Lochs of Kirkigarth and Bardister
Also within
Condition (NatureScot)
| Unit | Feature | Condition | Area (ha) | Assessed |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| F1 | Mesotrophic loch | Favourable | — | 2018-03-26 |
Geology & landscape
Rock Type: Sandstone
Description
Lochs of Kirkigarth and Bardister Situated on the north side of Walls in west Mainland Shetland, these two closely connected mesotrophic lochs overlie the sandstone of the Walls peninsula and contain the largest variety of aquatic plant species in Shetland. The Shetland Pondweed Potamogeton rutilus is present in these lochs, with records from only one other Shetland site. Elsewhere it is restricted to a few sites in the Hebrides and mainland Scotland. Other species supported in these lochs includes two nationally scarce plants, six-stamened waterwort Elatine hexandra and spring quillwort Isoetes echinospora, two regionally rare plants, awlwort Subularia aquatica and thread-leaved water-crowfoot Ranunculus trichophyllus. The Lochs of Kirkigarth and Bardister are also of interest for their variety and numbers of wintering waterfowl, but this is not a notified natural feature of the SSSI.
Species mentioned
Show the 5 species mentioned in the description, with red-list status| English name search for this in other sites |
Latin name search with Google |
IUCN / Red List | Type | Family |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| spring quillwort | Isoetes echinospora | LC | fern | isoetaceae |
| six-stamened waterwort | Elatine hexandra | LC | herb | elatinaceae |
| shetland pondweed | Potamogeton rutilus | LC | herb | potamogetonaceae |
| thread leaved water-crowfoot | Ranunculus trichophyllus | LC | herb | ranunculaceae |
| awlwort | Subularia aquatica | LC | herb | brassicaceae |
Insects to look out for
These moths, butterflies and beetles are known to feed on plants recorded at this site, and carry a notable UK conservation status — but a host-plant being present doesn't mean the insect has actually been recorded here. Treat this as "worth watching for," not a confirmed sighting.
| Species | Status | Via host-plant |
|---|---|---|
| Beaded chestnut Agrochola lychnidis |
Near Threatened | Ranunculus spp. |
Host-plant data: Cook et al. (2025), Traits data for the butterflies and macro-moths of Great Britain and Ireland, 2024, UK Centre for Ecology & Hydrology / Butterfly Conservation; and Padovani et al. (2020), Database of Insects and their Food Plants (DBIF), UK Centre for Ecology & Hydrology (both Open Government Licence). Contains data supplied by UK Centre for Ecology & Hydrology.