Page 15 - BBC Wildlife Volume 36 #11

WILD NOVEMBER

CHOICE LOCATIONS

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1 3 4

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1 The Cuillin, Isle of Skye is a range
of hills best tackled with a guide on a
clear day. For those fit and experienced
enough to reach the top ridge, the wildlife
will make the climb worthwhile.

2 Beinn Eighe, Highlands near
Kinlochewe, close to Scotland’s west coast,
was Britain’s first national nature reserve.
Trails to the higher elevations ofer a great
Clockwise from the Highlands has chance of ‘goldies’ and ptarmigan.
above: there’s increased; a raven
a good chance of on a summit cairn is
seeing snow buntings a majestic sight and 3 Findhorn Valley, Highlands
on Cairn Gorm, not sound; a mountain around 25 miles from Inverness. This
least stealing crumbs hare in winter pelage ‘valley of raptors’ has possibly the best
at a restaurant; can be hard to see in views of golden eagles in Britain. At
the number of snow – keep an eagle higher elevations it also has a healthy
golden eagles in eye out for movement.
population of mountain hares.

4 Cairn Gorm, Highlands is the
premiere spot for watching montane
wildlife in the UK. On a clear day, you can go den eag e (capt ve): Chr s O’re
watch ptarmigan from the roof terrace
of the Ptarmigan Restaurant, while snow
buntings fly in for cake crumbs.

5 Glenshee, Perthshire is just south
of Braemar in the south-east of the y/naturep .com; raven: Mark Hamb
Cairngorms National Park. It is your best
opportunity of scoping ptarmigan, snow Wa ker: Marcus McAdam/A amy; hare: Karen van der Z jden/A amy; snow bunt ng: Steve Aust n/rspb- mages.com; hat: Mode Images/A amy;
buntings and mountain hares with the
minimum of efort.

DON’T GO WITHOUT:

Packing the right clothing
to keep you warm n/naturep .com; Ptarm gan: Andrew Park nson/naturep .com
and dry. Wear plenty of
layers (a merino wool base layer
performs really well). And remember your
waterproofs, gloves and a woolly hat.

November 2018 BBC Wildlife 15