In search of the Scottish Wildcat: 4 October to 10 October
The Ardnamurchan Peninsula on the west coast of Scotland is one of my favourite places on the planet. While the scenery is breathtaking, and the people friendly, the fact that this area is one of Britain’s premier wildlife watching locations is no coincidence.
Home to mainland UK’s highest density of Otters, a thriving population of Pine Martens and some of the last Wildcats in Scotland, the Ardnamurchan is absolute paradise to the mammal connoisseur.
Fortunately for me, Sarah also loves the visiting the area although partly for different reasons to me. This time, we were also sharing our holiday with our good friends Jaye and Lorna, together with their baby, Jessica.
Despite a gloomy long term weather forecast (rain, rain and more rain) I looked forward to the start of our holiday like a child anticipates Christmas morning. At this point I must admit to another, more self-centred reason for my eagerness to revisit Ardnamurchan.
On my last visit to the area in 2008, I came very close to realising a lifelong dream and actually seeing a Scottish Wildcat in the wild. Unfortunately, much to my chagrin, the ‘cat’ in my spotlight escaped into the darkness before a positive identification could be made.
This time it was personal and I vowed not to leave Scotland again until I had not only seen a Wildcat, but seen it well enough to rule out any hybrids and feral cats. This was no easy task and the risk of failure was high.
Day 1: Scotland bound
After a rather busy morning at work, I sneaked off home early to load our pick-up with what seemed like tonnes of food, clothes, optical and photography equipment. A quick shower and we were on our way, stopping first on the York ring road for fuel and fish n chips at the Wetherby Whaler.
Following a quick coffee stop on the outskirts of Glasgow, we arrived at Loch Lomond in time for dusk. At this point the heavens opened up and the wind strength had increased enough to blow a small sapling across the road.
We passed through Glen Coe in heavy rain and total darkness, seeing our first Red Deer at the road side, and arrived in Fort William just before the petrol station closed for the night. The chavs were out in force and I was happy to leave for the final leg of our journey, reaching our accommodation in Acharacle just in time for a few drinks with Lorna and Jaye.
Day 2: Paradise
I awoke fairly early and immediately checked the weather outside. The rain had stopped and the sun was shining. Instantly I was impressed by the view out of our floor to ceiling windows, no doubt enhanced greatly by the lack of rain.
It was almost like one of those wildlife scenes you get in natural history books featuring the flora and fauna of a particular ecosystem.
I munched toast watching a Red Deer stag and his six hinds feed in the field behind the cottage, while two Hooded Crows graced a nearby fence. A Common Buzzard flew overhead, closely followed by a pair of honking Ravens.
Closer to the window a Stonechat alighted a bush (below) and a Robin patrolled the patio decking.
When breakfast was over, Jaye and I dragged ourselves away for a quick drive down the road to Salen. Parking just outside the hotel I raised my bins to scan Loch Sunart (below) for Otters, whilst at the same time explaining to Jaye how these cryptic mammals can be surprisingly difficult to spot.
The tide was out exposing miles of rocks and seaweed along the shoreline and I carefully scanned the small bay to our left. Almost immediately I found my target which must be some Otter spotting record.
I quickly set up my scope as the Otter was on the far side of the bay and for several minutes we were able to enjoy great views of the animal fishing. Inevitably it eventually disappeared from view and we returned to our cottage to pick up the girls.
We spent the rest of the morning slowly driving towards Ardnamurchan Point stopping when and where we pleased to take in the scenery and wildlife. Common Buzzards seemed especially numerous.
Around lunchtime we made a welcomed port of call at the Glenmore Natural History Centre, just up the road from Glenborrodale. After a delicious light meal I questioned Ritchie, the owner, on the latest Wildcat sightings. Unfortunately, the last report was in May, almost five months earlier! I glanced at the nearby exhibit featuring a mounted Wildcat specimen and wondered if this was the nearest I would come to seeing my target.
