← Back✦ Historic site

Prehistoric enclosure, associated field system, cairnfield, round houses and medieval shielings on E and SE slopes of Brands Hill

16 ha

📷 Chris Heaton · Geograph · CC BY-SA 2.0

WildlifeBirdsInsects

Free entryDogs welcome16 ha

Getting here

55.50660, -2.03338

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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

£Free to visit — no entry charge
🐕Dogs welcome

Best for

5 activities

Wildlife

Very strong match

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

Free

Bird watching

Very strong match

Birds — Robin, Chaffinch, Woodpigeon +78 more · last seen 2025; Birds — Robin, Chaffinch, Woodpigeon +78 more · last seen 2025

Free

Insect spotting

Strong match

Insects — Pine Ladybird, 7-spot Ladybird, Field Grasshopper +41 more · last seen 2025; Insects — Pine Ladybird, 7-spot Ladybird, Field Grasshopper +41 more · last seen 2025

Free

Heritage

Strong match

Historic site

Free

Seasonal nature

Good match

Plants — Sand Spurrey, Common Hemp-nettle, Maiden Pink +2 more · last seen 2024; Plants — Sand Spurrey, Common Hemp-nettle, Maiden Pink +2 more · last seen 2024

Free

Trails nearby

Within roughly 5 km

🚶

Walking

1 signed route nearby

Signed route nearby

Saint Cuthbert's Way (Kirk Yetholm to Lindisfarne)Walking route

Named routeRegional walking route

🚴

Cycling

10 signed routes nearby

Signed route nearby

Pennine CyclewayCycling route

Named routeRef 68National Cycle Network

Main RouteCycling route8 m

Named routeRef 68Length 8 mNational Cycle NetworkTraffic-freeSurface asphalt

Main RouteCycling route2.3 km

Named routeRef 68Length 2.3 kmNational Cycle NetworkTraffic-freeSurface unsealedfirm

Main RouteCycling route1.1 km

Named routeRef 68Length 1.1 kmNational Cycle NetworkOn-roadSurface asphalt

Main RouteCycling route8 m

Named routeRef 68Length 8 mNational Cycle NetworkOn-roadSurface asphalt

Main RouteCycling route91 m

Named routeRef 68Length 91 mNational Cycle NetworkTraffic-freeSurface bareearth

Wildlife to spot

4,265 records · National Biodiversity Network

Wildlife to spot

4,265 records · National Biodiversity Network

🐦

Birds58 species

springsummer

2025

Chaffinch · Robin · Willow Warbler · Goldfinch · Woodpigeon +53

ChaffinchFringilla coelebs
RobinErithacus rubecula
Willow WarblerPhylloscopus trochilus
GoldfinchCarduelis carduelis
WoodpigeonColumba palumbus
Song ThrushTurdus philomelos
PheasantPhasianus colchicus
Red-legged PartridgeAlectoris rufa
Sand MartinRiparia riparia
BlackbirdTurdus merula
Grey WagtailMotacilla cinerea
WrenTroglodytes troglodytes
ChiffchaffPhylloscopus collybita
BlackcapSylvia atricapilla
Mistle ThrushTurdus viscivorus
Meadow PipitAnthus pratensis
CurlewNumenius arquata
OystercatcherHaematopus ostralegus
SwallowHirundo rustica
StonechatSaxicola rubicola
KestrelFalco tinnunculus
Pied WagtailMotacilla alba yarrellii
DunnockPrunella modularis
WhinchatSaxicola rubetra
LinnetLinaria cannabina
Red Grouse (scotica)Lagopus scotica
Coal TitPeriparus ater
House SparrowPasser domesticus2024
JackdawColoeus monedula2024
Long-tailed TitAegithalos caudatus
BuzzardButeo buteo
Great TitParus major
RavenCorvus corax
Carrion CrowCorvus corone
LapwingVanellus vanellus
Common SandpiperActitis hypoleucos
SkylarkAlauda arvensis
Ring OuzelTurdus torquatus
TreecreeperCerthia familiaris
WheatearOenanthe oenanthe
Blue TitCyanistes caeruleus
YellowhammerEmberiza citrinella
DipperCinclus cinclus
Spotted FlycatcherMuscicapa striata
Reed BuntingEmberiza schoeniclus
House MartinDelichon urbicum
WhitethroatCurruca communis
Herring GullLarus argentatus
Grey HeronArdea cinerea
Garden WarblerSylvia borin
CuckooCuculus canorus
GoldcrestRegulus regulus
GoosanderMergus merganser
RookCorvus frugilegus
SparrowhawkAccipiter nisus2024
Collared DoveStreptopelia decaocto2024
Tawny OwlStrix aluco2024
RedwingTurdus iliacus2024

🐝

Insects26 species

springsummer

2025

Pine Ladybird · 7-spot Ladybird · Mesembrina meridiana · Dark-edged Bee-fly · Kite-tailed Robberfly +21

