St Cyrus National Nature Reserve

St Cyrus National Nature Reserve lies on the north-east coast of Scotland, between the village of St Cyrus and the North Sea. It is a narrow strip of land only 3.5 kilometres long and less than 500 metres wide, covering 92 hectares just above sea level. The reserve is bounded by cliffs to the west and the River North Esk to the south, forming the northern third of Montrose Bay. Declared in 1962 and managed by NatureScot, it protects nationally important habitats for flowering plants and insects. Over 300 plant species grow here, many at their northern limit in Britain. The cliffs and dunes provide homes for rare butterflies such as the small blue, moths including the cinnabar, and land snails like Cepaea nemoralis. More than seventy bird species have been recorded, from waders like redshank and oystercatcher to birds of prey such as peregrine falcon. Seals use the sandbanks at the river mouth, while dolphins and whales are seen offshore. The reserve also supports roe deer, foxes, stoats and reptiles like viviparous lizards. A visitor centre runs from an old lifeboat station and offers educational facilities for schools and researchers. NatureScot has marked the Tyrie Trail, a 1.5-kilometre path through the reserve, alongside other routes. Nearby, the old Nether Kirkyard surrounds a former church consecrated in 1242, and a cave in the cliffs holds Neolithic bones and pottery dated between 4,000 and 3,000 BC. The reserve’s changing coastline and shifting river channel show how the land has evolved over centuries.