Portcullis Gate and Argyle Tower 0 ha
🦅 Birds🦉 Wildlife🦋 Insects
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Dogs welcome 0 ha
Places › Scotland › Edinburgh and Lothians › City of Edinburgh Getting here
55.94886, -3.19972
Open directionsv Visiting this summer
Seasonal nature notes and what to look for now
▾ 🐦 56+ species recorded in this area — summer evenings are best for activity; watch for Robin and Woodpigeon ✦ Historic character is a year-round quality here — summer brings its own atmosphere to the setting ☕ Tea rooms — a good base for a longer summer day out 🌤️ Visiting this summer
🐦 56+ species recorded in this area — summer evenings are best for activity; watch for Robin and Woodpigeon ✦ Historic character is a year-round quality here — summer brings its own atmosphere to the setting ☕ Tea rooms — a good base for a longer summer day out 🚲 Bike parking☕ Café🅿️ Parking· Paid 🧺 Picnic spot🚻 Toilets
🦅 Bird watching
Very strong match
Birds — Robin, Woodpigeon, Magpie +53 more · last seen 2026; Birds — Robin, Woodpigeon, Magpie +53 more · last seen 2026
Free
🦉 Wildlife
Very strong match
Multi-group wildlife — Birds, Mammals; Multi-group wildlife — Birds, Mammals
Free
🦋 Insect spotting
Strong match
Insects — Harlequin Ladybird, 10-spot Ladybird, 2-spot Ladybird +45 more · last seen 2026; Insects — Harlequin Ladybird, 10-spot Ladybird, 2-spot Ladybird +45 more · last seen 2026
Free
Trails nearby Within roughly 5 km 13 signed routes nearby
Signed route nearby
The Royal Mile Walking route ▾
Innocent Railway Walking route ▾
Named route Ref CEC5
Show on map Forth & Clyde/Union Canal Towpath Walking route 106 km ▾
Named route Length 106 km National walking route
Show on map Water of Leith Walkway (Slateford to Leith) Walking route ▾
Named route Ref CEC18 Local walking route
Show on map John Muir Way (South Queensferry to Edinburgh part 1) Walking route ▾
Named route Ref JMW Point-to-point National walking route
Show on map 187 signed routes nearby
Signed route nearby
Route RR Cycling route ▾
Named route Ref RR Local cycle route
Show on map NCN National Route 754 Cycling route ▾
Named route Ref 754 National Cycle Network
Show on map Quiet Route 10 Cycling route ▾
Named route Ref 10 Local cycle route
Show on map Quiet Route 6 Cycling route ▾
Named route Ref 6 Local cycle route
Show on map Quiet Route 9 Cycling route ▾
Named route Ref 9 Local cycle route
Show on map Quiet Route 11 Cycling route ▾
Named route Ref 11 Local cycle route
Show on map 3 signed routes nearby
Signed route nearby
Great North Trail (Central Belt) Mountain bike route 83.7 km ▾
Named route Length 83.7 km National Cycle Network
Show on map Capital Trail Mountain bike route ▾
Great North Trail (Scottish Borders) Mountain bike route 154.8 km ▾
Named route Length 154.8 km National Cycle Network
Show on map Photos Edinburgh Castle - Portcullis Gate
‹ ›
Weather for this location Next 14 days Nearby places Useful places within 5 km
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id: 837df366-d0ed-45f1-9741-d2dc7642082b
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Wildlife to spot
80,388 records · National Biodiversity Network
▾
Wildlife to spot 80,388 records · National Biodiversity Network Robin · Blackbird · Chaffinch · Blue Tit · Dunnock +28
