← Back✦ Historic site

Northshield Rings

WildlifeBirdsHeritage

Dogs welcome

Getting here

55.73172, -3.18436

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

Best for

4 activities

Wildlife

Very strong match

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

Free

Bird watching

Very strong match

Birds — Magpie, Jay, Mute Swan +87 more · last seen 2025; Birds — Magpie, Jay, Mute Swan +87 more · last seen 2025

Free

Heritage

Strong match

Historic site

Free

Insect spotting

Good match

Insects — Large Red Damselfly, Azure Damselfly, Blue-tailed Damselfly +11 more · last seen 2025; Insects — Large Red Damselfly, Azure Damselfly, Blue-tailed Damselfly +11 more · last seen 2025

Free

Trails nearby

Within roughly 5 km

🚶

Walking

1 signed route nearby

Signed route nearby

Cross Borders Drove Road (West Linton to Traquair)Walking route

Named routePoint-to-pointNational walking route

🚴

Cycling

2 signed routes nearby

Signed route nearby

The Eldons / EddlestonCycling route36 km

Named routeRef redLength 36 kmPoint-to-pointLocal cycle route

Peebles to EddlestonCycling route

Named routeLocal cycle route

🚵

Mountain biking

3 signed routes nearby

Signed route nearby

Glentress Black RouteMountain bike route29 km

Named routeLength 29 km

Capital 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

5,337 records · National Biodiversity Network

Wildlife to spot

5,337 records · National Biodiversity Network

🐦

Birds90 species

winterspringsummerautumn

2025

Buzzard · Magpie · Jay · Tufted Duck · Cormorant +85

BuzzardButeo buteo
MagpiePica pica
JayGarrulus glandarius
Tufted DuckAythya fuligula
CormorantPhalacrocorax carbo
Mute SwanCygnus olor
WrenTroglodytes troglodytes
WoodpigeonColumba palumbus
Coal TitPeriparus ater
ChaffinchFringilla coelebs
GoldcrestRegulus regulus
MallardAnas platyrhynchos
RobinErithacus rubecula
Common GullLarus canus
Carrion CrowCorvus corone
BlackbirdTurdus merula
PheasantPhasianus colchicus
NuthatchSitta europaea2023
RavenCorvus corax
Grey HeronArdea cinerea
SiskinSpinus spinus
ChiffchaffPhylloscopus collybita
WigeonMareca penelope
Little GrebeTachybaptus ruficollis
Great Spotted WoodpeckerDendrocopos major
Greylag GooseAnser anser
Mistle ThrushTurdus viscivorus
GoldfinchCarduelis carduelis
MoorhenGallinula chloropus
DunnockPrunella modularis
Blue TitCyanistes caeruleus
Great TitParus major
Herring GullLarus argentatus
SwallowHirundo rustica
KestrelFalco tinnunculus2024
Long-tailed TitAegithalos caudatus2024
GoosanderMergus merganser2023
Black-headed GullChroicocephalus ridibundus
Lesser Black-backed GullLarus fuscus
Willow WarblerPhylloscopus trochilus
SparrowhawkAccipiter nisus
JackdawColoeus monedula2024
Meadow PipitAnthus pratensis2024
StarlingSturnus vulgaris2024
Canada GooseBranta canadensis
SkylarkAlauda arvensis
Pied WagtailMotacilla alba
Lesser RedpollAcanthis flammea cabaret2024
CurlewNumenius arquata2024
LapwingVanellus vanellus2023
StonechatSaxicola rubicola2023
Great Crested GrebePodiceps cristatus
Grey WagtailMotacilla cinerea
Song ThrushTurdus philomelos
RedstartPhoenicurus phoenicurus
CrossbillLoxia curvirostra
RookCorvus frugilegus2024
Great Black-backed GullLarus marinus
LinnetLinaria cannabina
WheatearOenanthe oenanthe
OystercatcherHaematopus ostralegus2024
Barn OwlTyto alba2023
BullfinchPyrrhula pyrrhula2023
WoodcockScolopax rusticola2022
CootFulica atra
BlackcapSylvia atricapilla
TreecreeperCerthia familiaris
WhinchatSaxicola rubetra
House SparrowPasser domesticus2024
Tree PipitAnthus trivialis2024
Reed BuntingEmberiza schoeniclus2024
Tawny OwlStrix aluco2024
TealAnas crecca2024
PochardAythya ferina2023
House MartinDelichon urbicum2023
Red-legged PartridgeAlectoris rufa2023
Pink-footed GooseAnser brachyrhynchus2023
Collared DoveStreptopelia decaocto2022
Sedge WarblerAcrocephalus schoenobaenus
CuckooCuculus canorus
Spotted FlycatcherMuscicapa striata
Red Grouse (scotica)Lagopus scotica2024
ShelduckTadorna tadorna2024
MerlinFalco columbarius2023
Barnacle GooseBranta leucopsis2023
WhitethroatCurruca communis2023
YellowhammerEmberiza citrinella2023
KingfisherAlcedo atthis2022
Stock DoveColumba oenas2021
Green WoodpeckerPicus viridis2021

