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Mercat Cross

📷 Raibeart MacAoidh · Geograph · CC BY-SA 2.0

Plan your visit

WildlifeBirdsInsects

Dogs welcome

Getting here

55.83596, -5.05431

Open directionsv

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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
☕The Coffee Stop — a good base for a longer summer day out

🌤️ 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
☕The Coffee Stop — a good base for a longer summer day out

Good to know

🐕Dogs welcome

Bike parkingCaféParking· PaidToilets

Best for

7 activities

Wildlife

Very strong match

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

Free

Bird watching

Very strong match

Birds — Herring Gull, Cormorant, Mallard +84 more · last seen 2025; Birds — Herring Gull, Cormorant, Mallard +84 more · last seen 2025

Free

Insect spotting

Strong match

Insects — Large Yellow Underwing, Lesser Broad-bordered Yellow Underwing, Dark Arches +77 more · last seen 2025; Insects — Large Yellow Underwing, Lesser Broad-bordered Yellow Underwing, Dark Arches +77 more · last seen 2025

Free

Seasonal nature

Strong match

Plants — Dryopteris borreri, Dryopteris cambrensis, Dryopteris cambrensis subsp. cambrensis +54 more · last seen 2020; Plants — Dryopteris borreri, Dryopteris cambrensis, Dryopteris cambrensis subsp. cambrensis +54 more · last seen 2020

Free

Heritage

Strong match

Historic site

Free

Easy access

Good match

parking, toilets

Varies

Trails nearby

Within roughly 5 km

🚶

Walking

3 signed routes nearby

Signed route nearby

West Island WayWalking route48 km

Named routeLength 48 kmNational walking route

Bute Path NetworkWalking route

Named routeLocal walking route

Bute Pilgrimage Route - St BlaneWalking route

A walking pathway with accompanying notes to aid Christian reflection

Named routeRef 1Local walking route

🚴

Cycling

1 signed route nearby

Signed route nearby

Bute Cycle NetworkCycling route

Named routeLocal cycle route

Wildlife to spot

9,916 records · National Biodiversity Network

Wildlife to spot

9,916 records · National Biodiversity Network

🐦

Birds57 species

springsummerautumn

2025

Herring Gull · Oystercatcher · Black Guillemot · Cormorant · Great Black-backed Gull +52

Herring GullLarus argentatus
OystercatcherHaematopus ostralegus
Black GuillemotCepphus grylle
CormorantPhalacrocorax carbo
Great Black-backed GullLarus marinus
JackdawColoeus monedula
MallardAnas platyrhynchos
House SparrowPasser domesticus
Carrion CrowCorvus corone
Grey HeronArdea cinerea
Red-breasted MerganserMergus serrator
RedshankTringa totanus
MagpiePica pica
DunnockPrunella modularis
Pied WagtailMotacilla alba yarrellii
ShagGulosus aristotelis
BlackbirdTurdus merula
Mute SwanCygnus olor
GannetMorus bassanus
EiderSomateria mollissima2024
WigeonMareca penelope
RobinErithacus rubecula
Hooded CrowCorvus cornix
Rock DoveColumba livia
Lesser Black-backed GullLarus fuscus
Canada GooseBranta canadensis
CurlewNumenius arquata
Greylag GooseAnser anser
ChaffinchFringilla coelebs
WoodpigeonColumba palumbus2024
SwiftApus apus2024
TurnstoneArenaria interpres
GoldfinchCarduelis carduelis
TealAnas crecca
SwallowHirundo rustica
PheasantPhasianus colchicus
Black-headed GullChroicocephalus ridibundus2024
WrenTroglodytes troglodytes2024
Song ThrushTurdus philomelos2024
Ringed PloverCharadrius hiaticula2024
Tree SparrowPasser montanus
Little GrebeTachybaptus ruficollis
Grey WagtailMotacilla cinerea
Spotted FlycatcherMuscicapa striata
Common GuillemotUria aalge
ShelduckTadorna tadorna
ChiffchaffPhylloscopus collybita
KingfisherAlcedo atthis2024
House MartinDelichon urbicum2024
Collared DoveStreptopelia decaocto2024
GreenfinchChloris chloris2024
WhitethroatCurruca communis2024
Meadow PipitAnthus pratensis2024
Willow WarblerPhylloscopus trochilus2024
DunlinCalidris alpina2024
Sand MartinRiparia riparia2024
GoosanderMergus merganser2024

