The Jewels of the Hebrides

National Nature Reserves

National Nature Reserves (NNRs) are areas of land that are important for nature conservation and which are managed with the intention of making sure their special nature is maintained and prospers. There are three NNRs in the Outer Hebrides of Scotland: St Kilda (see St Kilda section), Loch Druidibeg and North Rona and Sula Sgeir.

Loch Druidibeg NNR

Loch Druidibeg and the landscapes surrounding it represent one of the best places in the Hebrides to see the full range of island wildlife and habitats.

The 1677 hectares that form the Reserve stretch across South Uist from the Atlantic coast almost to the Minch. It is an area of striking contrasts with colourful flowery machair, grasslands on the coast through to moorlands interspersed with quiet lochans. The Reserve is a haven for the characteristic plants and birds of the Uists, including the corncrake, greylag geese, short eared owl, corn bunting, and ringed plover, golden eagle and many more.

There are self-guided walks through the croftland, with leaflets available from SNH or local Tourist Offices.

The best time to visit is between May and June for breeding wildfowl, waders and corncrakes.

You are welcome to explore the reserve as you wish - the only restriction on access is around the Southwest corner of Loch Druidibeg during the bird breeding season (April to the end of August).

For further information contact:
SNH, Stilligarry, South Uist, HS8, 5RS
Tel: 44(0)1870 6200238

North Rona and Sula Sgeir NNR

This remote National Nature Reserve is internationally important for its breeding populations of Storm Petrel, Leaches Petrel, Gannet and Guillemot, which together with other species, total no less than 130,000 seabirds.

North Rona is also internationally important for its breeding grey seal population. There are numerous remains of human habitation.

The best time to visit is summer for the seabirds and autumn for the grey seals but contact SNH first.

These islands are situated 40 miles north off the Butt of Lewis and boats can be hired from Lewis but you have to book well in advance.

Visitors are strongly advised to contact SNH before a trip as it is the most difficult of all reserves to reach.

Contact:
SNH, 32 Francis Street, Stornoway, Isle of Lewis, HS1 2ND
Tel: +44(0)1851 705258

The Monach Isles NNR

The Monach Isles are 577 hectares of land lying off the west coast of North Uist.

The name ‘monach’ (meaning monk) refers to the early settlement of this group of islands, first by nuns and then by monks, who maintained a beacon on Shillay, later replaced by a lighthouse, which is no longer in use.

The original name ’Heisker’ was changed on maps and charts to avoid confusion with the nearby island of ‘Haskeir’ but is still used locally. The Monachs are thought to have been connected to North Uist until about 6000 years ago, but there is a very strong local tradition that it was possible to walk over to the islands within historic times.

These low lying machair islands have a long history of fertility, and their people had a reputation for good health. The islands were finally abandoned by the inhabitants in 1949 and subsequently became a sheep farm though fishermen often stay there during the summer.

The extensive and undisturbed machair has a rich variety of plants and is an important feeding area for several hundred wintering Barnacle Geese. It is also home to a large number of seabirds, including one of the largest populations of black guillemots, along with eider, shags, arctic terns and fulmars.

The islands are a National Nature Reserve, managed by Scottish Natural Heritage but are difficult to access. The tall, brick lighthouse on Shillay was decommissioned during the last war.