A mile or so after Glenmore, the single track road climbs steeply into the hills and cuts directly through prime cat territory. Scree slopes and rush fields provide ample prey for predators, whilst the lack of trees and tall vegetation makes spotlighting large areas relatively easy.
Further on the road rides high above Loch Mudle, and birch and willow provide a little more cover. An established conifer plantation runs almost parallel to the road along the left hand side.
It was in these areas that I planned to spotlight once the sun had gone down. In the meantime we had to make do with Ravens (below), Common Buzzards and a distant Golden Eagle!
We finally reached the lighthouse late afternoon and enjoyed an hour or so seawatching from the point. The sea was calm and we soon spotted some Cormorants fishing only several metres out. Kittiwakes occasionally flew past, together with Gannets, Herring Gulls (below) and a single Red-throated Diver.
Just as we were about to leave I noticed the distinctive surfacing roll of a Harbour Porpoise, closely followed by a second smaller animal. Not really expecting any cetaceans I was especially happy to add this mammal to my trip list, although sadly I was the only one to see them.
We made our way back east along the peninsula and enjoyed dinner at the Ben View Hotel in Strontian. After a quick coffee back in Acharacle, Jaye and I jumped back into my truck and we headed back to Wildcat country for the second time that day.
Armed with two powerful spotlights we aimed to spend a couple of hours exploring the B8007 between the Cala Darach former guesthouse and the junction with the Kilmory road.
By the time we reached the Carnas nan Geall car park the temperature had dropped significantly and an earlier rain shower had drenched the vegetation to saturation point. Large groups of sheep congregated in the road, begrudgingly moving aside at the last minute, whilst a Hedgehog crossed our path with more purpose and speed.
As we cruised slowly up the road it wasn’t long before we started to pick out eye-shine in the beams of our spotlights. Most belonged to sheep, although we also had plenty of Red Deer further off the road. After a while we became familiar with the ungulate eye colour, size, distance apart etc. and I was able to speed my up driving up a little, stopping now and then in the plentiful laybys for a more detailed search.
After about an hour we were heading east along the road when Jaye shouted at me to stop. At the bottom of a deep valley he had skilfully spotted predator eye-shine and not a moment too soon! Before long we had both spotlights on the animal although I was struggling to pick out more than just a vague shape in my bins. Memories from last year came flooding back and I was determined not to let this ‘cat’ escape.
The predator was purposefully heading east, disappearing every so often in long grass. Its size looked good for a Wildcat although from this distance I couldn’t be sure. With both lights still on the animal it crossed a vehicle track and my heart sank. It was a Red Fox.
We commiserated ourselves with two facts. Firstly, it would have been far worse if the animal had escaped unidentified. Another POSSIBLE Wildcat just wouldn’t do! Secondly, if Jaye had managed to spot and identify predator eye-shine at this distance, then our technique was working well.
We had just started moving again when we passed another vehicle – quite an unusual occurrence at this time of night. Perhaps a local heading back home after an evening with friends, we thought nothing more of it and decided to call it a night ourselves.
At this point we were not overly disappointed with our lack of success as we still had two or three additional night drives planned. In fact, seeing Britain’s rarest mammal on our first attempt and without some serious effort just wouldn’t seem right somehow.
With this thought in mind we left the rush fields and scree slopes of Wildcat country and started the steep decent into Ardslignish (the first bay). As we rounded the sharp bend I noticed a large cat at the roadside, running fast away from my car. In a split second, the animal turned towards the metal crash barrier, effortlessly jumping on top and over, before disappearing into the forest and out of sight.
I don’t know who swore first, or what exactly Jaye and I initially said to each other. What I do know is I had just seen a Wildcat.
Grey/brown fur with vertical black stripes and lack of white patches. Club tail with thick black stripes and black tip. Huge size! The fact the cat needed to jump the crash barrier, instead of ducking under illustrates this last feature nicely!
Thinking the cat might be using the road to keep dry away from the wet vegetation, I swung the car round as soon as it was possible. The cat was long gone. What we did see was our second Hedgehog of the evening, and oddly, the same Landcruiser that had passed us fifteen minutes earlier, this time heading east.
