Garbh Eilean

Spot seals, herons and otters on Loch Sunart

Soak up superb Loch Sunart views as you watch for the local wildlife. The hide here is located close to the car park.

Common seals often bask on the shores of Garbh Eilean (the ‘Rough Island’), and there is a heronry on the smaller island beside it. Seals can be easily disturbed - remember to pack your binoculars and keep your distance.

At different times of the year you can also see a range of seabirds over the loch. If you’re lucky, rarer species such as golden eagles and white-tailed eagles can also be viewed here.

The distinctive hide was built by local people, using locally grown and milled wood. It blends in beautifully with the landscape. There is a telescope at the hide, so you’ll get an even better view of whatever’s out there.

The shores of Loch Sunart are home to some of the finest temperate oakwoods in the British Isles. These are remnants of an extensive band of coastal woodland. It once stretched down the Atlantic coast of Europe from Norway and Scotland as far as Spain and Portugal.

These semi-natural woodlands are home to some of Europe’s best collections of lichens, mosses and liverworts. The Atlantic Oakwoods here are nationally important. We are working with communities and other land managers to conserve and restore this endangered habitat.