LETI Country Rich in Wildlife Spotting Opportunities, According to Leading Wildlife Author





Otter- copyright Frazer MacFarlane

Happy New Year.  

Did you know that this is "The Year of Natural Scotland 2013" ?  Yes, and The Loch Earn Tourism Initiative (LETI: accommodation, activities, events and retail service providers) is celebrating the country's incredible terrain and inhabitants along with Scotlands tourism community, Visit Scotland and Event Scotland.






Where should you begin to look for beautiful landscapes and fascinating wildlife?  The centre of Scotland is a great place to start.  LETI country is where Perthshire, Stirlingshire and The Trossachs meet at the gateway to The Highlands.  All roads North, South, East and West, lead to other attractions in Scotland. 

Have a look at www.robroycountry.com .  The area boasts landscapes that are as breathtaking and unspoilt today as they were when Queen Victoria, Sir Walter Scott, William and Dorothy Wordsworth visited and even long before Scottish tourism was popularised. The lochs, towering mountains and ancient forests set the scene.


We are not the only species attracted to such landscapes though. The habitat is absolutely perfect for an abundance of incredible creatures and birds bringing the area alive. The villages of Strathyre, Balquhidder, Lochearnhead and St Fillans (within The Loch Lomond & The Trossachs National Park of Scotland) are shared with animals and birds that are regularly spotted by visitors, such as; golden eagle, sea eagle, red squirrel, ospreys, ptarmigan, salmon, otter, pine marten, deer and many more species, all year round. Each season we can enjoy different sightings.







Red Squirrel- copyright Frazer MacFarlane

Leading British wildlife author, Jim Crumley, lives locally.  He said: “This whole area has been at the heart of my own home territory as a nature writer for 30 years. It offers such a diversity of habitat – and therefore of wildlife – in such a compact area that I never tire of constant exploration of its mountains, low hills, native woodlands and plantation forests, wetland, and a remarkable diversity of lochs and rivers. I find that constantly re-working a familiar landscape is the best way to understand how nature works. It’s also true that the knowledge you gain of nature’s way of doing things is transferable to other landscapes, so that wherever I travel in Scotland and occasionally further afield, I carry my writer’s territory with me in my head. I know my native country pretty well, and it’s fair to say that whether you are a garden birdwatcher or mountain trekker or something in between, there is nowhere in Scotland that is richer in opportunities for getting close to nature than right here.”

If you would like to experience wildlife watching, similar to BBC Autumwatch and Springwatch, with hideouts and cameras focused on; pine martens, red squirrels, badgers etc, from the Strathyre Outdoor centre, then have a look at the services provided by Tony at Natural Trossachs 

 

Hidden Glen Safaris, offers an off-road jeep experience in Balquhidder. The tour combines nature watching with access to incredible scenery that is off the beaten track, with ancient stories of the Glen told on route.

 

Glenample Estates on the south side of Loch Earn attracts many overseas visitors who have been returning to enjoy the hospitality of LETI members for years. In addition to land management and improvement projects, like re populating black grouse, the estate manager offers a range of unique and tailor made wildlife experiences.

 

Whether you are an enthusiast or simply enjoy wildlife in the setting of your holiday, the LETI community of four villages in central Scotland is a perfect spot to base yourself.  Visit www.robroycountry.com for a choice of camping, caravans, bunkhouse, cabins, bed and breakfast, cottages, lodges, guest house, restaurant with rooms, hotels, luxury boutique hotel or email enquiries@robroycountry.com

Trossachs ©Frazer MacFarlane


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