This June, Loch of the Lowes celebrates 50 years of welcoming public through the doors of our Visitor Centre.

When the Scottish Wildlife Trust purchased the loch in 1969, it was our first fully owned wildlife reserve. Already rich with red squirrels, pine martens, great crested grebes and woodland flora and fauna, within weeks, a pair of ospreys appeared on the scene.

Undisturbed and rich with fish to eat, Lowes was an ideal location for these magnificent and extremely rare birds to breed in the UK. Happily, they returned the following year (and every years since). Due to ospreys having the highest legal protection afforded to wildlife, their presence dictated a very different management plan to the one originally envisaged by the Trust.

Coping with huge public demand to view the ospreys, while ensuring security for the nest and birds, brought about the need for a purpose built Visitor Centre.

In 1972, the centre was opened! It was very different from the one we have today yet, the core of the structure remains.  As does the enthusiasm and passion for protecting wildlife in all the staff, volunteers and visitors who walk onto the site.

Open Week-End

There will be FREE ENTRY to everyone over the week-end of Saturday 4^th and Sunday 5^th June to celebrate this milestone

As well as the excitement of seeing three osprey chicks in the nest and the chance for close-up views of wildlife like red squirrels, great spotted woodpecker and nuthatch, there will be a tombola, quizzes (for both adults and children) and an exhibition.

The exhibition reveals how the visitor centre has grown over the last five decades, adding and extending as required, and remembers the events and people involved in its creation.

On the Sunday (5^th June) in the Crannog Hide, every hour on the hour 1pm-4pm, The Language of Birds. Come join Storyteller Claire Hewitt on her Magic Flying Carpet and journey to the Land of Story. Magical and fantastical tales from the East and from our own Scottish traditions woven with song and music.

Do you remember ‘Lady’?

Lady and LM12 on the Lowes nest 2014 (Photo © Mark Westgarth)

If you visited Loch of the Lowes between 1991 and 2014 or watched our webcam to follow the breeding ospreys, you will know of ‘Lady’.

Having been our resident female osprey for 24 years, Lady is obviously included in the 50^th Anniversary exhibition. We are delighted to be able to display some stunning, previously unseen photos by kind permission of photographer Mark Westgarth.

The ‘Loch of the Lowes 1969-2022’ booklet was produced in time for this celebration and is a great memento. It’s flying off the shelves but will be available from the Visitor Centre as long as stocks last.

We look forward to seeing you this week-end (4^th and 5^th June – yes, same as the Jubilee weekend!)

Please spread the word!

Cherry