🦌

Mammals13 species

springsummer

2026

Badger · Soprano Pipistrelle · Brown Hare · Grey Squirrel · Fallow Deer +8

BadgerMeles meles2025
Soprano PipistrellePipistrellus pygmaeus2023
Brown HareLepus europaeus
Grey SquirrelSciurus carolinensis2025
Fallow DeerDama dama2023
Red SquirrelSciurus vulgaris2025
Roe DeerCapreolus capreolus2024
Common PipistrellePipistrellus pipistrellus2023
Pipistrelle Bat speciesPipistrellus2025
HedgehogErinaceus europaeus2023
StoatMustela erminea2023
Myotis Bat speciesMyotis2021
BatChiroptera2021

🐸

Amphibians1 species

springsummer

2023

Common Toad

Common ToadBufo bufo

🐝

Insects14 species

springsummer

2025

Large Red Damselfly · Azure Damselfly · Blue-tailed Damselfly · Common Carder Bee · Common Blue Damselfly +9

Large Red DamselflyPyrrhosoma nymphula
Azure DamselflyCoenagrion puella2023
Blue-tailed DamselflyIschnura elegans2023
Common Carder BeeBombus pascuorum
Common Blue DamselflyEnallagma cyathigerum2023
Emerald DamselflyLestes sponsa2023
Green Dock BeetleGastrophysa viridula
Common DarterSympetrum striolatum2023
Early BumblebeeBombus pratorum
Volucella pellucensVolucella pellucens2023
7-spot LadybirdCoccinella septempunctata2022
Rhinoceros BeetleSinodendron cylindricum2022
Denticollis linearisDenticollis linearis2022
Ctenicera cupreaCtenicera cuprea2022

