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Knock Castle

0 ha

📷 Stanley Howe · Geograph · CC BY-SA 2.0

Plan your visit

BirdsWildlifeInsects

Dogs welcome0 ha

Getting here

57.04291, -3.06916

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Visiting this summer

Seasonal nature notes and what to look for now

🐦86+ species recorded in this area — summer evenings are best for activity; watch for Capercaillie and Willow Warbler
✦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

🐦86+ species recorded in this area — summer evenings are best for activity; watch for Capercaillie and Willow Warbler
✦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

7 activities

Bird watching

Very strong match

Birds — Capercaillie, Willow Warbler, Chaffinch +83 more · last seen 2026

Free

Wildlife

Strong match

Birds — Capercaillie, Willow Warbler, Chaffinch +83 more · last seen 2026

Free

Insect spotting

Strong match

Insects — Broken-belted Bumblebee, Tree Bumblebee, Common Blue Damselfly +35 more · last seen 2025

Free

Heritage

Strong match

Historic site

Free

Seasonal nature

Good match

Plants — Springy Turf-moss, Grey-cushioned Grimmia, Hypnum cupressiforme +11 more · last seen 2025

Free

Mushroom foraging

Good match

Fungi — Meadowsweet Rust · last seen 2023

Varies

Trails nearby

Within roughly 5 km

🚶

Walking

7 signed routes nearby

Signed route nearby

Ballater/Cambus o'May loopWalking route

Named routeRef YellowLocal walking route

CraigendarrochWalking route

Named routeRef RedLocal walking route

Riverside LoopWalking route

Named routeRef BlueLocal walking route

Deeside WayWalking route

Named routeRegional walking route

AvenueWalking route

Named routeLocal walking route

🚴

Cycling

8 signed routes nearby

Signed route nearby

Deeside WayCycling route

Named routeRef 195National Cycle Network

Main RouteCycling route3.4 km

Named routeRef 195Length 3.4 kmNational Cycle NetworkTraffic-freeSurface unsealedfirm

Main RouteCycling route1.4 km

Named routeRef 195Length 1.4 kmNational Cycle NetworkTraffic-freeSurface unsealedfirm

Main RouteCycling route34 m

Named routeRef 195Length 34 mNational Cycle NetworkTraffic-freeSurface pavementslabs

Main RouteCycling route172 m

Named routeRef 195Length 172 mNational Cycle NetworkTraffic-freeSurface asphalt

Main RouteCycling route83 m

Named routeRef 195Length 83 mNational Cycle NetworkTraffic-freeSurface other

🚵

Mountain biking

3 signed routes nearby

Signed route nearby

Scotland TrailMountain bike route

Named routeRegional cycle route

Ballater & Burn o'Vat CircularMountain bike route

Named routeRef 2

Ballater to Gairnshiel CircularMountain bike route

Named routeRef 3

Wildlife to spot

5,336 records · National Biodiversity Network

Wildlife to spot

5,336 records · National Biodiversity Network

🐦

Birds58 species

summer

2026

Chaffinch · Robin · Woodpigeon · Blue Tit · Siskin +53

ChaffinchFringilla coelebs2025
RobinErithacus rubecula2025
WoodpigeonColumba palumbus
Blue TitCyanistes caeruleus2025
SiskinSpinus spinus2025
JackdawColoeus monedula2025
Song ThrushTurdus philomelos2025
WrenTroglodytes troglodytes2025
GoldcrestRegulus regulus2025
BlackbirdTurdus merula2025
House MartinDelichon urbicum2025
House SparrowPasser domesticus2025
Willow WarblerPhylloscopus trochilus2025
JayGarrulus glandarius2025
Coal TitPeriparus ater2025
TreecreeperCerthia familiaris2025
GoldfinchCarduelis carduelis2025
SwallowHirundo rustica2025
BullfinchPyrrhula pyrrhula2025
DunnockPrunella modularis2025
Carrion CrowCorvus corone2025
OystercatcherHaematopus ostralegus2025
RavenCorvus corax2025
DipperCinclus cinclus2025
CormorantPhalacrocorax carbo2025
MallardAnas platyrhynchos2025
BlackcapSylvia atricapilla2025
Great Spotted WoodpeckerDendrocopos major2025
Grey WagtailMotacilla cinerea2025
Little GrebeTachybaptus ruficollis2025
NuthatchSitta europaea2025
Long-tailed TitAegithalos caudatus2025
GreenfinchChloris chloris2025
Great TitParus major2025
Common GullLarus canus2025
Black-headed GullChroicocephalus ridibundus2025
SwiftApus apus2025
RookCorvus frugilegus2025
Sand MartinRiparia riparia2025
Spotted FlycatcherMuscicapa striata2025
Wood WarblerPhylloscopus sibilatrix2025
StarlingSturnus vulgaris2025
KestrelFalco tinnunculus2025
Greylag GooseAnser anser2025
MoorhenGallinula chloropus2025
KingfisherAlcedo atthis2025
CuckooCuculus canorus2025
Arctic TernSterna paradisaea2025
Meadow PipitAnthus pratensis2025
PeregrineFalco peregrinus2025
YellowhammerEmberiza citrinella2025
Pied WagtailMotacilla alba yarrellii2025
Collared DoveStreptopelia decaocto2025
ChiffchaffPhylloscopus collybita2025
Common SandpiperActitis hypoleucos2025
CrossbillLoxia curvirostra2025
Mistle ThrushTurdus viscivorus2025
WhitethroatCurruca communis2025

