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Cairn

BirdsWildlifeHeritage

Dogs welcome

Getting here

59.06091, -2.84339

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Visiting this summer

Seasonal nature notes and what to look for now

🐦67+ species recorded in this area — summer evenings are best for activity; watch for Oystercatcher and Redshank
✦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

🐦67+ species recorded in this area — summer evenings are best for activity; watch for Oystercatcher and Redshank
✦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

5 activities

Bird watching

Very strong match

Birds — Oystercatcher, Redshank, House Sparrow +64 more · last seen 2025; Birds — Oystercatcher, Redshank, House Sparrow +64 more · last seen 2025

Free

Wildlife

Strong match

Birds — Oystercatcher, Redshank, House Sparrow +64 more · last seen 2025; Birds — Oystercatcher, Redshank, House Sparrow +64 more · last seen 2025

Free

Heritage

Strong match

Historic site

Free

Seasonal nature

Good match

Plants — Meadow Vetchling, Water Forget-me-not, Ranunculus aquatilis agg. +12 more · last seen 2025; Plants — Meadow Vetchling, Water Forget-me-not, Ranunculus aquatilis agg. +12 more · last seen 2025

Free

Insect spotting

Good match

Insects — Emerald Damselfly, Blue-tailed Damselfly, Common Darter +1 more · last seen 2025; Insects — Emerald Damselfly, Blue-tailed Damselfly, Common Darter +1 more · last seen 2025

Free

Trails nearby

Within roughly 5 km

🚴

Cycling

1 signed route nearby

Signed route nearby

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

Named routeRef EV12International cycle route

Wildlife to spot

16,648 records · National Biodiversity Network

Wildlife to spot

16,648 records · National Biodiversity Network

🐦

Birds51 species

summer

2025

Redshank · Wren · Oystercatcher · Arctic Tern · Sand Martin +46

RedshankTringa totanus
WrenTroglodytes troglodytes
OystercatcherHaematopus ostralegus
Arctic TernSterna paradisaea
Sand MartinRiparia riparia
Rock DoveColumba livia
StarlingSturnus vulgaris
FulmarFulmarus glacialis
Greylag GooseAnser anser
Common GullLarus canus
House SparrowPasser domesticus
WigeonMareca penelope
CurlewNumenius arquata
SnipeGallinago gallinago
MallardAnas platyrhynchos
TealAnas crecca
Herring GullLarus argentatus
Pied WagtailMotacilla alba yarrellii
Sedge WarblerAcrocephalus schoenobaenus
ShelduckTadorna tadorna
Red-breasted MerganserMergus serrator
LapwingVanellus vanellus
Great Northern DiverGavia immer
Meadow PipitAnthus pratensis
Black-headed GullChroicocephalus ridibundus2024
MoorhenGallinula chloropus
ShagGulosus aristotelis
WheatearOenanthe oenanthe
Ringed PloverCharadrius hiaticula
LinnetLinaria cannabina
Great Black-backed GullLarus marinus
DunlinCalidris alpina
Reed BuntingEmberiza schoeniclus
SkylarkAlauda arvensis
Long-tailed DuckClangula hyemalis
GannetMorus bassanus2024
Hooded CrowCorvus cornix2024
Common GuillemotUria aalge
MerlinFalco columbarius
Great SkuaStercorarius skua
RavenCorvus corax
PheasantPhasianus colchicus
KestrelFalco tinnunculus2024
Sandwich TernThalasseus sandvicensis2024
TurnstoneArenaria interpres2024
GreenfinchChloris chloris2024
SwallowHirundo rustica2024
SanderlingCalidris alba2024
EiderSomateria mollissima2024
Lesser Black-backed GullLarus fuscus2024
ShovelerSpatula clypeata2024

🐝

Insects4 species

summer

2025

Emerald Damselfly · Blue-tailed Damselfly · Common Darter · Common Blue Damselfly

Emerald DamselflyLestes sponsa
Blue-tailed DamselflyIschnura elegans
Common DarterSympetrum striolatum
Common Blue DamselflyEnallagma cyathigerum

🌿

Plants15 species

summer

2025

Meadow Vetchling · Polygonum aviculare · Ranunculus aquatilis agg. · Sun Spurge · Water Forget-me-not +10

