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Castlelaw Fort

📷 Richard Webb · Geograph · CC BY-SA 2.0

WildlifeBirdsHeritage

Dogs welcome

Getting here

55.86181, -3.23342

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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
✦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

🌞Midsummer — early morning visits most comfortable; look for deer fawns in quieter clearings
✦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 — Woodpigeon, Magpie, Jackdaw +64 more · last seen 2026; Birds — Woodpigeon, Magpie, Jackdaw +64 more · last seen 2026

Free

Heritage

Strong match

Historic site

Free

Insect spotting

Good match

Insects — Common Green Grasshopper, Common Earwig, Syrphus +3 more · last seen 2026; Insects — Common Green Grasshopper, Common Earwig, Syrphus +3 more · last seen 2026

Free

Seasonal nature

Moderate match

Plants — Japanese Knotweed · last seen 2025; Plants — Japanese Knotweed · last seen 2025

Free

Trails nearby

Within roughly 5 km

🚶

Walking

10 signed routes nearby

Signed route nearby

Pentland Way (Glencorse Reservoir to Swanston)Walking route

Named routeLocal walking route

North Esk WayWalking route

Named routeLocal walking route

Glencorse View WalkWalking route

Named route

Pentland Way (Alternative)Walking route

Named routeLocal walking route

Burdiehouse Burn Valley ParkWalking route

Named routeRef CEC1Local walking route

🚴

Cycling

33 signed routes nearby

Signed route nearby

Route RRCycling route

Named routeRef RRLocal cycle route

Route 75Cycling route

Named routeRef 75National Cycle Network

NCN National Route 196Cycling route

Named routeRef 196National Cycle Network

Quiet Route 61Cycling route

Named routeRef 61Local cycle route

N/ACycling route88 m

Named routeLength 88 mNational Cycle NetworkTraffic-freeSurface unsealedfirm

Main RouteCycling route563 m

Named routeRef 196Length 563 mNational Cycle NetworkOn-roadSurface asphalt

🚵

Mountain biking

8 signed routes nearby

Signed route nearby

Dreghorn-CastlelawMountain bike route

Named route

Bonaly - Glencorse off road cycle routeMountain bike route

Named route

Harlaw-GlencorseMountain bike route

Named route

Bavelaw-FlotterstoneMountain bike route

Named route

Black Hill MTBMountain bike route

Named route

Pentland Reservoirs MTBMountain bike route

Named route

Wildlife to spot

11,551 records · National Biodiversity Network

Wildlife to spot

11,551 records · National Biodiversity Network

🐦

Birds48 species

autumnwinter

2026

Grey Wagtail · Cormorant · Bullfinch · Robin · Magpie +43

Grey WagtailMotacilla cinerea2025
CormorantPhalacrocorax carbo
BullfinchPyrrhula pyrrhula2025
RobinErithacus rubecula
MagpiePica pica2025
MallardAnas platyrhynchos2025
JackdawColoeus monedula2025
Carrion CrowCorvus corone2025
Grey HeronArdea cinerea
JayGarrulus glandarius2025
RavenCorvus corax2025
Coal TitPeriparus ater2025
RookCorvus frugilegus2025
Long-tailed TitAegithalos caudatus2025
Great TitParus major
Red Grouse (scotica)Lagopus scotica2025
Little GrebeTachybaptus ruficollis2025
WrenTroglodytes troglodytes2025
BlackbirdTurdus merula2025
MoorhenGallinula chloropus2025
Blue TitCyanistes caeruleus2025
Common GullLarus canus2025
Mistle ThrushTurdus viscivorus2025
Barn OwlTyto alba2025
Lesser RedpollAcanthis flammea cabaret2025
Pink-footed GooseAnser brachyrhynchus2025
Pied WagtailMotacilla alba2025
SiskinSpinus spinus2025
StonechatSaxicola rubicola
KestrelFalco tinnunculus
Lesser Black-backed GullLarus fuscus2025
PheasantPhasianus colchicus2025
Meadow PipitAnthus pratensis2025
Greylag GooseAnser anser2025
Herring GullLarus argentatus2025
Tawny OwlStrix aluco2025
Mute SwanCygnus olor2025
DunnockPrunella modularis2025
WoodpigeonColumba palumbus2025
NuthatchSitta europaea2025
GreenfinchChloris chloris2025
ChaffinchFringilla coelebs2025
GoldcrestRegulus regulus2025
ChiffchaffPhylloscopus collybita2025
TreecreeperCerthia familiaris2025
DipperCinclus cinclus2025
GoldfinchCarduelis carduelis2025
Black-headed GullChroicocephalus ridibundus2025