Robin Erithacus rubecula Blackbird Turdus merula Chaffinch Fringilla coelebs Blue Tit Cyanistes caeruleus Dunnock Prunella modularis Woodpigeon Columba palumbus Moorhen Gallinula chloropus Mallard Anas platyrhynchos Dipper Cinclus cinclus Treecreeper Certhia familiaris Bullfinch Pyrrhula pyrrhula Grey Heron Ardea cinerea Nuthatch Sitta europaea Great Tit Parus major House Sparrow Passer domesticus Magpie Pica pica Goldfinch Carduelis carduelis Jackdaw Coloeus monedula Water Rail Rallus aquaticus Pied Wagtail Motacilla alba Coal Tit Periparus ater Kingfisher Alcedo atthis Wren Troglodytes troglodytes Coot Fulica atra Mute Swan Cygnus olor Tufted Duck Aythya fuligula Black-headed Gull Chroicocephalus ridibundus Great Spotted Woodpecker Dendrocopos major Collared Dove Streptopelia decaocto Long-tailed Tit Aegithalos caudatus Carrion Crow Corvus corone Song Thrush Turdus philomelos Herring Gull Larus argentatus Eyed Ladybird · Harlequin Ladybird · Cream-spot Ladybird · 10-spot Ladybird · Red-legged Shieldbug +15
Eyed Ladybird Anatis ocellata Harlequin Ladybird Harmonia axyridis Cream-spot Ladybird Calvia quattuordecimguttata 10-spot Ladybird Adalia decempunctata Red-legged Shieldbug Pentatoma rufipes Hawthorn Shieldbug Acanthosoma haemorrhoidale 7-spot Ladybird Species observations from the last 10 years via NBN Atlas
Wildlife to spot 80,388 records · National Biodiversity Network Robin · Blackbird · Chaffinch · Blue Tit · Dunnock +28
Robin Erithacus rubecula Blackbird Turdus merula Chaffinch Fringilla coelebs Blue Tit Cyanistes caeruleus Dunnock Prunella modularis Woodpigeon Columba palumbus Moorhen Gallinula chloropus Mallard Anas platyrhynchos Dipper Cinclus cinclus Treecreeper Certhia familiaris Bullfinch Pyrrhula pyrrhula Grey Heron Ardea cinerea Nuthatch Sitta europaea Great Tit Parus major House Sparrow Passer domesticus Magpie Pica pica Goldfinch Carduelis carduelis Jackdaw Coloeus monedula Water Rail Rallus aquaticus Pied Wagtail Motacilla alba Coal Tit Periparus ater Kingfisher Alcedo atthis Wren Troglodytes troglodytes Coot Fulica atra Mute Swan Cygnus olor Tufted Duck Aythya fuligula Black-headed Gull Chroicocephalus ridibundus Great Spotted Woodpecker Dendrocopos major Collared Dove Streptopelia decaocto Long-tailed Tit Aegithalos caudatus Carrion Crow Corvus corone Song Thrush Turdus philomelos Herring Gull Larus argentatus Eyed Ladybird · Harlequin Ladybird · Cream-spot Ladybird · 10-spot Ladybird · Red-legged Shieldbug +15
Eyed Ladybird Anatis ocellata Harlequin Ladybird Harmonia axyridis Cream-spot Ladybird Calvia quattuordecimguttata 10-spot Ladybird Adalia decempunctata Red-legged Shieldbug Pentatoma rufipes Hawthorn Shieldbug Acanthosoma haemorrhoidale 7-spot Ladybird Species observations from the last 10 years via NBN Atlas
Coccinella septempunctata
Coccinella septempunctata
Birch Shieldbug Elasmostethus interstinctus
Birch Shieldbug Elasmostethus interstinctus
2-spot Ladybird Adalia bipunctata
2-spot Ladybird Adalia bipunctata
Orange Ladybird Halyzia sedecimguttata
Orange Ladybird Halyzia sedecimguttata
Common Flower Bug Anthocoris nemorum
Common Flower Bug Anthocoris nemorum
Larch Ladybird Aphidecta obliterata
Larch Ladybird Aphidecta obliterata
Syrphus torvus Syrphus torvus
Syrphus torvus Syrphus torvus
Striped Ladybird Myzia oblongoguttata
Striped Ladybird Myzia oblongoguttata
Dromius quadrimaculatus Dromius quadrimaculatus
Dromius quadrimaculatus Dromius quadrimaculatus
18-spot Ladybird Myrrha octodecimguttata
18-spot Ladybird Myrrha octodecimguttata
Eristalis tenax Eristalis tenax
Eristalis tenax Eristalis tenax
Acericerus heydenii Acericerus heydenii
Acericerus heydenii Acericerus heydenii
Tephrochlamys rufiventris Tephrochlamys rufiventris
Tephrochlamys rufiventris Tephrochlamys rufiventris
Ectopsocus petersi Ectopsocus petersi
Ectopsocus petersi Ectopsocus petersi 