← Back🏞️ Country park

Polkemmet

✦ Ancient woodland70 ha· Local authority

📷 Alan O'Dowd · Geograph · CC BY-SA 2.0

Plan your visit

FamilyAncientPicnic

Public accessFree entryDogs welcome70 ha

Getting here

55.86559, -3.71980

Open directionsv

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Visiting this summer

Seasonal nature notes and what to look for now

▾

🐦70+ species recorded in this area — summer evenings are best for activity; watch for Reed Bunting and Mallard
☀️Summer family visits work well here — arrive early and plan for a longer stay
☕The Country Café — makes this an easy full-day family visit without needing to pack food

🌤️ Visiting this summer

🐦70+ species recorded in this area — summer evenings are best for activity; watch for Reed Bunting and Mallard
☀️Summer family visits work well here — arrive early and plan for a longer stay
☕The Country Café — makes this an easy full-day family visit without needing to pack food

Best for

14 activities

Family friendly

Very strong match

Free

playground, café, toilets, picnic area; Country park — designed for family visits

Ancient woodland

Very strong match

Free

Ancient woodland — continuous woodland since before 1600

Picnic day out

Very strong match

Free

picnic area, café, toilets, car park; Country park — good for group day out

Bird watching

Very strong match

Free

Birds — Reed Bunting, Mallard, Sedge Warbler +67 more · last seen 2025; Ancient woodland — owls, woodpeckers, warblers

Playgrounds

Very strong match

Free

playground, toilets, café, parking

Bluebell walks

Very strong match

Free

Ancient woodland — native bluebell habitat

Trails nearby

Within roughly 5 km

🚴

Cycling

▾

34 signed routes nearby

Signed route nearby

Route 75Cycling route▾

Named routeRef 75National Cycle Network

Whitburn Town WalkCycling route▾

Named routeLocal cycle route

Main RouteCycling route198 m▾

Named routeRef 75Length 198 mNational Cycle NetworkOn-roadSurface asphalt

Main RouteCycling route185 m▾

Named routeRef 75Length 185 mNational Cycle NetworkOn-roadSurface asphalt

Main RouteCycling route5.4 km▾

Named routeRef 75Length 5.4 kmNational Cycle NetworkTraffic-freeSurface asphalt

Main RouteCycling route7 m▾

Named routeRef 75Length 7 mNational Cycle NetworkTraffic-freeSurface asphalt

Wildlife to spot

2,751 records from NBN Atlas

▾

Wildlife to spot

2,751 records · NBN Atlas

🐦

Birds70 species

springsummer

2025

Reed Bunting · Mallard · Sedge Warbler · Teal · Whitethroat

+65 more species

All 70 birds recorded nearby (NBN Atlas)

Reed BuntingEmberiza schoeniclus
MallardAnas platyrhynchos
Sedge WarblerAcrocephalus schoenobaenus
TealAnas crecca
WhitethroatCurruca communis
Little GrebeTachybaptus ruficollis2024
Canada GooseBranta canadensis
Meadow PipitAnthus pratensis
SkylarkAlauda arvensis
KestrelFalco tinnunculus
LinnetLinaria cannabina
Tufted DuckAythya fuligula2024
Lesser RedpollAcanthis flammea cabaret2024
Willow WarblerPhylloscopus trochilus
CootFulica atra2024
StonechatSaxicola rubicola
MoorhenGallinula chloropus2022
CurlewNumenius arquata
Greylag GooseAnser anser
ChaffinchFringilla coelebs
RobinErithacus rubecula
Song ThrushTurdus philomelos2023
Carrion CrowCorvus corone
ChiffchaffPhylloscopus collybita
Sand MartinRiparia riparia
MagpiePica pica
Mute SwanCygnus olor2024
JackdawColoeus monedula
BlackbirdTurdus merula
GoldfinchCarduelis carduelis
Grey HeronArdea cinerea
SwiftApus apus
WoodpigeonColumba palumbus
NuthatchSitta europaea
WrenTroglodytes troglodytes
Grasshopper WarblerLocustella naevia2023
BlackcapSylvia atricapilla
SnipeGallinago gallinago
Blue TitCyanistes caeruleus
Lesser Black-backed GullLarus fuscus
Mistle ThrushTurdus viscivorus
Tawny OwlStrix aluco2019
Pied WagtailMotacilla alba yarrellii
Coal TitPeriparus ater
Great TitParus major
LapwingVanellus vanellus2024
SwallowHirundo rustica2023
Common SandpiperActitis hypoleucos2022
WigeonMareca penelope2021
StarlingSturnus vulgaris
GoldcrestRegulus regulus2024
DunnockPrunella modularis
House SparrowPasser domesticus
Collared DoveStreptopelia decaocto
SiskinSpinus spinus
Black-headed GullChroicocephalus ridibundus2023
WheatearOenanthe oenanthe2023
Garden WarblerSylvia borin2022
RavenCorvus corax2019
Pink-footed GooseAnser brachyrhynchus
Long-tailed TitAegithalos caudatus
GreenfinchChloris chloris2024
CrossbillLoxia curvirostra2024
CormorantPhalacrocorax carbo2023
JayGarrulus glandarius2023
WhinchatSaxicola rubetra2022
BullfinchPyrrhula pyrrhula2021
Short-eared OwlAsio flammeus2019
ShovelerSpatula clypeata2019
GoosanderMergus merganser2018

