White tailed eagle, Great northern diver magnificent wild country - Day out on Loch Sheil

Loch Sheil

I have been meaning to do it for years, a trip up Loch Sheil on the "Sileas" from Acharacle to Glenfinnan 18 miles on one of Scotland's biggest freshwater lochs. The loch is remote enough for Northern divers and breeding sea eagles which we saw and Scottish wildcats which we didn't see but its enough to know that they are there.

Mike Tomkies the naturalist and writer lived on the north shore at Gaskan for 14 years. During his time at Gaskan Tomkies wrote some classics including "Wildcat Haven" an account of how he raised and released three litters,

Gaskan

two of them pure wildcat and one of hybrids. Most of his books are out of print but widely available second hand. About eight miles up the north shore of the loch Gaskan still seems to e in a good state of repair, it belongs to Loch Sheil Estates who still lease it to wild country enthusiasts.

Wildcat Haven is also the title of our own local wildcat conservation initiative here on the peninsula aimed at creating a safe habitat for Britain's rarest mammal by trapping and neutering hybrid and feral cats. Find out more at www.wildcathaven.org.uk.