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Back down the west coast - Ben Loyal.

The wild and rugged north coast of Scotland is fantastic for wildlife watching.  River Thurso is a haven for wildfowl, wading birds, sedge,  reed beds and jumping salmon in the tidal stretches.  Take the A836 towards Tongue with fabulous views over the Atlantic Sea.  Achvarasdal Woods (grid reference NC 983 649) with its network of all ability paths is a “must see” with its spotted flycatcher, twayblade orchid, common hawker and meat eating sundew.  Take in Strathy Bay and Strathy Point  where the dune grasslands are home to a plethora of rare plants.  From the cliffs you can see a wide variety of seabirds, whales and dolphins.   The beach at Betty Hill provides the best views of nearby Invernaver and Torrisdale Bays where rare alpine plants are found almost at sea level.   Kyle of Tongue, Ben Loyal (‘Queen of the Scottish Mountains’), Tongue Bay and the Rabbit Islands to the north are wild Scotland at its best.  Low tides encourage seals, waders and seabirds.  Oystercatcher, dunlin, redshank and heron are regular visitors.   

Continue south on the A836 to Altnaharra and take time to go off the beaten track along the shores of Loch Naver on either the B873 on the north side or to Klibreck on the south side, then double back and continue south on the A836  (Strath Vagastie), to Lairg, the Falls of Shin and the Ferrycroft Countryside Centre.  From Lairg there is the option of taking the A839 to Balblair Wood and then on to the A9, or continuing on the A836 through Bonar Bridge and taking in the Fairy Glen at Spinningdale and then to Clashmore to join the A9.  Either way you will be rewarded with magnificent scenery and wildlife watching opportunities.

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