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Castle Sween

✦ Ancient woodland0 ha

📷 Patrick Mackie · Geograph · CC BY-SA 2.0

Plan your visit

BirdsAncientWildlife

Dogs welcome0 ha

Getting here

55.94794, -5.66542

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Visiting this summer

Seasonal nature notes and what to look for now

▾

🐦78+ species recorded in this area — summer evenings are best for activity; watch for Ringed Plover and Dunlin
🌳Ancient woodland is at its best in summer here
🐕Dogs welcome — bring water in summer; the site has enough space to find shade on hot days

🌤️ Visiting this summer

🐦78+ species recorded in this area — summer evenings are best for activity; watch for Ringed Plover and Dunlin
🌳Ancient woodland is at its best in summer here
🐕Dogs welcome — bring water in summer; the site has enough space to find shade on hot days

Best for

8 activities

Bird watching

Very strong match

Free

Birds — Ringed Plover, Dunlin, Barnacle Goose +75 more · last seen 2025

Ancient woodland

Strong match

Free

Ancient woodland — continuous woodland since before 1600

Wildlife

Strong match

Free

Birds — Ringed Plover, Dunlin, Barnacle Goose +75 more · last seen 2025; Ancient woodland

Mushroom foraging

Strong match

Varies

Fungi — Parmotrema crinitum, Script Lichen, Pectenia atlantica +97 more · last seen 2025

Insect spotting

Strong match

Free

Insects — Peacock, Green-veined White, Keeled Skimmer +87 more · last seen 2025

Seasonal nature

Strong match

Free

Plants — Bluebell, Bramble, Foxglove +159 more · last seen 2024

Trails nearby

Within roughly 5 km

🚴

Cycling

▾

1 signed route nearby

Signed route nearby

Caledonia WayCycling route▾

Named routeRef CWRegional cycle route

Wildlife to spot

2,226 records from NBN Atlas

▾

Wildlife to spot

2,226 records · NBN Atlas

🐦

Birds78 species

springsummerautumnwinter

2025

Ringed Plover · Dunlin · Barnacle Goose · Greylag Goose · Canada Goose

+73 more species

All 78 birds recorded nearby (NBN Atlas)

Ringed PloverCharadrius hiaticula
DunlinCalidris alpina
Barnacle GooseBranta leucopsis2024
Greylag GooseAnser anser
Canada GooseBranta canadensis
Red-breasted MerganserMergus serrator2024
ShelduckTadorna tadorna2024
OystercatcherHaematopus ostralegus
GoldfinchCarduelis carduelis
WheatearOenanthe oenanthe
Pied WagtailMotacilla alba yarrellii
Herring GullLarus argentatus
Grey HeronArdea cinerea
Meadow PipitAnthus pratensis
Hooded CrowCorvus cornix
ChaffinchFringilla coelebs
KestrelFalco tinnunculus2024
BlackbirdTurdus merula2024
CurlewNumenius arquata2024
Reed BuntingEmberiza schoeniclus
Willow WarblerPhylloscopus trochilus
Song ThrushTurdus philomelos
RobinErithacus rubecula2024
YellowhammerEmberiza citrinella2023
SkylarkAlauda arvensis2023
Tawny OwlStrix aluco2023
Sedge WarblerAcrocephalus schoenobaenus
WhitethroatCurruca communis
DunnockPrunella modularis
Mute SwanCygnus olor2024
Greenland White-fronted GooseAnser albifrons flavirostris2024
Common GullLarus canus2024
StarlingSturnus vulgaris
BlackcapSylvia atricapilla
Little EgretEgretta garzetta2024
WigeonMareca penelope2024
MallardAnas platyrhynchos2024
Little GrebeTachybaptus ruficollis2024
TealAnas crecca2024
StonechatSaxicola rubicola2024
Carrion CrowCorvus corone2024
RedshankTringa totanus2024
RavenCorvus corax2024
Bar-tailed GodwitLimosa lapponica2023
CuckooCuculus canorus2023
SwallowHirundo rustica2023
LinnetLinaria cannabina2023
Great Northern DiverGavia immer2023
Grey PloverPluvialis squatarola2023
House SparrowPasser domesticus
Garden WarblerSylvia borin
Golden PloverPluvialis apricaria2024
Black-headed GullChroicocephalus ridibundus2024
WoodpigeonColumba palumbus2024
Great Black-backed GullLarus marinus2024
WrenTroglodytes troglodytes2024
Rock PipitAnthus petrosus2024
CormorantPhalacrocorax carbo2024
SnipeGallinago gallinago2024
ShagGulosus aristotelis2024
Arctic TernSterna paradisaea2024
Great TitParus major2024
Lesser RedpollAcanthis flammea cabaret2022
GreenshankTringa nebularia2024
WoodcockScolopax rusticola2024
Great Spotted WoodpeckerDendrocopos major2024
Common RedpollAcanthis flammea flammea/rostrata2024
TurnstoneArenaria interpres2024
Black-throated DiverGavia arctica2024
Lesser Black-backed GullLarus fuscus2024
ChiffchaffPhylloscopus collybita2024
TreecreeperCerthia familiaris2023
Sandwich TernThalasseus sandvicensis2023
JayGarrulus glandarius2022
Light-bellied Brent GooseBranta bernicla hrota2022
Grasshopper WarblerLocustella naevia2022
Tree PipitAnthus trivialis2022
White-fronted GooseAnser albifrons2020

