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Wester Kames Castle

0 ha

📷 Thomas Nugent · Geograph · CC BY-SA 2.0

WildlifeBirdsSeasonal

Dogs welcome0 ha

Getting here

55.86667, -5.09923

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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

6 activities

Wildlife

Very strong match

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

Free

Bird watching

Strong match

Birds — Oystercatcher, Jackdaw, Chaffinch +40 more · last seen 2025; Birds — Oystercatcher, Jackdaw, Chaffinch +40 more · last seen 2025

Free

Seasonal nature

Strong match

Plants — Heath Wood-rush, Wavy Hair-Grass, Round-leaved Sundew +80 more · last seen 2023; Plants — Heath Wood-rush, Wavy Hair-Grass, Round-leaved Sundew +80 more · last seen 2023

Free

Heritage

Strong match

Historic site

Free

Insect spotting

Good match

Insects — Helophilus pendulus, Eupteryx aurata, Common Red Soldier Beetle +3 more · last seen 2024; Insects — Helophilus pendulus, Eupteryx aurata, Common Red Soldier Beetle +3 more · last seen 2024

Free

Foraging

Good match

Plants — Marsh Hawk's-beard, Sweet Cicely, Amphibious Bistort +3 more foraging species

Varies

Trails nearby

Within roughly 5 km

🚶

Walking

3 signed routes nearby

Signed route nearby

West Island WayWalking route48 km

Named routeLength 48 kmNational walking route

Bute Path NetworkWalking route

Named routeLocal walking route

Bute Pilgrimage Route - St BlaneWalking route

A walking pathway with accompanying notes to aid Christian reflection

Named routeRef 1Local walking route

🚴

Cycling

1 signed route nearby

Signed route nearby

Bute Cycle NetworkCycling route

Named routeLocal cycle route

🚵

Mountain biking

1 signed route nearby

Signed route nearby

Bute Cycle NetworkMountain bike route

Named routeRef www.tzcb.org.uk

Wildlife to spot

5,345 records · National Biodiversity Network

Wildlife to spot

5,345 records · National Biodiversity Network

🐦

Birds43 species

springsummer

2025

Oystercatcher · Jackdaw · Chaffinch · Herring Gull · Carrion Crow +38

OystercatcherHaematopus ostralegus
JackdawColoeus monedula
ChaffinchFringilla coelebs
Herring GullLarus argentatus
Carrion CrowCorvus corone
Little EgretEgretta garzetta
RedshankTringa totanus
GoldfinchCarduelis carduelis
Common GullLarus canus
Grey HeronArdea cinerea
Little GrebeTachybaptus ruficollis
House SparrowPasser domesticus
RobinErithacus rubecula
EiderSomateria mollissima
Great TitParus major
WoodpigeonColumba palumbus
Pied WagtailMotacilla alba yarrellii
Red-breasted MerganserMergus serrator2024
MallardAnas platyrhynchos2024
KestrelFalco tinnunculus2024
RookCorvus frugilegus
Willow WarblerPhylloscopus trochilus
Song ThrushTurdus philomelos
BlackbirdTurdus merula
Blue TitCyanistes caeruleus
BlackcapSylvia atricapilla
WrenTroglodytes troglodytes
ChiffchaffPhylloscopus collybita
GoldcrestRegulus regulus
GreenfinchChloris chloris
CurlewNumenius arquata2024
SwallowHirundo rustica2024
Black-headed GullChroicocephalus ridibundus2024
Great Black-backed GullLarus marinus2024
House MartinDelichon urbicum2024
RavenCorvus corax2024
GannetMorus bassanus2024
Sandwich TernThalasseus sandvicensis2024
CormorantPhalacrocorax carbo2024
Mute SwanCygnus olor2024
ShagGulosus aristotelis2024
Stock DoveColumba oenas2024
Spotted FlycatcherMuscicapa striata2024

🦌

Mammals6 species

summer

2025

Hedgehog · Brown Hare · Soprano Pipistrelle · Brown Long-eared Bat · Natterer's Bat +1

