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The Great Britain Guide

Forests & woodlands · Scottish Highlands

Loch Fleet National Nature Reserve

Also known as: Tèarmann Nàdair Nàiseanta Loch Fleòid, Loch Fleòid

Free admission♿ Wheelchair: limited

Loch Fleet National Nature Reserve is a forest or woodland in the United Kingdom.

Loch Fleet National Nature Reserve, forests & woodlands in Scottish Highlands

Wikimedia Commons contributors — see linked file page for photographer and licence licence

Plan your visit

Typical visit
1 h–3 h
Nearest railway station
Golspie · 5.0 km
  • Free entry
  • Family-friendly
  • Dog-friendly
  • Limited wheelchair access

About

Loch Fleet National Nature Reserve is a named forest, woodland or nature reserve in the United Kingdom. Also known as: Tèarmann Nàdair Nàiseanta Loch Fleòid. Coordinates: 57.9349°, -4.0357°.

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From the Wikipedia article

Loch Fleet (Scottish Gaelic: Loch Fleòid) is a sea loch on the east coast of Scotland, located between Golspie and Dornoch. It forms the estuary of the River Fleet, a small spate river that rises in the hills east of Lairg. The loch was designated a National Nature Reserve (NNR) in 1998, and is managed by a partnership between NatureScot, the Scottish Wildlife Trust (SWT) and Sutherland Estates. The NNR extends to 1058 hectares, including the Loch Fleet tidal basin, sand dunes, shingle ridges and the adjacent pine woods, including Balbair Wood and Ferry Wood. The tidal basin of the loch covers over 630 ha, and forms the largest habitat on the NNR.

Excerpt from Wikipedia under CC BY-SA 4.0. See the source article linked in Sources below.

Background

History

The ruins of Skelbo Castle are situated on the south side of the loch. The Battle of Littleferry was fought a few days before the Battle of Culloden in 1746. The Sutherland militia came down from the hills above Golspie and fell upon around 500 men led by the Earl of Cromarty. Cromarty's men were cornered in the Littleferry peninsula on the northeast side of the loch, and were either killed, captured, or drowned in the loch. The building of the Mound causeway, designed by Thomas Telford and built between 1814 and 1818 to carry what is now the A9 roadArticle stub box, reduced the size of the loch. The causeway, which is nearly 1 km long, acts as a tidal barrier, stopping the sea some 2.5 km…

Sourced from Wikipedia under CC BY-SA 4.0.

Coordinates
57.9349, -4.0357
District
Highland
Postcode
IV25 3QG
Parliamentary constituency
Caithness, Sutherland and Easter Ross
Established
1998
Nearest railway station
Golspie5 km
Official site
www.nature.scot

Sources

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Nearby

More forests in this region

Frequently asked questions

Where is Loch Fleet National Nature Reserve?
Loch Fleet National Nature Reserve is in the Scottish Highlands, United Kingdom (postcode IV25 3QG).
When was Loch Fleet National Nature Reserve built?
Built or established in 1998.
Who owns Loch Fleet National Nature Reserve?
Loch Fleet National Nature Reserve is owned by | url = [https://www.nature.scot/enjoying-outdoors/scotlands-national-nature-reserves/loch-fleet-national-nature-reserve Loch Fleet NNR].
Is Loch Fleet National Nature Reserve free to visit?
Yes, Loch Fleet National Nature Reserve is free to enter.
How do I get to Loch Fleet National Nature Reserve?
The nearest railway station is Golspie, about 5.0 km away. Drivers can navigate to postcode IV25 3QG.