🦌

Mammals4 species

autumn

2026

Grey Squirrel · Roe Deer · Brown Hare · Field Vole

Grey SquirrelSciurus carolinensis2025
Roe DeerCapreolus capreolus2025
Brown HareLepus europaeus
Field VoleMicrotus agrestis2025

🐝

Insects2 species

winterautumn

2026

Common Earwig · Syrphus

Common EarwigForficula auricularia/dentata agg.
SyrphusSyrphus2025

🌿

Plants1 species

autumn

2025

Japanese Knotweed

Japanese KnotweedReynoutria japonica

Species observations from the last 10 years via NBN Atlas

Wildlife to spot

11,551 records · National Biodiversity Network

🐦

Birds48 species

autumnwinter

2026

Grey Wagtail · Cormorant · Bullfinch · Robin · Magpie +43

Grey WagtailMotacilla cinerea2025
CormorantPhalacrocorax carbo
BullfinchPyrrhula pyrrhula2025
RobinErithacus rubecula
MagpiePica pica2025
MallardAnas platyrhynchos2025
JackdawColoeus monedula2025
Carrion CrowCorvus corone2025
Grey HeronArdea cinerea
JayGarrulus glandarius2025
RavenCorvus corax2025
Coal TitPeriparus ater2025
RookCorvus frugilegus2025
Long-tailed TitAegithalos caudatus2025
Great TitParus major
Red Grouse (scotica)Lagopus scotica2025
Little GrebeTachybaptus ruficollis2025
WrenTroglodytes troglodytes2025
BlackbirdTurdus merula2025
MoorhenGallinula chloropus2025
Blue TitCyanistes caeruleus2025
Common GullLarus canus2025
Mistle ThrushTurdus viscivorus2025
Barn OwlTyto alba2025
Lesser RedpollAcanthis flammea cabaret2025
Pink-footed GooseAnser brachyrhynchus2025
Pied WagtailMotacilla alba2025
SiskinSpinus spinus2025
StonechatSaxicola rubicola
KestrelFalco tinnunculus
Lesser Black-backed GullLarus fuscus2025
PheasantPhasianus colchicus2025
Meadow PipitAnthus pratensis2025
Greylag GooseAnser anser2025
Herring GullLarus argentatus2025
Tawny OwlStrix aluco2025
Mute SwanCygnus olor2025
DunnockPrunella modularis2025
WoodpigeonColumba palumbus2025
NuthatchSitta europaea2025
GreenfinchChloris chloris2025
ChaffinchFringilla coelebs2025
GoldcrestRegulus regulus2025
ChiffchaffPhylloscopus collybita2025
TreecreeperCerthia familiaris2025
DipperCinclus cinclus2025
GoldfinchCarduelis carduelis2025
Black-headed GullChroicocephalus ridibundus2025

🦌

Mammals4 species

autumn

2026

Grey Squirrel · Roe Deer · Brown Hare · Field Vole

Grey SquirrelSciurus carolinensis2025
Roe DeerCapreolus capreolus2025
Brown HareLepus europaeus
Field VoleMicrotus agrestis2025

🐝

Insects2 species

winterautumn

2026

Common Earwig · Syrphus

Common EarwigForficula auricularia/dentata agg.
SyrphusSyrphus2025

🌿

Plants1 species

autumn

2025

Japanese Knotweed

Japanese KnotweedReynoutria japonica

Species observations from the last 10 years via NBN Atlas

Wildlife to spot

Photos

📷 Richard Webb · Geograph · CC BY-SA 2.0

Ramparts, Castlelaw fort

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Nearby places

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🌱Hillend Country ParkUrban park3.1 km→🏞️HillendCountry park3.1 km→🌱Angle ParkUrban park3.4 km→🌱Bonaly Country ParkUrban park3.5 km→🏞️BonalyCountry park3.5 km→🌱Bilston Burn ParkUrban park3.5 km→

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