🦌

Mammals4 species

autumn

2025

Red Squirrel · Common Pipistrelle · Soprano Pipistrelle · Brown Hare

Red SquirrelSciurus vulgaris
Common PipistrellePipistrellus pipistrellus2024
Soprano PipistrellePipistrellus pygmaeus2024
Brown HareLepus europaeus2024

🐝

Insects4 species

summer

2025

Anoplotrupes stercorosus · Meliscaeva auricollis · Tree Bumblebee · 7-spot Ladybird

Anoplotrupes stercorosusAnoplotrupes stercorosus
Meliscaeva auricollisMeliscaeva auricollis2024
Tree BumblebeeBombus hypnorum2024
7-spot LadybirdCoccinella septempunctata2024

🌿

Plants1 species

spring

2024

Fritillary

FritillaryFritillaria meleagris

Species observations from the last 10 years via NBN Atlas

Wildlife to spot

9,916 records · National Biodiversity Network

🐦

Birds57 species

springsummerautumn

2025

Herring Gull · Oystercatcher · Black Guillemot · Cormorant · Great Black-backed Gull +52

Herring GullLarus argentatus
OystercatcherHaematopus ostralegus
Black GuillemotCepphus grylle
CormorantPhalacrocorax carbo
Great Black-backed GullLarus marinus
JackdawColoeus monedula
MallardAnas platyrhynchos
House SparrowPasser domesticus
Carrion CrowCorvus corone
Grey HeronArdea cinerea
Red-breasted MerganserMergus serrator
RedshankTringa totanus
MagpiePica pica
DunnockPrunella modularis
Pied WagtailMotacilla alba yarrellii
ShagGulosus aristotelis
BlackbirdTurdus merula
Mute SwanCygnus olor
GannetMorus bassanus
EiderSomateria mollissima2024
WigeonMareca penelope
RobinErithacus rubecula
Hooded CrowCorvus cornix
Rock DoveColumba livia
Lesser Black-backed GullLarus fuscus
Canada GooseBranta canadensis
CurlewNumenius arquata
Greylag GooseAnser anser
ChaffinchFringilla coelebs
WoodpigeonColumba palumbus2024
SwiftApus apus2024
TurnstoneArenaria interpres
GoldfinchCarduelis carduelis
TealAnas crecca
SwallowHirundo rustica
PheasantPhasianus colchicus
Black-headed GullChroicocephalus ridibundus2024
WrenTroglodytes troglodytes2024
Song ThrushTurdus philomelos2024
Ringed PloverCharadrius hiaticula2024
Tree SparrowPasser montanus
Little GrebeTachybaptus ruficollis
Grey WagtailMotacilla cinerea
Spotted FlycatcherMuscicapa striata
Common GuillemotUria aalge
ShelduckTadorna tadorna
ChiffchaffPhylloscopus collybita
KingfisherAlcedo atthis2024
House MartinDelichon urbicum2024
Collared DoveStreptopelia decaocto2024
GreenfinchChloris chloris2024
WhitethroatCurruca communis2024
Meadow PipitAnthus pratensis2024
Willow WarblerPhylloscopus trochilus2024
DunlinCalidris alpina2024
Sand MartinRiparia riparia2024
GoosanderMergus merganser2024

🦌

Mammals4 species

autumn

2025

Red Squirrel · Common Pipistrelle · Soprano Pipistrelle · Brown Hare

Red SquirrelSciurus vulgaris
Common PipistrellePipistrellus pipistrellus2024
Soprano PipistrellePipistrellus pygmaeus2024
Brown HareLepus europaeus2024

🐝

Insects4 species

summer

2025

Anoplotrupes stercorosus · Meliscaeva auricollis · Tree Bumblebee · 7-spot Ladybird

Anoplotrupes stercorosusAnoplotrupes stercorosus
Meliscaeva auricollisMeliscaeva auricollis2024
Tree BumblebeeBombus hypnorum2024
7-spot LadybirdCoccinella septempunctata2024

🌿

Plants1 species

spring

2024

Fritillary

FritillaryFritillaria meleagris

Species observations from the last 10 years via NBN Atlas

Wildlife to spot

Photos

📷 Raibeart MacAoidh · Geograph · CC BY-SA 2.0

Rothesay Mercat Cross - Isle of Bute

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Nearby places

Useful places within 5 km

🌱Winter GardensUrban park300 m→✦Rothesay CastleHistoric site100 m→⛪PresbyReligious grounds200 m→⛪The United Church of ButeReligious grounds900 m→⛪St Ninian's ChurchReligious grounds2.9 km→⛳Rothesay Golf ClubGolf course1 km→

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