For the rest of the journey home I constantly asked Jaye to repeat his description of the cat, as if in doubt of what I had seen with my own eyes. I couldn’t care less how easy it had been – we had seen a Wildcat!
Day 3: Wonderful Mull
I’m not a superstitious person, but after the events of the previous day, I wondered if I had used up a month's worth of luck in 24 hours.
However, the predicted rain showers were nowhere to be seen as we headed to Kilchoan to catch our ferry to Tobermory on the Isle of Mull.
Eager to see some seabirds and cetaceans I opted to spend the 50 minute crossing on the upper deck of the ferry despite the icy cold breeze. For my trouble I saw plenty of Cormorants, Shags and nothing much else.
As we neared Mull things did pick up a little with a Sparrowhawk being mobbed by a Hooded Crow over the cliffs. A couple of Ravens were also noted.
Arriving in Tobermory, we visited some shops before embarking on a loop of the northern part of the island. Common Buzzard was the only decent bird before we stopped for lunch in Calgary at the Carthouse Gallery and Tearoom (recommended).
Suitably refreshed we continued our drive, picking up Rock Pipit, Curlew, Redshank, Oystercatcher and other common birds as we made our way along the coast. It wasn’t long before I spotted a huge raptor flying low over a hillside. Quickly pulling over, I soon confirmed my initial thought that I was watching a juvenile White-tailed Eagle, complete with dead rabbit in its talons.
After the eagle had flown out of sight, we made our way past Loch na Keal where we continued the holiday's good run of mammal luck.
First to be seen was a rather large Short-tailed Vole as it scurried across the road in front of my car. Somehow the vole escaped my car tyres, although I’m unsure how it faired with the Land Rover behind!
Seeing a suitable parking area along the shore I pulled up and began a scan for wildlife. Amazingly I spotted an Otter swimming several yards out almost immediately. Decent views were enjoyed by all before it disappeared for the last time.
A rabbit was noted in a nearby field, together with a Kestrel hovering over the hillside.
Returning to the car we had only travelled half a mile when I noticed a black sausage on the roadside. It took a couple of seconds to register I was looking at an American Mink, which is roughly the same amount of time it took this non-native mustelid to disappear into a dry stone wall.
Next we had some bird luck with both Golden Eagle and White-tailed Eagle seen in quick succession. While the former was distant, the latter provided awesome views as it flew over the road and out to sea.
The rest of the afternoon was pretty uneventful apart from a Common Seal seen near Salen and a Red Deer stag in the vicinity of Tobermory.
We boarded the last ferry to Kilchoan and arrived back on Ardnamurchan at dusk. While driving through the Loch Mudle area I noticed a Land Rover up ahead parked in a layby. Behind the vehicle was a trailer complete with ATV and an impressive dead stag which had been tied across the back.
I was gestured to stop by the driver of a Land Rover, who promptly introduced himself as the Sporting Manager of the Ardnamurchan estate. As it turned out, I was a suspected poacher and my spotlighting had caused a little excitement among the locals the previous evening.
My mind returned to the night before, and to the Landcruiser that passed us a couple of times towards the end of our session. No doubt this was the guy that had taken my details and passed them to the police and local estate.
It must be said the Sporting Manager was extremely polite and once I had explained my interest in wildlife he became quite friendly, even providing me with information on his own Wildcat sightings. He also enlightened me on the areas growing deer poaching problem. With powerful spotlights and a couple of 4x4s, there was little wonder the locals assumed we were illegal deer hunters.
After a brief chat we parted company on good terms. The drive back east along the peninsula was uneventful apart from several Natterer’s Bats and we ended the night back at our accommodation where we indulged in pizza washed down with a couple of beers.
Day 4. Stuck in a rut
We opened our blinds to another glorious day on Ardnamurchan.
