Loch Ruthven is located in the north-central Highlands of Scotland about 20 km south of Inverness. It is a mesotrophic loch with rocky margins and extensive stands of Carex rostrata around much of the perimeter. A marshy zone is found at the west end of the loch where there is a transition from open water, through swamp and fen, to sedge-rich acidic grassland. The loch supports an important breeding population of Podiceps auritus.
