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Mercat Cross

📷 Bill Harrison · Geograph · CC BY-SA 2.0

WildlifeBirdsHeritage

Dogs welcome

Getting here

57.58487, -3.86853

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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
☕CJ's Cafe — a good base for a longer summer day out

🌤️ 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
☕CJ's Cafe — a good base for a longer summer day out

Good to know

🐕Dogs welcome

Bike parkingCaféParking· PaidToilets

Best for

6 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, Carrion Crow, Oystercatcher +83 more · last seen 2026; Birds — Herring Gull, Carrion Crow, Oystercatcher +83 more · last seen 2026

Free

Heritage

Strong match

Historic site

Free

Easy access

Good match

parking, toilets

Varies

Insect spotting

Good match

Insects — Nicrophorus investigator · last seen 2025; Insects — Nicrophorus investigator · last seen 2025

Free

Seasonal nature

Moderate match

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

Free

Trails nearby

Within roughly 5 km

🚴

Cycling

19 signed routes nearby

Signed route nearby

NCN 1 Dundee to TainCycling route

Named routeRef 1Point-to-pointNational Cycle Network

EuroVelo 1 - Atlantic Coast Route - part United Kingdom 1Cycling route

Named routeRef EV1International cycle route

EuroVelo 12 - North Sea Cycle Route - part United Kingdom 7Cycling route

Named routeRef EV12International cycle route

Main RouteCycling route117 m

Named routeRef 1Length 117 mNational Cycle NetworkTraffic-freeSurface asphalt

Main RouteCycling route1.4 km

Named routeRef 1Length 1.4 kmNational Cycle NetworkOn-roadSurface asphalt

Main RouteCycling route778 m

Named routeRef 1Length 778 mNational Cycle NetworkTraffic-freeSurface asphalt

Wildlife to spot

41,800 records · National Biodiversity Network

Wildlife to spot

41,800 records · National Biodiversity Network

🐦

Birds60 species

autumn

2026

Herring Gull · Great Black-backed Gull · Oystercatcher · Carrion Crow · Long-tailed Duck +55

Herring GullLarus argentatus2025
Great Black-backed GullLarus marinus2025
OystercatcherHaematopus ostralegus
Carrion CrowCorvus corone2025
Long-tailed DuckClangula hyemalis2025
CormorantPhalacrocorax carbo2025
BlackbirdTurdus merula2025
House SparrowPasser domesticus2025
TurnstoneArenaria interpres
Black-headed GullChroicocephalus ridibundus
RedshankTringa totanus2025
Hooded CrowCorvus cornix2025
Rock DoveColumba livia2025
RobinErithacus rubecula2025
WoodpigeonColumba palumbus2025
StarlingSturnus vulgaris2025
WigeonMareca penelope
Collared DoveStreptopelia decaocto2025
CurlewNumenius arquata2025
GoldfinchCarduelis carduelis2025
EiderSomateria mollissima2025
ChaffinchFringilla coelebs2025
RookCorvus frugilegus2025
Pied WagtailMotacilla alba yarrellii2025
Red-breasted MerganserMergus serrator2025
Blue TitCyanistes caeruleus2025
JackdawColoeus monedula2025
WrenTroglodytes troglodytes2025
Pink-footed GooseAnser brachyrhynchus2025
ShagGulosus aristotelis2025
Brent GooseBranta bernicla
SanderlingCalidris alba2025
KnotCalidris canutus2025
MagpiePica pica2025
Grey HeronArdea cinerea2025
MallardAnas platyrhynchos2025
Mute SwanCygnus olor2025
Meadow PipitAnthus pratensis2025
Coal TitPeriparus ater2025
Little GrebeTachybaptus ruficollis2025
Red-throated DiverGavia stellata2025
Song ThrushTurdus philomelos2025
Light-bellied Brent GooseBranta bernicla hrota2025
Barn OwlTyto alba2025
Grey PloverPluvialis squatarola2025
SiskinSpinus spinus2025
Bar-tailed GodwitLimosa lapponica2025
SwallowHirundo rustica2025
DunlinCalidris alpina2025
ShelduckTadorna tadorna2025
TealAnas crecca2025
GoosanderMergus merganser2025
Common GullLarus canus2025
KittiwakeRissa tridactyla2025
TreecreeperCerthia familiaris2025
LinnetLinaria cannabina2025
Rock PipitAnthus petrosus2025
PheasantPhasianus colchicus2025
Long-tailed TitAegithalos caudatus2025
YellowhammerEmberiza citrinella2025

