Outdoors: Revered for millennia, the rowan isat its most striking in the autumn

In Gaelic, it is sometimes known as rudha-an – ‘the red one’ – which  although probably a direct reference to the vibrancy of the berries, is also  particularly apt because of the wonderful warm reddish hues of the  autumn foliage.

The rowan is, quite simply, one of our most compelling trees and is often found standing as a lone sentinel in mountain areas, the branches shaped and sculpted by the wind. Frequently known by the alternative name ‘mountain ash’, these  upland rowans provide important ecological biodiversity to our moors and hills. Rowans create useful nesting sites for crows and mistle thrushes in areas otherwise devoid of suitable areas to breed, and the sprays of creamy-white flowers that abound in May bring a real splash of colour that attracts nectar-feeding insects.

But it is the dazzling clumps of red berries that have the capacity to cause a real wildlife feeding frenzy, with hordes of birds such as blackbirds and  thrushes eagerly devouring them in  autumn. One of my favourite and most enduring wildlife memories involves watching a flock of newly arrived fieldfares in upper Glen Esk in Angus cackling and bickering as they gorged themselves on the ripened red clusters during a swirling autumn snowstorm. It is thought that fieldfares and redwings may time their autumn arrival into Britain from their northern European breeding grounds to coincide with the peak rowan berry time.

The rowan is a true mountain survivor and even the most heavily sheep and deer-grazed hills will have a rowan growing somewhere, often clinging  tenaciously to the sides of a deep-sided ravine or by the side of a gushing burn, out of reach from the attentions of a grazing animal. The seeds are dispersed by the droppings of birds, which means that a rowan can turn up pretty much anywhere. Indeed, rowan saplings can even be found growing in the forks of other trees such as Scots pines.

It is also one of our most ubiquitous trees being commonly found in woodlands, field edges and other open areas of low ground. It is a much favoured  ornamental garden tree and is often found lining our streets, its relatively small size and compact canopy making it an ideal specimen for planting in  urban areas.

There can be few trees that are so ingrained and have played such a significant role in our culture. Celtic druids venerated it and the tree was often planted in churchyards and near houses to ward off evil. According to naturalist Richard Mabey in his classic work Flora Britannica, it was the wood rather than the berries that was often regarded as the most  potent and protective part of the tree.

Up to the early years of the 20th century, rowan boughs were hung over stables and byres in the Highlands, used for stirring cream in the Lake District, made into divining rods in Yorkshire and cut for pocket charms against rheumatism in Cornwall. In parts of Scotland there is still a strong taboo against cutting down a rowan tree, especially when it is close to houses.

The rowan also has other more practicable and tangible uses. The wood is durable and strong, and was traditionally used for handles of tools, cartwheels and planks or beams. It was sometimes used instead of yew for making longbows. Rowan berries are rich in Vitamin C and can be eaten by people, often being used to make jellies to accompany game. The bark was also used for medicinal  purposes in the past.

The rowan is by its very nature a solitary tree so it is unusual to find more than a handful of specimens growing closely together. I am certain it is this ability to stand out from the crowd that makes the rowan so special, especially when stumbling upon a tree high up in an exposed mountain glen, the roots  miraculously finding tenure in the crevice of a rocky crag. The red one has a true spirit of indomitability that one can only admire.