HedgehogErinaceus europaeus
Brown HareLepus europaeus2024
Soprano PipistrellePipistrellus pygmaeus2024
Brown Long-eared BatPlecotus auritus2024
Natterer's BatMyotis nattereri2024
Common PipistrellePipistrellus pipistrellus2024

🦎

Reptiles1 species

summer

2024

Common Lizard

Common LizardZootoca vivipara

🐝

Insects6 species

summer

2024

Helophilus pendulus · Eupteryx aurata · Common Red Soldier Beetle · Grypocoris (Lophyromiris) stysi · Potato Capsid +1

Helophilus pendulusHelophilus pendulus
Eupteryx aurataEupteryx aurata
Common Red Soldier BeetleRhagonycha fulva
Grypocoris (Lophyromiris) stysiGrypocoris (Lophyromiris) stysi
Potato CapsidClosterotomus norwegicus
Green Dock BeetleGastrophysa viridula2023

🌿

Plants83 species

springsummer

2023

Heath Wood-rush · Wavy Hair-Grass · Round-leaved Sundew · Pill Sedge · Hare's-tail Cottongrass +78

Heath Wood-rushLuzula multiflora
Wavy Hair-GrassAvenella flexuosa
Round-leaved SundewDrosera rotundifolia
Pill SedgeCarex pilulifera
Hare's-tail CottongrassEriophorum vaginatum
Trichophorum germanicumTrichophorum germanicum
Mat-grassNardus stricta
Star SedgeCarex echinata
Garden Lady's-mantleAlchemilla mollis
Common ButterwortPinguicula vulgaris
Marsh Hawk's-beardCrepis paludosa
Ficaria verna subsp. fertilisFicaria verna subsp. fertilis
Oval SedgeCarex leporina
Enchanter's-nightshadeCircaea lutetiana
Marsh FoxtailAlopecurus geniculatus
Marsh VioletViola palustris
Common Yellow-sedgeCarex demissa
Marsh WillowherbEpilobium palustre
Heath Spotted-orchidDactylorhiza maculata
Perennial Rye-grassLolium perenne
Flea SedgeCarex pulicaris
Great WillowherbEpilobium hirsutum
Sweet CicelyMyrrhis odorata
Marsh PennywortHydrocotyle vulgaris
Meadow FoxtailAlopecurus pratensis
Bush VetchVicia sepium
Bulbous RushJuncus bulbosus
Wood AnemoneAnemone nemorosa
Bottle SedgeCarex rostrata
Bog-myrtleMyrica gale
Wych ElmUlmus glabra
White SedgeCarex canescens
BogbeanMenyanthes trifoliata
Smooth Lady's-mantleAlchemilla glabra
ColtsfootTussilago farfara
Whorled CarawayTrocdaris verticillata
CranberryVaccinium oxycoccos
Perennial Sow-thistleSonchus arvensis
Creeping Soft-grassHolcus mollis
Bog PondweedPotamogeton polygonifolius
Thale CressArabidopsis thaliana
Lesser TrefoilTrifolium dubium
Amphibious BistortPersicaria amphibia
Glaucous SedgeCarex flacca
Marsh WoundwortStachys palustris
Creeping Forget-me-notMyosotis secunda
Spreading Meadow-grassPoa humilis
Tufted VetchVicia cracca
Soft-bromeBromus hordeaceus
Faeroes DandelionTaraxacum faeroense
Common Cow-wheatMelampyrum pratense
Compact RushJuncus conglomeratus
Narrow Buckler-fernDryopteris carthusiana
Buck's-horn PlantainPlantago coronopus
Tawny SedgeCarex hostiana
Rough Meadow-grassPoa trivialis
Common FigwortScrophularia nodosa
Field HorsetailEquisetum arvense
Festuca rubraFestuca rubra
Dioecious SedgeCarex dioica
Lesser ClubmossSelaginella selaginoides
False Oat-grassArrhenatherum elatius
Meadow VetchlingLathyrus pratensis
Common CottongrassEriophorum angustifolium
Crowberry agg.Empetrum nigrum
Sheep's Fescue agg.Festuca ovina
Marsh-bedstrawGalium palustre
Beech FernPhegopteris connectilis
Heath RushJuncus squarrosus
Sherard's Downy-roseRosa sherardii
Smooth-stalked SedgeCarex laevigata
GoldenrodSolidago virgaurea
Common SedgeCarex nigra
LousewortPedicularis sylvatica
Water AvensGeum rivale
New Zealand WillowherbEpilobium brunnescens
Field Wood-rushLuzula campestris
Bog AsphodelNarthecium ossifragum
Marsh RagwortJacobaea aquatica
Cross-leaved HeathErica tetralix
Sweet Vernal-grassAnthoxanthum odoratum
Green-ribbed SedgeCarex binervis
Western Balsam-poplarPopulus trichocarpa

