← Back✦ Historic site

Burnt Mound (Prehistoric)

📷 Rod Richmond · Geograph · CC BY-SA 2.0

Plan your visit

BirdsWildlifeSeasonal

Dogs welcome

Getting here

58.93013, -3.12842

Open directionsv

Google Maps↗Driving directions Apple Maps↗Driving directions Waze↗Live driving navigation Google Transit↗Bus, rail or tram Apple Transit↗Bus, rail or tram

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 Red-throated Diver and Short-eared Owl
✦Historic character is a year-round quality here — summer brings its own atmosphere to the setting
🐕Dogs welcome — bring water in summer; the site has enough space to find shade on hot days

🌤️ Visiting this summer

🐦101+ species recorded in this area — summer evenings are best for activity; watch for Red-throated Diver and Short-eared Owl
✦Historic character is a year-round quality here — summer brings its own atmosphere to the setting
🐕Dogs welcome — bring water in summer; the site has enough space to find shade on hot days

Good to know

🐕Dogs welcome

Best for

6 activities

Bird watching

Very strong match

Birds — Red-throated Diver, Short-eared Owl, Starling +98 more · last seen 2026; Birds — Red-throated Diver, Short-eared Owl, Starling +98 more · last seen 2026

Free

Wildlife

Very strong match

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

Free

Seasonal nature

Strong match

Plants — Yellow-rattle, Creeping Thistle, Ribwort Plantain +68 more · last seen 2025; Plants — Yellow-rattle, Creeping Thistle, Ribwort Plantain +68 more · last seen 2025

Free

Heritage

Strong match

Historic site

Free

Insect spotting

Good match

Insects — Common Hawker, Blue-tailed Damselfly, Large Red Damselfly +7 more · last seen 2025; Insects — Common Hawker, Blue-tailed Damselfly, Large Red Damselfly +7 more · last seen 2025

Free

Foraging

Good match

Plants — Common Nettle, Crowberry agg., Rowan

Varies

Trails nearby

Within roughly 5 km

🚴

Cycling

1 signed route nearby

Signed route nearby

EuroVelo 12 - North Sea Cycle Route - part United Kingdom 9Cycling route

Named routeRef EV12International cycle route

Wildlife to spot

7,653 records · National Biodiversity Network

Wildlife to spot

7,653 records · National Biodiversity Network

🐦

Birds59 species

summer

2026

Starling · Rook · Red-throated Diver · Goldfinch · Robin +54

StarlingSturnus vulgaris2025
RookCorvus frugilegus2025
Red-throated DiverGavia stellata2025
GoldfinchCarduelis carduelis2025
RobinErithacus rubecula2025
Common GullLarus canus2025
ShagGulosus aristotelis2025
Herring GullLarus argentatus2025
Rock DoveColumba livia2025
Greylag GooseAnser anser2025
Great Black-backed GullLarus marinus2025
SwallowHirundo rustica2025
EiderSomateria mollissima
GreenfinchChloris chloris2025
OystercatcherHaematopus ostralegus2025
Common GuillemotUria aalge2025
CurlewNumenius arquata2025
Black-headed GullChroicocephalus ridibundus2025
WrenTroglodytes troglodytes2025
Great SkuaStercorarius skua2025
FulmarFulmarus glacialis2025
GannetMorus bassanus2025
BlackbirdTurdus merula2025
Meadow PipitAnthus pratensis2025
Black GuillemotCepphus grylle2025
RedshankTringa totanus2025
RavenCorvus corax2025
Pied WagtailMotacilla alba yarrellii2025
Arctic TernSterna paradisaea2025
CormorantPhalacrocorax carbo2025
Song ThrushTurdus philomelos2025
ChaffinchFringilla coelebs2025
Hooded CrowCorvus cornix2025
TurnstoneArenaria interpres2025
GoldcrestRegulus regulus2025
SnipeGallinago gallinago2025
WoodpigeonColumba palumbus2025
Arctic SkuaStercorarius parasiticus2025
House SparrowPasser domesticus2025
Barnacle GooseBranta leucopsis2025
MallardAnas platyrhynchos2025
Great Northern DiverGavia immer2025
Long-tailed DuckClangula hyemalis2025
Pink-footed GooseAnser brachyrhynchus2025
DunnockPrunella modularis2025
Yellow-browed WarblerPhylloscopus inornatus2025
JackdawColoeus monedula2025
DunlinCalidris alpina2025
TealAnas crecca2025
House MartinDelichon urbicum2025
RazorbillAlca torda2025
Ringed PloverCharadrius hiaticula2025
WigeonMareca penelope2025
Common TernSterna hirundo2025
Bar-tailed GodwitLimosa lapponica2025
Carrion CrowCorvus corone2025
PeregrineFalco peregrinus2025
Lesser Black-backed GullLarus fuscus2025
Collared DoveStreptopelia decaocto2025

🦌

Mammals6 species

summer

2025

Rabbit · Harbour Seal · Risso's Dolphin · Orkney/Guernsey Vole · Brown Hare +1

RabbitOryctolagus cuniculus
Harbour SealPhoca vitulina
Risso's DolphinGrampus griseus
Orkney/Guernsey VoleMicrotus arvalis
Brown HareLepus europaeus
HedgehogErinaceus europaeus

🐝

Insects6 species

summer

2025

Common Hawker · Blue-tailed Damselfly · Eristalis pertinax · Volucella bombylans · Helophilus pendulus +1

Common HawkerAeshna juncea
Blue-tailed DamselflyIschnura elegans
Eristalis pertinaxEristalis pertinax
Volucella bombylansVolucella bombylans
Helophilus pendulusHelophilus pendulus
Emerald DamselflyLestes sponsa

