What to see and where in South Highland

Spring has arrived on our shores and as the sun rises in the sky there are many sights and sounds to explore.

The wilds of the Highlands

Spring can be slow to arrive in the Highlands - gales whip the west coast sea lochs, and as gannets    return to fish the coastal waters they may have to battle icy winds. You might still see Beinn Eighe National Nature Reserve   wearing its cloak of snow. Visit and enjoy its trails whatever the weather. Heading east - Glen Affric NNR  , another pinewood, is a great place for hiking and biking.

Boxing hares and shy stoats

In the Straths of the Cairngorms, brown hares    box and super visible stoats   stand out white against the green grass. Visit Abernethy NNR  to watch the returning ospreys at Loch Garten  , and the lek display of capercaillie  . Insh Marshes    is another good place to watch birds, including breeding goldeneye  , resplendent in black and white plumage.

Spring is a good time to see the wealth of natural landforms in the Highlands, before the vegetation springs to life. Visit Glen Roy NNR  to see the famous parallel roads. Frost and snow lying in hollows help show the lie of the land, including lazy beds and shielings where people once worked in now empty glens.

Find out what's happening on the Great Glen Way  .

The sound of bird song and the smell of bluebells

As the ground warms in the spring sunshine trees start bursting into leaf and spring flowers emerge. Visit Ariundle Oakwood NNR  for bluebells and birdsong. Loch Arkaig    is a good place to go orchid spotting - lesser butterfly, fragrant and marsh are among the ones you can find. Look out for butterflies too - Pearl bordered fritillaries  can be seen on the wing in May.