The Natural Environment

Lochs

There are over 6000 fresh water and sea lochs throughout the Hebrides and any bird's eye view will show you that the Hebrides is actually mostly made up of water.

Some of the lochs on the fertile sandy coasts are rich in nutrients that feed a great range of aquatic life, making Hebridean lochs world famous for fishing: rich in stocks of Brown and Sea Trout, Salmon and Charr.

While other peatland lochs are dark and acidic, the characteristic Hebridean loch is a mixture of both salt and fresh water ("brakish" water.)

The flora and fauna that survives around these brackish waters add yet another dimension to the range of botanical interest which can be found in the Hebrides.