North Uist

The interior of the island is dominated by large expanses of peatland interspersed with a network of larger lochs and smaller lochans. Here there is almost as much fresh water as there is land.

In the west the hills slope gently down to the flat machair plains, dunes and beaches. Much of the machair is still cultivated under traditional rotation and supports high densities of waders and corncrake. The RSPB Balranald reserve comprises of a mosaic or wetland, lochs, machair and dunes and holds large number of waders and wildfowl throughout the year. The most westerly point on North Uist at Aird and Runair is an excellent place for watching passage migration, particularly the skua passage. In the east the two triangular hills, the Lees and Eaval rise between sea lochs creating a distinctive skyline. Loch Eport stretches some 10km inland and is an excellent area for otters. The moorland areas hold breeding waders, arctic skua, hen harrier, merlin, short-eared owl, red and black-throated diver.

Located in the centre off the rolling North Uist moorlands, the Committee Road trail location is an excellent area to watch hen harrier and short-eared owl from the roadside. Langais offers a spectacular view over the lochs and bogs of North Uist where both eagle species are regularly seen.