🌿

Plants116 species

summer

2022

Yellow Iris · Yarrow · Wild Angelica · Festuca rubra · Wild Thyme +111

Yellow IrisIris pseudacorus
YarrowAchillea millefolium
Wild AngelicaAngelica sylvestris
Festuca rubraFestuca rubra
Wild ThymeThymus drucei
Cow ParsleyAnthriscus sylvestris
Star SedgeCarex echinata
Hybrid LarchLarix decidua x kaempferi = L. x marschlinsii
Sweet Vernal-grassAnthoxanthum odoratum
Compact RushJuncus conglomeratus
Common Mouse-earCerastium fontanum
Tufted Hair-grassDeschampsia cespitosa
Rusty WillowSalix cinerea subsp. oleifolia
Common RagwortJacobaea vulgaris
Bog StitchwortStellaria alsine
Common BentAgrostis capillaris
White CloverTrifolium repens
Scots PinePinus sylvestris
SycamoreAcer pseudoplatanus
DandelionTaraxacum
Sticky Mouse-earCerastium glomeratum
Cat's-earHypochaeris radicata
Field HorsetailEquisetum arvense
Common Bird's-foot-trefoilLotus corniculatus
RaspberryRubus idaeus
Ribwort PlantainPlantago lanceolata
Carnation SedgeCarex panicea
Cock's-footDactylis glomerata
ShoreweedLittorella uniflora
Sharp-flowered RushJuncus acutiflorus
Lady's BedstrawGalium verum
SilverweedPotentilla anserina
Sheep's SorrelRumex acetosella
BeechFagus sylvatica
SelfhealPrunella vulgaris
Northern Marsh-orchidDactylorhiza purpurella
Soft-rushJuncus effusus
Lady-fernAthyrium filix-femina
Common SorrelRumex acetosa
PineappleweedMatricaria discoidea
AshFraxinus excelsior
PignutConopodium majus
Broad-leaved WillowherbEpilobium montanum
Common NettleUrtica dioica
Slender St John's-wortHypericum pulchrum
Common ChickweedStellaria media
CleaversGalium aparine
Brown BentAgrostis vinealis
Downy BirchBetula pubescens
Common ValerianValeriana officinalis
Hedge WoundwortStachys sylvatica
Thyme-leaved SandwortArenaria serpyllifolia subsp. serpyllifolia
Crested Dog's-tailCynosurus cristatus
Creeping Soft-grassHolcus mollis
Heath RushJuncus squarrosus
Curled DockRumex crispus
Annual Meadow-grassPoa annua
Creeping ThistleCirsium arvense
Bulbous RushJuncus bulbosus
Rough Meadow-grassPoa trivialis
Field Forget-me-notMyosotis arvensis
TormentilPotentilla erecta
Creeping Forget-me-notMyosotis secunda
Toad Rush agg.Juncus bufonius
Wood-sorrelOxalis acetosella
Heath-grassDanthonia decumbens
Short-fruited WillowherbEpilobium obscurum
Common Yellow-sedgeCarex demissa
Broad-leaved DockRumex obtusifolius
Lesser TrefoilTrifolium dubium
Callitriche stagnalisCallitriche stagnalis
Marsh-bedstrawGalium palustre
Wych ElmUlmus glabra
Autumn HawkbitScorzoneroides autumnalis
Canadian WaterweedElodea canadensis
Heath SpeedwellVeronica officinalis
Creeping ButtercupRanunculus repens
HogweedHeracleum sphondylium
Marsh FoxtailAlopecurus geniculatus
Slender Parsley-piertAphanes australis
Mat-grassNardus stricta
Heath BedstrawGalium saxatile
Goat WillowSalix caprea
Spear ThistleCirsium vulgare
Yorkshire-fogHolcus lanatus
Glaucous SedgeCarex flacca
Dryopteris affinisDryopteris affinis
Greater PlantainPlantago major
MeadowsweetFilipendula ulmaria
Wall SpeedwellVeronica arvensis
FoxgloveDigitalis purpurea
DaisyBellis perennis
Prickly Sow-thistleSonchus asper
Meadow VetchlingLathyrus pratensis
Common Dog-violetViola riviniana
Marsh ThistleCirsium palustre
BrackenPteridium aquilinum
Heath Wood-rushLuzula multiflora
Flea SedgeCarex pulicaris
Reed Canary-grassPhalaris arundinacea
Marsh-marigoldCaltha palustris
Rosebay WillowherbChamaenerion angustifolium
Red-berried ElderSambucus racemosa
SneezewortAchillea ptarmica
Germander SpeedwellVeronica chamaedrys
Fairy FlaxLinum catharticum
CuckooflowerCardamine pratensis
Purple Moor-grassMolinia caerulea
Mouse-ear-hawkweedPilosella officinarum
Tea-leaved WillowSalix phylicifolia
Creeping BentAgrostis stolonifera
ColtsfootTussilago farfara
Pedunculate OakQuercus robur
Small Sweet-grassGlyceria declinata
Lesser SpearwortRanunculus flammula
Sun SpurgeEuphorbia helioscopia2021