🦌

Mammals6 species

wintersummerautumn

2025

Grey Squirrel · Hedgehog · Badger · Roe Deer · Red Fox

+1 more species

All 6 mammals recorded nearby (NBN Atlas)

Grey SquirrelSciurus carolinensis
HedgehogErinaceus europaeus
BadgerMeles meles
Roe DeerCapreolus capreolus2023
Red FoxVulpes vulpes2023

🐸

Amphibians1 species

summer

2020

Common Toad

🐝

Insects75 species

springsummer

2025

Large Red Damselfly · Cream-spot Ladybird · Common Red Soldier Beetle · Oedemera virescens · Larch Ladybird

+70 more species

All 75 insects recorded nearby (NBN Atlas)

Large Red DamselflyPyrrhosoma nymphula2024
Cream-spot LadybirdCalvia quattuordecimguttata
Common Red Soldier BeetleRhagonycha fulva
Oedemera virescensOedemera virescens
Larch LadybirdAphidecta obliterata2024

🌿

Plants216 species

winterspring

2022

Elegant Bristle-moss · Silky Forklet-moss · Hart's-tongue Thyme-moss · Chiloscyphus polyanthos · Common Feather-moss

+211 more species

All 216 plants recorded nearby (NBN Atlas)

Elegant Bristle-mossOrthotrichum pulchellum2017
Silky Forklet-mossDicranella heteromalla2017
Hart's-tongue Thyme-mossPlagiomnium undulatum2017
Chiloscyphus polyanthosChiloscyphus polyanthos2017
Common Feather-moss

Species observations from the last 10 years via NBN Atlas

Wildlife to spot

2,751 records · NBN Atlas

🐦

Birds70 species

springsummer

2025

Reed Bunting · Mallard · Sedge Warbler · Teal · Whitethroat

+65 more species

All 70 birds recorded nearby (NBN Atlas)

