sites to visit in the scottish borders - naturally! The Scottish Borders has a diverse range of habitats Site name: Ettrick Marshes Site name: Gunknowe Loch and Tweedbank Park Site name: The Hirsel Estate Site name: Lindean Loch and Whitlaw Mosses Site name: St Abb’s Head National Nature Site name: Yetholm Loch (Scottish Wildlife and many excellent sites for watching wildlife. From the Nearest Settlement: Ettrickbridge Nearest Settlement: Tweedbank Nearest Settlement: Coldstream National Nature Reserve Reserve (National Trust for Trust Reserve) spectacular seabird colonies and carpets of wild flowers Main Habitats: Floodplain woodlands, meadow, Main Habitats: Loch, river, woodlands, scrub, Main Habitats: Deciduous and mixed woodlands, Nearest Settlement: Selkirk Scotland property) Nearest Settlement: Yetholm on the Berwickshire coast to heather covered moorland wetlands, river, conifer woodland. hedgerows, verges and gardens loch, river, farmland Main Habitats: Loch, fen, willow carr, grassland, Nearest Settlement: St Abbs Main Habitats: Loch and pond, fen, willow carr, in the west supporting breeding wading birds and birds Wildlife Interest: Borders Forest Trust have felled Wildlife Interest: This urban area has been designed Wildlife Interest: The Hirsel estate has fine mature woodland Main Habitats: Cliffs, grassland, freshwater loch, deciduous woodland of prey. The River Tweed threads its way for 100 miles the conifer trees and planted native to include a lot of wooded areas, woodland with many oak and yew Wildlife Interest: The grasslands and wetlands are rocky shore Wildlife Interest: Yetholm Loch is an important from the Tweedsmuir Hills south-west of Peebles to the broadleaved trees to recreate the open grasslands and a small loch trees which attract nuthatch, great rich in plant species and the open Wildlife Interest: Famous for its accessible site for breeding and North Sea at Berwick and each section of the river has floodplain woodland. This wetland and with the River Tweed close by, spotted woodpecker, jay, water contains a diverse mix of colonies of seabirds- guillemot, over-wintering wildfowl and a its wildlife gems. In the western Borders there are many area and meadow is rich in wildlife, this site attracts a lot of wildlife. redwing and many other aquatic insects. At Lindean loch razorbill, kittiwake, fulmar. The good site for observing otter. The small lochs and wetlands which are easily overlooked ideal habitat for reed bunting, Gunknowe loch attracts mute swans songbirds. The loch is an there is a platform where pond grasslands are rich in wild flowers path to the hide takes in a pond but make up some of our best wildlife habitats and grasshopper warbler, water rail and and a variety of gulls, along with important wildfowl roost for teal, dipping can be done. The reeds including drifts of thrift which and woodland strip. There is contain many of our rarer species. Scattered throughout water vole, otter, dipper, grey tufted duck and mallard usually goosander, shoveler, whooper and sedges provide cover for water support a variety of butterflies and willow carr and fen habitat at the the area are some fantastic private estates with mature wagtail and osprey are found along present. The wooded areas are home swan and grey geese. Other rail, reed bunting and sedge the small loch and deciduous southern end of the loch. mixed woodlands full of wildlife. the river. red squirrel, roe deer, to many songbirds including long noteable species: blackcap, warbler and otter frequent the area. woodlands attract wildfowl and Noteable species include: crossbill and siskin inhabit the tailed tit, bullfinch, siskin, nuthatch, little grebe, kingfisher, otter, Noteable species include: northern migrant birds. offshore, gannets, kingfisher, osprey, reed Year of Natural Scotland neighbouring conifer woodland. greater spotted woodpecker. Along noctule bat, daubenton’s bat, roe marsh orchid, bogbean, greater grey seals and occasionally bunting, gadwall, shelduck, 2013 is the Year of Natural Scotland which aims to Other notable species: goosander, the riverside dipper, oystercatcher deer. spearwort, redpoll, tufted duck, whales and dolphins are seen. noctule bat, blue tailed promote Scotland’s stunning natural beauty and treecreeper, sedge warbler, stoat, and sand martin can often be seen. How to get there: From the A698 on the western side dragonflies, scotch argus butterfly. Other notable species: purple milk damselfly, cowbane. biodiversity, and encourage everyone to enjoy our reed canarygrass, meadowsweet, Other notable species: otter, badger, of Coldstream, follow the estate How to get there: From Selkirk head east vetch, wild thyme, rockrose, How to get there: Situated 1 mile west of Yetholm. beautiful landscapes, wildlife and heritage responsibly. marsh valerian. scotch argus common sandpiper, heron, drive to the car park and visitor (to St Boswells) on A699 for northern brown argus butterfly, From Kelso take the B6436 for 5 butterfly, common frog. goldfinch. Waxwing are often centre. 