near Kirriemuir  NO 278 550 O.S. Sheet 53

Loch of Lintrathen reserve is 205ha in area and is centred on a public water supply reservoir.

It attracts large numbers of wintering wildfowl, including internationally important numbers of greylag geese.

Set among the foothills of the Braes of Angus, and close to the fertile farmlands of Strathmore, the Loch of Lintrathen attracts vast numbers of wintering wildfowl. The loch, which is the principal water supply for Dundee and Angus, was created in the 19th century by the damming of the Melgam Water.
From late autumn onwards birds flock to the reserve in their thousands - especially greylag geese returning from their summer breeding grounds in Iceland. The geese leave the loch during the daytime to forage over stubble and potato fields and, later in the winter, to graze over grassland. As they return in the late afternoon to their safe roost on the reserve, the noisy skeins of birds filling the sky make an impressive sight and sound.

The Lintrathen water is rich in minerals and supports a good supply of food for many other birds which feed on the loch during the day, especially during the summer months. These include tufted duck, shoveler, great crested grebe, mallard and coot. Herons nest near the reserve and can often be seen fishing in the loch. During the summer ospreys are occasionally sighted.

This reserve was recognised as a wetland area of international importance when designated in 1980 as a Ramsar site - Ramsar being the town in Iran where an international convention on wetlands was held in 1971. The main purpose of the convention was to identify important wetland areas and ensure their protection. The UK became a Signatory to the convention in 1976 and seven Ramsar sites have been designated in Scotland, two of which are Scottish Wildlife Trust reserves.
This reserve is both a wildlife reserve and a public water supply, and it is also used for fly-fishing by a local club. To maintain and protect these different interests certain regulations are in force. Fishing is seasonal and by permit only, while visitors are restricted to the area close to the hide. This does not limit views across the reserve since the road around the perimeter provides alternative sites for watching the birds.Access to the Reserve
Loch of Lintrathen is 7 miles west of Kirriemuir by a minor road off the B951. The Viewpoint has parking for 5 cars and offers views of the east end of the loch. The hide and its car park is at the west end of the loch and the new hide is at the east side of the loch by the lay-by.
The rest of the reserve is privately owned and special permission is needed for access.