← Back✦ Historic site

Castle Hillock, Motte and Bailey

📷 Russel Wills · Geograph · CC BY-SA 2.0

WildlifeBirdsFungi

Dogs welcome

Getting here

56.80854, -2.68339

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Visiting this summer

Seasonal nature notes and what to look for now

🌞Midsummer — early morning visits most comfortable; look for deer fawns in quieter clearings
🍄Mushroom foraging is at its best in summer here
🐕Dogs welcome — bring water in summer; the site has enough space to find shade on hot days

🌤️ Visiting this summer

🌞Midsummer — early morning visits most comfortable; look for deer fawns in quieter clearings
🍄Mushroom foraging is at its best in summer here
🐕Dogs welcome — bring water in summer; the site has enough space to find shade on hot days

Good to know

🐕Dogs welcome

Parking

Best for

7 activities

Wildlife

Very strong match

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

Free

Bird watching

Very strong match

Birds — Starling, Blackbird, Jackdaw +69 more · last seen 2025; Birds — Starling, Blackbird, Jackdaw +69 more · last seen 2025

Free

Mushroom foraging

Strong match

Fungi — Chaga, Giant Polypore, Moor Club +18 more · last seen 2018; Fungi — Chaga, Giant Polypore, Moor Club +18 more · last seen 2018

Varies

Seasonal nature

Strong match

Plants — Creeping Lady's-tresses, Bristly Haircap, Springy Turf-moss +87 more · last seen 2016; Plants — Creeping Lady's-tresses, Bristly Haircap, Springy Turf-moss +87 more · last seen 2016

Free

Heritage

Strong match

Historic site

Free

Insect spotting

Good match

Insects — Peacock, Bilberry Bumblebee, Platycheirus +10 more · last seen 2025; Insects — Peacock, Bilberry Bumblebee, Platycheirus +10 more · last seen 2025

Free

Trails nearby

Within roughly 5 km

🚶

Walking

2 signed routes nearby

Signed route nearby

Edzell to Rocks of SolitudeWalking route10 km

Named routeLength 10 kmLocal walking route

The Whisky RoadWalking route

Named route

🚵

Mountain biking

1 signed route nearby

Signed route nearby

Scotland TrailMountain bike route

Named routeRegional cycle route

Wildlife to spot

1,352 records · National Biodiversity Network

Wildlife to spot

1,352 records · National Biodiversity Network

🐦

Birds39 species

summer

2025

Starling · Blackbird · Robin · Woodpigeon · Blue Tit +34

StarlingSturnus vulgaris2024
BlackbirdTurdus merula2024
RobinErithacus rubecula
WoodpigeonColumba palumbus
Blue TitCyanistes caeruleus2024
SwiftApus apus2024
House SparrowPasser domesticus
WrenTroglodytes troglodytes
Great Spotted WoodpeckerDendrocopos major
Carrion CrowCorvus corone2024
BlackcapSylvia atricapilla2024
ChiffchaffPhylloscopus collybita2024
Willow WarblerPhylloscopus trochilus2024
ChaffinchFringilla coelebs2024
PheasantPhasianus colchicus2024
Song ThrushTurdus philomelos2024
Mistle ThrushTurdus viscivorus2024
Great TitParus major2023
GoldfinchCarduelis carduelis2023
Collared DoveStreptopelia decaocto2023
JackdawColoeus monedula2023
Grey HeronArdea cinerea
Alectoris rufa rufaAlectoris rufa rufa2024
House MartinDelichon urbicum2024
OystercatcherHaematopus ostralegus2024
Herring GullLarus argentatus2024
YellowhammerEmberiza citrinella2024
SwallowHirundo rustica2024
WhitethroatCurruca communis2024
Common SandpiperActitis hypoleucos2023
Black-headed GullChroicocephalus ridibundus2023
Great Black-backed GullLarus marinus2023
RookCorvus frugilegus2023
BullfinchPyrrhula pyrrhula2023
GreenfinchChloris chloris2023
DunnockPrunella modularis2023
KingfisherAlcedo atthis2023
MallardAnas platyrhynchos2023
DipperCinclus cinclus2023

