Mersehead

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Address
RSPB Mersehead Nature Reserve, Southwick, Dumfries, DG2 8AH
Grid ref
NX928566

Situated on the scenic north shore of the Solway coast, Mersehead is an extensive wetland and saltmarsh area, a haven for breeding waders, wintering waterfowl and year-round bird and wildlife-watching. Spring is particularly magical, when the wet meadows fill with lapwings and skylarks.

Plan your visit

Opening times

Open from dawn to dusk every day.

Entrance charges

Free entrance to RSPB members
Yes
Adults
Free
Children
Free
Car park cost

£3 car-parking charge for non-members. 

Facilities

  • Visitor centre
  • Car park
  • Toilets
  • Accessible toilets
  • Pushchair friendly
  • Refreshments
  • Picnic area
  • Guided walks
  • Viewing point
  • Nature trails
  • Shop off-site
  • Play area

Accessibility

How to get here

By train

Dumfries is the nearest station. There are regular trains to Dumfries, however to continue to the reserve on public transport a bus will be required.

By bus

The nearest bus stop is at Caulkerbush (Southwick) approximately 1 mile from the visitor centre. Bus 372 Dumfries-Dalbeattie approximately every two hours. Visit the Dumfries and Galloway Council website for timetable information.

By road

From Dumfries, take the A710 Solway Coast road, passing through the villages of New Abbey, Kirkbean, Prestonmill and Mainsriddle. The reserve is signposted just before the village of Caulkerbush, on the left. A single-track road with passing places runs for a mile down to the car park, adjacent to the visitor centre. From Castle Douglas, take the A745, then the A711 to Dalbeattie before joining the A710 Solway Coast road, passing through the villages of Colvend, Sandyhills and Caulkerbush. The reserve is signposted just after Caulkerbush bridge, on the right.

Sat nav POI file: If you have a satellite navigation system that can accept POI files, please see our POI page for a download link and instructions.

Get directions from Google Maps
RSPB reserves on Google Earth

Group booking information

Groups are welcome to visit. Please contact us directly for more information. 

What will the weather be like?

4 degrees, Sunny day

Downloads

Helping you find your way around. PDF, 700Kb

Mersehead trail guide

Contact Mersehead

What will you see?

Our star species

Recent sightings

Estuary of Southwick Water/Solway Firth at sunset

Find out about recent wildlife sightings at Mersehead.

read more

Nature spectacles

Mersehead's wintering wildfowl and waders make it an increasingly popular visitor attraction. Each season brings with it its own nature spectacle and the opportunity to experience something new.

In spring, the air is filled with birdsong as they compete to establish territories and attract a mate. Listen to the croaks of natterjack toads in the evenings. In summer, look out for young birds making their first venture into the outside world. Autumn brings large movements of migrating birds, including huge flocks of wintering barnacle geese. In the winter see large mumurations of starling swirling around the reedbed as the come into roost.

Seasonal highlights

Spring signals the start of the breeding season many waders, including lapwings and snipe. Skylarks fill the air with song over the fields and merse, and natterjack toads call in a 'dusk chorus'. Barnacle and pink-footed geese gather in huge flocks before departing for their northern breeding grounds.

Otters, badgers and roe deer are easiest to see in the summer. Warblers sing by day and barn owls hunt at dusk. The plants of the shoreline and merse are in full flower. Butterflies abound and dragonflies hawk the ditches.

Svalbard barnacle geese arrive in huge flocks in late September and early October. Thousands of ducks such as teals, wigeons and pintails arrive from northern Europe. Feeding waders and shelducks follow the tide in and out on the sandflats.

Over winter, you can see huge flocks of farmland birds, including tree sparrows and twites, feed in the stubbles and wild bird cover crops. Watch for birds sent skyward as peregrines, merlins, and hen harriers pass overhead, hunting over the reserve.

About Mersehead

Habitat

Mersehead is a real Solway gem in Dumfries and Galloway, situated 18 miles from Dumfries. Still a working farm, this reserve boasts a wide variety of different habitats in breath-taking surroundings and wildlife from barnacle geese in the autumn and winter and lapwings and natterjacks toads in the spring and summer. It is a stunning example of freshwater wetland habitats, set adjacent to wide expanses of intertidal sand and mudflats wetlands, woodland, inter-tidal sandflats, the merse, farmland and of course a fabulous beach.

Conservation

Internationally important numbers of Svalbard barnacle geese overwinter at Mersehead up to 25 per cent of the world population. We have secured the site as a refuge for these birds, and now maintain 50-100 hectares of improved grassland for their benefit. Alongside this, we farm spring arable crops such as oat and re-seeded grassland at Mersehead. This has helped increase the number of wintering barnacle geese and other important farmland birds, including skylark, linnet and reed bunting.

We have worked to create and maintain a mosaic of wetland habitats on the reserve, including wet grassland, open water, ditches and reed swamp. This is achieved through managing water levels, grazing with sheep and cows and mowing in the summer. This has enriched the overall biodiversity and increased the number of waterfowl such as teal wigeon and pintail and numbers of breeding birds such as lapwing, reed warblers grasshopper warblers and snipe.

The sand dune system at Mersehead is a Site of Special Scientific Interest. We are safeguarding the biodiversity of this fragile habitat, taking natural coastal re-alignment into account. We have successfully introduced a population of rare natterjack toads to the dunes now - probably the largest natterjack toad colony in South Scotland. We are expanding their habitat by carefully managing the dunes through introducing grazing and opening up of shallow features for some seasonal flooding within the system.

Site information

The area has great importance for wildlife, so has been designated as a Site of Special Scientific Interest (SSSI), as well as a Natura 2000 and Ramsar site.

RSPB Scotland welcomes responsible access, in line with the Scottish Outdoor Access Code.

A pair of semi-detached cottages, Barnacle and Shelduck, are open on the reserve for bookings throughout the year. Both have two bedrooms, kitchen, lounge/dining room, bathroom, open fires, and easy access to the reserve's nature trails and beaches.

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What people are saying about Mersehead

Visited the reserve during a short stay in Dumfries. What a brilliant place to watch wildlife, great birdsong, lovely habitats, and the sight of thousands of Barnacle Geese, is not to be missed. A great day out!

Paul Heron

Fabulous day out! Great terrain and wildlife. Saw a spoonbill who was visiting the area which was a great surprise. I have been twice now and it's well worth the journey from Derbyshire to visit this reserve. Very informed and helpful staff too.

Rachel Wray

Mersehead is a great reserve, spent a great morning there. Accessibility very good (LH in wheelchair) - thanks. We will be back!

Richard Barton and Linda Hume

Activities and events

Activities for children and families

We have a dedicated family zone in the Visitor Centre, including colouring-in tables and small interactive games. A serious of family events programs, with pond dipping and bug hunting for families, an a selection of wildlife spotting sheets.

There is access to the Kite Garden and Sulwath Garden for self-led activities, and enclosed play and picnic areas. Wildlife Explorer Kits are available for hire to help families discover and explore the reserve in greater depth and in summer months access to the beach.

Leisure activities

At Mersehead we give visitors the opportunity to have a quiet walk in the countryside offering close up experiences with nature. The large skies and seascapes give a feeling of escape with Criffel and the hills sheltering the reserve behind. The reserve’s topography gives the site a unique selling point for an exemplar destination for all to enjoy, in particular for those who require disabled access. 

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