The Red Deer stag was watching over his small group of hinds, while Raven and Buzzards graced the sky above. Pied Wagtails bobbed about on the grass outside our patio doors and a Common Frog bathed in a shallow pool formed from another night of heavy rain.
Jaye had gone out early in a quest for photographs while Sarah and I enjoyed a more leisurely breakfast. Before long Jaye returned looking extremely flustered, if not a little embarrassed, and asked me if I would use my pick-up to tow his Land Rover out of a spot of trouble.
The fact Jaye had initially parked his car on a grass verge demonstrates just how much rain had fallen on the west coast of Scotland over the last few weeks, even if we were enjoying perfectly pleasant weather during the day time.
After snapping several ropes unsuccessfully towing Jaye’s vehicle out of the mud, we admitted defeat and called in the professionals. Reasonably expensive professionals I might add.
As much as we were enjoying the Ardnamurchan Peninsula, we decided on a change of scenery and opted to explore the old Mallaig road in search of seals. Loch Shiel provided several distractions along the way, including a very impressive gathering of Grey Herons, no doubt waiting for the tide to expose a plentiful bounty of fish in the rockpools.
The minor road to Rhu (off the old B8008) is a very reliable spot for seals and this time proved to be no exception. Before long we were watching both Common and Grey Seals through my spotting scope, although they were a little too far off for decent photographs.
After we had our fill of loafing seals we moved further up the coast where we all enjoyed a brisk walk on the sands while taking in some stunning scenery.
Following a fuel stop in the fishing town of Mallaig, we headed back along the new B8008 where I spotted our first Pine Marten of the holiday, albeit a young animal that had met its maker the night before. Hopefully we would see a live specimen by the end of the week!
We headed back to Strontian where we enjoyed some much needed refreshments at the Strontian Hotel. Incidentally, this establishment had changed hands since my previous visit to Ardnamurchan and the food had improved ten-fold. Jaye and I then headed west for another evening of spotlighting.
After a couple of hours nightdriving, our species list pretty much mirrored that of the first evening, minus the Red Fox and Wildcat. In other words we saw plenty of Red Deer, together with a single Hedgehog . As always, there were plenty of bats about, and a Rabbit closer to home. While the Rabbit represented a new Arnamurchan mammal tick, it didn’t quite match up to the excitement the Wildcat had caused earlier in the week.
Day 5: Phantom Castles
Yet another beautiful day, completely at odds with the long-term weather forecast. Sarah and I started the day nice and early with a drive along Loch Sunart unsuccessfully looking for Otters. A couple a young Common Seals poked their noses out of the still water, causing some false alarms.
We also noted a family of Red-breasted Mergansers in one of the bays while driving back to our accommodation to pick up the rest of our party.
We had lunch in the Ariundale Centre where Lorna got excited about a half dead Violet Ground Beetle. These ecologists are a funny breed! Unfortunately we failed to find any Dippers in the nearby stream.
After a quick discussion on what to do next, we decided it would be appropriate to seek out some Scottish Castles. History is not my strong point, but I suggested Lochaline might be worth a visit as my map promised a couple of castles in the vicinity.
As usual, the drive to Lochaline involved passing through some absolutely stunning scenery. I also noted some great Wildcat habitat, similar to the rushfields and scree slopes that border the B8007. At the end of our week, a conversation with a local confirmed what I was thinking. Apparently the majority of accidental Wildcat sightings made by locals going about their daily business occur in the Lochaline area.
An hour or so later found us walking a secluded beach, just past where the ferry departs to Mull. A couple of Grey Wagtails bobbed about along the seaweed covered rocks, although I was more interested in a distant bird, someway out at sea. Setting up my scope I was a little disappointed to see a Common Guillemot as opposed to the Black Guillemot I had hoped for.
The time passed all too quickly, and before long the light started to fade. Remembering our original castle quest we concluded a distant ruin must be one of those marked on my map. We never did find the other!