🦌

Mammals2 species

summerautumn

2025

Red Squirrel · Roe Deer

Red SquirrelSciurus vulgaris
Roe DeerCapreolus capreolus

🦎

Reptiles1 species

summer

2025

Adder

AdderVipera berus

🐸

Amphibians3 species

spring

2026

Common Toad · Common Frog · Palmate Newt

Common ToadBufo bufo
Common FrogRana temporaria
Palmate NewtLissotriton helveticus

🐝

Insects20 species

summer

2025

Common Blue Damselfly · Large Red Damselfly · Emerald Damselfly · Bilberry Bumblebee · Conops quadrifasciatus +15

Common Blue DamselflyEnallagma cyathigerum
Large Red DamselflyPyrrhosoma nymphula
Emerald DamselflyLestes sponsa
Bilberry BumblebeeBombus monticola
Conops quadrifasciatusConops quadrifasciatus
Tree BumblebeeBombus hypnorum
Four-spotted Chaser

Species observations from the last 10 years via NBN Atlas

Wildlife to spot

5,336 records · National Biodiversity Network

🐦

Birds58 species

summer

2026

Chaffinch · Robin · Woodpigeon · Blue Tit · Siskin +53

ChaffinchFringilla coelebs2025
RobinErithacus rubecula2025
WoodpigeonColumba palumbus
Blue TitCyanistes caeruleus2025
SiskinSpinus spinus2025
JackdawColoeus monedula2025
Song ThrushTurdus philomelos2025
WrenTroglodytes troglodytes2025
GoldcrestRegulus regulus2025
BlackbirdTurdus merula2025
House MartinDelichon urbicum2025
House SparrowPasser domesticus2025
Willow WarblerPhylloscopus trochilus2025
JayGarrulus glandarius2025
Coal TitPeriparus ater2025
TreecreeperCerthia familiaris2025
GoldfinchCarduelis carduelis2025
SwallowHirundo rustica2025
BullfinchPyrrhula pyrrhula2025
DunnockPrunella modularis2025
Carrion CrowCorvus corone2025
OystercatcherHaematopus ostralegus2025
RavenCorvus corax2025
DipperCinclus cinclus2025
CormorantPhalacrocorax carbo2025
MallardAnas platyrhynchos2025
BlackcapSylvia atricapilla2025
Great Spotted WoodpeckerDendrocopos major2025
Grey WagtailMotacilla cinerea2025
Little GrebeTachybaptus ruficollis2025
NuthatchSitta europaea2025
Long-tailed TitAegithalos caudatus2025
GreenfinchChloris chloris2025
Great TitParus major2025
Common GullLarus canus2025
Black-headed GullChroicocephalus ridibundus2025
SwiftApus apus2025
RookCorvus frugilegus2025
Sand MartinRiparia riparia2025
Spotted FlycatcherMuscicapa striata2025
Wood WarblerPhylloscopus sibilatrix2025
StarlingSturnus vulgaris2025
KestrelFalco tinnunculus2025
Greylag GooseAnser anser2025
MoorhenGallinula chloropus2025
KingfisherAlcedo atthis2025
CuckooCuculus canorus2025
Arctic TernSterna paradisaea2025
Meadow PipitAnthus pratensis2025
PeregrineFalco peregrinus2025
YellowhammerEmberiza citrinella2025
Pied WagtailMotacilla alba yarrellii2025
Collared DoveStreptopelia decaocto2025
ChiffchaffPhylloscopus collybita2025
Common SandpiperActitis hypoleucos2025
CrossbillLoxia curvirostra2025
Mistle ThrushTurdus viscivorus2025
WhitethroatCurruca communis2025

🦌

Mammals2 species

summerautumn

2025

Red Squirrel · Roe Deer

Red SquirrelSciurus vulgaris
Roe DeerCapreolus capreolus

🦎

Reptiles1 species

summer

2025

Adder

AdderVipera berus

🐸

Amphibians3 species

spring

2026

Common Toad · Common Frog · Palmate Newt

Common ToadBufo bufo
Common FrogRana temporaria
Palmate NewtLissotriton helveticus

🐝

Insects20 species

summer

2025

Common Blue Damselfly · Large Red Damselfly · Emerald Damselfly · Bilberry Bumblebee · Conops quadrifasciatus +15

Common Blue DamselflyEnallagma cyathigerum
Large Red DamselflyPyrrhosoma nymphula
Emerald DamselflyLestes sponsa
Bilberry BumblebeeBombus monticola
Conops quadrifasciatusConops quadrifasciatus
Tree BumblebeeBombus hypnorum
Four-spotted Chaser

Species observations from the last 10 years via NBN Atlas

Wildlife to spot

Photos

📷 Stanley Howe · Geograph · CC BY-SA 2.0

Knock Castle

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Nearby places

Useful places within 5 km

⛪St Kentigern's ChurchReligious grounds1.8 km→✦ScurriestoneHistoric site600 m→⛪St Nathalian's ChurchReligious grounds1.5 km→✦Abergairn CastleHistoric site2.3 km→✦BirkhallHistoric site1.6 km→⛳Ballater Golf ClubGolf course1.2 km→