The National Trust for Scotland has produced a spotter’s guide for visitors to the Grey Mare’s Tail at Moffat.
One of the UK’s highest waterfalls and a spectacular Dumfriesshire landmark, plunging 60m from Loch Skeen, Grey Mare’s Tail is a paradise for wildlife enthusiasts.
And to mark UN World Wildlife Day this week, the National Trust for Scotland has included it in their newly published series of guides designed for visitors to their nationwide network of properties and wild spaces.
The falls are the product of different rates of glacial erosion during the last major ice age, around 15,000 years ago, in the Moffat Water Valley and it is easy to see how the Grey Mare’s Tail got its name.
Perched high above the Moffat Water, the Tail Burn flows through the hanging valley and then tumbles abruptly over a series of cascades and plunge pools into the valley below.
With a main fall of around 60m, the Grey Mare’s Tail is one of the highest waterfalls in Scotlan, and the fifth highest cascade in Britain.
This dramatic upland landscape unfolds further up steep slopes past the waterfall to picturesque Loch Skeen. Towering above the loch are the peaks of Lochcraig Head, Mid Craig and the summit of White Coomb (821m), with breathtaking views extending as far as the Lake District and Northumberland to the south.
It has been a tourist attraction since the 19th Century and Sir Walter Scott described it in his poem, Marmion, as the “roaring linn”.
An NTS spokesperson said: “While exploring, walkers can spot the effects of glacial erosion on the landscape and if they look carefully there’s a whole host of wildlife nestled along the trail.
“Grey Mare’s Tail is a paradise for wildlife enthusiasts. They come to see the rare upland plants, peregrine falcons, ring ouzels, feral goats and, if you’re lucky, ospreys fishing in the loch.”
Loch Skeen is also home to Britain’s rarest freshwater fish, the vendace, and there are mountain hares on the higher slopes. Feral goats have roamed the Moffat Hills for hundreds of years.
The National Trust for Scotland spotter’s guide suggests looking out for:
• The Dipper: Small but perfectly formed, the robin-sized bird can be seen darting up and down the waterfall. Its bright white tummy, in contrast to its dark body, often catches the eye first but keep an ear cocked for its beautiful and distinctive song.
• Kestrel: One of the UK’s smaller birds of prey, the kestrel has adapted to hunting in a wide range of habitats and is often spotted near roads, keeping a sharp eye out for small rodents. It is perhaps best known for its distinctive hovering in the air as well as its orangey brown colour and long tail.
• Mountain hares: Masters of disguise, mountain hares change
their coats into a soft brown in summer. Keep an eye out for those distinctive black ear tips. If disturbed, mountain hares can reach speeds of up to 40mph thanks to their immensely powerful back legs. Mountain hares are a native Scottish species and are bigger than rabbits and yet slightly smaller than brown hares.
• Peregrine falcon: This bird is the largest falcon found in the UK and is the fastest creature in the world. It can reach speeds of up to 200mph during a dive (a cheetah can reach a top speed of 70mph) – their long, pointed wings turn them into an aerodynamic masterpiece. They often take their prey in mid-flight, relying on the speed of their surprise attack.
• Vendace: You’ll struggle to spot this small fish in Loch Skeen - with a blue-green back and a silver belly, it is the UK’s rarest freshwater fish. The vendace is highly protected as it is very susceptible to changes in water conditions.
• Wheatear: Often known as a harbinger of spring, the wheatear has the longest migration of any small bird in the world with a return journey of 18,640 miles from sub-Saharan Africa.
If you are thinking of travelling to the Grey Mare’s Tail check Scottish Government Covid-19 guidelines and restrictions.
