POOLEWE

The sea loch known as Loch Ewe has something in common with Gruinard Bay to the north, in that it has an island in the middle of it, the Isle of Ewe. The views across the loch are enhanced by the dramatic backdrop of the mountains just inland. The River Ewe flows into the loch at Poolewe, an attractive village with neat little whitewash houses at the head of the loch. The main attraction hereabouts is the spectacular Inverewe Garden. Visitors to the garden could be forgiven for thinking they had been teleported to Cornwall, as the plants here have more in common with the gardens of the south west than anything normally found in Scotland. It is thanks to the North Atlantic Drift that such subtropical beauties as rhododendrons, azaleas and exotic border plants are able to thrive here. Naturally, summer is the most colourful time to visit the garden, but autumn brings its own reward, when the treasures on view include Agapanthus and Watsonias, natives of South Africa. The wildlife in the area around Poolewe includes seals, otters, pine martens and sea eagles.

Map of the area.

Inverewe Gardens. Photo by Tom Pennington, via Wikimedia Commons.