🦌

Mammals5 species

springsummerautumnwinter

2026

Red Squirrel · Grey Squirrel · Hedgehog · Pine Marten · Red Deer

Red SquirrelSciurus vulgaris
Grey SquirrelSciurus carolinensis2024
HedgehogErinaceus europaeus2025
Pine MartenMartes martes2025
Red DeerCervus elaphus

🦎

Reptiles1 species

spring

2024

Adder

AdderVipera berus

🐝

Insects5 species

summerautumn

2025

Platycheirus · 7-spot Ladybird · Red-legged Shieldbug · Hartigiola annulipes · Beech Leaf Miner

PlatycheirusPlatycheirus
7-spot LadybirdCoccinella septempunctata
Red-legged ShieldbugPentatoma rufipes
Hartigiola annulipesHartigiola annulipes
Beech Leaf MinerOrchestes fagi

Species observations from the last 10 years via NBN Atlas

Wildlife to spot

1,352 records · National Biodiversity Network

🐦

Birds39 species

summer

2025

Starling · Blackbird · Robin · Woodpigeon · Blue Tit +34

StarlingSturnus vulgaris2024
BlackbirdTurdus merula2024
RobinErithacus rubecula
WoodpigeonColumba palumbus
Blue TitCyanistes caeruleus2024
SwiftApus apus2024
House SparrowPasser domesticus
WrenTroglodytes troglodytes
Great Spotted WoodpeckerDendrocopos major
Carrion CrowCorvus corone2024
BlackcapSylvia atricapilla2024
ChiffchaffPhylloscopus collybita2024
Willow WarblerPhylloscopus trochilus2024
ChaffinchFringilla coelebs2024
PheasantPhasianus colchicus2024
Song ThrushTurdus philomelos2024
Mistle ThrushTurdus viscivorus2024
Great TitParus major2023
GoldfinchCarduelis carduelis2023
Collared DoveStreptopelia decaocto2023
JackdawColoeus monedula2023
Grey HeronArdea cinerea
Alectoris rufa rufaAlectoris rufa rufa2024
House MartinDelichon urbicum2024
OystercatcherHaematopus ostralegus2024
Herring GullLarus argentatus2024
YellowhammerEmberiza citrinella2024
SwallowHirundo rustica2024
WhitethroatCurruca communis2024
Common SandpiperActitis hypoleucos2023
Black-headed GullChroicocephalus ridibundus2023
Great Black-backed GullLarus marinus2023
RookCorvus frugilegus2023
BullfinchPyrrhula pyrrhula2023
GreenfinchChloris chloris2023
DunnockPrunella modularis2023
KingfisherAlcedo atthis2023
MallardAnas platyrhynchos2023
DipperCinclus cinclus2023

🦌

Mammals5 species

springsummerautumnwinter

2026

Red Squirrel · Grey Squirrel · Hedgehog · Pine Marten · Red Deer

Red SquirrelSciurus vulgaris
Grey SquirrelSciurus carolinensis2024
HedgehogErinaceus europaeus2025
Pine MartenMartes martes2025
Red DeerCervus elaphus

🦎

Reptiles1 species

spring

2024

Adder

AdderVipera berus

🐝

Insects5 species

summerautumn

2025

Platycheirus · 7-spot Ladybird · Red-legged Shieldbug · Hartigiola annulipes · Beech Leaf Miner

PlatycheirusPlatycheirus
7-spot LadybirdCoccinella septempunctata
Red-legged ShieldbugPentatoma rufipes
Hartigiola annulipesHartigiola annulipes
Beech Leaf MinerOrchestes fagi

Species observations from the last 10 years via NBN Atlas

Wildlife to spot

Photos

📷 Russel Wills · Geograph · CC BY-SA 2.0

Motte & Bailey

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Nearby places

Useful places within 5 km

🌱Edzell MuirUrban park1.6 km→🌱Edzell Castle Walled GardenUrban park300 m→🌱Edzell Castle GroundsUrban park400 m→⚽The MuirPlaying field1.6 km→⛪Stracathro Parish ChurchReligious grounds4.5 km→✦Edzell CastleHistoric site400 m→

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