RSPB Lochwinnoch – Whooper Swans and Winter Ducks
A few hours.
The route
Lochwinnoch is one of the few wetlands left in the west of Scotland, a loch, marsh and reedbed in Renfrewshire where the RSPB keeps two hides, viewing screens and a boardwalk through the wet woods.
Through the winter months whooper swans, wigeon, goldeneye and plenty of other ducks gather on the open water. The trails are short and flat, an easy outing for families and first-time birdwatchers.
Before you go
Book accommodation nearby
If you are staying over: here are ours nearest where the day starts and ends.
The nearest of ours is Talli House, 6 miles away. Sleeps 4; next free Fri 30 Oct to Sun 1 Nov.
Then Moment Blythswood Street, 15 miles away. Sleeps 2.
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The day
Lochwinnoch
A slow couple of hours on the wetland, from the visitor centre along the boardwalk to the hides, with the swans and ducks out on the water.
About two hoursAbout 1 mile on foot
RSPB Lochwinnoch
RSPB Lochwinnoch is on the Largs Road (the A760) at the edge of Lochwinnoch village, with its car park 20 metres from the visitor centre. Parking costs £4.50 for up to six hours at the time of writing, paid by contactless card at the machine (free for RSPB members, and free for the first 30 minutes for a visit to the shop); there are 30 spaces. Entry to the reserve is free. The reserve, its two hides, two viewing screens and the trails are open all day, and the visitor centre, with toilets and baby changing, opens every day from 10am to 4pm. It hires out binoculars from £7 a day, last hire at 3pm. In the winter months the RSPB lists whooper swans, wigeon, goldeneye and many other ducks, best watched from the hides over the open water; ask in the centre what has been about. Three flat trails start from the centre, two of 400 metres and the 1.5km main trail, which is all-access with a stretch of boardwalk, though all of them can flood after heavy rain. There's no café, so bring a flask: there are picnic tables outside and a wild play area for children. Keep to the paths and hides, and keep a dog at heel or on a lead; well-behaved dogs are welcome in the visitor centre too.
If it rains
The two hides and the visitor centre are under a roof; the trails between them are in the open and can flood after heavy rain.
Photographs by victoria slaven and David Leishman snr via Google