oak was the wood favoured both in western scotland and in scandinavia, being tough and resistant to decay. other types of timber were less often used. it is likely that the outer isles of western scotland had always been short of timber, but birch, oak and pine abounded in the inner isles and on the mainland. the abundance of timber at lochaber was proverbial: ""b'e sin fiodh a chur do loch abar"" ("bringing wood to lochaber") was said of any superfluous undertaking.