🌿

Plants12 species

summer

2025

Yellow-rattle · Devil's-bit Scabious · Red Bartsia · Sneezewort · Lady's Bedstraw +7

Yellow-rattleRhinanthus minor
Devil's-bit ScabiousSuccisa pratensis
Red BartsiaOdontites vernus
SneezewortAchillea ptarmica
Lady's BedstrawGalium verum
Creeping ThistleCirsium arvense
Marsh WoundwortStachys palustris

Species observations from the last 10 years via NBN Atlas

Wildlife to spot

7,653 records · National Biodiversity Network

🐦

Birds59 species

summer

2026

Starling · Rook · Red-throated Diver · Goldfinch · Robin +54

StarlingSturnus vulgaris2025
RookCorvus frugilegus2025
Red-throated DiverGavia stellata2025
GoldfinchCarduelis carduelis2025
RobinErithacus rubecula2025
Common GullLarus canus2025
ShagGulosus aristotelis2025
Herring GullLarus argentatus2025
Rock DoveColumba livia2025
Greylag GooseAnser anser2025
Great Black-backed GullLarus marinus2025
SwallowHirundo rustica2025
EiderSomateria mollissima
GreenfinchChloris chloris2025
OystercatcherHaematopus ostralegus2025
Common GuillemotUria aalge2025
CurlewNumenius arquata2025
Black-headed GullChroicocephalus ridibundus2025
WrenTroglodytes troglodytes2025
Great SkuaStercorarius skua2025
FulmarFulmarus glacialis2025
GannetMorus bassanus2025
BlackbirdTurdus merula2025
Meadow PipitAnthus pratensis2025
Black GuillemotCepphus grylle2025
RedshankTringa totanus2025
RavenCorvus corax2025
Pied WagtailMotacilla alba yarrellii2025
Arctic TernSterna paradisaea2025
CormorantPhalacrocorax carbo2025
Song ThrushTurdus philomelos2025
ChaffinchFringilla coelebs2025
Hooded CrowCorvus cornix2025
TurnstoneArenaria interpres2025
GoldcrestRegulus regulus2025
SnipeGallinago gallinago2025
WoodpigeonColumba palumbus2025
Arctic SkuaStercorarius parasiticus2025
House SparrowPasser domesticus2025
Barnacle GooseBranta leucopsis2025
MallardAnas platyrhynchos2025
Great Northern DiverGavia immer2025
Long-tailed DuckClangula hyemalis2025
Pink-footed GooseAnser brachyrhynchus2025
DunnockPrunella modularis2025
Yellow-browed WarblerPhylloscopus inornatus2025
JackdawColoeus monedula2025
DunlinCalidris alpina2025
TealAnas crecca2025
House MartinDelichon urbicum2025
RazorbillAlca torda2025
Ringed PloverCharadrius hiaticula2025
WigeonMareca penelope2025
Common TernSterna hirundo2025
Bar-tailed GodwitLimosa lapponica2025
Carrion CrowCorvus corone2025
PeregrineFalco peregrinus2025
Lesser Black-backed GullLarus fuscus2025
Collared DoveStreptopelia decaocto2025

🦌

Mammals6 species

summer

2025

Rabbit · Harbour Seal · Risso's Dolphin · Orkney/Guernsey Vole · Brown Hare +1

RabbitOryctolagus cuniculus
Harbour SealPhoca vitulina
Risso's DolphinGrampus griseus
Orkney/Guernsey VoleMicrotus arvalis
Brown HareLepus europaeus
HedgehogErinaceus europaeus

🐝

Insects6 species

summer

2025

Common Hawker · Blue-tailed Damselfly · Eristalis pertinax · Volucella bombylans · Helophilus pendulus +1

Common HawkerAeshna juncea
Blue-tailed DamselflyIschnura elegans
Eristalis pertinaxEristalis pertinax
Volucella bombylansVolucella bombylans
Helophilus pendulusHelophilus pendulus
Emerald DamselflyLestes sponsa

🌿

Plants12 species

summer

2025

Yellow-rattle · Devil's-bit Scabious · Red Bartsia · Sneezewort · Lady's Bedstraw +7

Yellow-rattleRhinanthus minor
Devil's-bit ScabiousSuccisa pratensis
Red BartsiaOdontites vernus
SneezewortAchillea ptarmica
Lady's BedstrawGalium verum
Creeping ThistleCirsium arvense
Marsh WoundwortStachys palustris

Species observations from the last 10 years via NBN Atlas

Wildlife to spot

Photos

📷 Rod Richmond · Geograph · CC BY-SA 2.0

Swanbister Farm and Ward Hill

1 / 22

Events & activities nearby

Switch provider to compare local events, tours and bookable activities.

Bookable tours

Weather for this location

Next 14 days

Loading local forecast…

Nearby places

Useful places within 5 km

✦St Nicholas's Church (ruins) aka Orkney Round Church C12Historic site1.9 km→✦Site of tumulus (Lavacroon)Historic site2.1 km→✦Site of Medieval chapel and burial groundHistoric site300 m→✦Norse Water MillHistoric site1.8 km→✦Earl's Bu - Horizontal Mill (Norse), Settlement (Norse)Historic site1.9 km→✦Smoogro WWII HAA gun batteryHistoric site2.1 km→

Own or manage this place?

Claim this listing to keep details accurate, add photos, and highlight what makes it special — free.

Claim this page

How was your visit?

How useful was the information on this page?

id: e1719133-c2f3-490f-ad92-c08268cf3589