Loch of the Lowes walk

A walk in big tree country

Loch of the Lowes is one of the Scottish Wildlife Trust’s flagship reserves. It is a large freshwater loch with a diverse aquatic flora, fringed by areas of fen, reedbeds and semi-natural woodland. The Fungarth Trail (waymarked with green signposts and yellow markers) takes you from the small, historic town of Dunkeld to Loch of the Lowes. It is a pleasant ramble through mixed woodland and open country, offering varied wildlife watching opportunities throughout the year.

The route

Starting from Dunkeld Bridge, head along the High Street and turn right up Brae Street. An initially steep climb levels off and after 0.75 miles turn left up a farm track. Follow the track until it forks, then bear left towards the woods heading uphill. Keep with the path as it passes to the left of a large metal gate and go through a wooden gate, dropping down to the road skirting the loch. Cross over and after 0.25 miles you will come to the reserve car park. The Visitor Centre is down the wide track at the far end of the car park.

Points of interest

1. The River Tay is Scotland’s longest river and has a catchment area of some 2,000m². From its source on the slopes of Ben Lui it flows eastwards and then south to the Firth of Tay. World famous for Atlantic salmon, autumn is an excellent time for spotting larger individuals making their way upstream to spawn.
2. The large mature oaks of Craig Wood, sitting on the slopes above the Tay, are home to a wide range of flora
   and fauna. Keep an eye out for great spotted woodpeckers and treecreepers tapping at the ancient bark in search of their insect prey.
3. From the top of Fungarth Hill, there are views of pastoral farmland and the rugged hills to the north. Look
   east and Loch of the Lowes is just coming into view.
4. The conifer woodlands around Dunkeld are some of Scotland’s oldest managed forests. It is estimated that the
   Dukes of Atholl planted some 27 million conifers between 1738 and 1830, using a variety of techniques, including scattering seed by cannon!
5. The short woodland path beside the loch is ideal for an early morning or evening stroll. Early risers in spring will be enchanted by the profusion of birdsong. Nocturnal inhabitants, including pine marten and several bat species, may be seen after dusk.
6. Between April and September, ospreys fish for perch and pike in the calm waters of the loch. Wintertime sees
   a host of new arrivals including goldeneye, wigeon and whooper swans.
7. No walk would be complete without a visit to our 4-star Visitor Centre. Get a bird’s eye view of the osprey nest via our HD camera, and observe red squirrels and woodland birds through the large viewing window. Enjoy a well-earned cup of tea or coffee and browse the well-stocked gift shop.

Visitor information

Start	Dunkeld (NO02674247)
Finish	Loch of the Lowes Visitor Centre (NO041435)
Nearest town	Dunkeld
Duration	Allow 1 hour
Rating	Easy to moderate in places
Good for	Red squirrels, large mature oaks, woodpeckers
If you are lucky	Ospreys (Apr to Sep), pine martens

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