Alness - An area of outstanding natural beauty

by John Miller

Alness nestles nicely between shore and hills and those of us who have the double fortune of living in Alness and being interested in nature will know that there is much to be seen in and around the town in the way of birds, trees, geology, animals and the outdoors in general. One of the main features is the River Park alongside the Averon River, its upper part a stretch of wilderness woodland preserved and made accessible by paths, and the lower part being more open parkland. Let's take a brief trip into each of the above aspects of nature as regards Alness in general.Trees: Within Alness there are many fine trees dotted about here and there and two main formal collections of trees - at Dalmore House and Teaninich House, facing each other across the lower reaches of the River Averon.

Dalmore has, among other examples, the following unusual conifer specimens: Incense Cedar, Caucasian Fir, Caucasian Spruce, Himalayan Cedar, Western Hemlock, Giant Sequoia and Western Red Cedar, plus Sweer Chestnut and Hornbeam. The avenue running from Dalmore House into the adjacent Alness Academy consists of the finest local examples of Norway Maple, plus a few other specimens. Teaninich House has a row of nine Giant Sequoias and there are also Himalayan Cedars, Irish Yew, Monkey Puzzle and Hornbeam.

Just outside Teaninich, at the old church manse west of the town is a fine Walnut tree, and in the cemetery there are large examples of Noble Fir and Western Hemlock.