← Back✦ Historic site

Mercat Cross

📷 Stanley Howe · Geograph · CC BY-SA 2.0

WildlifeBirdsHeritage

Dogs welcome

Getting here

57.05256, -2.48445

Open directionsv

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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

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 — Robin, Wren, Woodpigeon +55 more · last seen 2026; Birds — Robin, Wren, Woodpigeon +55 more · last seen 2026

Free

Heritage

Strong match

Historic site

Free

Seasonal nature

Strong match

Plants — Wych Elm, Enchanter's-nightshade, Lesser Burdock +15 more · last seen 2025; Plants — Wych Elm, Enchanter's-nightshade, Lesser Burdock +15 more · last seen 2025

Free

Insect spotting

Good match

Insects — Syrphus, Common Red Soldier Beetle, Tenthredo arcuata/brevicornis/notha/schaefferi +14 more · last seen 2025; Insects — Syrphus, Common Red Soldier Beetle, Tenthredo arcuata/brevicornis/notha/schaefferi +14 more · last seen 2025

Free

Trails nearby

Within roughly 5 km

🚶

Walking

7 signed routes nearby

Signed route nearby

StockmounthWalking route

Named route

Builg MounthWalking route

Named route

Blackhall Loop TrailWalking route

Named routeLocal walking route

Deeside WayWalking route

Named routeRegional walking route

Coy Burn TrailWalking route

Named routeLocal walking route

🚴

Cycling

24 signed routes nearby

Signed route nearby

Deeside WayCycling route

Named routeRef 195National Cycle Network

Main RouteCycling route94 m

Named routeRef 195Length 94 mNational Cycle NetworkTraffic-freeSurface asphalt

Main RouteCycling route235 m

Named routeRef 195Length 235 mNational Cycle NetworkTraffic-freeSurface asphalt

Main RouteCycling route674 m

Named routeRef 195Length 674 mNational Cycle NetworkTraffic-freeSurface unsealedfirm

Main RouteCycling route406 m

Named routeRef 195Length 406 mNational Cycle NetworkOn-roadSurface asphalt

Main RouteCycling route408 m

Named routeRef 195Length 408 mNational Cycle NetworkOn-roadSurface asphalt

Wildlife to spot

33,786 records · National Biodiversity Network

Wildlife to spot

33,786 records · National Biodiversity Network

🐦

Birds60 species

summerautumnwinter

2026

Robin · Wren · Woodpigeon · House Sparrow · Carrion Crow +55

RobinErithacus rubecula
WrenTroglodytes troglodytes2025
WoodpigeonColumba palumbus
House SparrowPasser domesticus
Carrion CrowCorvus corone2025
ChaffinchFringilla coelebs
Rock DoveColumba livia2025
BlackbirdTurdus merula
GoldfinchCarduelis carduelis
MagpiePica pica2025
GoldcrestRegulus regulus
Blue TitCyanistes caeruleus
GreenfinchChloris chloris2025
Coal TitPeriparus ater2025
JackdawColoeus monedula2025
Herring GullLarus argentatus2025
Great TitParus major
SiskinSpinus spinus2025
BullfinchPyrrhula pyrrhula
ChiffchaffPhylloscopus collybita2025
SwiftApus apus2025
BlackcapSylvia atricapilla2025
Song ThrushTurdus philomelos2025
SwallowHirundo rustica2025
Long-tailed TitAegithalos caudatus
DunnockPrunella modularis2025
RookCorvus frugilegus2025
StarlingSturnus vulgaris2025
Willow WarblerPhylloscopus trochilus2025
JayGarrulus glandarius2025
BuzzardButeo buteo2025
Collared DoveStreptopelia decaocto2025
MallardAnas platyrhynchos2025
Great Spotted WoodpeckerDendrocopos major2025
House MartinDelichon urbicum2025
WhitethroatCurruca communis2025
Reed BuntingEmberiza schoeniclus2025
TreecreeperCerthia familiaris2025
OystercatcherHaematopus ostralegus
SparrowhawkAccipiter nisus
Mistle ThrushTurdus viscivorus2025
Pink-footed GooseAnser brachyrhynchus2025
Grey HeronArdea cinerea2025
GoosanderMergus merganser2025
Tawny OwlStrix aluco2025
SkylarkAlauda arvensis2025
Grey WagtailMotacilla cinerea2025
Pied WagtailMotacilla alba yarrellii2025
Grasshopper WarblerLocustella naevia2025
Greylag GooseAnser anser
KingfisherAlcedo atthis
Water RailRallus aquaticus2025
Common GullLarus canus2025
Meadow PipitAnthus pratensis2025
Sand MartinRiparia riparia2025
Sedge WarblerAcrocephalus schoenobaenus2025
YellowhammerEmberiza citrinella2025
Lesser Black-backed GullLarus fuscus2025
Common SandpiperActitis hypoleucos2025
Lesser RedpollAcanthis flammea cabaret2025