🦌

Mammals8 species

winterspringsummer

2025

Red Squirrel · Mole · Roe Deer · Red Deer · Badger

+3 more species

All 8 mammals recorded nearby (NBN Atlas)

Red SquirrelSciurus vulgaris
MoleTalpa europaea2024
Roe DeerCapreolus capreolus2024
Red DeerCervus elaphus2024
BadgerMeles meles

🐸

Amphibians1 species

springsummer

2023

Common Frog

🐝

Insects90 species

spring

2025

Peacock · Green-veined White · Keeled Skimmer · Rhingia campestris · Common Carder Bee

+85 more species

All 90 insects recorded nearby (NBN Atlas)

PeacockAglais io
Green-veined WhitePieris napi
Keeled SkimmerOrthetrum coerulescens2023
Rhingia campestrisRhingia campestris2024
Common Carder BeeBombus pascuorum2024
Four-spotted Chaser

🍄

Fungi100 species

winter

2025

Parmotrema crinitum · Script Lichen · Pectenia atlantica · Parmotrema perlatum · Flavoparmelia caperata

+95 more species

All 100 fungi recorded nearby (NBN Atlas)

Parmotrema crinitumParmotrema crinitum2024
Script LichenGraphis scripta s. lat.2024
Pectenia atlanticaPectenia atlantica2024
Parmotrema perlatumParmotrema perlatum2024
Flavoparmelia caperataFlavoparmelia caperata

🌿

Plants162 species

spring

2024

Bluebell · Bramble · Foxglove · Pignut · Blackthorn

+157 more species

All 162 plants recorded nearby (NBN Atlas)

BluebellHyacinthoides non-scripta
BrambleRubus fruticosus
FoxgloveDigitalis purpurea
PignutConopodium majus
BlackthornPrunus spinosa
PrimrosePrimula vulgaris
Ficaria verna subsp. fertilis

Species observations from the last 10 years via NBN Atlas

Wildlife to spot

2,226 records · NBN Atlas

🐦

Birds78 species

springsummerautumnwinter

2025

Ringed Plover · Dunlin · Barnacle Goose · Greylag Goose · Canada Goose

+73 more species

All 78 birds recorded nearby (NBN Atlas)

Ringed PloverCharadrius hiaticula
DunlinCalidris alpina
Barnacle GooseBranta leucopsis2024
Greylag GooseAnser anser
Canada GooseBranta canadensis
Red-breasted MerganserMergus serrator2024
ShelduckTadorna tadorna2024
OystercatcherHaematopus ostralegus
GoldfinchCarduelis carduelis
WheatearOenanthe oenanthe
Pied WagtailMotacilla alba yarrellii
Herring GullLarus argentatus
Grey HeronArdea cinerea
Meadow PipitAnthus pratensis
Hooded CrowCorvus cornix
ChaffinchFringilla coelebs
KestrelFalco tinnunculus2024
BlackbirdTurdus merula2024
CurlewNumenius arquata2024
Reed BuntingEmberiza schoeniclus
Willow WarblerPhylloscopus trochilus
Song ThrushTurdus philomelos
RobinErithacus rubecula2024
YellowhammerEmberiza citrinella2023
SkylarkAlauda arvensis2023
Tawny OwlStrix aluco2023
Sedge WarblerAcrocephalus schoenobaenus
WhitethroatCurruca communis
DunnockPrunella modularis
Mute SwanCygnus olor2024
Greenland White-fronted GooseAnser albifrons flavirostris2024
Common GullLarus canus2024
StarlingSturnus vulgaris
BlackcapSylvia atricapilla
Little EgretEgretta garzetta2024
WigeonMareca penelope2024
MallardAnas platyrhynchos2024
Little GrebeTachybaptus ruficollis2024
TealAnas crecca2024
StonechatSaxicola rubicola2024
Carrion CrowCorvus corone2024
RedshankTringa totanus2024
RavenCorvus corax2024
Bar-tailed GodwitLimosa lapponica2023
CuckooCuculus canorus2023
SwallowHirundo rustica2023
LinnetLinaria cannabina2023
Great Northern DiverGavia immer2023
Grey PloverPluvialis squatarola2023
House SparrowPasser domesticus
Garden WarblerSylvia borin
Golden PloverPluvialis apricaria2024
Black-headed GullChroicocephalus ridibundus2024
WoodpigeonColumba palumbus2024
Great Black-backed GullLarus marinus2024
WrenTroglodytes troglodytes2024
Rock PipitAnthus petrosus2024
CormorantPhalacrocorax carbo2024
SnipeGallinago gallinago2024
ShagGulosus aristotelis2024
Arctic TernSterna paradisaea2024
Great TitParus major2024
Lesser RedpollAcanthis flammea cabaret2022
GreenshankTringa nebularia2024
WoodcockScolopax rusticola2024
Great Spotted WoodpeckerDendrocopos major2024
Common RedpollAcanthis flammea flammea/rostrata2024
TurnstoneArenaria interpres2024
Black-throated DiverGavia arctica2024
Lesser Black-backed GullLarus fuscus2024
ChiffchaffPhylloscopus collybita2024
TreecreeperCerthia familiaris2023
Sandwich TernThalasseus sandvicensis2023
JayGarrulus glandarius2022
Light-bellied Brent GooseBranta bernicla hrota2022
Grasshopper WarblerLocustella naevia2022
Tree PipitAnthus trivialis2022
White-fronted GooseAnser albifrons2020

🦌

Mammals8 species

winterspringsummer

2025

Red Squirrel · Mole · Roe Deer · Red Deer · Badger

+3 more species

All 8 mammals recorded nearby (NBN Atlas)

Red SquirrelSciurus vulgaris
MoleTalpa europaea2024
Roe DeerCapreolus capreolus2024
Red DeerCervus elaphus2024
BadgerMeles meles

🐸

Amphibians1 species

springsummer

2023

Common Frog

🐝

Insects90 species

spring

2025

Peacock · Green-veined White · Keeled Skimmer · Rhingia campestris · Common Carder Bee

+85 more species

All 90 insects recorded nearby (NBN Atlas)

PeacockAglais io
Green-veined WhitePieris napi
Keeled SkimmerOrthetrum coerulescens2023
Rhingia campestrisRhingia campestris2024
Common Carder BeeBombus pascuorum2024
Four-spotted Chaser

🍄

Fungi100 species

winter

2025

Parmotrema crinitum · Script Lichen · Pectenia atlantica · Parmotrema perlatum · Flavoparmelia caperata

+95 more species

All 100 fungi recorded nearby (NBN Atlas)

Parmotrema crinitumParmotrema crinitum2024
Script LichenGraphis scripta s. lat.2024
Pectenia atlanticaPectenia atlantica2024
Parmotrema perlatumParmotrema perlatum2024
Flavoparmelia caperataFlavoparmelia caperata

🌿

Plants162 species

spring

2024

Bluebell · Bramble · Foxglove · Pignut · Blackthorn

+157 more species

All 162 plants recorded nearby (NBN Atlas)

BluebellHyacinthoides non-scripta
BrambleRubus fruticosus
FoxgloveDigitalis purpurea
PignutConopodium majus
BlackthornPrunus spinosa
PrimrosePrimula vulgaris
Ficaria verna subsp. fertilis

Species observations from the last 10 years via NBN Atlas

Wildlife to spot

Photos

15 photos from nearby open sources

▾

📷 Patrick Mackie · Geograph · CC BY-SA 2.0

Querns on display at Castle Sween

1 / 15

Photos

📷 Patrick Mackie · Geograph · CC BY-SA 2.0

Querns on display at Castle Sween

1 / 15

Facilities

🅿️

Parking

CastleSween Visitors Parking · 471m

✦ Ancient🐶 Dogs

Good to know

🐕Dogs welcome
🌿Ancient woodland — rare wildlife habitat

Weather for this location

Next 14 days

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Nearby places

Useful places within 5 km

✦Port na Mna Mairbhe, dun siteHistoric site4.7 km→✦Dun Beag, dun siteHistoric site800 m→✦Dun a'Chaisteil, dun siteHistoric site900 m→✦A'Chrannag, dun siteHistoric site3.3 km→✦Dun a'Bhealaich, dun siteHistoric site3.4 km→✦Kilmory ChapelHistoric site3.9 km→

Castle Sween

Best for

Trails nearby

Wildlife to spot

Wildlife to spot

Wildlife to spot

Photos

Facilities

Good to know

Weather for this location

Nearby places

Wildlife to spot

Wildlife to spot

Events & activities nearby