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 viewing our events leaflet.
You can book on to these events by clicking the button below.
It could be argued that there is no finer sight than an osprey successfully catching a fish. LM12 bring in another fish to his hungry brood © Derek Leith We would love to have seen LM12 catch yesterday’s whopping trout, one of the largest he has brought to the nest to date. LF15 knew lunch was on its way a good minute before we saw the male approach, although we could tell he was nearby due…
Over a week has passed since our first two osprey chicks hatched, and along with our third chick (who hatched in the early hours of last Thursday morning) all are growing fast. It is incredible to watch how quickly the chicks develop from vulnerable wee hatchlings, to finding the strength to lift up their heads to beg, before finally mastering trying to keep their unbalanced bodies upright. The youngest chick masters begging for food alongside its siblings The extremely high…
The past week has been particularly exciting for our resident osprey pair here at Lowes. All three eggs have hatched, with the first and second chicks emerging on the 11th and 12th of May respectively and the third a little while later on the 16th. This is a very exciting time at the Loch, with several fish deliveries and chick feedings taking place each day. The chicks seem to be growing larger every day! Over the past few weeks, LM12…
It’s been a long day and night for our team at Loch of the Lowes but, 20 hours after we first spotted a pip in the third egg, we can confirm we have three chicks this year! Yesterday marked 50 years to the day since the Scottish Wildlife Trust purchased Loch of the Lowes. Given the significance of the date we were delighted to see the first signs of the third chick hatching shortly after 9am. We were feeling confident…
What an exciting 24 hours for the ospreys at Loch of the Lowes reserve! One day after the first osprey chick hatched out on Saturday, a second chick emerged yesterday evening. While the first chick appeared to hatch in only an hour, its sibling took a little more time to come out of its shell. A small hole or ‘pip’ appears in the second egg © Scottish Wildlife Trust At 7.57am on Sunday morning, only 13…
We are very happy to announce that the first chick of 2019 has hatched! The excitement started yesterday afternoon around 5pm, when LF15 became restless and fidgety. She began to move the eggs around more frequently and appeared to be listening to them at times. As chicks get close to hatching, they will begin cheeping inside their eggs, so this was a good sign that the first might be about to hatch. Our hopes were confirmed when a small hole…
Saturday 4th May marked the start of a week long series of events to celebrate one of the UK’s most enigmatic species; the badger! Sadly most of us rarely experience the delight of watching a badger emerge from its sett, cautiously scenting the night air before coming above ground to partake in a spot of grooming followed by a night’s foraging. Badger © Andrew Mason As omnivores badger’s have a diverse diet, varying from fruit, haws…
LF15 with 3 eggs at Loch of the Lowes After not receiving a fish since Saturday afternoon at 14:50, LF15 was getting rather impatient, and calling out for food on a regular basis. This morning (Tuesday 7th May) LM12 brought not one but two fish over to the nest! The first fish was delivered at 04:55, the second at 10:32. She must have been hungry as she was only off the nest for 20 minutes.…