Reed BuntingEmberiza schoeniclus
MallardAnas platyrhynchos
Sedge WarblerAcrocephalus schoenobaenus
TealAnas crecca
WhitethroatCurruca communis
Little GrebeTachybaptus ruficollis2024
Canada GooseBranta canadensis
Meadow PipitAnthus pratensis
SkylarkAlauda arvensis
KestrelFalco tinnunculus
LinnetLinaria cannabina
Tufted DuckAythya fuligula2024
Lesser RedpollAcanthis flammea cabaret2024
Willow WarblerPhylloscopus trochilus
CootFulica atra2024
StonechatSaxicola rubicola
MoorhenGallinula chloropus2022
CurlewNumenius arquata
Greylag GooseAnser anser
ChaffinchFringilla coelebs
RobinErithacus rubecula
Song ThrushTurdus philomelos2023
Carrion CrowCorvus corone
ChiffchaffPhylloscopus collybita
Sand MartinRiparia riparia
MagpiePica pica
Mute SwanCygnus olor2024
JackdawColoeus monedula
BlackbirdTurdus merula
GoldfinchCarduelis carduelis
Grey HeronArdea cinerea
SwiftApus apus
WoodpigeonColumba palumbus
NuthatchSitta europaea
WrenTroglodytes troglodytes
Grasshopper WarblerLocustella naevia2023
BlackcapSylvia atricapilla
SnipeGallinago gallinago
Blue TitCyanistes caeruleus
Lesser Black-backed GullLarus fuscus
Mistle ThrushTurdus viscivorus
Tawny OwlStrix aluco2019
Pied WagtailMotacilla alba yarrellii
Coal TitPeriparus ater
Great TitParus major
LapwingVanellus vanellus2024
SwallowHirundo rustica2023
Common SandpiperActitis hypoleucos2022
WigeonMareca penelope2021
StarlingSturnus vulgaris
GoldcrestRegulus regulus2024
DunnockPrunella modularis
House SparrowPasser domesticus
Collared DoveStreptopelia decaocto
SiskinSpinus spinus
Black-headed GullChroicocephalus ridibundus2023
WheatearOenanthe oenanthe2023
Garden WarblerSylvia borin2022
RavenCorvus corax2019
Pink-footed GooseAnser brachyrhynchus
Long-tailed TitAegithalos caudatus
GreenfinchChloris chloris2024
CrossbillLoxia curvirostra2024
CormorantPhalacrocorax carbo2023
JayGarrulus glandarius2023
WhinchatSaxicola rubetra2022
BullfinchPyrrhula pyrrhula2021
Short-eared OwlAsio flammeus2019
ShovelerSpatula clypeata2019
GoosanderMergus merganser2018

🦌

Mammals6 species

wintersummerautumn

2025

Grey Squirrel · Hedgehog · Badger · Roe Deer · Red Fox

+1 more species

All 6 mammals recorded nearby (NBN Atlas)

Grey SquirrelSciurus carolinensis
HedgehogErinaceus europaeus
BadgerMeles meles
Roe DeerCapreolus capreolus2023
Red FoxVulpes vulpes2023

🐸

Amphibians1 species

summer

2020

Common Toad

🐝

Insects75 species

springsummer

2025

Large Red Damselfly · Cream-spot Ladybird · Common Red Soldier Beetle · Oedemera virescens · Larch Ladybird

+70 more species

All 75 insects recorded nearby (NBN Atlas)

Large Red DamselflyPyrrhosoma nymphula2024
Cream-spot LadybirdCalvia quattuordecimguttata
Common Red Soldier BeetleRhagonycha fulva
Oedemera virescensOedemera virescens
Larch LadybirdAphidecta obliterata2024

🌿

Plants216 species

winterspring

2022

Elegant Bristle-moss · Silky Forklet-moss · Hart's-tongue Thyme-moss · Chiloscyphus polyanthos · Common Feather-moss

+211 more species

All 216 plants recorded nearby (NBN Atlas)

Elegant Bristle-mossOrthotrichum pulchellum2017
Silky Forklet-mossDicranella heteromalla2017
Hart's-tongue Thyme-mossPlagiomnium undulatum2017
Chiloscyphus polyanthosChiloscyphus polyanthos2017
Common Feather-moss

Species observations from the last 10 years via NBN Atlas

Wildlife to spot

Photos

22 photos from nearby open sources

▾

📷 Alan O'Dowd · Geograph · CC BY-SA 2.0

Bowling green, Polkemmet Country Park

1 / 22

Photos

📷 Alan O'Dowd · Geograph · CC BY-SA 2.0

Bowling green, Polkemmet Country Park

1 / 22

Facilities

☕

Café

The Country Café · 146m

🅿️

Parking

4 nearby · Free · 75m

🧺

Picnic spot

5 · 95m away

🛝

Playground

186m away

🚻

Toilets

110m away

🐄

Farm visit

79m away

✦ Ancient✓ Public accessFree entry🐶 Dogs

Good to know

£Free to visit — no entry charge
🐕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

🌱Polkemmet Country ParkUrban park0 m→🌱Polkemmet Country ParkUrban park0 m→🌱Blaeberryhill ParkUrban park2.7 km→🌱Watson ParkUrban park4.3 km→🌱Drove Road ParkUrban park4.4 km→🐄Scottish Owl CentreVisitor farm100 m→

Polkemmet

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