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Hermitage Castle

0 ha

WildlifeBirdsFungi

Dogs welcome0 ha

Getting here

55.25599, -2.79327

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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

Best for

7 activities

Wildlife

Very strong match

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

Free

Bird watching

Very strong match

Birds — Willow Warbler, Wren, Meadow Pipit +57 more · last seen 2025; Birds — Willow Warbler, Wren, Meadow Pipit +57 more · last seen 2025

Free

Mushroom foraging

Strong match

Fungi — Cladonia polydactyla, Parmelia saxatilis s. lat., Lecanora chlarotera s. lat. +70 more · last seen 2019; Fungi — Cladonia polydactyla, Parmelia saxatilis s. lat., Lecanora chlarotera s. lat. +70 more · last seen 2019

Varies

Seasonal nature

Strong match

Plants — Giant Hogweed, Bank Haircap, Perthshire Beard-moss +334 more · last seen 2022; Plants — Giant Hogweed, Bank Haircap, Perthshire Beard-moss +334 more · last seen 2022

Free

Foraging

Strong match

Plants — Conocephalum salebrosum, Two-horned Pincerwort, Great Scented Liverwort +33 more foraging species

Varies

Heritage

Strong match

Historic site

Free

Trails nearby

Within roughly 5 km

🚴

Cycling

1 signed route nearby

Signed route nearby

National Byway (County Durham and Northumberland)Cycling route

The National Byway route through County Durham and Northumberland

Named routeRef NBRegional cycle route

🚵

Mountain biking

2 signed routes nearby

Signed route nearby

Cross Border MTB TrailMountain bike route

Named route

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

Named routeLength 154.8 kmNational Cycle Network

Wildlife to spot

2,275 records · National Biodiversity Network

Wildlife to spot

2,275 records · National Biodiversity Network

🐦

Birds44 species

spring

2025

Willow Warbler · Wren · Song Thrush · Meadow Pipit · Curlew +39

Willow WarblerPhylloscopus trochilus2022
WrenTroglodytes troglodytes2023
Song ThrushTurdus philomelos2022
Meadow PipitAnthus pratensis2022
CurlewNumenius arquata2022
DipperCinclus cinclus2022
StarlingSturnus vulgaris
BullfinchPyrrhula pyrrhula
DunnockPrunella modularis2023
Great TitParus major2022
SwallowHirundo rustica2022
OystercatcherHaematopus ostralegus2022
ChaffinchFringilla coelebs
Stock DoveColumba oenas
RobinErithacus rubecula2024
Mistle ThrushTurdus viscivorus2024
Grey HeronArdea cinerea2023
Blue TitCyanistes caeruleus2023
Lesser RedpollAcanthis flammea cabaret2022
Coal TitPeriparus ater2022
Grey WagtailMotacilla cinerea2021
SkylarkAlauda arvensis2021
Common SandpiperActitis hypoleucos2020
JayGarrulus glandarius
JackdawColoeus monedula2024
KestrelFalco tinnunculus2024
NuthatchSitta europaea2023
Great Spotted WoodpeckerDendrocopos major2022
RookCorvus frugilegus2022
Carrion CrowCorvus corone2023
Spotted FlycatcherMuscicapa striata2023
GreenfinchChloris chloris2022
BlackbirdTurdus merula2022
GoldfinchCarduelis carduelis2022
Pied WagtailMotacilla alba yarrellii2022
LapwingVanellus vanellus2022
Sand MartinRiparia riparia2021
PheasantPhasianus colchicus2021
WhitethroatCurruca communis2020
LinnetLinaria cannabina2020
SiskinSpinus spinus2019
TreecreeperCerthia familiaris2019
Long-tailed TitAegithalos caudatus2019
GoldcrestRegulus regulus2019

🦌

Mammals4 species

autumn

2025

Red Squirrel · Badger · Mole · Brown Hare

Red SquirrelSciurus vulgaris2022
BadgerMeles meles
MoleTalpa europaea2024
Brown HareLepus europaeus2022

🐝

Insects12 species

summer

2023

Rhingia campestris · Xylota segnis · Eristalis pertinax · Red-legged Shieldbug · Syrphus +7