Meadow VetchlingLathyrus pratensis
Polygonum avicularePolygonum aviculare
Ranunculus aquatilis agg.Ranunculus aquatilis agg.
Sun SpurgeEuphorbia helioscopia
Water Forget-me-notMyosotis scorpioides
Common Hemp-nettleGaleopsis tetrahit
Common ValerianValeriana officinalis
Common FumitoryFumaria officinalis
Tufted VetchVicia cracca
Broad-leaved PondweedPotamogeton natans
Yellow IrisIris pseudacorus
Prickly Sow-thistleSonchus asper
PineappleweedMatricaria discoidea
Slender St John's-wortHypericum pulchrum
SelfhealPrunella vulgaris

Species observations from the last 10 years via NBN Atlas

Wildlife to spot

16,648 records · National Biodiversity Network

🐦

Birds51 species

summer

2025

Redshank · Wren · Oystercatcher · Arctic Tern · Sand Martin +46

RedshankTringa totanus
WrenTroglodytes troglodytes
OystercatcherHaematopus ostralegus
Arctic TernSterna paradisaea
Sand MartinRiparia riparia
Rock DoveColumba livia
StarlingSturnus vulgaris
FulmarFulmarus glacialis
Greylag GooseAnser anser
Common GullLarus canus
House SparrowPasser domesticus
WigeonMareca penelope
CurlewNumenius arquata
SnipeGallinago gallinago
MallardAnas platyrhynchos
TealAnas crecca
Herring GullLarus argentatus
Pied WagtailMotacilla alba yarrellii
Sedge WarblerAcrocephalus schoenobaenus
ShelduckTadorna tadorna
Red-breasted MerganserMergus serrator
LapwingVanellus vanellus
Great Northern DiverGavia immer
Meadow PipitAnthus pratensis
Black-headed GullChroicocephalus ridibundus2024
MoorhenGallinula chloropus
ShagGulosus aristotelis
WheatearOenanthe oenanthe
Ringed PloverCharadrius hiaticula
LinnetLinaria cannabina
Great Black-backed GullLarus marinus
DunlinCalidris alpina
Reed BuntingEmberiza schoeniclus
SkylarkAlauda arvensis
Long-tailed DuckClangula hyemalis
GannetMorus bassanus2024
Hooded CrowCorvus cornix2024
Common GuillemotUria aalge
MerlinFalco columbarius
Great SkuaStercorarius skua
RavenCorvus corax
PheasantPhasianus colchicus
KestrelFalco tinnunculus2024
Sandwich TernThalasseus sandvicensis2024
TurnstoneArenaria interpres2024
GreenfinchChloris chloris2024
SwallowHirundo rustica2024
SanderlingCalidris alba2024
EiderSomateria mollissima2024
Lesser Black-backed GullLarus fuscus2024
ShovelerSpatula clypeata2024

🐝

Insects4 species

summer

2025

Emerald Damselfly · Blue-tailed Damselfly · Common Darter · Common Blue Damselfly

Emerald DamselflyLestes sponsa
Blue-tailed DamselflyIschnura elegans
Common DarterSympetrum striolatum
Common Blue DamselflyEnallagma cyathigerum

🌿

Plants15 species

summer

2025

Meadow Vetchling · Polygonum aviculare · Ranunculus aquatilis agg. · Sun Spurge · Water Forget-me-not +10

Meadow VetchlingLathyrus pratensis
Polygonum avicularePolygonum aviculare
Ranunculus aquatilis agg.Ranunculus aquatilis agg.
Sun SpurgeEuphorbia helioscopia
Water Forget-me-notMyosotis scorpioides
Common Hemp-nettleGaleopsis tetrahit
Common ValerianValeriana officinalis
Common FumitoryFumaria officinalis
Tufted VetchVicia cracca
Broad-leaved PondweedPotamogeton natans
Yellow IrisIris pseudacorus
Prickly Sow-thistleSonchus asper
PineappleweedMatricaria discoidea
Slender St John's-wortHypericum pulchrum
SelfhealPrunella vulgaris

Species observations from the last 10 years via NBN Atlas

Wildlife to spot

Photos

📷 Wikipedia · Cairn · CC BY-SA 3.0

Cairn

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Nearby places

Useful places within 5 km

✦The Hillock BrochHistoric site3.3 km→✦The Hillock - cemeteryHistoric site3.4 km→✦Hillock Of Burroughston BrochHistoric site2.7 km→✦Mor Styne (Prehistoric standing stone)Historic site2.9 km→✦Hillock QuoysHistoric site300 m→✦Unyatuak MoundHistoric site700 m→

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