation with waterfall, the site of a Victorian remote sedge and sanicle and record may for well maidenhair explain why these fern. Much of the species remaining can be found part up of to the 200m woodland from the was glen planted in many directions, in late Victorian times. Remote sedge may one day find Vegetation its way to types Ballure are Glen mostly by this W10/11, though wild garlic dominated W8/9 is dominant where hazel occurs. Glen Maye Glen Maye Village (SC ) 4.14 hectares 20-50m Private and Isle of Man Government (DEFA) 128 species of vascular plants plus additional 30 in scrub edge Gallery: Hairy Brome (Bromus ramosa)*/** Maidenhair Fern (Adiantum capillusveneris)*/** Oak (Quercus x rosacea) Sanicle (Sanicula europaea) Southern Polypody (Polypodium cambricum)* Wood Sedge (Carex sylvatica) Wood Vetch (Vicia sylvatica)* Clockwise from top left: a) Path at centre of the Glen; b) Remains of mine wheel case; c) Path in lower Glen; d) View from top of cliff overlooking Glen; e) View of edge of scrub at lower part of Glen; f) Wood vetch at riverside. Japanese knotweed and Himalayan balsam have become established along much of the river in the lower part of the The knotweed appears to be spreading fast and becoming a serious ecological problem. It is unlikely that the balsam is causing any serious ecological harm.

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4 A large site, comprising plantation with occasional hazel and semi-natural ravine woodland with dense oak/hazel. While not the equal of the neighboring Ballure Glen in terms species richness, and ecological interest, Elfin Glen extends its influence through the neighboring plantation woodlands of Claughbane and Llergy Frissel which contain many native and planted can also be found in the leafy suburbs and alleyways of Southern Ramsey where wood speedwell and woodruff are found among mature oak trees. Expansion is also uphill with secondary woodland extending 200m up the valley into upland valley mire as well as into Naturally it is this latter area in the lower north-eastern corner of the site that contains much of the botanical interest, with a rich W8/9 woodland. Beech fern is frequent along the ravine in scattered patches, often covering large areas of steep riverbank. It is likely that much of the remainder of the site is secondary in nature dominated by W10/11. Indeed the 1869 map shows many parts of the site to be open, or with scattered trees, thus the defuse hazel is likely to have been present in equally low numbers prior to the establishment of the plantation. Most common woodland types are well represented with W8/9 and W10/11 dominating the valley flanks and W7 in the valley bottom. Smaller Areas of W17 can be found on the fringes of the plantation, indeed the mature conifer plantations support a good mixed flora. Elfin Glen is also notable for the presence of several pure pedunculate oak (Quercus robur) coppice stools. The majority of oak trees at the upper end of the site are pedunculate oak and clearly planted, but sessile or hybrid oak are found in the lower parts looking rather more native. The lower part of the Glen is somewhat impoverished by many mature planted Beech seeding themselves widely within the glen. This said the more open footpaths are bounded by species rich vegetation with remote sedge and sanicle and may well explain why these species can be found up to 200m from the glen in many directions, Remote sedge may one day find its way to Ballure Glen by this The hay-scented buckler-fern however, is surprisingly common in the site, becoming numerous along the road-verge with lemon-scented fern. Hayscented buckler-fern reappears to the north of the site in the Ballaglass stream just before it meets Glen Mona. This branch off Glen Mona is possibly also relic oak/hazel woodland, with occasional oak trees among the generally planted site and a particularly species-rich alder carr near the confluence. Glen Mona Maughold (SC465886) 9.8 hectares m Private Not surveyed Beech Fern (Phegopteris connectilis)* Hay-scented Buckler-fern (Dryopteris aemula)* Oak (Quercus x rosacea) Sanicle (Sanicula europaea) The uncommon long-stalked yellow-sedge (Carex lepidocarpa) has been recorded in the ravine.

