Scenic surprises at Scotland's National Nature Reserves

National Nature Reserves (NNRs) are some of the best places for everyone to enjoy the magic and beauty of Scotland’s nature in summer.  There are over 50 NNRs throughout Scotland, each one helping to protect an amazing range of wildlife and landscapes and waiting to be discovered by you.  Here is just a selection of these magical places, visit www.nnr-scotland.org.uk to see more.

 

Muir of Dinnet NNR
Muir of Dinnet NNR’s most spectacular feature is the Vat.  It’s a vast bowl of pink granite, scooped out by a river flowing underneath the glaciers that covered the land about 20,000 years ago.  Clambering inside is a real adventure – try doing it without getting your feet wet!

Elsewhere on the Reserve you can walk through some of Deeside’s prettiest woodland or picnic beside a loch covered in water lilies.  Muir of Dinnet and Burn o’ Vat Visitor Centre is 6 miles east of Ballater on the A93.

 

Clyde Valley Woodlands NNR
Close to Lanark, the Clyde Valley Woodlands NNR is a magical place for walking, wildlife watching and exploring.  Discover deep, hidden gorges cloaked in ancient woodland where rare plants cling to the steep slopes and wildlife flourishes in an undisturbed world.  Badgers thrive in these woods, look out for their many worn paths; you may be lucky enough to find a few hairs left behind where one of these paths go under a fence.  The Scottish Wildlife Trust’s Falls of Clyde Visitor Centre in New Lanark is a great place for people of all ages to learn more about the waterfalls, woodlands and wildlife that live there.

 

Isle of May NNR
A tiny emerald floating in the deep blue waters of the Firth of Forth, the Isle of May is a truly wild place, blessed with natural wonders and a human heritage stretching back thousands of years.

 

From April to July you can witness one of Scotland’s most amazing natural spectacles as hundreds of thousands of clamouring seabirds create bird-cities in which to raise their young.  Later in the summer you can discover the island’s human history as a holy site for pilgrims, a haven for smugglers, a beacon for mariners and a base for soldiers.

 

Ferries run to the island from April to September – visit Scotland's National Nature Reserves for more information.

 

Glen Affric NNR
Often described as ‘the most beautiful glen in Scotland’, Glen Affric is a magical mix of native pinewoods, glistening lochs and haunting moorland.  You can wander amongst the pine trees accompanied by the chirpy calls of woodland birds.  Elsewhere you might encounter ospreys, secretive otters or red- and black-throated divers.

 

The best way to explore this magical place is to take one of the short trails from the four main car parks.  Visit the Forestry Commission for more information.