A free-to-use community bird hide just 2 miles by road or 1 mile on foot from Rothesay town centre. Parking is available nearby but access will involve a short walk. Kirk Dam is a shallow freshwater loch with extensive reed beds attracting many varieties of wading birds. Regular visitors include large flocks of whooper and mute swans, lots of ducks, coot, moorhen, reed bunting, sedge warbler, grasshopper warbler, redpoll, snipe, heron, sand martin, swallow, buzzard, kingfisher and osprey. Occasional visitors include water rail, scaup, shoveler and gargany.
Kirk Dam is adjacent to Loch Fad - a larger freshwater loch offering angling, boat hire and occasional test location for Donald Campbell's Bluebird.
We have indicated that Kirk Dam bird hide at Loch Fad is wheelchair accessible but it should be noted that assistance will probably be required as access is gained via a swing gate with an equine latch then a walk of about 50m over compacted ground on a light slope and a wooden bridge; however there are few obstacles other than small steps.
Kirk Dam Bird Hide is fully wheelchair accessible
Kirk Dam Bird Hide has a car park for the use of customers.
Single 1.6m leaning stone on agricultural land
Small sheltered shingle and sand bay
Operation Starfish WWII decoy bunker
Independently run natural and historical museum of Bute
Tranquil and inspiring studio for the teaching of art classes for adults
A collection of ancient burial chambers in woodland
Small shingle bay in Rothesay harbour
Single 2m high standing stone close to old tramway route
A single large standing stone with cupmarks
Pair of adjacent Iron Age hill forts
A lovely soft shallow sandy beach ideal for family outings
Beautiful large sandy bay overlooking Inchmarnock and Arran
Bird hide overlooking large sandy bay and adjacent farmland
Perfect solitude and stunning views
Ruined castle overlooking Kilchattan Bay
Small but beautiful red sandy beach
Popular red sandy beach in this quiet corner of Bute
Ruins of a chambered Neolithic cairn
Ruined chapel and burial ground
Remains of a large stone circle
Bird hide overlooking freshwater loch, woodlands and farm land
Pair of brightly-painted rocks overlooking the Kyles
Psychological Astrologer, I Ching and Reiki practitioner
Gorgeous secluded sandy beach famous for seal-spotting
Extensive ruins of a 12th century Romanesque church with far reaching views
At-risk gothic church in partial ruin
Circle of 8 stones some of significant size
Beautiful 13th century chapel once the Cathedral of the Isles
Ruins of a middle ages chapel
Well-eroded stones in a salt marsh area
Lovely quiet bay with long tidal reach full of shells
A row of three large standing stones in alignment
Secluded sandy beach close to Bute Golf Course
Puppeteers workshop and classroom space
The information presented here is collected from the public domain or has been provided by previous customers, users of or visitors to Kirk Dam Bird Hide. It is presented in good faith but is not warranted to be complete or free from errors. E&OE.