We dined in Acharacle at the mediocre Loch Shiel House Hotel. It was while walking in to the pub that I noticed a perfect Wildcat lookalike hunting a nearby track. It was only the pencil thin tail that gave the cat’s domestic genes away, and I couldn’t help wondering if this animal accounted for any of the local ‘Wildcat’ sightings I had heard so much about.
Day 6: Paw prints in the sand
We decided to make use of our sixth day exploring Sanna, a small settlement near the tip of the Ardnamurchan Peninsula. The drive west produced the usual wildlife including countless Stonechats (below), Buzzards and Ravens. The Red Deer stags looked particularly majestic in the autumn sun, although without exception they remained frustratingly out of camera range.
I didn’t know what to expect when we reached Sanna, but I was impressed nonetheless.
Rolling sand dunes gave way to a pristine, litter free beach, marked only by a couple of Herring Gulls and a noisy group of Oystercatchers.
Both Rock (below) and Meadow Pipits called from various places as I scanned the shore for the local Otters.
Judging by fresh tracks in the sand, there was at least one in the area, although it remained irritatingly out of site for the duration of our visit.
Following some time messing about in the rock pools, we drove to Ardnamurchan Point to look for cetaceans. Some distant Cormorants and Guillemots were the best I could manage, before we called in at the Sonachan Hotel for a delicious evening meal.
After dropping the girls off at our accommodation, Jaye and I headed back west for our third spotlighting session, again concentrating on the Loch Mudle area. The temperature had dropped enough to turn a light rain shower into sleet over the high ground. The sheep and deer seemed to be huddled down for the night in the more sheltered areas, and the Hedgehogs were notable by their absence. The only interest came in the form of a Red Fox that got our pulses racing for a while.
We returned home slightly earlier than usual, with nothing of note seen on the drive back to Acharacle.
Day 7: Eagles galore.
Sarah and I were up nice and early for our last full day in Scotland. Pulling back the curtains I was strangely satisfied by the rain and wind that was battering the trees in the garden. This is what Ardnamurchan was supposed to be like in October!
After a quick bowl of cereal, we left the others in bed and set out for one last morning drive along the peninsula. The dull weather had changed the autumn colours to beyond recognition, whilst Loch Sunart had transformed from a calm millpond, into something resembling a stormy North Sea.
Our intention was to try and photograph a Red Deer stag, a relatively easy task that had escaped us over the last week. Deer seem to know when camera equipment is packed away in the back of the car, and appear within touching distance on such occasions. It goes without saying that when the big lens was ready to shoot, we wouldn’t see another animal for hours.
As we made our way past the natural history centre and up into the hills, I noticed two huge raptors in the distance. Quickly pulling into a layby, I soon had two juvenile White-tailed Eagles in my bins. As I watched these magnificent birds battling the strong winds, I noticed a smaller raptor purposefully flying south. This bird turned out to be a male Hen Harrier, a very welcome addition to our paltry trip birdlist. Autumn birdwatching on Ardnamurchan is certainly a case of quality over quantity!
Further down the road we found a Red Deer stag that allowed us to take a couple of shots, before it decided to trot off over the brow of a hill.
At this point the rain had slowed a little, and we decided to drive the road to Ockle, for no reason other than to see what was at the other end. Unsurprisingly all we found was a couple of houses and a large farm; large villages seem few and far between on the peninsula. Continuing with our exploration, we took a side road to Fascadale, almost having to nudge our way through a herd of very stubborn cows.
Fascadale comprised of another small collection of buildings and it was here we spotted another White-tailed Eagle. It was probably one of the juveniles we had seen earlier and we watched in awe as it tried to escape the attentions of a Hooded Crow, before landing out of site on a steep cliff face.
After collecting Lorna, Jaye and Jessica we had a quick bite to eat at the Blue Parrot Café in Acharacle. We then set off on the scenic drive to Polloch via Loch Doilet. By this time the rain had started again, falling faster then ever as we made our way past Anaheit and Scotstown. As we climbed into the hills, a huge bird flew into view, causing me to break sharply and pull to into a passing place.
