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Wild About Lochaber

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Cuil Bay

  • Cuil Bay, Duror
  • Male and female eider duck at Cuil Bay
  • Cuil Bay, Duror
  • Cuil Bay, Duror
  • Cuil Bay, Duror
  • Cuil Bay, Duror
  • Follow the path from the end of the road to walk to Rubha Mor point
  • A profusion of heath spotted orchids at Cuil bay
  • A seat with a view a short walk from the end of the public road at Cuil Bay
  • Ringed plover at Cuil Bay
  • Common blue butterfly near Rubha Mor point
  • Looking down Loch Linnhe from Rubha Mor point
  • Meadow brown butterfly on the wal from Cuil Bay to Rubha Mor point
  • Looking back towards Cuil Bay from the walk to Rubha Mor
  • Looking across Loch Linnhe to Eilean Balnagowan
  • Looking back towards Cuil Bay from the walk to Rubha Mor
  • Bog asphodel near Cuil Bay
  • Wild Thyme on the shingle shore line past Cuil Bay
  • Take time to enjoy the views over Loch Linnhe
  • A sense of wilderness in the moorland behind Cuil Bay
  • Heath spotted orchid
  • Common blue butterfly on ribwort plantain
  • Canada geese
  • Species rich meadow behind Cuil Bay
  • One of the locals
  • Small heath butterfly on the walk to Rubha Mor from Cuil Bay
  • An immature female emerald damselfly
  • Young stonechats splashing about
  • A juvenile stonechat
  • Cuil bay is a great place for birding
  • six spot burnet moth in July
  • Ragged robin and yellow flag iris in July

Details

Cuil Bay is on the south‐west part of the Ardsheal peninsula north west of the village Duror on the eastern shore of Loch Linnhe. Cuil Bay is, a long shingle and sand beach which is a popular spot for bird and wildlife watching. There are a good range of the sea and coastal birds including oyster catcher, ringed plover, eider duck, gannet a variety of gulls and auks. Pipits and larks serenade Spring with their distinctive and evocative calls. Look out for otters along the coastline and sea eagles and golden eagles overhead. Check out the watercourses and ponds for damsel and dragonflies.

The bay backs onto species rich damp grassland, rush pasture and heath. Species include cross-leaved heath, bell heather, heather, crowberry, devil's bit scabious, bog asphodel, bog myrtle, heath spotted orchid, lousewort and common valerian. There are also some lovely patches of thyme and birds foot trefoil. The shingle bay is colonised by sheep's sorrel, silverweed and curly dock. There are also some areas of salt marsh.

This is beautiful and peaceful place with some fine coastal views across to the islands of Balnagowan, Shuna and Lismore.

The Ardsheal Peninsula is designated as an SSSI on account of it structural and metamorphic geology: Dalradian. The coastal sections demonstrate the Appin Syncline, a major fold in the Grampian Fold-belt, formed by deformation of the Precambrian Dalradian rocks. The SSSI site also provides excellent exposures of five stratigraphical units in the upper part of the Appin Group including the type locality for the Cuil Bay Slates of the Blair Atholl Subgroup.

Location

Links to useful information

  • Cuil Bay
  • Cuil Bay to Rubha Mor walk
  • History of Cuil Bay on The Duror & Kentallan website
  • Geology of The Ardsheal Peninusula (14MB pdf file)

OS Map

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Things To Do

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Wildlife

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Willdife Experiences

  • Crannog Cruise on Loch Linnhe
  • Isle of Eigg
  • Isle of Mull Sea Eagle Adventure
  • Isle of Rum
  • Loch Shiel Wildlife Cruise
  • Loch Sunart Wildlife Ferry to Tobermory
  • Mull Eagle Watch
  • RSPB Glenborrodale Wildlife Walk
  • Scottish Sea Life Santuary
  • Ski Lift to Creag Dbubh
  • Treshnish Isles and Fingal's Cave
  • Whale and Dolphin Wildlife Cruise from Mallaig

Willdife Sites

  • Achnaha Community Woodland
  • Allt Mhuic Nature Reserve
  • Aonach Mor
  • Ardnamurchan Point
  • Ardtornish Wildlife Hide
  • Ariundle Oakwood
  • Camusdarach Beaches
  • Claish Moss
  • Creag Meagaidh NNR
  • Cuil Bay
  • Cul na Croise
  • Garbh Eilean Wildlife Hide
  • Glasdrum National Nature Reserve
  • Glen Beasdale SAC
  • Glencripesdale
  • Inchree Red Squirrel Hotspot
  • Isle of Eigg
  • Isle of Rum
  • Kentra Moss
  • Rahoy Hills
  • RSPB Glenborrodale
  • Sanna Bay
  • Shian Wood SWT Reserve
  • Treshnish Isles

Glencoe

Discover Glencoe

Glencoe and Loch Leven

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Walking

Walking

Take a Walk on The Wild Side...

with over 100 wildlife focused walks across Lochaber, you'll be spoilt for choice

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Fort William

Fort William

Fort William, The Outdoor Capital

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Wildlife

wildlife

Wildlife

Home to Scotland's Big Five, red deer, golden eagle, otter, red squirrel, seals and so much more. A Wildlife Adventure Awaits.

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Ardnamurchan

West Highland Peninsulas

Ardnamurchan and The West Highland Peninsulas

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Activities

Activities

Activities

kayaking, wildlife watching, cruising, cycling, golfing, climbing, skiing, slow adventures and many more things to do

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Road to The Isles

The Road to The Isles

The Road to The Isles

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Day Trips

Day trips

Day Trps

Take off for the day to see the puffins on The Treshnish Isles, A Day trip to Mull, Skye, The Small Isles, The Most westerly point on the mainland and many more local ideas for a day out

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