Fishing
The River Laggan begins at the sea pool where fresh running salmon and sea trout can be seen coming in on the tide from the Atlantic Ocean, and making their way into the river system. The Estate offers approximately 5½ miles of double bank fishing which is divided into four beats, with each beat accommodating a maximum of four rods.
Fishing permits can be booked through The Estate office, by either calling into the office or by phoning during office hours. As well as river fishing, The Estate also has numerous lochs which are available to fish for brown trout. Loch Tallant and Loch Dhomhnaill are both easily accessed by foot. Loch Uraraidh and Loch Sgorra are in the hills above The Estate, and can also be accessed by foot which will take approximately two hours.
If you would like any further information or you would like to book fishing, please contact the Estate Office.
Topography
The Laggan Estate is located on the Isle of Islay, in the Southern Hebrides, and covers some 5000 Ha of the southern half of the island, between the town of Bowmore and Islay Airport. Most of the site is underlain by peat, with key habitats of blanket and raised bogs, interspersed with some forestry and agriculturally improved grassland in lowland areas. Domestic peat cutting for fuel is still active in the area. The Estate varies in height from sea level in the west, to approximately 456m above sea level (asl) in the east, with the hill summits of Beinn Uraraidh and Beinn Sholum marking the eastern edge of the estate. The Estate can be split into two areas based on topography. The northern and western area is relatively low lying and consists of a rolling landscape generally not more than 100m asl. The south-eastern area is much steeper and ranges from 150m to 456m asl. In general, the land slopes upwards from west to east. The Big Strand beach on the eastern boundary is five miles long and is kissed by the temperate Gulf Stream!
Biodiversity
The Laggan Estate, and indeed Islay, is renowned for its scenery, and most importantly, its biodiversity. It is a paradise for naturalists, botanists and birdwatchers year-round. Apart from the resident birds, it hosts many winter and summer bird migrants, as may be witnessed by a glance at the Isle of Islay Bird Check List which boasts up to 120 different species at the spring peak. The Islay Bird Blog is topical and very informative. Around the Estate, sightings of Choughs, White-Tailed Eagles, Golden Eagles, and Hen Harriers, are commonplace. From September to March, thousands of visiting overwintering Barnacle and Greenland White-Fronted Geese provide an unrivalled spectacle and clamour. There is a healthy deer population on Islay, primarily of red deer on the hill (inside the deer fence) and roe deer on the lower ground. Fallow deer can be found around Port Ellen and its environs. Hares, otters and seals are other mammals that are frequently sighted. As for bog lovers they need go no further than the front door!
Peatland Restoration
The estate is not short of peat! Most of the site is underlain by very deep peat and many areas, which had been drained for centuries to facilitate rough grazing, were leaking large tonnages of CO2 into the atmosphere. To retain CO2 and to encourage the return of sphagnum mosses (see picture), and other peatland vegetation and wildlife, the peatland needed rewetting using restoration techniques. The owner, therefore, made the decision in 2021 to carry out a programme of peatland restoration in collaboration with Peatland Action, Nature Scot and Peatland Code. The initial programme was completed in 2023. The sites include: Duich Moss (an iconic 500 Ha domed bog sitting between the Laggan and Duich rivers — designated as an SSSI and a Ramsar site (a wetland of international importance)), Laggan Moss (designated as an SSSI) and Torra Moss. The peatland restoration’s gross area to date totals 900 Ha and has sequestered thousands of tons of CO2. More are planned.
