About

The Loons and Loch of Banks reserve is the largest remaining wetland in Orkney and the perfect place to see wetland wildlife at its best. Large areas of open water are surrounded by a mosaic of marshy grassland, swamp fen, mire and reedbeds, all dotted with smaller pools, providing a home for an abundance of wildfowl and waders.

Visit The Loons Listening Wall in spring and immerse yourself in the spectacular natural symphony of sound created by the many inhabitants of the thriving wetland in front of you. The Listening Wall was inspired by the concrete listening walls on the south coast of England, which formed part of Britain’s early-warning system at the start of the Second World War, with the parabolic shape of the wall designed to concentrate the sound at its centre.

The area around the Listening Wall has been planted up with wildflowers native to the area to encourage bumblebees, including the rare Great Yellow Bumblebee, adding to the diversity of the site.

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