🦌

Mammals1 species

winterautumn

2026

Red Squirrel

Red SquirrelSciurus vulgaris

Species observations from the last 10 years via NBN Atlas

Wildlife to spot

41,800 records · National Biodiversity Network

🐦

Birds60 species

autumn

2026

Herring Gull · Great Black-backed Gull · Oystercatcher · Carrion Crow · Long-tailed Duck +55

Herring GullLarus argentatus2025
Great Black-backed GullLarus marinus2025
OystercatcherHaematopus ostralegus
Carrion CrowCorvus corone2025
Long-tailed DuckClangula hyemalis2025
CormorantPhalacrocorax carbo2025
BlackbirdTurdus merula2025
House SparrowPasser domesticus2025
TurnstoneArenaria interpres
Black-headed GullChroicocephalus ridibundus
RedshankTringa totanus2025
Hooded CrowCorvus cornix2025
Rock DoveColumba livia2025
RobinErithacus rubecula2025
WoodpigeonColumba palumbus2025
StarlingSturnus vulgaris2025
WigeonMareca penelope
Collared DoveStreptopelia decaocto2025
CurlewNumenius arquata2025
GoldfinchCarduelis carduelis2025
EiderSomateria mollissima2025
ChaffinchFringilla coelebs2025
RookCorvus frugilegus2025
Pied WagtailMotacilla alba yarrellii2025
Red-breasted MerganserMergus serrator2025
Blue TitCyanistes caeruleus2025
JackdawColoeus monedula2025
WrenTroglodytes troglodytes2025
Pink-footed GooseAnser brachyrhynchus2025
ShagGulosus aristotelis2025
Brent GooseBranta bernicla
SanderlingCalidris alba2025
KnotCalidris canutus2025
MagpiePica pica2025
Grey HeronArdea cinerea2025
MallardAnas platyrhynchos2025
Mute SwanCygnus olor2025
Meadow PipitAnthus pratensis2025
Coal TitPeriparus ater2025
Little GrebeTachybaptus ruficollis2025
Red-throated DiverGavia stellata2025
Song ThrushTurdus philomelos2025
Light-bellied Brent GooseBranta bernicla hrota2025
Barn OwlTyto alba2025
Grey PloverPluvialis squatarola2025
SiskinSpinus spinus2025
Bar-tailed GodwitLimosa lapponica2025
SwallowHirundo rustica2025
DunlinCalidris alpina2025
ShelduckTadorna tadorna2025
TealAnas crecca2025
GoosanderMergus merganser2025
Common GullLarus canus2025
KittiwakeRissa tridactyla2025
TreecreeperCerthia familiaris2025
LinnetLinaria cannabina2025
Rock PipitAnthus petrosus2025
PheasantPhasianus colchicus2025
Long-tailed TitAegithalos caudatus2025
YellowhammerEmberiza citrinella2025

🦌

Mammals1 species

winterautumn

2026

Red Squirrel

Red SquirrelSciurus vulgaris

Species observations from the last 10 years via NBN Atlas

Wildlife to spot

Photos

📷 Bill Harrison · Geograph · CC BY-SA 2.0

Mercat cross, Nairn

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Nearby places

Useful places within 5 km

🌱The LinksUrban park400 m→🌱West LinksUrban park700 m→🌱The LinksUrban park400 m→🐄Scottish Exotic Animal RescueVisitor farm300 m→✦The Toorie MonumentHistoric site400 m→🪦Nairn CemeteryCemetery1.5 km→

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