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Cairns Castle

0 ha

📷 Anne Burgess · Geograph · CC BY-SA 2.0

Plan your visit

WildlifeBirdsSeasonal

Dogs welcome0 ha

Getting here

55.82919, -3.45375

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Visiting this summer

Seasonal nature notes and what to look for now

☀️June — long evenings and clear skies; one of the most rewarding months for a late visit
✦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

☀️June — long evenings and clear skies; one of the most rewarding months for a late visit
✦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

Parking· Free

Best for

5 activities

Wildlife

Very strong match

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

Free

Bird watching

Very strong match

Birds — Mallard, Black-headed Gull, Great Crested Grebe +86 more · last seen 2026; Birds — Mallard, Black-headed Gull, Great Crested Grebe +86 more · last seen 2026

Free

Seasonal nature

Strong match

Plants — Jointed Rush, Broad Buckler-fern, Water Mint +92 more · last seen 2023; Plants — Jointed Rush, Broad Buckler-fern, Water Mint +92 more · last seen 2023

Free

Heritage

Strong match

Historic site

Free

Foraging

Strong match

Plants — Water Mint, Mouse-ear-hawkweed, Flowering Currant +7 more foraging species

Varies

Trails nearby

Within roughly 5 km

🚶

Walking

4 signed routes nearby

Signed route nearby

Yellow WalkWalking route

Named routeRound tripLocal walking route

Green PathWalking route

Named routeRound tripLocal walking route

Red WalkWalking route

Named routeRound tripLocal walking route

Cross Borders Drove Road (Harperrig to West Linton)Walking route

Named routePoint-to-pointNational walking route

🚴

Cycling

5 signed routes nearby

Signed route nearby

Bankton Mains PathCycling route

Named routeLocal cycle route

Murieston PathCycling route

Named routeLocal cycle route

Alderstone PathCycling route

Named routeLocal cycle route

Murieston TrailCycling route

Named routeLocal cycle route

Waverley PathCycling route

Named routeLocal cycle route

🚵

Mountain biking

3 signed routes nearby

Signed route nearby

Carlops-Balerno MTBMountain bike route

Named route

Little Vantage to BaddinsgillMountain bike route

Named route

Great North Trail (Scottish Borders)Mountain bike route154.8 km

Named routeLength 154.8 kmNational Cycle Network

Wildlife to spot

6,184 records · National Biodiversity Network

Wildlife to spot

6,184 records · National Biodiversity Network

🐦

Birds64 species

summerautumn

2026

Cormorant · Carrion Crow · Mallard · Jackdaw · Black-headed Gull +59

CormorantPhalacrocorax carbo2025
Carrion CrowCorvus corone2025
MallardAnas platyrhynchos2025
JackdawColoeus monedula2025
Black-headed GullChroicocephalus ridibundus2025
Great Crested GrebePodiceps cristatus2025
Grey HeronArdea cinerea2025
Herring GullLarus argentatus2025
Reed BuntingEmberiza schoeniclus2025
ChaffinchFringilla coelebs2025
WrenTroglodytes troglodytes2025
Coal TitPeriparus ater2025
Lesser Black-backed GullLarus fuscus2025
WoodpigeonColumba palumbus2025
Pied WagtailMotacilla alba yarrellii
KestrelFalco tinnunculus2025
Mistle ThrushTurdus viscivorus2025
BlackbirdTurdus merula2025
MagpiePica pica2025
RobinErithacus rubecula2025
SwallowHirundo rustica2025
Greylag GooseAnser anser2025
GoldcrestRegulus regulus2025
Blue TitCyanistes caeruleus2025
DunnockPrunella modularis2025
StonechatSaxicola rubicola2025
GoldfinchCarduelis carduelis2025
Meadow PipitAnthus pratensis2025
Common SandpiperActitis hypoleucos2025
CurlewNumenius arquata2025
Willow WarblerPhylloscopus trochilus2025
BullfinchPyrrhula pyrrhula2025
Red Grouse (scotica)Lagopus scotica2025
Pink-footed GooseAnser brachyrhynchus2025
Long-tailed TitAegithalos caudatus2025
RedshankTringa totanus2025
Song ThrushTurdus philomelos2025
Great Spotted WoodpeckerDendrocopos major2025
SiskinSpinus spinus2025
StarlingSturnus vulgaris2025
SkylarkAlauda arvensis2025
CrossbillLoxia curvirostra2025
Ringed PloverCharadrius hiaticula2025
Canada GooseBranta canadensis2025
LapwingVanellus vanellus2025
House MartinDelichon urbicum2025
Sand MartinRiparia riparia2025
Tufted DuckAythya fuligula2025
Little EgretEgretta garzetta2025
Lesser RedpollAcanthis flammea cabaret2025
Common GullLarus canus2025
TealAnas crecca2025
Great Black-backed GullLarus marinus2025
JayGarrulus glandarius2025
GreenfinchChloris chloris2025
KingfisherAlcedo atthis2025
PheasantPhasianus colchicus2025
RavenCorvus corax2025
SnipeGallinago gallinago2025
SwiftApus apus2025
OystercatcherHaematopus ostralegus2025
TreecreeperCerthia familiaris2025
BlackcapSylvia atricapilla2025
CuckooCuculus canorus2025

