Another big adventure, a road trip from Edinburgh to 'beaver country' in the Knapdale Forest, on the edge of Loch Coille Bharr, in Dubh Loch.
Another gorgeous Scottish summer day (seriously, there was sun!), we bypassed Glasgow, taking some byways rather than highways to get to the trial site for reintroduction of beavers into Scotland.
Knapdale Forest is in Argyll, one of the most stunning parts of Scotland - Atlantic woodlands with amazing mosses and lichens, beautiful coastline, hills and glens. Beavers share the landscape with red squirrels, ospreys, otters and eagles.
Once we found Lochgilphead, we turned through Cairnbaan and followed the Crinan Canal- soooo gorgeous, narrow, lots of tiny locks with neat, old white washed stone lock houses alongside. The loch runs into Crinan Loch, a sea loch, and there were several yachts, having arrived by sea, heading through the 'locks on the lochs' system. Sadly the yachting option is an adventure for another day!
I'm sure this 5 yr project by the Scottish Beaver Trial must be secret, as it sure wasn't easy to find, nor were the elusive beavers!
Extinct in Scotland for 400 years, beavers were reintroduced in 2009, are being scientifically monitored, & their effects on the environment studied to determine if reintroduction into Scotland viable & appropriate.
Parked on the western side of Loch Coille Bharr, we hiked north around the top of the loch on the 'Beaver Detective Trail', then turned south and walked to Dubh Loch, isolated, beautiful, marshy, and, evidence of beavers! Their dam engineering capability, without a degree, is impressive, as are their toothmarks and ability to chomp through decent sized saplings! Did we see a beaver ... No!
We walked the rest of the Loch though. See the pics. It is an area really worth visiting.
The beaver hunt complete, we headed north to a Scottish friend's home, nestled in the country, outside Dalmally, for a home cooked roast venison supper, whiskey tipple and cosy bed. Ahhhh, how Scots!