Loch of Strathbeg

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Address
RSPB Scotland Loch of Strathbeg, Starnafin, Crimond AB43 8QN
Grid ref
NK055577

As Britain's largest dune loch, Strathbeg is a vital wintering and staging post for up to a fifth of the world's pink-footed geese. It's also home to a wide variety of wetland wildlife, such as breeding terns and gulls, migrating waders and wintering wildfowl.

Plan your visit

Opening times

Open at all times, apart from Christmas Day and Boxing Day.

Entrance charges

Free entrance to RSPB members
Yes
Adults
Free, but donations are very welcome.
Children
Free, but donations are very welcome.
Car park cost

Free

Facilities

  • Visitor centre
  • Car park
  • Toilets
  • Accessible toilets
  • Refreshments
  • Picnic area
  • Guided walks
  • Viewing point
  • Nature trails
  • Shop off-site
  • Educational facilities

Accessibility

How to get here

By train

Most accessible railway station is 38 miles (61 km) away in Aberdeen.

By bus

Nearest bus stop is in Crimond village. In the village, walk towards the church. Beside the church is a small road with a brown nature reserve sign.

By road

From A90 in the village of Crimond, take the turn beside Kirk, following the brown tourist sign to nature reserve. At the T-junction at the end of the road, turn left. After approximately 500 m, turn right at reserve entrance.

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

Group booking information

Groups are welcome. Please ring in advance if advice or staff assistance is required. 

Schools booking information

Any enquiries should be made to the East Scotland Regional Office, 01224 624824, email: esro@rspb.org.uk

What will the weather be like?

13 degrees, Cloudy

Contact Loch of Strathbeg

What will you see?

Our star species

Recent sightings

Whooper swan

Find out about recent wildlife sightings at Loch of Strathbeg.

Read more

Seasonal highlights

The changeover of the birds as geese and waders give way to terns, gulls and warblers.

The dunes are in bloom with pansies and violets.

The return of the geese, with huge flocks coming in to roost.

Flocks of waders and the possibility of otters foraging on the ice.

About Loch of Strathbeg

Habitat

Loch of Strathbeg is a site of international importance comprising a shallow freshwater loch with surrounding wetland, dunes and grassland. It provides wintering habitat for a number of important wetland bird species, particularly wildfowl. In spring, the site has a diversity of breeding birds. Strathbeg is one of the best-known localities for migrant birds in Scotland and adjacent fields and pools provide important roosting and feeding sites for geese.

Conservation

  • Working for wildfowl - We're working to maintain an annual population of at least 20,000 wintering wildfowl, including whooper swans, pink-footed geese and teals. Grazing and water level controls help us maintain a suitable balance of open water and grassland.
  • Other habitats - We're improving the wet grassland for breeding waders, including lapwings and redshanks, by maintaining a low sward, controlling scrub and rushes, and managing seasonal flooding. Work includes grazing, upgrading sluices and clearing invasive plants. We are also managing dry grassland for wintering geese and farmland birds, by rotating grassland and arable, and maintaining hedgerows and margins.
  • Monitoring - We're monitoring all species and habitats to inform our management. This includes winter wildfowl counts and standard monitoring of other birds. We also monitor key mammal, fish and plant species, plus water levels, sward height and soil quality.
  • Restoration - Here at the Loch of Strathbeg, we're restoring 22 hectares of fen meadow through a mixture of mechanical cutting and grazing by our herd of Konik ponies. The meadow had become dominated by soft rush - the ponies eat the rush making room for smaller, more delicate flowering plants.

Partners

We'd like to offer a big thanks to:

  • The European Agriculture Fund for Rural Development: Europe investing in rural areas - For helping us to manage the reserve for breeding and wintering birds.
  • Save our Magnificent Meadows, Heritage Lottery Fund and Plantlife - For helping us to restore the Fen Meadow on Mosstown Marsh through Save our Magnificent Meadows (2014 - 17)
  • Scottish Natural Heritage - For their contribution to everything we do.
  • Gillman Trusts - For all their help and support.
  • Coastal Communities Fund - For their contribution to our upgraded volunteer accommodation and Visitor Centre in 2015-16. 
  • RSPB Aberdeen & District Local Group and Friends of Strathbeg - For their significant contributions and support to the reserve over many years.

Site information

The Loch of Strathbeg reserve covers 894ha, of which 473ha is a designated SPA/RAMSAR site for wildlife, primarily geese and swans, and 740ha is SSSI, for both wildlife and geological reasons.

Sand dunes and coastal features comprise 43 per cent, 29 per cent is surrounding grassland and 24 per cent open water and wetland or reedbeds.

The RSPB took over the original element of the site in 1973, and has since purchased the fields around Savoch, Mosstown and Netherton.

Latest forum posts

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Latest blog posts

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Activities and events

Activities for children and families

The reserve holds a number of family and children events. There is also an area for younger children in the visitor centre with colouring activities and puzzle sheets.

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