For nature enthusiasts, the island of Islay’s metaphorical centre is Loch Gruinart reserve, a working farm that dovetails food production with conservation.
Closer to Northern Ireland than it is to Glasgow, the Inner Hebridean island of Islay is renowned for whisky and golf courses. But in this peaty land of Lagavulin and Laphroaig, wild grazing marshes, heathery moors, rocky coasts and sandy beaches make for excellent wildlife-watching.
Where is Loch Gruinart?
RSPB Loch Gruinart is located on the Isle of Islay in the Inner Hebrides of Scotland. It lies on the northern coast of the island, opening into the Atlantic Ocean.
When to visit Loch Gruinart?
Between October and March, Islay is home to three-fifths of Greenland’s barnacle geese and one quarter of its white-fronted geese – totalling tens of thousands of birds.
Loch Gruinart is a fine place to watch them nibble rich vegetation in packed flocks. But they are also observed by white-tailed eagles. As featured in the BBC’s Wild Isles, the dozen wintering eagles, have developed a taste for goose. When spooked by an eagle, the goose throng whooshes upwards, yapping and festooning the sky with monochrome forms. As the panic passes, the feathered mass returns to ground.
While winter provides the most exhilarating visits, spring and summer are fabulous, too. Hen harriers can be seen from the RSPB’s moorland trail, which weaves through mires scattered with carnivorous plants called sundews and decked with bright yellow bog asphodel.
Alternatively, follow the woodland trail, where roe deer browse the bluebell carpeted understorey, otters might be viewed from hides and the air reverberates with the rasping song of corncrakes, reclusive fugitives from the world of intensive agriculture.
Visitor information for Loch Gruinart
Several hides are strategically placed around the reserve, with multiple trails winding through different habitats, suitable for various fitness levels and interests.
Looking for other day out ideas in the area?
Check out our guides to walks in Kerrera, Outer Hebrides, as well as literary locations to visit in south Scotland, the Scottish borders and the Scottish Islands.