🦌

Mammals3 species

autumn

2026

Red Squirrel · Brown Rat · Soprano Pipistrelle

Red SquirrelSciurus vulgaris
Brown RatRattus norvegicus2025
Soprano PipistrellePipistrellus pygmaeus2025

🐸

Amphibians1 species

summerautumn

2025

Common Frog

Common FrogRana temporaria

🐝

Insects17 species

summer

2025

Syrphus · Common Red Soldier Beetle · Tenthredo arcuata/brevicornis/notha/schaefferi · 7-spot Ladybird · Common Carder Bee +12

SyrphusSyrphus
Common Red Soldier BeetleRhagonycha fulva
Tenthredo arcuata/brevicornis/notha/schaefferiTenthredo arcuata/brevicornis/notha/schaefferi
7-spot LadybirdCoccinella septempunctata
Common Carder BeeBombus pascuorum
Linnavuoriana decempunctataLinnavuoriana decempunctata
Birch ShieldbugElasmostethus interstinctus
Hawthorn ShieldbugAcanthosoma haemorrhoidale
Eristalis intricariaEristalis intricaria
Eristalis pertinaxEristalis pertinax
Phaonia angelicaePhaonia angelicae
Black DarterSympetrum danae
Tree BumblebeeBombus hypnorum
Melanostoma scalareMelanostoma scalare
Helophilus pendulusHelophilus pendulus
Scaeva seleniticaScaeva selenitica
Large Red DamselflyPyrrhosoma nymphula

🌿

Plants18 species

summer

2025

Wych Elm · Enchanter's-nightshade · Lesser Burdock · Common Blue-sow-thistle · Perennial Rye-grass +13

Wych ElmUlmus glabra
Enchanter's-nightshadeCircaea lutetiana
Lesser BurdockArctium minus
Common Blue-sow-thistleCicerbita macrophylla
Perennial Rye-grassLolium perenne
NipplewortLapsana communis
Trailing St John's-wortHypericum humifusum
Wild BasilClinopodium vulgare
RoseRosa
Lesser SpearwortRanunculus flammula
Great WillowherbEpilobium hirsutum
Perennial Sow-thistleSonchus arvensis
Wild CarrotDaucus carota
Imperforate St John's-wortHypericum maculatum
TimothyPhleum pratense
BlackthornPrunus spinosa
Water HorsetailEquisetum fluviatile
Lesser StitchwortStellaria graminea