Species observations from the last 10 years via NBN Atlas

Wildlife to spot

5,345 records · National Biodiversity Network

🐦

Birds43 species

springsummer

2025

Oystercatcher · Jackdaw · Chaffinch · Herring Gull · Carrion Crow +38

OystercatcherHaematopus ostralegus
JackdawColoeus monedula
ChaffinchFringilla coelebs
Herring GullLarus argentatus
Carrion CrowCorvus corone
Little EgretEgretta garzetta
RedshankTringa totanus
GoldfinchCarduelis carduelis
Common GullLarus canus
Grey HeronArdea cinerea
Little GrebeTachybaptus ruficollis
House SparrowPasser domesticus
RobinErithacus rubecula
EiderSomateria mollissima
Great TitParus major
WoodpigeonColumba palumbus
Pied WagtailMotacilla alba yarrellii
Red-breasted MerganserMergus serrator2024
MallardAnas platyrhynchos2024
KestrelFalco tinnunculus2024
RookCorvus frugilegus
Willow WarblerPhylloscopus trochilus
Song ThrushTurdus philomelos
BlackbirdTurdus merula
Blue TitCyanistes caeruleus
BlackcapSylvia atricapilla
WrenTroglodytes troglodytes
ChiffchaffPhylloscopus collybita
GoldcrestRegulus regulus
GreenfinchChloris chloris
CurlewNumenius arquata2024
SwallowHirundo rustica2024
Black-headed GullChroicocephalus ridibundus2024
Great Black-backed GullLarus marinus2024
House MartinDelichon urbicum2024
RavenCorvus corax2024
GannetMorus bassanus2024
Sandwich TernThalasseus sandvicensis2024
CormorantPhalacrocorax carbo2024
Mute SwanCygnus olor2024
ShagGulosus aristotelis2024
Stock DoveColumba oenas2024
Spotted FlycatcherMuscicapa striata2024

🦌

Mammals6 species

summer

2025

Hedgehog · Brown Hare · Soprano Pipistrelle · Brown Long-eared Bat · Natterer's Bat +1

HedgehogErinaceus europaeus
Brown HareLepus europaeus2024
Soprano PipistrellePipistrellus pygmaeus2024
Brown Long-eared BatPlecotus auritus2024
Natterer's BatMyotis nattereri2024
Common PipistrellePipistrellus pipistrellus2024

🦎

Reptiles1 species

summer

2024

Common Lizard

Common LizardZootoca vivipara

🐝

Insects6 species

summer

2024

Helophilus pendulus · Eupteryx aurata · Common Red Soldier Beetle · Grypocoris (Lophyromiris) stysi · Potato Capsid +1

Helophilus pendulusHelophilus pendulus
Eupteryx aurataEupteryx aurata
Common Red Soldier BeetleRhagonycha fulva
Grypocoris (Lophyromiris) stysiGrypocoris (Lophyromiris) stysi
Potato CapsidClosterotomus norwegicus
Green Dock BeetleGastrophysa viridula2023

🌿

Plants83 species

springsummer

2023

Heath Wood-rush · Wavy Hair-Grass · Round-leaved Sundew · Pill Sedge · Hare's-tail Cottongrass +78

