Ancient Oaks

I didn't know until recently that Dalkeith Country Park near us has an area of ancient oaks dating back 700 years.  Many of the trees are at the end of their long life and show a great variety of deformity. 

The Scottish National Heritage report describes it thus...

"This is an ancient relict oak woodland, grazed and managed as a park woodland for many centuries. The  area has had continuous woodland cover throughout historical times, and is undoubtedly a remnant of the ancient primary forest of the Lothian area.    The open structure of the park woodland with its abundant deadwood and associated semi-natural woodland provides a unique habitat in Scotland for several rare species of  beetle and lichen. There is also a good diversity of commoner lichens, higher plants and birds. 
Dalkeith Oakwood is one of only two remaining ancient park woodlands in Scotland and is unique in the Lothian area as an ecological and historical record."