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Torridon declared Scotland's newest national nature reserve

Niall Benvie Towering mountains rise above an area of moorland and lochs under a cloudy sky. The picture shows Liathach and part of Beinn Eighe NNR.Niall Benvie
The new Torridon reserve shares a boundary with Beinn Eighe NNR

Torridon in the north-west Highlands has been declared Scotland's newest national nature reserve (NNR).

NatureScot has approved an application by the National Trust for Scotland (NTS) for about 12,602 acres (5,100ha) to be covered by the designation.

The reserve stretches from the seashore of Loch Torridon to the summits of the mountains Beinn Alligin and Liathach, and includes woodland and habitats that are home to ptarmigans and golden eagles.

It has a boundary with Beinn Eighe NNR, which was set up as the UK's first national nature reserve in 1951.

NTS has managed Torridon since the late 1960s and has set out a long-term vision to help nature thrive there over the next 200 years, in partnership with local communities and landowners.

Chief executive Philip Long said: "An NNR designation reflects the significance of the location on both a national and international level, and there's no question that the sublime beauty, ancient history and rich natural heritage of Torridon warrants this accolade."

Torridon is the first NNR to be declared in Scotland since 2017 when NTS' Glen Coe and Mar Lodge Estate sites were granted the status.

Catriona Webster A stunning view over a landscape of mountains and a loch. In the foreground is the mountain Beinn Alligin.Catriona Webster
The new NNR includes the mountain Beinn Alligin