Loch Lomond Wildlife and Nature

Exploring Loch Lomond’s wildlife

Here at Loch Lomond Waterfront, we are in a very unique position. Located near Balmaha in Scotland, where the Highlands meets the Lowlands, we enjoy two very different landscapes. Dramatic, towering mountains to the north and gentler, rolling hills and valleys to the south. And this widely varied terrain means the Loch Lomond area is home to a diverse mix of wildlife.

Plants and Trees

Woodland habitats cover a quarter of Loch Lomond and The Trossachs national park. Common trees include pine, spruce, larch, birch, oak, ash and hazel. There are wild plants and flowers, like mosses, ferns, bluebells, primroses, wild garlic, along with an array of wild fungi.

Banks of Loch Lomond in the autumn — Loch Lomond provides diverse habitats for many species of animal

Birdlife

From mighty birds of prey, such as osprey and golden eagles, to the elegant swan or the little dipper. This area is home to almost 200 species of bird. There are so many, we wrote a separate guide to birdwatching near Loch Lomond. Find out more in our birdwatching blog.

A golden eagle perched on a branch in Scotland — Look for golden eagles in the mountains of the national park

Land mammals

Roe and red deer roam the national park. There is also a small population of fallow deer and a few Sika deer too. You might even spot deer on our foreshore during a stay at Loch Lomond Waterfront.

This is one of the few places in the UK where you can see red squirrels. Red squirrels are endangered, but due to conservation efforts, they are still found around Loch Lomond. Badgers and pine marten are also resident, although they are elusive and difficult to spot.

At dusk, look to the skies and you may see pipistrelle bats darting through the air. These are the smallest bats in Europe and preditors to the pesky midge!

Deer outside a lodge at Loch Lomond Waterfront — Deer have been spotted outside our lodges at Loch Lomond Waterfront

In the water

In rivers and lochs, you may find beavers, an animal recently reintroduced to Scotland. You might see seals in and around the lochs, and otters swimming in rivers or on the shore. Whales, dolphins and porpoises can be spotted off the west coast. And of course, there’s a wide variety of fish, such as trout, salmon and pike perch.

A beaver swimming in Scotland — Beavers were reintroduced to the countryside in 2009 in the Scottish Beaver Trial

We’d love to see what wildlife you discover during your stay with us at Loch Lomond Waterfront. Connect with us on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram and share your wildlife pictures with us.

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