Glenborrodale

We're working hard to make our nature reserves safe and ready for our staff, visitors and wildlife. Many have now re-opened in England, Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland, although some facilities are not yet available. Some reserves remain closed for now. See our COVID-19 updates page for the latest information (link below).

Address: RSPB Glenborrodale, Argyll, Glenborrodale, Fort William PH36 4JP

Grid ref: NM595615

See our reserves Covid-19 updates page for which sites are open and other important details.

On the shore of Loch Sunart on the west coast of Scotland, the rugged Ardnamurchan peninsula is home to wood warblers, redstarts and spotted flycatchers. Embark on a guided walk and you might be lucky enough to see an otter or a seal frolicking along the shore.

Plan your visit

Covid-19 update: The car park and trails are open at this site.

Open at all times.

Free entrance to RSPB members: Yes

Adults: Free, but donations are very welcome.

Children: Free, but donations are very welcome.

Facilities

Car park
Guided walks
Nature trails

Accessibility

How to get here

By train

Fort William is the nearest station.

By bus

The Kilchoan to Fort William bus stops at Glenborrodale, Mondays to Saturdays. See shielbuses.co.uk or phone 01967 431272 for times.

By road

Follow B8007 from Strontian to Glenborrodale.

Sat nav POI file: If you have a satellite navigation system that can accept POI files, please see our POI page for a download link and instructions.

Get directions from Google Maps

RSPB reserves on Google Earth

12 degrees, Cloudy

Contact Glenborrodale

RSPB Glenborrodale, Argyll, Glenborrodale, Fort William PH36 4JP
nsro@rspb.org.uk
01463 715000

What will you see?

Our star species

Golden eagle

You could see a golden eagle over the moors and hills on a sunny day as they enjoy the 'lift' on warm air currents.

Merlin

Keep your eyes peeled for a dashing merlin on a high-speed hunt.

Redstart

A summer visitor to the woodlands. Late spring is the time to catch the stunningly-plumaged males at their brilliant best.

Skylark

Skylarks nest on the moor. Watch them displaying and singing overhead in spring.

Wood warbler

Listen for the song of the wood warbler coming from the oak canopy from late April into June.

Spring flowers carpet the woodland floor. Migrant birds return and all birds prepare to breed - wood and willow warblers, tree pipits and spotted flycatchers in the woodland and wheatears and whinchats on the moorland. Ravens croak overhead.

Scotch argus and fritillary butterflies flit around the moorland. Boggy areas attract dragonflies, such as Highland darters and rare northern emeralds. Slow worms and common lizards bask in the sun by the moorland trail.

Beautiful autumnal colours welcome northern winter migrants such as redwings and fieldfares.

Woodcock and snipe numbers are swelled by a winter influx as birds escape colder climates. Red and roe deer take shelter in the woodland and pine martens may be seen hunting for a winter meal.

About Glenborrodale

Habitat

Glenborrodale is a reserve comprised mainly of woodland, upland and coastal habitats.

Conservation

Some of the important features that Glenborrodale provides a home for include more than 200 species of special and some rare moss, liverwort, lichen and fern, mammals including otter, pine marten and wildcat are present as well as some rather special birds including wood warbler, tree pipit, whinchat, lesser whitethroat and raven. Invertebrates that live and breed here include pearl-bordered fritillary, chequered skipper and purple hairstreak butterflies, keeled skimmer and white-faced darter dragonflies, violet ground beetle to name a few.

The main purpose for active management on this reserve is primarily to secure long-term future of this internationally important oak woodland encouraging tree regeneration, this is encouraged through managing browsing impacts from native woodland deer, population control is carried out with the help of local professional stalkers.

Invasive non-native plant species are also a significant threat to this habitat, namely rhododendron, this plant is in the process of being cut to allow the native habitat to thrive. Other habitat management involves small scale cutting of bracken to allow pearl-bordered fritillary butterfly food plants such as bugle, violet and bluebell to grow on the warm sunny slopes in the heart of the reserve.

Site information

This nature reserve is important for wildlife. RSPB Scotland welcomes responsible access, in line with the Scottish Outdoor Access Code.

Glenborrodale forms an important part of the wider Loch Sunart Atlantic Oak Woodlands SSSI (Site of Special Scientific Interest) and Sunart SAC (Special Area for Conservation).

Marshside

Lytchett Fields

Arne

Glenborrodale