Threave Nature Reserve, located just outside Castle Douglas, is a dream for any bird enthusiast! Not only that, it’s home to Threave Castle and beautiful trails to follow, making it a great day out for the whole family!
The Wildlife
Threave Nature Reserve is not just home to birds, but all kinds of wildlife, including otters, red squirrels, and deer. However, the one thing that attracts many people over to the reserve, is the Osprey!
The Osprey have been nesting here on the grounds for almost a decade!
On our visit, we were lucky enough to spot the Osprey. However, it was too far away to get any good photos! We also saw Red Kites, heard Woodpeckers in the trees, and sat and watched a Heron out on the River Dee, waiting for it to catch some food.
Best Time To Visit
If you are here to visit the wildlife, especially the Osprey and Red Kites, you need to visit between March and September. If you want to try and see some otters, you need to time your visit at either dawn or dusk, when your chances are increased.
Just remember, you’re not guaranteed to see what you are looking for on your visit, and patience is the key! We literally caught the Osprey minutes before it flew away. The guide who was at the hide said it could be hours before it returns!
Parking
There is a small free car park at the reserve, with toilets, and an information office.
SatNav: Threave Nature Reserve, Castle Douglas, DG7 1TJ
The Walk Through the Reserve
There are a few different routes you can take through the reserve!
Here’s a photo of the map of the routes you can take. The photo is taken from the information board at the start of the trail.
We took the main circular route with a detour off to the Stepping Stones Wildlife Hide. A beautiful circular trail that takes you to a couple of the hides, past Threave Castle, and provides you with fantastic views over the reserve.
This route was just over 1.5 miles (2.4 km) long, all on well-marked paths!
The main circular route around the reserve is easy to follow without a map. However, if you do want a map to follow, here’s mine. Just make sure your location is turned on, and you should be able to see exactly where you are on this map. Or if you prefer, download the GPX file and use it on your choice of route tracker.
We walked the route clockwise!
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Further Reading
Want to see what else there is to? Check out some of my other Scottish Guides: Scotland