Species observations from the last 10 years via NBN Atlas

Wildlife to spot

5,337 records · National Biodiversity Network

🐦

Birds90 species

winterspringsummerautumn

2025

Buzzard · Magpie · Jay · Tufted Duck · Cormorant +85

BuzzardButeo buteo
MagpiePica pica
JayGarrulus glandarius
Tufted DuckAythya fuligula
CormorantPhalacrocorax carbo
Mute SwanCygnus olor
WrenTroglodytes troglodytes
WoodpigeonColumba palumbus
Coal TitPeriparus ater
ChaffinchFringilla coelebs
GoldcrestRegulus regulus
MallardAnas platyrhynchos
RobinErithacus rubecula
Common GullLarus canus
Carrion CrowCorvus corone
BlackbirdTurdus merula
PheasantPhasianus colchicus
NuthatchSitta europaea2023
RavenCorvus corax
Grey HeronArdea cinerea
SiskinSpinus spinus
ChiffchaffPhylloscopus collybita
WigeonMareca penelope
Little GrebeTachybaptus ruficollis
Great Spotted WoodpeckerDendrocopos major
Greylag GooseAnser anser
Mistle ThrushTurdus viscivorus
GoldfinchCarduelis carduelis
MoorhenGallinula chloropus
DunnockPrunella modularis
Blue TitCyanistes caeruleus
Great TitParus major
Herring GullLarus argentatus
SwallowHirundo rustica
KestrelFalco tinnunculus2024
Long-tailed TitAegithalos caudatus2024
GoosanderMergus merganser2023
Black-headed GullChroicocephalus ridibundus
Lesser Black-backed GullLarus fuscus
Willow WarblerPhylloscopus trochilus
SparrowhawkAccipiter nisus
JackdawColoeus monedula2024
Meadow PipitAnthus pratensis2024
StarlingSturnus vulgaris2024
Canada GooseBranta canadensis
SkylarkAlauda arvensis
Pied WagtailMotacilla alba
Lesser RedpollAcanthis flammea cabaret2024
CurlewNumenius arquata2024
LapwingVanellus vanellus2023
StonechatSaxicola rubicola2023
Great Crested GrebePodiceps cristatus
Grey WagtailMotacilla cinerea
Song ThrushTurdus philomelos
RedstartPhoenicurus phoenicurus
CrossbillLoxia curvirostra
RookCorvus frugilegus2024
Great Black-backed GullLarus marinus
LinnetLinaria cannabina
WheatearOenanthe oenanthe
OystercatcherHaematopus ostralegus2024
Barn OwlTyto alba2023
BullfinchPyrrhula pyrrhula2023
WoodcockScolopax rusticola2022
CootFulica atra
BlackcapSylvia atricapilla
TreecreeperCerthia familiaris
WhinchatSaxicola rubetra
House SparrowPasser domesticus2024
Tree PipitAnthus trivialis2024
Reed BuntingEmberiza schoeniclus2024
Tawny OwlStrix aluco2024
TealAnas crecca2024
PochardAythya ferina2023
House MartinDelichon urbicum2023
Red-legged PartridgeAlectoris rufa2023
Pink-footed GooseAnser brachyrhynchus2023
Collared DoveStreptopelia decaocto2022
Sedge WarblerAcrocephalus schoenobaenus
CuckooCuculus canorus
Spotted FlycatcherMuscicapa striata
Red Grouse (scotica)Lagopus scotica2024
ShelduckTadorna tadorna2024
MerlinFalco columbarius2023
Barnacle GooseBranta leucopsis2023
WhitethroatCurruca communis2023
YellowhammerEmberiza citrinella2023
KingfisherAlcedo atthis2022
Stock DoveColumba oenas2021
Green WoodpeckerPicus viridis2021

🦌

Mammals13 species

springsummer

2026

Badger · Soprano Pipistrelle · Brown Hare · Grey Squirrel · Fallow Deer +8

BadgerMeles meles2025
Soprano PipistrellePipistrellus pygmaeus2023
Brown HareLepus europaeus
Grey SquirrelSciurus carolinensis2025
Fallow DeerDama dama2023
Red SquirrelSciurus vulgaris2025
Roe DeerCapreolus capreolus2024
Common PipistrellePipistrellus pipistrellus2023
Pipistrelle Bat speciesPipistrellus2025
HedgehogErinaceus europaeus2023
StoatMustela erminea2023
Myotis Bat speciesMyotis2021
BatChiroptera2021

🐸

Amphibians1 species

springsummer

2023

Common Toad

Common ToadBufo bufo

🐝

Insects14 species

springsummer

2025

Large Red Damselfly · Azure Damselfly · Blue-tailed Damselfly · Common Carder Bee · Common Blue Damselfly +9

Large Red DamselflyPyrrhosoma nymphula
Azure DamselflyCoenagrion puella2023
Blue-tailed DamselflyIschnura elegans2023
Common Carder BeeBombus pascuorum
Common Blue DamselflyEnallagma cyathigerum2023
Emerald DamselflyLestes sponsa2023
Green Dock BeetleGastrophysa viridula
Common DarterSympetrum striolatum2023
Early BumblebeeBombus pratorum
Volucella pellucensVolucella pellucens2023
7-spot LadybirdCoccinella septempunctata2022
Rhinoceros BeetleSinodendron cylindricum2022
Denticollis linearisDenticollis linearis2022
Ctenicera cupreaCtenicera cuprea2022

