Sannox Bay Walk

Starting and finishing at the car park opposite the entrance to Glen Sannox NS016454, this walk takes you through a variety of habitats where you should see a range of birdlife in a couple of hours. The walk is on rough paths and road. Parts can be slippy after rain. Appropriate footwear should be worn. The walk can be done in reverse.

From the car park use the stepping stones to cross to the path on the north of the river and follow the path onto the shore. Scan the sea for divers and sea ducks. Divers can be seen most months of the year as well as numbers of Eiders and Red-breasted Merganser.

Take the path behind the shore north passed the beacon to the mouth of the river at North Sannox. The scrubland on your left is good for finches and tits as well warblers like Willow and Whitethroat in the breeding season. The shore has Oystercatcher and Ringed Plover plus Common Sandpiper in the summer months. At the mouth of the river a range of gulls bathe in the freshwater.

Follow the path inland on the left bank of the river through mixed broadleaf woodland to the bridge over the road. Grey Wagtail and Dipper are regular by the river. As well as more common woodland species Common Redstart has been recorded in this area.

At the bridge, turn left up the road, checking the woodland on either side for Spotted Flycatcher and Tree Pipit in the summer months.

Where this road joins the main road, again turn left and follow the road back to the car park.  The vista on your right towards the mountains of Glen Sannox is a good area to look for Ravens, Hooded Crows and raptors including Buzzard and Kestrel. The woodland adjacent to the golf course has breeding Great Spotted Woodpeckers and over the road bridge the sand quarry has a breeding colony of Sand Martins.