3 miles/5 kms. Turn left and aftter peregrine falcon, puffin, reed miles. Turn right for Lochside, This leaflet describes 13 sites selected to highlight the How to get there: From Selkirk take the B7009 for 14 present in winter. Grid Reference: NT827 402 ½ mile park at roadside car park at warbler. park at layby 250 metres on left. variety of habitats, animal and plant species to be found miles to Tushielaw, then follow the How to get there: North of the A6091 between Post Code: TD12 4LW Lindean Loch. There is a path How to get there: From Coldingham take the B6438 Follow path to the hide on the in the Scottish Borders. B709 for another 2 miles. Turn left Galashiels and Melrose. Park at around Lindean Loch and a hide on for 1 mile, car park and visitor western side of the loch. into Honey Cottage caravan park and Gunknowe loch. the south side. Park here to visit centre at Northfield farm. Grid Reference: NT802 279 Grid Reference: NT912 692 Post Code: TD5 8PD To see an extensive list of wildlife sites in the Scottish park at the riverside car park. There Grid Reference: NT517 345 Murder Moss, Beanrig Moss and Post Code: TD14 5QF Borders visit www.scotborders.gov.uk/naturally are waymarked paths through the Post Code: TD1 3RP Blackpool Moss. site. Grid Reference: NT505 292 Grid Reference: NT289 156 Post Code: TD7 4QN Post Code: TD7 5HU Site name: Duns Castle Estate Site name: Langholm - Newcastleton Hills Site name: Lauder Common Site name: Bowhill Country Estate Site name: Kailzie Gardens Site name: Dawyck Botanic Gardens Nearest Settlement: Duns Nearest Settlement: Newcastleton (Scottish Borders), Nearest Settlement: Lauder Nearest Settlement: Selkirk Nearest Settlement: Peebles Nearest Settlement: Stobo Main Habitats: Loch, parkland, grassland, mixed Langholm (Dumfries and Main Habitats: Heather moorland, acid grassland Main Habitats: Mature mixed woodland, conifer Main Habitats: River, pond, mixed woodland, Main Habitats: Mature mixed woodland, garden and sites to visit woodland Galloway) Wildlife Interest: Extensive area of upland habitats woodland, scrub, heather moor, unimproved grasslands, gardens. parkland. The gardens are managed Main Habitats: Blanket mire, heather moorland Wildlife Interest: The site consists of an artificial with good access. Upland mosaic river and loch There is an entrance charge. Open by the Royal Botanic Gardens and acidic grassland, small areas Edinburgh. There is an entrance loch (Hen Poo) and pond (Mill of heathland and acid grassland, Wildlife Interest: The woodlands are home to roe from the end of March to end of in the scottish of broad-leaved woodland charge. dam) set in policy woodland in wet heath and blanket bog, deer, tawny owl, greater October, 11am - 5.30pm. associated with streams. Open 1st February to 30 November the grounds of Duns Castle. unimproved acid grassland, scree, spotted woodpecker, nuthatch, Wildlife Interest: Live CCTV pictures of nesting osprey The site is managed as a Scottish Wildlife Interest: Much of the moorland is gorse scrubs and haughland goshawk, crossbill and siskin. The and other birds. Along the river Wildlife Interest: The gardens have a fantastic borders - designated as a Special Wildlife Trust reserve and is a along Lauder burn. In spring, hills are managed for red collection of trees and shrubs making Protection Area (SPA) for hen kingfisher, goosander, heron, dipper, Historic Garden and Designed golden plover, curlew, snipe and grouse and attract curlew and this site one of Britain’s finest harrier and SSSI for hen harrier, otter and bats are present. Landscape (HGDL). In summer, lapwing, red grouse, meadow cuckoo. Along the Yarrow Water arboreta with some of the country’s breeding waders, grouse and Grassslands attract brown hare naturally! mute swan, coot, moorhen, reed pipit, skylark, stonechat and otter, dipper and grey wagtail tallest trees. There is a Cryptogamie bunting and occasional visiting moorland habitat mosaics. Spring lapwing, oystercatcher, redshank. wheatear. Black grouse formerly are present. The lochs contain Reserve for non flowering plants – osprey on loch. Buzzard, and early summer for curlew, The woodlands contain buzzard, present. Occasional short-eared heron, mute swan, moorhen and mosses, fungi, lichens. Resident sparrowhawk, great spotted golden plover, red grouse, aquatic insects such as damselfly sparrowhawk, woodcock, barn owl, birds include green woodpecker, whinchat, stonechat, meadow owl, dipper, grey wagtail, woodpecker, redstart,