🌿

Plants116 species

summer

2022

Yellow Iris · Yarrow · Wild Angelica · Festuca rubra · Wild Thyme +111

Yellow IrisIris pseudacorus
YarrowAchillea millefolium
Wild AngelicaAngelica sylvestris
Festuca rubraFestuca rubra
Wild ThymeThymus drucei
Cow ParsleyAnthriscus sylvestris
Star SedgeCarex echinata
Hybrid LarchLarix decidua x kaempferi = L. x marschlinsii
Sweet Vernal-grassAnthoxanthum odoratum
Compact RushJuncus conglomeratus
Common Mouse-earCerastium fontanum
Tufted Hair-grassDeschampsia cespitosa
Rusty WillowSalix cinerea subsp. oleifolia
Common RagwortJacobaea vulgaris
Bog StitchwortStellaria alsine
Common BentAgrostis capillaris
White CloverTrifolium repens
Scots PinePinus sylvestris
SycamoreAcer pseudoplatanus
DandelionTaraxacum
Sticky Mouse-earCerastium glomeratum
Cat's-earHypochaeris radicata
Field HorsetailEquisetum arvense
Common Bird's-foot-trefoilLotus corniculatus
RaspberryRubus idaeus
Ribwort PlantainPlantago lanceolata
Carnation SedgeCarex panicea
Cock's-footDactylis glomerata
ShoreweedLittorella uniflora
Sharp-flowered RushJuncus acutiflorus
Lady's BedstrawGalium verum
SilverweedPotentilla anserina
Sheep's SorrelRumex acetosella
BeechFagus sylvatica
SelfhealPrunella vulgaris
Northern Marsh-orchidDactylorhiza purpurella
Soft-rushJuncus effusus
Lady-fernAthyrium filix-femina
Common SorrelRumex acetosa
PineappleweedMatricaria discoidea
AshFraxinus excelsior
PignutConopodium majus
Broad-leaved WillowherbEpilobium montanum
Common NettleUrtica dioica
Slender St John's-wortHypericum pulchrum
Common ChickweedStellaria media
CleaversGalium aparine
Brown BentAgrostis vinealis
Downy BirchBetula pubescens
Common ValerianValeriana officinalis
Hedge WoundwortStachys sylvatica
Thyme-leaved SandwortArenaria serpyllifolia subsp. serpyllifolia
Crested Dog's-tailCynosurus cristatus
Creeping Soft-grassHolcus mollis
Heath RushJuncus squarrosus
Curled DockRumex crispus
Annual Meadow-grassPoa annua
Creeping ThistleCirsium arvense
Bulbous RushJuncus bulbosus
Rough Meadow-grassPoa trivialis
Field Forget-me-notMyosotis arvensis
TormentilPotentilla erecta
Creeping Forget-me-notMyosotis secunda
Toad Rush agg.Juncus bufonius
Wood-sorrelOxalis acetosella
Heath-grassDanthonia decumbens
Short-fruited WillowherbEpilobium obscurum
Common Yellow-sedgeCarex demissa
Broad-leaved DockRumex obtusifolius
Lesser TrefoilTrifolium dubium
Callitriche stagnalisCallitriche stagnalis
Marsh-bedstrawGalium palustre
Wych ElmUlmus glabra
Autumn HawkbitScorzoneroides autumnalis
Canadian WaterweedElodea canadensis
Heath SpeedwellVeronica officinalis
Creeping ButtercupRanunculus repens
HogweedHeracleum sphondylium
Marsh FoxtailAlopecurus geniculatus
Slender Parsley-piertAphanes australis
Mat-grassNardus stricta
Heath BedstrawGalium saxatile
Goat WillowSalix caprea
Spear ThistleCirsium vulgare
Yorkshire-fogHolcus lanatus
Glaucous SedgeCarex flacca
Dryopteris affinisDryopteris affinis
Greater PlantainPlantago major
MeadowsweetFilipendula ulmaria
Wall SpeedwellVeronica arvensis
FoxgloveDigitalis purpurea
DaisyBellis perennis
Prickly Sow-thistleSonchus asper
Meadow VetchlingLathyrus pratensis
Common Dog-violetViola riviniana
Marsh ThistleCirsium palustre
BrackenPteridium aquilinum
Heath Wood-rushLuzula multiflora
Flea SedgeCarex pulicaris
Reed Canary-grassPhalaris arundinacea
Marsh-marigoldCaltha palustris
Rosebay WillowherbChamaenerion angustifolium
Red-berried ElderSambucus racemosa
SneezewortAchillea ptarmica
Germander SpeedwellVeronica chamaedrys
Fairy FlaxLinum catharticum
CuckooflowerCardamine pratensis
Purple Moor-grassMolinia caerulea
Mouse-ear-hawkweedPilosella officinarum
Tea-leaved WillowSalix phylicifolia
Creeping BentAgrostis stolonifera
ColtsfootTussilago farfara
Pedunculate OakQuercus robur
Small Sweet-grassGlyceria declinata
Lesser SpearwortRanunculus flammula
Sun SpurgeEuphorbia helioscopia2021

Species observations from the last 10 years via NBN Atlas

Wildlife to spot

Photos

📷 Jim Barton · Geograph · CC BY-SA 2.0

Interior of Northshield Rings fort, Portmore

1 / 22

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Nearby places

Useful places within 5 km

🌱Elibank ParkUrban park2.9 km→🌱Portmore GardensUrban park800 m→⛪Eddleston Parish ChurchReligious grounds2.5 km→🪦Eddleston CemeteryCemetery3 km→⚽Elibank ParkPlaying field2.9 km→✦Milkieston RingsHistoric site3.5 km→

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