Moray Firth Special Protection Area for wildlife conservation purposes. The Moray Firth contains a Special Area of Conservation (SAC) designated under the EU Habitats Directive, which is one of the largest Marine Protection Areas in Europe. The SAC protects the inner waters of the Moray Firth, from a line between Lossiemouth (on the south coast) and Helmsdale (on the north coast) westwards. Moray Firth The Moray Firth (; Scottish Gaelic: "An Cuan Moireach", "Linne Mhoireibh" or "Caolas Mhoireibh") is a roughly triangular inlet (or firth) of the North Sea, north and east of Inverness, which is in the Highland council area of
Solway Firth were designated as conservation targets in 2013, as Allonby Bay - an inlet of the Solway Firth - was put forward as a candidate for a Marine Conservation Zone. A long-distance walking route, the Annandale Way, runs through Annandale, from the source of the River Annan, in the Moffat Hills, to the Solway Firth; it was opened in September 2009. Unlike other parts of the west coast of Scotland, the Solway Firth is generally devoid of islands. However, there are a few examples: The Isle of Whithorn is actually a peninsula. The Solway Firth forms the estuary of the River