The variety of wildlife at Torridon is astonishing. There may not be large numbers of any one thing, but there’s something for everyone who’s interested in Scottish wildlife.
Starting off at sea level, there’s a rich variety of marine life, including seaweeds and maerl (a type of coral). Ring plovers nest on the shingly shoreline and you can often see shelducks, mallards, wigeons and turnstones.
Curlews, greenshanks, redshanks, snipes and many small birds like warblers, pipits, wrens, titmice, swallows and martins can all be seen and heard.
Herons also nest in the trees on the farm – you’ll see them standing motionless in the pond in front of the wildlife hide on the lookout for food.
Otters inhabit Loch Torridon, which is a rich source of food for them. Pine martens are a more common sight as they often visit nearby houses where they are fed snacks.
Red deer roam the open hills, while roe deer frequent the woodlands lower down. High in the mountains, you might be lucky enough to spot golden eagles soaring above the tops as they seek mountain hares and ptarmigan.
The mountains may look barren, but look closely and you’ll see alpine and arctic flowers. Liverworts, mosses and lichens are well adapted to the wet climate here and are nationally renowned.
You can also check out our wildlife spotter’s guide for Torridon, and see how many you can spot during your next visit: