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Broch of Benston

📷 Oliver Dixon · Geograph · CC BY-SA 2.0

BirdsWildlifeHeritage

Dogs welcome

Getting here

60.26521, -1.16469

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Visiting this summer

Seasonal nature notes and what to look for now

🐦101+ species recorded in this area — summer evenings are best for activity; watch for Tufted Duck and Mallard
✦Historic character is a year-round quality here — summer brings its own atmosphere to the setting
⛺Camping available here — summer nights at this site are worth planning around

🌤️ Visiting this summer

🐦101+ species recorded in this area — summer evenings are best for activity; watch for Tufted Duck and Mallard
✦Historic character is a year-round quality here — summer brings its own atmosphere to the setting
⛺Camping available here — summer nights at this site are worth planning around

Good to know

🐕Dogs welcome

CampsiteParking

Best for

5 activities

Bird watching

Very strong match

Birds — Tufted Duck, Mallard, Wigeon +98 more · last seen 2025; Birds — Tufted Duck, Mallard, Wigeon +98 more · last seen 2025

Free

Wildlife

Very strong match

Multi-group wildlife — Birds, Mammals; Multi-group wildlife — Birds, Mammals

Free

Heritage

Strong match

Historic site

Free

Insect spotting

Good match

Insects — Red Admiral, Large White, Painted Lady +3 more · last seen 2020; Insects — Red Admiral, Large White, Painted Lady +3 more · last seen 2020

Free

Seasonal nature

Moderate match

Plants — Rough Earwort · last seen 2020; Plants — Rough Earwort · last seen 2020

Free

Trails nearby

Within roughly 5 km

🚶

Walking

3 signed routes nearby

Signed route nearby

Sandwater LochWalking route

Named routeLocal walking route

LingnessWalking route

Named routeLocal walking route

Skellister BeachWalking route

Named routeLocal walking route

🚴

Cycling

3 signed routes nearby

Signed route nearby

EuroVelo 12 - North Sea Cycle Route - part United Kingdom 10Cycling route

Named routeRef EV12International cycle route

Route A970Cycling route

Named routeRef A970Point-to-pointLocal cycle route

Route B9075Cycling route

Named routeRef B9075Point-to-pointLocal cycle route

Wildlife to spot

3,666 records · National Biodiversity Network

Wildlife to spot

3,666 records · National Biodiversity Network

🐦

Birds65 species

springsummerautumn

2025

Tufted Duck · Mute Swan · Redshank · Wigeon · Great Black-backed Gull +60

Tufted DuckAythya fuligula2024
Mute SwanCygnus olor2024
RedshankTringa totanus2023
WigeonMareca penelope
Great Black-backed GullLarus marinus
Greylag GooseAnser anser
Great Northern DiverGavia immer
Whooper SwanCygnus cygnus
Herring GullLarus argentatus
MallardAnas platyrhynchos2024
CurlewNumenius arquata2023
Red-throated DiverGavia stellata
StarlingSturnus vulgaris
Meadow PipitAnthus pratensis
RavenCorvus corax2024
Grey HeronArdea cinerea
Red-breasted MerganserMergus serrator
ShagGulosus aristotelis
Common GullLarus canus
BlackbirdTurdus merula2024
GannetMorus bassanus2024
OystercatcherHaematopus ostralegus2024
Willow WarblerPhylloscopus trochilus
Black GuillemotCepphus grylle
Arctic TernSterna paradisaea
WheatearOenanthe oenanthe
Hooded CrowCorvus cornix
Shetland WrenTroglodytes troglodytes zetlandicus2024
Pallas's Grasshopper WarblerHelopsaltes certhiola2024
Golden PloverPluvialis apricaria2024
GoldcrestRegulus regulus
Yellow-browed WarblerPhylloscopus inornatus
RazorbillAlca torda
Rock PipitAnthus petrosus
Rock DoveColumba livia
SkylarkAlauda arvensis
Jack SnipeLymnocryptes minimus2024
StonechatSaxicola rubicola2024
TealAnas crecca2023
LapwingVanellus vanellus2023
MerlinFalco columbarius2023
PeregrineFalco peregrinus
Mealy RedpollAcanthis flammea flammea
Lesser RedpollAcanthis flammea cabaret
ChaffinchFringilla coelebs
Song ThrushTurdus philomelos
TwiteLinaria flavirostris
WhimbrelNumenius phaeopus
FulmarFulmarus glacialis
Common GuillemotUria aalge
Great SkuaStercorarius skua
BlackcapSylvia atricapilla2024
SnipeGallinago gallinago2024
RedwingTurdus iliacus2024
TurnstoneArenaria interpres2023
WaxwingBombycilla garrulus2023
Black-headed GullChroicocephalus ridibundus2023
Barred WarblerCurruca nisoria2023
GoosanderMergus merganser2023
CrossbillLoxia curvirostra2023
PuffinFratercula arctica2023
Ringed PloverCharadrius hiaticula2023
DunlinCalidris alpina2023
Long-tailed DuckClangula hyemalis2023
Collared DoveStreptopelia decaocto2023

Species observations from the last 10 years via NBN Atlas

Wildlife to spot

3,666 records · National Biodiversity Network

🐦

Birds65 species

springsummerautumn

2025

Tufted Duck · Mute Swan · Redshank · Wigeon · Great Black-backed Gull +60

Tufted DuckAythya fuligula2024
Mute SwanCygnus olor2024
RedshankTringa totanus2023
WigeonMareca penelope
Great Black-backed GullLarus marinus
Greylag GooseAnser anser
Great Northern DiverGavia immer
Whooper SwanCygnus cygnus
Herring GullLarus argentatus
MallardAnas platyrhynchos2024
CurlewNumenius arquata2023
Red-throated DiverGavia stellata
StarlingSturnus vulgaris
Meadow PipitAnthus pratensis
RavenCorvus corax2024
Grey HeronArdea cinerea
Red-breasted MerganserMergus serrator
ShagGulosus aristotelis
Common GullLarus canus
BlackbirdTurdus merula2024
GannetMorus bassanus2024
OystercatcherHaematopus ostralegus2024
Willow WarblerPhylloscopus trochilus
Black GuillemotCepphus grylle
Arctic TernSterna paradisaea
WheatearOenanthe oenanthe
Hooded CrowCorvus cornix
Shetland WrenTroglodytes troglodytes zetlandicus2024
Pallas's Grasshopper WarblerHelopsaltes certhiola2024
Golden PloverPluvialis apricaria2024
GoldcrestRegulus regulus
Yellow-browed WarblerPhylloscopus inornatus
RazorbillAlca torda
Rock PipitAnthus petrosus
Rock DoveColumba livia
SkylarkAlauda arvensis
Jack SnipeLymnocryptes minimus2024
StonechatSaxicola rubicola2024
TealAnas crecca2023
LapwingVanellus vanellus2023
MerlinFalco columbarius2023
PeregrineFalco peregrinus
Mealy RedpollAcanthis flammea flammea
Lesser RedpollAcanthis flammea cabaret
ChaffinchFringilla coelebs
Song ThrushTurdus philomelos
TwiteLinaria flavirostris
WhimbrelNumenius phaeopus
FulmarFulmarus glacialis
Common GuillemotUria aalge
Great SkuaStercorarius skua
BlackcapSylvia atricapilla2024
SnipeGallinago gallinago2024
RedwingTurdus iliacus2024
TurnstoneArenaria interpres2023
WaxwingBombycilla garrulus2023
Black-headed GullChroicocephalus ridibundus2023
Barred WarblerCurruca nisoria2023
GoosanderMergus merganser2023
CrossbillLoxia curvirostra2023
PuffinFratercula arctica2023
Ringed PloverCharadrius hiaticula2023
DunlinCalidris alpina2023
Long-tailed DuckClangula hyemalis2023
Collared DoveStreptopelia decaocto2023

Species observations from the last 10 years via NBN Atlas

Wildlife to spot

Photos

📷 Oliver Dixon · Geograph · CC BY-SA 2.0

Loch of Benston

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Nearby places

Useful places within 5 km

✦Benston BrochHistoric site500 m→✦The Burrian BrochHistoric site1.7 km→✦Wadbister Ness, BrochHistoric site3.7 km→✦Housabister BrochHistoric site4.7 km→✦Hawks Ness BrochHistoric site4.8 km→

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