Ben-y-Vrackie (Speckled Mountain) is a designated Site of Special Scientific Interest (SSSI) offering woodland, open moorland and the picturesque Loch a' Choire.  A path from the car park leads you past a mixed Conifers Wood to the open hillside.  Heather surrounds marshy streams, a beautifully carved seat is a welcomed resting place, maybe a view of Lochnagar from the top, but that's not all, the flora & fauna is outstanding...

 

Ben-y-Vrackie reaches 841m (2759 feet) high at its summit and commands views of Pitlochry and the surrounding glens.

Plants are in abundance on and around Ben Vrackie including Pignut, Cow Parsley, Ground Elder, Wood Forget-me-not, Wood Avens, Common Wintergreen, Yellow Pimpernel, Dog's Mercury, Foxglove, Blaeberry, Bog Stitchwort, Lesser Stitchwort, Pink Purslane, Red Campion, Wild Strawberry, Bitter Vetch, Herb Robert, Wood Cranesbill, Common Dog Violet, Goosegrass, Alkanet, Bugle, Lady Fern, Broad Buckler Fern, Hard Fern, Alpine Lady's Mantle, Bell Heather, Heather, Bog Myrtle, insectivorous Butterwort, Purple Oxytropis and Scottish Asphodel, to name a few.

Birds you may see on your travels include Chaffinch, Willow Warbler, Blue Tit, Dunnock, Tree Pipit, Ptarmigan, Cuckoo, Whitethroat, Buzzard, Kestrel, Raven, Grasshopper Warbler, Common Sandpiper, Red Grouse, Meadow Pipet, Dunnock, Wheatear, Ring Ouzel, and many more.

Image Gallery: © Copyright Richard Webb, Eileen Henderson, Russel Wills, Lis Burke, Alan O'Dowd and licensed for reuse under this Creative Commons Licence.