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Loch Maree Islands

More than forty scattered islands carry the nearest thing to natural woodland left in Britain, a fragment of the original Caledonian Pine Forest. The wet climate of this area has resulted in blanket bog filling the damp hollows, where occasional stunted pines have taken hold. Black-throated divers take advantage of the tranquillity of one of Britain’s least polluted freshwater lochs to breed here.

• Best time to visit

  May to August, but please contact the Reserve Office in advance for the most up-to-date information on the black-throated divers.

• Getting there

  Ten miles northwest of Kinlochewe, off the A832. Limited bus service from Inverness.

• Visitor facilities

  None. You can see the islands from various viewpoints around Loch Maree.

• Contact

  SNH, Reserve Office, Anancaun, Kinlochewe, Ross-shire IV22 2PA. Tel: 01445 760254.

• Managed by

  Scottish Natural Heritage