On 1 November, Loch of the Lowes Visitor Centre moved onto its winter opening hours. We are now open Friday, Saturday and Sunday, from 10.30am – 4.00pm.

Entry is still by pre-booking with 90 minute time slots: 10:30 – 12 noon,12:45 – 14:15 and 14:30 – 16:00.

Entrance fees: Adults £4.00, Concession £3.00. Children and Scottish Wildlife Trust Members – FREE.

(Book here https://scottishwildlifetrust.org.uk/reserve/loch-of-the-lowes/ )

A range of new measures have been put in place in the visitor centre in line with Scottish Government guidelines to keep you and our staff and volunteers safe. This includes the pre-booked entry of limited duration, enhanced cleaning, sneeze screens and hand sanitising stations. Please do not visit if you or anyone in your household has any symptoms of Coronavirus.

If you are booking for multiple people or travelling from outside of Perthshire please ensure that you are following the latest government guidance with regards the numbers of people/households that can meet and any travel restrictions that may apply to you.

Glorious golden leaves are falling in waves, carrying showers of acorns – it’s been a bumper crop this year! We’ve rarely seen so much red squirrel activity, especially when they scurry around on the ground to gather up the falling harvest. All the recent rain has filled the loch so much that only the top few inches of the water level measuring pole is still visible.

Both nuthatch and tree creeper are being seen in the feeding station along with lots of great spotted woodpeckers, chaffinches, coal tits (more than in other years), great tits, blue tits and, not such regular visitors, greenfinch and goldfinch. Roe deer are often wandering into view from the visitor centre windows and fallow deer can be spotted drinking from the loch and in nearby woodland.  It’s the rutting season, the sound of barking, roaring stags is never far away.

As usual our shop has lots of potential Christmas gifts, cards and calendars and this year we also have a lovely selection of Viking binoculars, jute bags, bird boxes, feeders and even hedgehog homes!

With the arrival of colder, darker days, it’s easy to buy wild bird seed and peanuts from us to keep your garden visitors well fed. Just give us a ring on 01350 727337, and give the order and card payment over the phone. Please mention if you are a Scottish Wildlife Trust member so your 10% discount can be applied. When you’re collecting your order (on Friday, Saturday or Sunday) ring the doorbell at the Visitor Centre entry point and a staff member will come out to you.

Stay safe everyone,

Cherry