Shewalton Wood

With its woodland, grassland and wetland areas, this reserve hosts small mammals, amphibians and songbirds, which attract birds of prey and other predators. A network of water-filled channels and two large ponds provide an ideal habitat for amphibians, dragonflies and damselflies.

Why visit?

Highlights include:

  • Native woodland regeneration project
  • Farmland birds and birds of prey
  • Foxes, roe deer and bats
  • Reptiles and amphibians

Best time to visit?

  • Spring for adders and amphibians
  • Summer for insects
  • Autumn/winter for flocks of birds
  • All year for mammals

Visit for:

  • birdwatching
  • woodlands
  • grasslands
  • mammals
  • wetland
  • pond

Other information

There is a 3-mile level path within the reserve.

Shewalton Wood is one of the Irvine Greenspaces.

You can find out more about Shewalton Wood in episode four of our Words of the Wild podcast series.

Facilities

Hover for more information

VISITING THE RESERVE

How to get there

Directions

Leave the A78(T) at the Newhouse Interchange and take the B7080 (Moss Drive) to the Oldhall Roundabout. Take the last exit onto Meadowhead Road. The reserve car park is down in the woods on the left after the Scottish Water building, approximately 500m along the road.

Get directions

Getting onto the reserve

From the car park, enter the reserve by the metal gate next to the reserve sign. The reserve has around 3 miles of footpaths, including a section of cycle path.

Access restrictions

Please prevent dogs from hunting wildlife at all times of year, but especially in spring.

Nearest town
Irvine (2 mi / 3.2 km)
OS grid ref
NS345355
Landranger map
70

Shewalton Wood

Greenspaces

One of the nine Irvine Greenspace reserves. These are within easy walking/cycling distance of where people live, giving them access to high quality green space close to home. The eight other Greenspaces are:

FURTHER READING

About Shewalton Wood

Out & about

Nearby reserves
Oldhall Ponds
Gailes Marsh
Shewalton Sandpits

Local group
Ayrshire

Links & downloads

Area leaflet

Reserve map

iSpot

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