Induction week - Ben Lomond

During the induction week, the group of 8 trainees had the opportunity to discover and explore many new places in the Loch Lomond and the Trossachs National Park. A highlight of the first week was climbing Ben Lomond with NTS estate ranger, Alistair. Ben Lomond, at 974m high, is Scotland’s most southerly Munro, situated on the east shore of Loch Lomond. For our group of trainees, spirits were high as we approached the summit, as this was the first Munro many of them had climbed. Views from the top looking south over the expanse of Loch Lomond were spectacular and looking north, the beauty of the west highlands stretched as far as we could see. It was a great day for spotting wildlife, the sky was busy with migratory birds arriving from the Southern Hemisphere. On this April day, we were treated to the first Swallows arriving from South Africa, having flown up to 200 miles a day, crossing the Sahara Desert, the Mediterranean Sea and the Pyrenees mountains, finally arriving in Scotland where these birds will nest over the summer months. A wonder to see them darting above us, with their distinctive fast swooping flight. The skylarks were also making preparations for the nesting season, and they offered up the soundtrack for our day! The male birds flew high above our heads, and while tricky to spot, their spectacular song-flight was unmistakable. Follow the RSPB link to have a listen... https://www.rspb.org.uk/birds-and-wildlife/wildlife-guides/bird-a-z/skylark/ Seeing and hearing this bird was really special, as Alistair explained they are now Red UK conservation status.