The poor weather was proving good for raptors as before us were two Golden Eagles (below). The first bird soared high in the sky, distracting our attention from his mate perched on top of a nearby hill.
Despite the rain, we spent a fair amount of time admiring both birds through my scope, before we completed the rest of our journey without much other wildlife interest.
After our scenic drive to Polloch, we spent the rest of our time searching for Otters from the rather plush Garbh Eilean bird hide at Ardery. Looking out on Loch Sunart, the hide provides panoramic views across various islands, and is a great place to escape long periods of rainy weather.
Approximately fifteen Grey Herons kept us amused, together with Oystercatchers and a couple of Common Seals. The visitor book promised Otters galore, although despite a lengthy watch, we left without a sighting. Furthermore, several other people gripped us off with tales of the Pine Martens that are often seen in broad daylight, both in the surrounding woodland and even sat on the fence just before the hide.
Although I was highly satisfied with the wildlife we had seen on this holiday, the absence of this key Scottish mammal from our list had not escaped my mind. I had presumed that with countless miles of nightdriving, through prime Oakwood habitat, we would have seen at least one by now. With only one night left, and continuing heavy rain, I gave up on the idea. After all, I had seen a dead one. And I had seen a Wildcat!
It was while eating our final meal at the Strontian Hotel that Sarah and Lorna reminded me it was their turn to accompany me on the evening’s nightdrive. I had wrongly assumed that in such poor weather, the girls would have preferred a cosy night indoors with a bottle of wine. Looking out of the restaurant’s window and into the stormy night, I think even I would have preferred a cosy night indoors!
Leaving Jaye and baby Jessica in our warm cottage, the three of us set out on our last spotlighting session. While passing through the Sunart Oakwoods we saw our first mammal cross the road in front of the car. From the small bicoloured body, and long tail it was evident we had seen a Wood Mouse. For some reason the rain had brought the rodents out in force, and we saw many more, together with a Bank Vole, at various points along our route.
We spent an hour working the Loch Mudle area with our spotlights, finding just sheep and deer for our trouble. Reluctantly we headed home, slightly disappointed at our lack of success. The girls especially had hoped for something more exciting, especially as this was there first and only nightdrive of the holiday.
As we made our way back through the Sunnart Oakwoods our conversation stopped briefly. Fighting off tiredness, my mind began to return to Pine Martens and our lack of live sightings. I knew from speaking to locals that several nearby houses had martens visiting their feeders, and I glanced at each one we passed, hoping for just a glimpse of my favourite Scottish creature.
We had nearly reached Salen when I spotted eye shine at the roadside. I initially thought cat, then fox, before realising it belonged to a different creature altogether – a beautiful adult Pine Marten! Not only that, but the marten even had the decency to cross the road in full range of my headlights.
Fortunately, the girls who were in various stages of slumber, also had crippling views as the animal disappeared into the night.
As far as finales go, I couldn’t have asked for more. A Wildcat would have been the obvious choice but we had seen one of those on our first nightdrive. The Pine Marten made a splendid alternative. We returned to Acharacle in high spirits and spent the rest of the evening gripping off Jaye.
Day 8: Homeward bound
Our fabulous week on Ardnamurchan was over. Mammal wise I had exceeded all my expectations, and I had succeeded in seeing some quality birds as well. Above all, everyone had enjoyed our week in glorious Scotland and none of us looked forward to the long drive south.
The sun was shining as we loaded up our cars and bid farewell to our comfortable cottage. In convoy we made our way slowly along Loch Shiel, looking one last time for Otters.
We parted company in Fort William as Jaye needed to fill up his car with diesel, but not before we were all treated to one last wildlife spectacle. As we made our way along Loch Eil, a White-tailed Eagle appeared from over the water, circled our cars, before heading back over the loch and towards Ardnamurchan once more.
A sentimentalist may have wondered if the eagle was bidding us farewell, wishing us luck on our long journeys home. In reality it was probably just making sure we had finally left Ardnamurchan for good!
