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Skipness Castle

0 ha

📷 Rob Farrow · Geograph · CC BY-SA 2.0

Plan your visit

BirdsWildlifeInsects

Dogs welcome0 ha

Getting here

55.76798, -5.33635

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Visiting this summer

Seasonal nature notes and what to look for now

🐦86+ species recorded in this area — summer evenings are best for activity; watch for Oystercatcher and Pied Wagtail
🌿Foraging is at its best in summer here
🐕Dogs welcome — bring water in summer; the site has enough space to find shade on hot days

🌤️ Visiting this summer

🐦86+ species recorded in this area — summer evenings are best for activity; watch for Oystercatcher and Pied Wagtail
🌿Foraging is at its best in summer here
🐕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

7 activities

Bird watching

Very strong match

Birds — Oystercatcher, Pied Wagtail, Ringed Plover +83 more · last seen 2025; Birds — Oystercatcher, Pied Wagtail, Ringed Plover +83 more · last seen 2025

Free

Wildlife

Very strong match

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

Free

Insect spotting

Strong match

Insects — Large Yellow Underwing, White-line Dart, Rosy Rustic +132 more · last seen 2024; Insects — Large Yellow Underwing, White-line Dart, Rosy Rustic +132 more · last seen 2024

Free

Seasonal nature

Strong match

Plants — Buckler-Fern, Dryopteris borreri, Dryopteris cambrensis subsp. cambrensis +168 more · last seen 2024; Plants — Buckler-Fern, Dryopteris borreri, Dryopteris cambrensis subsp. cambrensis +168 more · last seen 2024

Free

Foraging

Strong match

Plants — Dandelion, Hazel, Meadowsweet +15 more foraging species

Varies

Heritage

Strong match

Historic site

Free

Trails nearby

Within roughly 5 km

🚶

Walking

1 signed route nearby

Signed route nearby

Kintyre WayWalking route161 km

Named routeLength 161 kmPoint-to-pointNational walking route

🚴

Cycling

1 signed route nearby

Signed route nearby

Caledonia WayCycling route

Named routeRef CWRegional cycle route

Wildlife to spot

3,552 records · National Biodiversity Network

Wildlife to spot

3,552 records · National Biodiversity Network

🐦

Birds65 species

autumn

2025

Oystercatcher · Swallow · Black-throated Diver · Wren · Pied Wagtail +60

OystercatcherHaematopus ostralegus
SwallowHirundo rustica
Black-throated DiverGavia arctica
WrenTroglodytes troglodytes
Pied WagtailMotacilla alba yarrellii
Great Black-backed GullLarus marinus
GoldfinchCarduelis carduelis
StarlingSturnus vulgaris
BlackbirdTurdus merula
Herring GullLarus argentatus
GannetMorus bassanus
ChaffinchFringilla coelebs
House MartinDelichon urbicum
House SparrowPasser domesticus
Red-breasted MerganserMergus serrator
RobinErithacus rubecula
Rock PipitAnthus petrosus
Great TitParus major
DunnockPrunella modularis
Blue TitCyanistes caeruleus
ShagGulosus aristotelis
PheasantPhasianus colchicus
Carrion CrowCorvus corone
Lesser Black-backed GullLarus fuscus
Hooded CrowCorvus cornix
Ringed PloverCharadrius hiaticula2024
Great Northern DiverGavia immer
Black GuillemotCepphus grylle
Grey HeronArdea cinerea
WoodpigeonColumba palumbus
Meadow PipitAnthus pratensis
Greylag GooseAnser anser
JackdawColoeus monedula
CormorantPhalacrocorax carbo2024
Common GullLarus canus2024
RazorbillAlca torda
DipperCinclus cinclus
Reed BuntingEmberiza schoeniclus
BullfinchPyrrhula pyrrhula
Rock DoveColumba livia
Canada GooseBranta canadensis2024
WheatearOenanthe oenanthe2024
Spotted FlycatcherMuscicapa striata2024
CuckooCuculus canorus2024
Red-legged PartridgeAlectoris rufa2023
CurlewNumenius arquata2023
JayGarrulus glandarius2023
Mistle ThrushTurdus viscivorus2023
Song ThrushTurdus philomelos2023
Coal TitPeriparus ater2023
Common GuillemotUria aalge2023
SkylarkAlauda arvensis2023
MallardAnas platyrhynchos2023
LinnetLinaria cannabina2023
Great Spotted WoodpeckerDendrocopos major2023
TreecreeperCerthia familiaris2023
Black-headed GullChroicocephalus ridibundus2023
Collared DoveStreptopelia decaocto2023
Red-throated DiverGavia stellata2023
RedshankTringa totanus2023
TurnstoneArenaria interpres2023
EiderSomateria mollissima2023
GoosanderMergus merganser2023
Mute SwanCygnus olor2023
RavenCorvus corax2023

🦌

Mammals5 species

autumn

2025

Red Squirrel · Rabbit · Roe Deer · Bottle-nosed Dolphin · Mole

Red SquirrelSciurus vulgaris
RabbitOryctolagus cuniculus2024
Roe DeerCapreolus capreolus2024
Bottle-nosed DolphinTursiops truncatus2024
MoleTalpa europaea2024

🐝

Insects16 species

autumn

2024

Marmalade Hoverfly · Common Darter · Heather (Girdled) Colletes · Common Carder Bee · Bombus lucorum +11

