Cuil Bay

Cuil Bay is on the south‐west part of the Ardsheal peninsula north west of the village Duror on the eastern shore of Loch Linnhe. Cuil Bay is, a long shingle and sand beach which is a popular spot for bird and wildlife watching. There are a good range of the sea and coastal birds including oyster catcher, ringed plover, eider duck, gannet a variety of gulls and auks. Pipits and larks serenade Spring with their distinctive and evocative calls. Look out for otters along the coastline and sea eagles and golden eagles overhead. Check out the watercourses and ponds for damsel and dragonflies.

The bay backs onto species rich damp grassland, rush pasture and heath. Species include cross-leaved heath, bell heather, heather, crowberry, devil's bit scabious, bog asphodel, bog myrtle, heath spotted orchid, lousewort and common valerian. There are also some lovely patches of thyme and birds foot trefoil. The shingle bay is colonised by sheep's sorrel, silverweed and curly dock. There are also some areas of salt marsh.

This is beautiful and peaceful place with some fine coastal views across to the islands of Balnagowan, Shuna and Lismore.

The Ardsheal Peninsula is designated as an SSSI on account of it structural and metamorphic geology: Dalradian. The coastal sections demonstrate the Appin Syncline, a major fold in the Grampian Fold-belt, formed by deformation of the Precambrian Dalradian rocks. The SSSI site also provides excellent exposures of five stratigraphical units in the upper part of the Appin Group including the type locality for the Cuil Bay Slates of the Blair Atholl Subgroup.