Pine LadybirdExochomus quadripustulatus
7-spot LadybirdCoccinella septempunctata
Mesembrina meridianaMesembrina meridiana
Dark-edged Bee-flyBombylius major
Kite-tailed RobberflyMachimus atricapillus2024
Larch LadybirdAphidecta obliterata
Eyed LadybirdAnatis ocellata
Ferdinandea cupreaFerdinandea cuprea
Nut Leaf WeevilStrophosoma melanogrammum
Syritta pipiensSyritta pipiens2024
Field GrasshopperChorthippus brunneus2024
Common Ground-hopperTetrix undulata2024
Western Honey BeeApis mellifera2024
Palloptera modestaPalloptera modesta2024
Polymerus (Polymerus) nigritaPolymerus (Polymerus) nigrita2024
Common Green GrasshopperOmocestus viridulus2024
Twin-spot CenturionSargus bipunctatus2024
Eristalis horticolaEristalis horticola2024
Marsh SnipeflyRhagio tringarius2024
Red-legged ShieldbugPentatoma rufipes2024
Cicadella viridisCicadella viridis2024
Bronze ShieldbugTroilus luridus2024
Common DarterSympetrum striolatum2024
Liocoris tripustulatusLiocoris tripustulatus2024
Marmalade HoverflyEpisyrphus balteatus2024
Sericomyia silentisSericomyia silentis2024

🌿

Plants1 species

summer

2024

Sand Spurrey

Sand SpurreySpergularia rubra

Species observations from the last 10 years via NBN Atlas

Wildlife to spot

4,265 records · National Biodiversity Network

🐦

Birds58 species

springsummer

2025

Chaffinch · Robin · Willow Warbler · Goldfinch · Woodpigeon +53

ChaffinchFringilla coelebs
RobinErithacus rubecula
Willow WarblerPhylloscopus trochilus
GoldfinchCarduelis carduelis
WoodpigeonColumba palumbus
Song ThrushTurdus philomelos
PheasantPhasianus colchicus
Red-legged PartridgeAlectoris rufa
Sand MartinRiparia riparia
BlackbirdTurdus merula
Grey WagtailMotacilla cinerea
WrenTroglodytes troglodytes
ChiffchaffPhylloscopus collybita
BlackcapSylvia atricapilla
Mistle ThrushTurdus viscivorus
Meadow PipitAnthus pratensis
CurlewNumenius arquata
OystercatcherHaematopus ostralegus
SwallowHirundo rustica
StonechatSaxicola rubicola
KestrelFalco tinnunculus
Pied WagtailMotacilla alba yarrellii
DunnockPrunella modularis
WhinchatSaxicola rubetra
LinnetLinaria cannabina
Red Grouse (scotica)Lagopus scotica
Coal TitPeriparus ater
House SparrowPasser domesticus2024
JackdawColoeus monedula2024
Long-tailed TitAegithalos caudatus
BuzzardButeo buteo
Great TitParus major
RavenCorvus corax
Carrion CrowCorvus corone
LapwingVanellus vanellus
Common SandpiperActitis hypoleucos
SkylarkAlauda arvensis
Ring OuzelTurdus torquatus
TreecreeperCerthia familiaris
WheatearOenanthe oenanthe
Blue TitCyanistes caeruleus
YellowhammerEmberiza citrinella
DipperCinclus cinclus
Spotted FlycatcherMuscicapa striata
Reed BuntingEmberiza schoeniclus
House MartinDelichon urbicum
WhitethroatCurruca communis
Herring GullLarus argentatus
Grey HeronArdea cinerea
Garden WarblerSylvia borin
CuckooCuculus canorus
GoldcrestRegulus regulus
GoosanderMergus merganser
RookCorvus frugilegus
SparrowhawkAccipiter nisus2024
Collared DoveStreptopelia decaocto2024
Tawny OwlStrix aluco2024
RedwingTurdus iliacus2024

🐝

Insects26 species

springsummer

2025

Pine Ladybird · 7-spot Ladybird · Mesembrina meridiana · Dark-edged Bee-fly · Kite-tailed Robberfly +21

Pine LadybirdExochomus quadripustulatus
7-spot LadybirdCoccinella septempunctata
Mesembrina meridianaMesembrina meridiana
Dark-edged Bee-flyBombylius major
Kite-tailed RobberflyMachimus atricapillus2024
Larch LadybirdAphidecta obliterata
Eyed LadybirdAnatis ocellata
Ferdinandea cupreaFerdinandea cuprea
Nut Leaf WeevilStrophosoma melanogrammum
Syritta pipiensSyritta pipiens2024
Field GrasshopperChorthippus brunneus2024
Common Ground-hopperTetrix undulata2024
Western Honey BeeApis mellifera2024
Palloptera modestaPalloptera modesta2024
Polymerus (Polymerus) nigritaPolymerus (Polymerus) nigrita2024
Common Green GrasshopperOmocestus viridulus2024
Twin-spot CenturionSargus bipunctatus2024
Eristalis horticolaEristalis horticola2024
Marsh SnipeflyRhagio tringarius2024
Red-legged ShieldbugPentatoma rufipes2024
Cicadella viridisCicadella viridis2024
Bronze ShieldbugTroilus luridus2024
Common DarterSympetrum striolatum2024
Liocoris tripustulatusLiocoris tripustulatus2024
Marmalade HoverflyEpisyrphus balteatus2024
Sericomyia silentisSericomyia silentis2024

🌿

Plants1 species

summer

2024

Sand Spurrey

Sand SpurreySpergularia rubra

Species observations from the last 10 years via NBN Atlas

Wildlife to spot

Photos

📷 Chris Heaton · Geograph · CC BY-SA 2.0

Enclosure and Field Systems on Brands Hill

1 / 15

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Nearby places

Useful places within 5 km

🌱Scott ParkUrban park4.6 km→🌱Tower HillUrban park4.6 km→⛪St Mary's ChurchReligious grounds4.6 km→⛪St Ninian's Roman Catholic ChurchReligious grounds4.7 km→🌱Middleton Hall Picnic SiteUrban park2.5 km→✦Prehistoric field system and cairnfield east of Watch Hill, 520m NNE of footbridge over Carey BurnHistoric site3.2 km→

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