The Wildlife Map of the Hebrides

9. Barvas

Loch Mor Barvas is very shallow and is the northern most of a series of lochs on the north west coast of Lewis which have been dammed by shingle. There is an extensive machair but huge areas have been laid bare by erosion, especially near the cemetery. Despite the erosion, fair numbers of waders breed here and there is a good variety of machair plants. There is a rifle range, so check to see that the warning flags are not flying and please try not to disturb the artic tern breeding colony.