Loch of the Lowes Visitor Centre and Wildlife Reserve covers 98 hectares near Dunkeld. From early April to late August, the star attraction is a pair of breeding ospreys, which nest just 150 metres from our observation hide.
Address: Loch of the Lowes, Dunkeld PH8 0HH
Why visit?
Highlights include:
- Getting closer to the ospreys with binoculars, telescopes and live video footage
- Spotting red squirrels, woodpeckers and other woodland birds from viewing windows
- Interactive displays help bring the story of Loch of the Lowes to life
- Education activities and school visits
- Regular family events throughout the year
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Gift shop stocking a range of wildlife-themed gifts, souvenirs and birdcare products
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Hot and cold drinks and light refreshments available
Best time to visit?
- Apr – Aug for ospreys
- Apr – Sept for beavers
- All year round for red squirrels
- All year round for wildfowl
- All year round for bird feeders & deer
Visit for:
- birdwatching
- woodlands
- wildflowers
- scenery
- mammals
Other information
The Fungarth path leads from the historic town of Dunkeld to Loch of Lowes.
Events
Find out what events are taking place at Loch of the Lowes in the coming months by clicking the button below.
The dangers of falling through ice covered rivers and lochs cannot be stressed enough. Every winter, people die because the ice gives way beneath them and they plunge into freezing water and cannot get out. If you fall into running water the current pulls you downstream, under the ice sheet, making it nigh on impossible to break through the covering of ice holding you underwater. Still water in ponds and lochs is just as dangerous, every time you try to…
It is very quiet at Lowes today,the sky is laden with cloud and snow is falling softly and steadily straight down through bare, grey branches, gathering on the icy twigs and woodland floor. After a mild spell last week, temperatures have plummeted and, as I write, the water in Loch of the Lowes lies beneath a solid sheet of snow covered ice. Through this frozen scene comes a vibrant sign of Spring: the loud drumming of several great spotted woodpeckers!…
Spring will be upon us before we know it and this means Loch of the Lowes is preparing for the season ahead with rising anticipation (and hopes) for the first sight of an osprey. As well as welcoming thousands of visitors to enjoy the osprey breeding season (fingers crossed) we have a wide and varied programme of events throughout the summer. To keep everything running smoothly, we require another staff member to join our small team of staff and wonderful,…
Although it is still winter, it will soon be time to begin monitoring a variety of bird populations, few more iconic than the Black Grouse. Highland Perthshire is a stronghold for the birds who despite suffering national declines and being a UK red list species, have bounced back and appear to be holding on in the region, thanks in part to a programme of native tree planting. Black grouse © Mark Hamblin/2020VISION The Perthshire…
Paul Anderson reflects upon his experience in 2018 as a Species Protection Officer, monitoring osprey at Loch of the Lowes. Paul Anderson undertaking a woodland canopy survey ©S.Rasmussen “It is 6 am and the Loch is starting to come alive. The last of the mist lifts from the surface of the water and the sun suddenly sets everything alight. I murmur my appreciation and my watch-mate takes a few dozen more photos. LF15, the female osprey,…
Today marks the Winter Solstice, the shortest day of the year and one of our most ancient traditions dating back over 10,000 years. Loch of the Lowes road in the snow The name solstice comes from the Latin ‘solstitium’, meaning ‘the sun stands still’ referring to the moment (in the northern hemisphere) when the sun appears to reach it’s lowest setting point in the sky and stops moving before beginning its journey north again. In astronomy…
Beech Tree in Winter © Stuart Petch As the weather turns decidedly more wintery and the last of the autumn leaves are blown from the trees, leaving only their skeleton silhouettes, it’s a good time to turn our eyes skywards to look for the arrival of winter migrants. Icy northerlies and easterly winds herald an influx of feathered visitors, seeking shelter, food and warmer climes for the darkest months of the year. Already this year we…