Top spots
Visit Rahoy Hills Take a walk on the wild side
W
hile access to much of Rahoy reserve requires a certain
degree of fitness, the peace and beauty of the landscape is well worth the effort and you are likely to have it all to yourself.
A rough path meanders between Loch Arienas and the stunning Atlantic oak woodland, which reaches up to the highest slopes of the reserve. The path ends at Arienas Point where you will have a breathtaking view down the loch and onwards across the regenerating woodland.
Above the woodland the terrain becomes tougher, with trees giving way to open heath and grassland, and eventually the high crags and summits of Beinn Iadain (571m) and Beinn na h-Uamha (464m). Here, arctic-alpine plants more typically found in Iceland
Hidden in Morvern, a quiet corner in the southern end of the northwest Highlands, Rahoy offers a wilder experience than most.
flourish. For those energetic enough, the tops offer magnificent views across 1,800 hectares of wild grassy moors, hidden lochans and spectacular cliff edges.
Amongst these west Highland habitats live Rahoy’s fantastic wildlife. Rahoy, one of the Trust’s most biodiverse reserves, is best known for its plants; its nutrient-rich soils around the basalt hill tops are home to many species of arctic-alpines such as Norwegian sandwort. The mild wet climate makes the Atlantic oak woods into a temperate rainforest with numerous species of lichen, mosses and rare bryophytes. A rich flora means
bountiful insects: Rahoy has 19 species of butterfly including pearl-bordered fritillary, large heath and purple hairstreak at the northern edge of their range. The chequered skipper butterfly was also recently discovered on the reserve. There are 12 species of dragonfly and damselfly including the rare northern emerald, keeled skimmer and the beautiful demoiselle. Many species of moths can be found here too, including emperor and argent and sable moths.
The bird lists are also varied, from woodland dwellers such as redstart and wood warbler, to upland waders like dunlin and
golden plover. Sea eagles are also a regular sighting. If it’s mammals you’re after, otters frequent the loch, badgers have recently been discovered high up on the reserve, and you might even glimpse a pine marten.
Getting there Eight miles south of Fort William on the A82, take the ferry crossing to Ardgour at Corran, follow the A861 then the A884 through Morvern towards the village of Lochaline. Look for the reserve sign and car park four miles before the village. Regrettably, due to the remote nature of Rahoy Hills, there are no public transport options to this reserve.
36 SCOTTISH WILDLIFE NOVEMBER 2015
© Vivien Martin
vivalpublications.com
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