Rhingia campestrisRhingia campestris
Xylota segnisXylota segnis2022
Eristalis pertinaxEristalis pertinax2022
Red-legged ShieldbugPentatoma rufipes
SyrphusSyrphus
Common Red Soldier BeetleRhagonycha fulva

🌿

Plants9 species

spring

2024

Giant Hogweed · Snowdrop · Melancholy Thistle · Large-leaved Lime · Sneezewort +4

Giant HogweedHeracleum mantegazzianum2022
SnowdropGalanthus nivalis
Melancholy ThistleCirsium heterophyllum2020
Large-leaved LimeTilia platyphyllos2020
SneezewortAchillea ptarmica2020
GorseUlex europaeus

Species observations from the last 10 years via NBN Atlas

Wildlife to spot

2,275 records · National Biodiversity Network

🐦

Birds44 species

spring

2025

Willow Warbler · Wren · Song Thrush · Meadow Pipit · Curlew +39

Willow WarblerPhylloscopus trochilus2022
WrenTroglodytes troglodytes2023
Song ThrushTurdus philomelos2022
Meadow PipitAnthus pratensis2022
CurlewNumenius arquata2022
DipperCinclus cinclus2022
StarlingSturnus vulgaris
BullfinchPyrrhula pyrrhula
DunnockPrunella modularis2023
Great TitParus major2022
SwallowHirundo rustica2022
OystercatcherHaematopus ostralegus2022
ChaffinchFringilla coelebs
Stock DoveColumba oenas
RobinErithacus rubecula2024
Mistle ThrushTurdus viscivorus2024
Grey HeronArdea cinerea2023
Blue TitCyanistes caeruleus2023
Lesser RedpollAcanthis flammea cabaret2022
Coal TitPeriparus ater2022
Grey WagtailMotacilla cinerea2021
SkylarkAlauda arvensis2021
Common SandpiperActitis hypoleucos2020
JayGarrulus glandarius
JackdawColoeus monedula2024
KestrelFalco tinnunculus2024
NuthatchSitta europaea2023
Great Spotted WoodpeckerDendrocopos major2022
RookCorvus frugilegus2022
Carrion CrowCorvus corone2023
Spotted FlycatcherMuscicapa striata2023
GreenfinchChloris chloris2022
BlackbirdTurdus merula2022
GoldfinchCarduelis carduelis2022
Pied WagtailMotacilla alba yarrellii2022
LapwingVanellus vanellus2022
Sand MartinRiparia riparia2021
PheasantPhasianus colchicus2021
WhitethroatCurruca communis2020
LinnetLinaria cannabina2020
SiskinSpinus spinus2019
TreecreeperCerthia familiaris2019
Long-tailed TitAegithalos caudatus2019
GoldcrestRegulus regulus2019

🦌

Mammals4 species

autumn

2025

Red Squirrel · Badger · Mole · Brown Hare

Red SquirrelSciurus vulgaris2022
BadgerMeles meles
MoleTalpa europaea2024
Brown HareLepus europaeus2022

🐝

Insects12 species

summer

2023

Rhingia campestris · Xylota segnis · Eristalis pertinax · Red-legged Shieldbug · Syrphus +7

Rhingia campestrisRhingia campestris
Xylota segnisXylota segnis2022
Eristalis pertinaxEristalis pertinax2022
Red-legged ShieldbugPentatoma rufipes
SyrphusSyrphus
Common Red Soldier BeetleRhagonycha fulva

🌿

Plants9 species

spring

2024

Giant Hogweed · Snowdrop · Melancholy Thistle · Large-leaved Lime · Sneezewort +4

Giant HogweedHeracleum mantegazzianum2022
SnowdropGalanthus nivalis
Melancholy ThistleCirsium heterophyllum2020
Large-leaved LimeTilia platyphyllos2020
SneezewortAchillea ptarmica2020
GorseUlex europaeus

Species observations from the last 10 years via NBN Atlas

Wildlife to spot

Photos

📷 Iain Lees · Geograph · CC BY-SA 2.0

Hermitage Castle on The Hermitage Water

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✦Ninestane RigHistoric site2.4 km→✦ChapelHistoric site400 m→

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