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6 Glen Mooar is a small ravine most notable for the national monument the Lady Isabella water wheel. While not the equal of the neighboring Ballure Glen in terms species richness, and ecological interest, Elfin Glen extends its influence through the neighboring plantation woodlands of Claughbane and Llergy Frissel which contain many native and planted can also be found in the leafy suburbs and alleyways of Southern Ramsey where wood speedwell and woodruff are found among mature oak trees. Expansion is also uphill with secondary woodland extending 200m up the valley into upland valley mire as well as into Above this, the ravine is a mixture of hazel rich seminatural woodland and conifers. The ground flora shows the vegetation type as predominantly W10/11. Many of the hazel bushes appear to be cobnuts of planted origin or decent though some look native. The hazel is gradually spreading into nearby bracken and gorse scrub thus naturally extending the woodland site. Most common woodland types are well represented with W8/9 and W10/11 dominating the valley flanks and W7 in the valley bottom. Smaller Areas of W17 can be found on the fringes of the plantation, indeed the mature conifer plantations support a good mixed flora. Elfin Glen is also notable for the presence of several pure pedunculate oak (Quercus robur) coppice stools. The site also has some old records of woodland molluscs that have been found, including the only oak/hazel woodland record for the striated whorl snail (Vertigo substiata) in Glen Mooar (Laxey) Laxey (SC ) 1.4 hectares m Manx National Heritage Not surveyed The lower part of the Glen is somewhat impoverished by many mature planted Beech seeding themselves widely within the glen. This said the more open footpaths are bounded by species rich vegetation with remote sedge and sanicle and may well explain why these species can be found up to 200m from the glen in many directions, Remote sedge may one day find its way to Ballure Glen by this

7 The largest and probably the most interesting While not of the the equal oak/hazel of the woodlands. neighboring The Ballure vast Glen majority in terms of the site species is a ribbon richness, of oak and and ecological hazel-rich woodland interest, along Elfin Glen the extends Glen Roy its River and influence some of through its tributaries. the Above the Baldhoon neighboring Loop plantation Road however the site woodlands changes of Claughbane character and to become Llergy an Frissel oak-rich which woodland contain many native and planted pasture. Rich can not also only be in found species in the but leafy also in natural suburbs processes, and alleyways veteran of trees and deadwood, Southern it Ramsey is surprising where wood that the site s speedwell scientific and importance woodruff are has not been found historically among mature recognised oak trees. like Dhoon Expansion Glen and is also Glen uphill Maye. with The secondary woodland extending surrounding farmland is also the only 200m up the valley into upland part of the Island where native oak valley mire as well as into and hazel can be commonly found in hedgerows; indeed wood meadowgrass occurs here and looks native in this Most situation. common Other woodland interesting types features are well include represented deadwood with W8/9 dams, landslips W10/11 and woodland dominating expansion the into valley bracken, flanks grassland and W7 in and the valley mire. bottom. Smaller Areas of W17 Most can woodland be found vegetation the fringes types of are represented the plantation, but W8/9 indeed and the W10/11 make mature up the conifer vast plantations majority of the site. support Most of a good the trees mixed are flora. native Elfin but there Glen are is local also notable patches for of the conifer and planted presence beech of several trees as pure well as veteran pedunculate sweet chestnut oak (Quercus trees robur) within the hazel coppice coppice. stools. The lower part of the Glen is Wetter areas contain species such as somewhat impoverished by wood horsetail and the humid many mature planted Beech riverbanks contain a population of beech fern and the largest hardshield fern population on the Island. seeding themselves widely within A tantalizing, the glen. This though said the unverified more record open for footpaths oak-fern are exists bounded for by Ballalhenneagh species rich vegetation Gardens with where beech remote fern sedge was also and sanicle recorded. and This site may has well now explain significantly why these altered so it would species be can unlikely be found the up species to 200m still occurs from here, the glen if it in ever many did. directions, The Remote woodland sedge pasture may one section day find of the upper its glen way to has Ballure the Glen most by developed this wood pasture flora on the Island with pale sedge, wood sedge and smooth-stalked sedge growing together. Alder and willow carr becomes prominent further upstream, though mature planted conifers are still locally dominant. Boundaries with the moorland here are indistinct, contracting in places and expanding in others. Below the Loop road the woodland is expanding widely into the surrounding valley. Pyrenian valarian (Valariana pyrenaicea) is somewhat invasive on site and dominates certain parts. Glen Roy Southwest of Laxey (SC429843) 20 hectares m Private and Isle of Man Government (DEFA) 195 species of vascular plants Gallery: Aspen (Populus tremula) Beech Fern (Phegopteris dryopteris)* Goat Willow (Salix caprea) Hard Shield Fern (Polystichum aculeatum) Oak (Quercus x rosacea) Pale Sedge (Carex pallescens)* Sanicle (Sanicula europaea) Smooth-stalked Sedge (Carex laevigata) Wood Horsetail (Equisetium sylvaticum) Wood Meadow-grass (Poa nemoralis) Wood Sedge (Carex sylvatica) Woodruff (Galium odoratum)** a) Laxey Glen, formal paths under mature planted beech trees with frequent hard shield-fern; b) Typical abandoned hazel coppice that dominates the vegetation over most of the site; c) Typical river section showing one of the many side streams; d) Large deadwood dam with saplings growing out of the dam; e) Woodland pasture above the Baldhoon Loop Road with pale sedge; f) Beech fern.