Mosswater Local Nature Reserve (LNR)
Mosswater Local Nature Reserve is owned and managed by North Lanarkshire Council and the best way to access the reserve is by foot from Hope Park Drive, north of Blackwood round-about.
After several years of work to improve this site for wildlife and people, Mosswater has been designated a Local Nature Reserve (LNR).
The young woodland and floodplain grassland to the north of Broadwood have been radically improved to maximise their value for local biodiversity. Larger ponds with shallow mud edges have been created for waterfowl and wader birds. Small ponds have been created habitat for frogs and newts. Deep flooded ditches have been dug to support a water vole population.
In spring of 2012, an accessible surfaced path network was created through the woodland up to the viewpoint which overlooks the wetland, and also around the marsh on the east of the site to allow Hopepark residents easy access to the reserve.
Mosswater LNR’s young woodland, new ponds and path network are easily visible from the Edinburgh-Glasgow train (two minutes after leaving Croy station towards Glasgow – look out the left hand window).
Highlights
- Look out for barn owls on a dusk walk, they’ve been visitors to the site in the past.
- In summer, search for bees, butterflies and dragon and damselflies by the ponds and in the long grasses.
- Mosswater is a haven for migratory birds so listen for the call of the chiffchaff, as well as willow, sedge and grasshopper warblers.