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

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.
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.
Monkland Canal
The Monkland canal, constructed between 1770 and 1790, thrived during the 19^th 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.
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

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!

Upcoming Events

Drumpellier Celebration Day

Saturday 29th June
Guided walks and nature activities to mark the re-opening of Drumpellier visitor centre as a gateway to the Seven Lochs Wetland Park.
Venue: Drumpellier Country Park, ML5 1RX.
Time: 11am - 3pm
Booking: No booking is required.
Contact: info@sevenlochs.org
Meet the Hoverfly

Monday 15th July
Perfect pollinator and gardener's friend, there is more to this fly than meets the eye! Join us at Drumpellier Country Park to discover how to identify, survey and monitor some of the bugs that populate your garden and local parks.

This training event is suitable for adults and young people aged 16 years or over. We will be outside for some of the time so please come dressed for the weather!
Venue: Drumpellier Country Park. Visitor Centre, Townhead Rd, ML5 2EH.
Time: 1pm - 4.30pm
Booking: Register at Eventbrite http://bit.ly/7lochs
Contact: info@sevenlochs.org
Perfect Pollinators

Monday 15th July
Join us at Drumpellier Country Park to discover how to identify, survey and monitor some of the bugs that populate your garden and local parks. At this training event we explore the diversity of our Scottish pollinators -bees, flies, butterflies and beetles.
This training event is suitable for adults and young people aged 16 years or over. We will be outside for some of the time so please come dressed for the weather!
Venue: Drumpellier Country Park, Visitor Centre, Townhead Rd, ML5 2EH.
Time: 6pm - 8pm
Booking: Register at Eventbrite http://bit.ly/7lochs
Contact: info@sevenlochs.org
The Life of the Leaf Beetle

Wednesday 24th July
Join us at Drumpellier Country Park to discover how to identify, survey and monitor some of the bugs that populate your garden and local parks. At this training event we find out more about the leaf beetles living in your local park.
This training event is suitable for adults and young people aged 16 years or over. We will be outside for some of the time so please come dressed for the weather!
Venue: Drumpellier Country Park, Visitor Centre, Townhead Rd, ML5 2EH.
Time: 6pm - 8pm
Booking: Register at Eventbrite http://bit.ly/7lochs
Contact: info@sevenlochs.org
Lacewings and their allies

Wednesday 31st July
Most often found in gardens, parks and meadows there are over a thousand species of lacewing. Join us at Drumpellier Country Park to discover how to identify, survey and monitor the most common types of lacewing and their relatives.
This training event is suitable for adults and young people aged 16 years or over. We will be outside for some of the time so please come dressed for the weather!
Venue: Drumpellier Country Park, Visitor Centre, Townhead Rd, ML5 2EH.
Time: 1pm - 4.30pm
Booking: Register at Eventbrite http://bit.ly/7lochs
Contact: info@sevenlochs.org

Getting There

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.