Drumpellier
Drumpellier Country Park is one of the most visited in Scotland - and it's not hard to see why.
With loch side paths, woodland trails and a visitor centre and cafe, Drumpellier makes a great family day out. The visitor centre is open daily - and boats can be hired in the summer months. The Park was awarded a Trip Advisor Certificate of Excellence in 2016. Find out more here.
Heritage and Nature
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Human activity at Drumpellier goes back almost 12,000 years. Lochend Loch is the site of an Iron Age Crannog and was the medieval farm of the Monks of Newbattle Abbey, while an open stretch of the Monkland Canal highlights the areas industrial past.
The lochs, ponds and woods are home to a wealth of wildlife, from easy-to-spot waterbirds on Lochend and Woodend Lochs, to more secretive animals like water vole and otter, Look out for buzzard soaring over the trees and roe deer feeding in woodland clearings.
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Lochend and Woodend Lochs
There are two quite different lochs at Drumellier. Lochend Loch is well visited, and is a great place to learn some easy to identify waterbirds such as coot, tufted duck and goosander. Woodend Loch is much less visited, and still has lots of undisturbed wetland habitat around the loch edge. The loch, which is protected as a Site of Special Scientific Interest, is home to a number of rare plants and water beetles, a good variety of waterbirds, and is a known site for otters.
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Monkland Canal
The Monkland canal, constructed between 1770 and 1790, thrived during the 19th century as a key link between industrial areas of Glasgow, Coatbridge and Airdrie. by 1850 over a million tonnes of coal had been transported along the canal. However, with the rise of the railways the canal fell out of use, and was closed to navigation in 1952. The remaining bit of the canal at Drumpellier is the last open stretch before it disappears under the M8 motorway.
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Lochend Loch is one of two known crannog sites in the Seven Lochs area. Crannogs are Iron Age dwelling houses built on artificial islands or on wooden stilts over open water, with a bridge to link them to the shore.
Activities
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With miles of lochside and woodland paths to explore, as well as play areas, Visitor Centre and cafe, Drumpellier Country Park is great for families. There's an easy 1 mile route around Lochend Loch as well as longer walks through peaceful woodland. The Monkland canal from Blair Bridge to Bargeddie makes a pleasant walk or bike ride, with links to Drumpellier Country Park.
The Seven Lochs Trail, which winds its way through the wetland park from Drumpellier Country Park to Hogganfield Park, passing Bishop Loch and Provan Hall along the way, and makes for a great walk or bike ride. Download the
Seven Lochs Trail leaflet [818kb] -
Crannog play area
The new Crannog play area at Lochend Loch is for kids of all ages to let their imagination run wild. Themed as an ancient Iron Age dwelling, and populated with carved animals, you can climb, slide and swing through time!
Getting There
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Drumpellier Country Park Visitor Centre is on Townhead Rd, Coatbridge, ML5 1RX. It is a 25 minute walk / 10 minute cycle through the Country Park from Blairhill Station. The nearest bus stop is outside the Visitor Centre on Townhead Rd.
For more information visit Traveline Scotland.
