Baron's Haugh - Motherwell - an apprehension (1 Viewer)

Greetings everybody.

After hitting the big 4-0 a few months ago, I thought I would spend some time on one of my other interests in life, asside from radio, music, DJ-ing, hill-walking and so on.

So, after blowing the dust off my 30 year old bins, I have visited a few good birdwatching sites within easy reach of my home in Lanarkshire, including Caerlaverock, Lochwinnoch and a few others.

One thing I have noticed about the places I have visited so far is that whilst I might be running around in an old banger of car that has proven to be quite reliable, I can park in the car parks and feel confident that security is not much of an issue. Most places have security cameras, a human presence in a visitor centre, a few good hides and benches that are not far from the car park and the places provide a feeling that you are not going to be stranded in the middle of nowhere should some wee Ned decide that your property is theirs.

Unfortunately, at Baron's Haugh I don't get that feeling. The car park is, well, a popular stopping place for boy-racers and back-seat alchoholics, who will come at any time of the day or night, whilst birders and birdwatchers park their cars and walk down a steep hill to be in the hides and have their eyes watching the birdlife in the water, whilst their cars are well and truly out-of-sight.

Consequently, Baron's Haugh is one potentially great birdwatching site that I avoid.

Does anyone else feel this way? Should the RSPB ensure that, whilst there might not be a human being manning a vistor centre during daytimes, the car park should have some form of security or CCTV?

Arthur Grainger said:

The car park should have some form of security or CCTV?

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Given there's a station less than a mile away and a bus stop just 300 yards from the car park, plus plenty of places to park on road, under lights, a very short walk away on the nearby estate, then no, I don't think a conservation charity should be spending members' donations on car parking provision.

I'm a regular visitor to Baron's Haugh and have never had any problems parking there.

bitterntwisted said:

Given there's a station less than a mile away and a bus stop just 300 yards from the car park, plus plenty of places to park on road, under lights, a very short walk away on the nearby estate, then no, I don't think a conservation charity should be spending members' donations on car parking provision.

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I would agree with you - but I am also thinking of people who may be in their autumn or winter years and may be less able, as well as disabled people, for which to walk a mile from either Airbles or Motherwell railway station would be a bit much and even using the local bus services would be a bit of an ask, not to mention the people for whom, depending on where they live, public transport from their home place is not an option (I used to live in such a place).

It should also be noted that the road between the nearest access street and the entrance to the car park is also downhill (which means uphill when heading back).

Also, what about those who would like to go there at dawn or dusk, when some interesting bird activity takes place? Dusk till dawn is also the time when the local troublemakers congregate on that car park (which I have witnessed). It was a little worse when the college was just next door, the "students" often used the car park area as a place to congregate, when they would often vandalise the signage (or worse).

As a Lanarkian born and bred, I do know the area very, very well, even right down to the people that live in the town, so I know what to expect.

It's also worth pointing out that the RSPB used to have a visitor centre here, in the form of a portacabin and a guide.

In 5 years of visiting Barons Haugh at least monthly I have never had a problem in the car park (touch wood). And while I have come across a lot of drinkers in the hides and the surrounding area I have never been threatened, although I have felt uneasy, and changed my route occassionally. To be honest, the only attack I suffered was from an upset bull one day!

Some 'users' of the reserve aren't there for the good of the place, admittedly, and cause a lot of rubbish and fires. However, after a few vists you get to know when to avoid the place and the better times to visit. I suggest avoiding warm summer weekend evenings, for a starter. On Sundays the local RSPB group visit and safety in numbers comes into play. Early mornings are also a good time to visit, especially in the spring when the birdsong is amazing.

I agree that it is not an accessible reserve, such as Lochwinnoch, but due to the gradients, there isn't much that could reasonably be done about that. Parking in the nearby residential streets should make you feel easier about leaving your car and if you can walk from the haugh back to the reserve car park, then an extra few metres ascent shouldn't be too much of an issue.

The reserve has its problems, but it also has some quality birds. For instance a Redstart last Wednesday evening and 77 Black-tailed Godwits today.

BTW Offtopic: There should be at least 1 Islandic Black tailed godwitt in that group: http://www.baronshaugh.talktalk.net/flying godwits FG.jpg
below on the left side

bongofury said:

In 5 years of visiting Barons Haugh at least monthly I have never had a problem in the car park (touch wood). And while I have come across a lot of drinkers in the hides and the surrounding area I have never been threatened, although I have felt uneasy, and changed my route occassionally. To be honest, the only attack I suffered was from an upset bull one day!

Some 'users' of the reserve aren't there for the good of the place, admittedly, and cause a lot of rubbish and fires. However, after a few vists you get to know when to avoid the place and the better times to visit. I suggest avoiding warm summer weekend evenings, for a starter. On Sundays the local RSPB group visit and safety in numbers comes into play. Early mornings are also a good time to visit, especially in the spring when the birdsong is amazing.

I agree that it is not an accessible reserve, such as Lochwinnoch, but due to the gradients, there isn't much that could reasonably be done about that. Parking in the nearby residential streets should make you feel easier about leaving your car and if you can walk from the haugh back to the reserve car park, then an extra few metres ascent shouldn't be too much of an issue.

The reserve has its problems, but it also has some quality birds. For instance a Redstart last Wednesday evening and 77 Black-tailed Godwits today.

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Hi, If you are unsure about parking in the main carpark then I recommend parking in the public carparkf at the Dalzell house. Here is quieter(except for dogs sometimes) and is perfect for nuthatch as there are around 5nests in this area and last year actually nested in the carpark in one of the small trees beside road block stones. You get here by heading towards the away stand at Fir Park past the high school and down to the bottom of the road. You are around 10 mins from the first(Marsh) hide and can check your route to here from the notice board on the right as you drive in to carpark on your left.

It'd be a shame to miss out on what the Haugh has to offer due to some pre-conceptions about the place. Car parking is never a problem, if I park in Adele Street its not that much further to walk through Dalzell Woods. Also, the steep hill from the car park is great for warblers, buzzards, kestrel and raven. The less- steep route is an easy gradient if you cut through Dalzell Woods and double back on yourself.

The local youth are only a problem on certain days, and then they're more of a nuisance than a threat. If you pick your times to visit, there are enough walkers, cyclists, other birders using the place.

Given that its in the middle of Motherwell, the birds on offer are often exceptional. A little bit of nous, some careful planning and its as safe as any place I've visited.