Walk: Brock Wood birdspotting

East Lothian | Spott | Short walk | ★★★

[Brock Wood]

For rich birdlife and a forest banquet, look no further than Brock Wood. This area of mixed woodland not far from Dunbar is a quiet nature reserve home to otters, wrens, warblers and nuthatches among other species, with hillsides clothed in wild garlic (late spring / early summer) and berries (late summer), delivering a feast for all the senses. Our circuit here follows the straightforward (though muddy) circuit marked out by The Scottish Wildlife Trust, exploring most of the reserve.

[Brock Wood]

📌 Walk: Brock Wood birdspotting ★★★
Start / finish at layby (space for a few cars only) at minor road corner, 1 mi west of Spott, G.R.: NT 661748 ///licks.deals.chip

▶ 2 km / 1 mi | ▲ 30 m | ⌚ Short | ⬤ Easy
Features: Brock Wood Nature Reserve
Terrain: Woodland paths, often narrow and muddy in places.

Route & map

Layby - path west to Brock Burn - Spott ford by burnside path - return by upper path. Reserve map here.

Route credit: Scottish Wildlife Trust
Found this page useful? Please consider making a donation.

On our visit

Wildlife: Dippers, nuthatches, lots of woodpigeons, tits, screeching birds of prey, possibly a jay. Ripe raspberries, blackberries, elderberries.
Weather: 15°C or so, brightening up after a heavy shower.

Chronological photo guide

[Brock Wood]

[Brock Wood]

[Brock Wood]

[Brock Wood]

[Brock Wood]

[Brock Wood]

[Brock Wood]

[Nuthatch]

[Brock Wood]

[Brock Wood]

Comments

Post a comment

Popular posts from this blog

Walk: Livingston's jaw-dropping waterfall

Image
West Lothian | Livingston | Short walk | ★★★ ⚠ Route currently impassable - see red text below [Linn Jaw lower falls] What springs to mind when someone mentions Livingston, West Lothian? Sprawling road junctions, retail parks, 1960s architecture... how about a splendid waterfall? Under a mile from the town's southernmost suburbs, the Camilty Water drops into a short but beautiful gorge sharply at odds with the gentleness of the surrounding farmland. Two substantial waterfalls and several smaller ones tumble into the depths; the largest is actually fed by a crumbling mill lade (the mill no longer exists) but this isn't obvious from below. Parking is limited, but the walk from the nearest road begins promisingly. The last few hundred metres of the route are however a bit sketchy: stepping stones across a side burn, and a very slippery slope to reach the best viewpoint - more details below. Important The house and gardens alongside the path are someone’s home, and alth
More

Dunsapie

Image
City of Edinburgh | Duddingston | Viewpoint | ★★★ [Arthur's Seat & Dunsapie Loch from Dunsapie summit] This relatively neglected small summit on the east side of Edinburgh 's Holyrood Park is a perfect alternative to Arthur's Seat for those short on time or stamina. Dunsapie rises 145 metres above sea level, but can be accessed from car parks on Queen's Drive just a few dozen metres below - though walking from Duddingston or Willowbrae is a great alternative for those seeking a slightly longer route. Dunsapie's rocky summit features some distinctive rocky outcrops and offers a superb outlook both over East Lothian and west to Arthur's Seat - the latter busy with families sledging on our recent, snowy visit. The artificial reservoir of Dunsapie Loch hugs the foot of the hill at road level, and is itself a very pleasant spot; otters have frequently been spotted here in recent months. [View east from the summit] Location & info 📌 Dunsapie ★★★
More

Walk: Towpath, tunnel & Colinton Dell

Image
City of Edinburgh | Slateford | Short walk | ★★★ [Colinton Dell] The southwestern suburbs of Edinburgh conceal a true wee gem. Colinton Dell is one of the most intimate and scenic sections of the Water of Leith, carved deep into the bedrock between Slateford and Colinton. Loved by locals, it's well worth a quick trip out by bus for visitors staying in the city centre. This intricate circuit by canal towpath, dismantled railway (featuring a tunnel covered in eye-catching murals) and riverside path explores the water course on two vertical levels, with options for refreshments at the halfway point in Colinton Village - from where we feature a longer extension to Torduff Reservoir and Bonaly Country Park. [Colinton Tunnel] 📌 Walk: Towpath, tunnel & Colinton Dell ★★★ Start / finish at Water of Leith Visitor Centre (street parking available to west), Lanark Road (A70), Slateford, 3 mi southwest of Edinburgh Waverley station, G.R.: NT 221707 ///tree.pulled.judges
More