🦌

Mammals1 species

autumn

2025

Roe Deer

Roe DeerCapreolus capreolus

Species observations from the last 10 years via NBN Atlas

Wildlife to spot

6,184 records · National Biodiversity Network

🐦

Birds64 species

summerautumn

2026

Cormorant · Carrion Crow · Mallard · Jackdaw · Black-headed Gull +59

CormorantPhalacrocorax carbo2025
Carrion CrowCorvus corone2025
MallardAnas platyrhynchos2025
JackdawColoeus monedula2025
Black-headed GullChroicocephalus ridibundus2025
Great Crested GrebePodiceps cristatus2025
Grey HeronArdea cinerea2025
Herring GullLarus argentatus2025
Reed BuntingEmberiza schoeniclus2025
ChaffinchFringilla coelebs2025
WrenTroglodytes troglodytes2025
Coal TitPeriparus ater2025
Lesser Black-backed GullLarus fuscus2025
WoodpigeonColumba palumbus2025
Pied WagtailMotacilla alba yarrellii
KestrelFalco tinnunculus2025
Mistle ThrushTurdus viscivorus2025
BlackbirdTurdus merula2025
MagpiePica pica2025
RobinErithacus rubecula2025
SwallowHirundo rustica2025
Greylag GooseAnser anser2025
GoldcrestRegulus regulus2025
Blue TitCyanistes caeruleus2025
DunnockPrunella modularis2025
StonechatSaxicola rubicola2025
GoldfinchCarduelis carduelis2025
Meadow PipitAnthus pratensis2025
Common SandpiperActitis hypoleucos2025
CurlewNumenius arquata2025
Willow WarblerPhylloscopus trochilus2025
BullfinchPyrrhula pyrrhula2025
Red Grouse (scotica)Lagopus scotica2025
Pink-footed GooseAnser brachyrhynchus2025
Long-tailed TitAegithalos caudatus2025
RedshankTringa totanus2025
Song ThrushTurdus philomelos2025
Great Spotted WoodpeckerDendrocopos major2025
SiskinSpinus spinus2025
StarlingSturnus vulgaris2025
SkylarkAlauda arvensis2025
CrossbillLoxia curvirostra2025
Ringed PloverCharadrius hiaticula2025
Canada GooseBranta canadensis2025
LapwingVanellus vanellus2025
House MartinDelichon urbicum2025
Sand MartinRiparia riparia2025
Tufted DuckAythya fuligula2025
Little EgretEgretta garzetta2025
Lesser RedpollAcanthis flammea cabaret2025
Common GullLarus canus2025
TealAnas crecca2025
Great Black-backed GullLarus marinus2025
JayGarrulus glandarius2025
GreenfinchChloris chloris2025
KingfisherAlcedo atthis2025
PheasantPhasianus colchicus2025
RavenCorvus corax2025
SnipeGallinago gallinago2025
SwiftApus apus2025
OystercatcherHaematopus ostralegus2025
TreecreeperCerthia familiaris2025
BlackcapSylvia atricapilla2025
CuckooCuculus canorus2025

🦌

Mammals1 species

autumn

2025

Roe Deer

Roe DeerCapreolus capreolus

Species observations from the last 10 years via NBN Atlas

Wildlife to spot

Photos

📷 Anne Burgess · Geograph · CC BY-SA 2.0

Cairns Castle

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Nearby places

Useful places within 5 km

💧Harperrig ReservoirReservoir800 m→💧Harperrig ReservoirReservoir800 m→✦Castle Greg Roman FortletHistoric site4.2 km→💧Crosswood ReservoirReservoir4.3 km→💧Crosswood ReservoirReservoir4.3 km→💧Morton ReservoirReservoir3.3 km→

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