Species observations from the last 10 years via NBN Atlas

Wildlife to spot

33,786 records · National Biodiversity Network

🐦

Birds60 species

summerautumnwinter

2026

Robin · Wren · Woodpigeon · House Sparrow · Carrion Crow +55

RobinErithacus rubecula
WrenTroglodytes troglodytes2025
WoodpigeonColumba palumbus
House SparrowPasser domesticus
Carrion CrowCorvus corone2025
ChaffinchFringilla coelebs
Rock DoveColumba livia2025
BlackbirdTurdus merula
GoldfinchCarduelis carduelis
MagpiePica pica2025
GoldcrestRegulus regulus
Blue TitCyanistes caeruleus
GreenfinchChloris chloris2025
Coal TitPeriparus ater2025
JackdawColoeus monedula2025
Herring GullLarus argentatus2025
Great TitParus major
SiskinSpinus spinus2025
BullfinchPyrrhula pyrrhula
ChiffchaffPhylloscopus collybita2025
SwiftApus apus2025
BlackcapSylvia atricapilla2025
Song ThrushTurdus philomelos2025
SwallowHirundo rustica2025
Long-tailed TitAegithalos caudatus
DunnockPrunella modularis2025
RookCorvus frugilegus2025
StarlingSturnus vulgaris2025
Willow WarblerPhylloscopus trochilus2025
JayGarrulus glandarius2025
BuzzardButeo buteo2025
Collared DoveStreptopelia decaocto2025
MallardAnas platyrhynchos2025
Great Spotted WoodpeckerDendrocopos major2025
House MartinDelichon urbicum2025
WhitethroatCurruca communis2025
Reed BuntingEmberiza schoeniclus2025
TreecreeperCerthia familiaris2025
OystercatcherHaematopus ostralegus
SparrowhawkAccipiter nisus
Mistle ThrushTurdus viscivorus2025
Pink-footed GooseAnser brachyrhynchus2025
Grey HeronArdea cinerea2025
GoosanderMergus merganser2025
Tawny OwlStrix aluco2025
SkylarkAlauda arvensis2025
Grey WagtailMotacilla cinerea2025
Pied WagtailMotacilla alba yarrellii2025
Grasshopper WarblerLocustella naevia2025
Greylag GooseAnser anser
KingfisherAlcedo atthis
Water RailRallus aquaticus2025
Common GullLarus canus2025
Meadow PipitAnthus pratensis2025
Sand MartinRiparia riparia2025
Sedge WarblerAcrocephalus schoenobaenus2025
YellowhammerEmberiza citrinella2025
Lesser Black-backed GullLarus fuscus2025
Common SandpiperActitis hypoleucos2025
Lesser RedpollAcanthis flammea cabaret2025

🦌

Mammals3 species

autumn

2026

Red Squirrel · Brown Rat · Soprano Pipistrelle

Red SquirrelSciurus vulgaris
Brown RatRattus norvegicus2025
Soprano PipistrellePipistrellus pygmaeus2025

🐸

Amphibians1 species

summerautumn

2025

Common Frog

Common FrogRana temporaria

🐝

Insects17 species

summer

2025

Syrphus · Common Red Soldier Beetle · Tenthredo arcuata/brevicornis/notha/schaefferi · 7-spot Ladybird · Common Carder Bee +12

SyrphusSyrphus
Common Red Soldier BeetleRhagonycha fulva
Tenthredo arcuata/brevicornis/notha/schaefferiTenthredo arcuata/brevicornis/notha/schaefferi
7-spot LadybirdCoccinella septempunctata
Common Carder BeeBombus pascuorum
Linnavuoriana decempunctataLinnavuoriana decempunctata
Birch ShieldbugElasmostethus interstinctus
Hawthorn ShieldbugAcanthosoma haemorrhoidale
Eristalis intricariaEristalis intricaria
Eristalis pertinaxEristalis pertinax
Phaonia angelicaePhaonia angelicae
Black DarterSympetrum danae
Tree BumblebeeBombus hypnorum
Melanostoma scalareMelanostoma scalare
Helophilus pendulusHelophilus pendulus
Scaeva seleniticaScaeva selenitica
Large Red DamselflyPyrrhosoma nymphula

🌿

Plants18 species

summer

2025

Wych Elm · Enchanter's-nightshade · Lesser Burdock · Common Blue-sow-thistle · Perennial Rye-grass +13

Wych ElmUlmus glabra
Enchanter's-nightshadeCircaea lutetiana
Lesser BurdockArctium minus
Common Blue-sow-thistleCicerbita macrophylla
Perennial Rye-grassLolium perenne
NipplewortLapsana communis
Trailing St John's-wortHypericum humifusum
Wild BasilClinopodium vulgare
RoseRosa
Lesser SpearwortRanunculus flammula
Great WillowherbEpilobium hirsutum
Perennial Sow-thistleSonchus arvensis
Wild CarrotDaucus carota
Imperforate St John's-wortHypericum maculatum
TimothyPhleum pratense
BlackthornPrunus spinosa
Water HorsetailEquisetum fluviatile
Lesser StitchwortStellaria graminea

Species observations from the last 10 years via NBN Atlas

Wildlife to spot

Photos

📷 Stanley Howe · Geograph · CC BY-SA 2.0

Banchory Ternan East Church

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Nearby places

Useful places within 5 km

🌱King George V Playing FieldUrban park800 m→🌱Silverbank ParkUrban park300 m→🌱Banchory Ternan Church YardUrban park200 m→🌱Banchory Golf ClubUrban park1.6 km→🌱Burnett ParkUrban park2.3 km→🌱Alexander ParkUrban park2.5 km→

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