Ravenswood Local Nature Reserve


(Ravenswood Bog and Orchid Meadow)

Ravenswood Local Nature Reserve represents a 17-ha (42-acre) area of wetland lying to the west of the Ravenswood district of Cumbernauld in North Lanarkshire, a half-mile (1 km) southwest of the town centre. It is bordered by the M80 motorway, A73 and A8011 roads and is accessible by foot from Skye Road in Ravenswood. Designated in 2012, this reserve is separated from Northside Wood Nature Reserve to the northeast by Ravenswood Playing Fields. Comprising a pond, bog and orchid meadow, it is one of North Lanarkshire Council's Sites of Importance for Nature Conservation (SINC) due to its wetland flora and fauna. A good surfaced path and boardwalk guide visitors towards Polloks Pond, across the wet meadow where greater butterfly, northern marsh and common spotted orchids can be seen. Other wildflowers cover the area encouraging insects such as the six-spot burnet moth and the rare small pearl-bordered fritillary butterfly. Bird life includes grasshopper warbler, sedge warbler, reed bunting, snipe, skylarks, buzzards and kestrels, while roe deer, foxes and frogs live and breed here.

The area had previously been occupied by Ravenswood and Pollockshole farms, but the land was bought by the Cumbernauld Development Corporation in 1964 and the fields were spread with sub-soil during the building of the suburb of Condorrat and nearby roads. An old tree-lined avenue which once led to Pollockshole Farm remains. A slight rise, now known as Rabbit Hill, gives views over the surrounding area.


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