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Wow factor
Accessibility
Photo potential
Udale Bay
| Directions: |
To reach Udale Bay, take the A9 north from Inverness. Turn right onto the B9161. At the T-junction, turn right onto the A832. Follow this road through the villages of Avoch, Fortrose and Rosemarkie. Approx 0.5-mile after leaving Rosemarkie, turn left onto the B9160 (signposted Balblair). Follow this road for approximately 4-miles and then turn right onto B9163. The Udale Bay hide is 0.5-mile along the road on the right. There is a bus service to Jemimaville 6 times a day and the nearest rail station is at Dingwall (16-miles). Grid reference: NH712650. |
| Accessibility: |
The reserve is open all year at all times. The hides are accessed via short path from lay-by. |
| Costs: |
Free |
| Best time to visit: |
Late summer through winter. |
Venue information
Venue details: Udale Bay is an extensive area of mudflat, saltmarsh and wet grassland on the Cromarty Firth. From late summer to April the reserve supports large numbers of wildfowl and wading birds. Best visited within two hours of high tide, there can be spectacular views of flocks of birds. In autumn, up to 5,000 wigeons feed on the beds of eel-grass. Late summer is a good time to see fishing ospreys.
Venue verdict: Good for wading birds. Long lenses are required
Ratings: 3