Heath Wood-rushLuzula multiflora
Wavy Hair-GrassAvenella flexuosa
Round-leaved SundewDrosera rotundifolia
Pill SedgeCarex pilulifera
Hare's-tail CottongrassEriophorum vaginatum
Trichophorum germanicumTrichophorum germanicum
Mat-grassNardus stricta
Star SedgeCarex echinata
Garden Lady's-mantleAlchemilla mollis
Common ButterwortPinguicula vulgaris
Marsh Hawk's-beardCrepis paludosa
Ficaria verna subsp. fertilisFicaria verna subsp. fertilis
Oval SedgeCarex leporina
Enchanter's-nightshadeCircaea lutetiana
Marsh FoxtailAlopecurus geniculatus
Marsh VioletViola palustris
Common Yellow-sedgeCarex demissa
Marsh WillowherbEpilobium palustre
Heath Spotted-orchidDactylorhiza maculata
Perennial Rye-grassLolium perenne
Flea SedgeCarex pulicaris
Great WillowherbEpilobium hirsutum
Sweet CicelyMyrrhis odorata
Marsh PennywortHydrocotyle vulgaris
Meadow FoxtailAlopecurus pratensis
Bush VetchVicia sepium
Bulbous RushJuncus bulbosus
Wood AnemoneAnemone nemorosa
Bottle SedgeCarex rostrata
Bog-myrtleMyrica gale
Wych ElmUlmus glabra
White SedgeCarex canescens
BogbeanMenyanthes trifoliata
Smooth Lady's-mantleAlchemilla glabra
ColtsfootTussilago farfara
Whorled CarawayTrocdaris verticillata
CranberryVaccinium oxycoccos
Perennial Sow-thistleSonchus arvensis
Creeping Soft-grassHolcus mollis
Bog PondweedPotamogeton polygonifolius
Thale CressArabidopsis thaliana
Lesser TrefoilTrifolium dubium
Amphibious BistortPersicaria amphibia
Glaucous SedgeCarex flacca
Marsh WoundwortStachys palustris
Creeping Forget-me-notMyosotis secunda
Spreading Meadow-grassPoa humilis
Tufted VetchVicia cracca
Soft-bromeBromus hordeaceus
Faeroes DandelionTaraxacum faeroense
Common Cow-wheatMelampyrum pratense
Compact RushJuncus conglomeratus
Narrow Buckler-fernDryopteris carthusiana
Buck's-horn PlantainPlantago coronopus
Tawny SedgeCarex hostiana
Rough Meadow-grassPoa trivialis
Common FigwortScrophularia nodosa
Field HorsetailEquisetum arvense
Festuca rubraFestuca rubra
Dioecious SedgeCarex dioica
Lesser ClubmossSelaginella selaginoides
False Oat-grassArrhenatherum elatius
Meadow VetchlingLathyrus pratensis
Common CottongrassEriophorum angustifolium
Crowberry agg.Empetrum nigrum
Sheep's Fescue agg.Festuca ovina
Marsh-bedstrawGalium palustre
Beech FernPhegopteris connectilis
Heath RushJuncus squarrosus
Sherard's Downy-roseRosa sherardii
Smooth-stalked SedgeCarex laevigata
GoldenrodSolidago virgaurea
Common SedgeCarex nigra
LousewortPedicularis sylvatica
Water AvensGeum rivale
New Zealand WillowherbEpilobium brunnescens
Field Wood-rushLuzula campestris
Bog AsphodelNarthecium ossifragum
Marsh RagwortJacobaea aquatica
Cross-leaved HeathErica tetralix
Sweet Vernal-grassAnthoxanthum odoratum
Green-ribbed SedgeCarex binervis
Western Balsam-poplarPopulus trichocarpa

Species observations from the last 10 years via NBN Atlas

Wildlife to spot

Photos

📷 Thomas Nugent · Geograph · CC BY-SA 2.0

Wester Kames Castle

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🌱Winter GardensUrban park4.1 km→⛪PresbyReligious grounds4.3 km→✦Rothesay CastleHistoric site4.4 km→✦Mercat CrossHistoric site4.4 km→⛪St Ninian's ChurchReligious grounds1.9 km→🪦North Bute CemeteryCemetery1.1 km→

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