Marmalade HoverflyEpisyrphus balteatus
Common DarterSympetrum striolatum
Heather (Girdled) ColletesColletes succinctus
Common Carder BeeBombus pascuorum
Bombus lucorumBombus lucorum
Large WhitePieris brassicae
Helophilus pendulus

🌿

Plants6 species

summer

2024

Rubus polyanthemus · Rubus dumnoniensis · Rubus nemoralis · Tansy · Rubus ulmifolius +1

Rubus polyanthemusRubus polyanthemus
Rubus dumnoniensisRubus dumnoniensis
Rubus nemoralisRubus nemoralis
TansyTanacetum vulgare
Rubus ulmifoliusRubus ulmifolius
Rubus lindleianusRubus lindleianus

Species observations from the last 10 years via NBN Atlas

Wildlife to spot

3,552 records · National Biodiversity Network

🐦

Birds65 species

autumn

2025

Oystercatcher · Swallow · Black-throated Diver · Wren · Pied Wagtail +60

OystercatcherHaematopus ostralegus
SwallowHirundo rustica
Black-throated DiverGavia arctica
WrenTroglodytes troglodytes
Pied WagtailMotacilla alba yarrellii
Great Black-backed GullLarus marinus
GoldfinchCarduelis carduelis
StarlingSturnus vulgaris
BlackbirdTurdus merula
Herring GullLarus argentatus
GannetMorus bassanus
ChaffinchFringilla coelebs
House MartinDelichon urbicum
House SparrowPasser domesticus
Red-breasted MerganserMergus serrator
RobinErithacus rubecula
Rock PipitAnthus petrosus
Great TitParus major
DunnockPrunella modularis
Blue TitCyanistes caeruleus
ShagGulosus aristotelis
PheasantPhasianus colchicus
Carrion CrowCorvus corone
Lesser Black-backed GullLarus fuscus
Hooded CrowCorvus cornix
Ringed PloverCharadrius hiaticula2024
Great Northern DiverGavia immer
Black GuillemotCepphus grylle
Grey HeronArdea cinerea
WoodpigeonColumba palumbus
Meadow PipitAnthus pratensis
Greylag GooseAnser anser
JackdawColoeus monedula
CormorantPhalacrocorax carbo2024
Common GullLarus canus2024
RazorbillAlca torda
DipperCinclus cinclus
Reed BuntingEmberiza schoeniclus
BullfinchPyrrhula pyrrhula
Rock DoveColumba livia
Canada GooseBranta canadensis2024
WheatearOenanthe oenanthe2024
Spotted FlycatcherMuscicapa striata2024
CuckooCuculus canorus2024
Red-legged PartridgeAlectoris rufa2023
CurlewNumenius arquata2023
JayGarrulus glandarius2023
Mistle ThrushTurdus viscivorus2023
Song ThrushTurdus philomelos2023
Coal TitPeriparus ater2023
Common GuillemotUria aalge2023
SkylarkAlauda arvensis2023
MallardAnas platyrhynchos2023
LinnetLinaria cannabina2023
Great Spotted WoodpeckerDendrocopos major2023
TreecreeperCerthia familiaris2023
Black-headed GullChroicocephalus ridibundus2023
Collared DoveStreptopelia decaocto2023
Red-throated DiverGavia stellata2023
RedshankTringa totanus2023
TurnstoneArenaria interpres2023
EiderSomateria mollissima2023
GoosanderMergus merganser2023
Mute SwanCygnus olor2023
RavenCorvus corax2023

🦌

Mammals5 species

autumn

2025

Red Squirrel · Rabbit · Roe Deer · Bottle-nosed Dolphin · Mole

Red SquirrelSciurus vulgaris
RabbitOryctolagus cuniculus2024
Roe DeerCapreolus capreolus2024
Bottle-nosed DolphinTursiops truncatus2024
MoleTalpa europaea2024

🐝

Insects16 species

autumn

2024

Marmalade Hoverfly · Common Darter · Heather (Girdled) Colletes · Common Carder Bee · Bombus lucorum +11

Marmalade HoverflyEpisyrphus balteatus
Common DarterSympetrum striolatum
Heather (Girdled) ColletesColletes succinctus
Common Carder BeeBombus pascuorum
Bombus lucorumBombus lucorum
Large WhitePieris brassicae
Helophilus pendulus

🌿

Plants6 species

summer

2024

Rubus polyanthemus · Rubus dumnoniensis · Rubus nemoralis · Tansy · Rubus ulmifolius +1

Rubus polyanthemusRubus polyanthemus
Rubus dumnoniensisRubus dumnoniensis
Rubus nemoralisRubus nemoralis
TansyTanacetum vulgare
Rubus ulmifoliusRubus ulmifolius
Rubus lindleianusRubus lindleianus

Species observations from the last 10 years via NBN Atlas

Wildlife to spot

Photos

📷 Rob Farrow · Geograph · CC BY-SA 2.0

Skipness Castle - Interior of tower

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Nearby places

Useful places within 5 km

🌱Skipness Castle GroundsUrban park0 m→✦Skipness CastleHistoric site0 m→✦Dunan Breac, dun siteHistoric site1.1 km→✦Glenreasdell Mains Chambered CairnHistoric site4.3 km→✦St Brendan's ChapelHistoric site300 m→

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