Experience Lochwinnoch: Your Go-To Guide To The Nature Reserve & More

Thursday was a cracking day for me and my partner. We had the chance to explore another bonnie spot, Lochwinnoch. It's a village in Renfrewshire, nestled in the west central Lowlands of Scotland, right on the banks of Castle Semple Loch and the River Calder. We didn't rush off first thing, as we wanted to take some steaks with us. So, we nipped to Tesco and grabbed some cherry tomatoes, mashed potatoes, avocado, sliced bread, steak, pepper, and fresh tomatoes. I whipped up a delicious steak, jazzed up the potatoes with some cheese, poured milk tea into the flask, packed some cherry tomatoes and carrots, filled our adventure bag with water, and off we went. I reckon we started driving around 1:10 pm, and it took us about 30-40 minutes to get to Lochwinnoch from Glasgow.

When we arrived, you might remember I mentioned we signed up for the RSPB (Royal Society for the Protection of Birds) membership. This means no more parking fees every time we visit a location protected by RSPB. And guess what? We didn't pay for parking even though our card was delayed – we just showed them an email. Felt like a win! Like I said, since my partner and I are always off on road trips, this card is a must-have. 

First things first, I needed a cold drink because the weather was lovely and warm – you know I love the heat! We started exploring Lochwinnoch Nature Reserve, and before long, we spotted an area with a wooden bank overlooking some water and grass. It looked like a man-made pond, but either way, the view was stunning. We sat down and had our breakfast, finishing it off with that cold drink – pure bliss! I even did a little happy food dance – you know, the one when your food hits just right! My partner was in stitches, saying the steak was so delicious. We both loved it, cleaned up after ourselves, making sure to leave no trace before heading off again. Just as we expected, we were smitten with the place.

We strolled around, soaking up every single view. Seriously, every single one! There's a long trail, and as you walk towards it, you get a gorgeous view of the River Calder, and from there, you can see the Castle Semple Country Park. That long trail felt like it went on forever, but when we finally reached the end, the view was absolutely worth it. We also spotted loads of birds that are being protected in their natural habitat. At the end of the trail, you can see the Peel Tower of Lochwinnoch. The ruins of The Peel of Castle Semple, or the Castle Semple Loch Peel Tower, which was once known in Scottish Reformation times as the Defender of the Faith, sit in Castle Semple Loch, in the Parish of Lochwinnoch, Renfrewshire, Scotland. The castle stands on a wee rocky island that's now connected to the shore by a curved embankment because of drainage and farming. You might see Semple written as 'Sempill' sometimes, but we'll stick to the more common spelling here.

I needed to do a product review, so I filmed the second one right there. Just after I finished, I started dancing again because I had my MUZEN OTR Portable Retro FM Radio Bluetooth Speaker with me – the walnut wood one I usually take on our trips. I love chilling out or having a dance in nature. There's just something about it that makes me constantly smile. I can't help it! I adore nature, so it's safe to say I'd love to live right in the middle of it.

Anyway, while we were there, we bumped into three elderly folks. After chatting with them, we found out they were three siblings. That really warmed my heart. Three elderly siblings on a trip together from the same parents – it was so lovely. You could still see that sibling bond between them.

Moving on, we enjoyed the views and made sure to snap loads of photos of Lochwinnoch so I could share them with you all. But wait, there's more! We decided to head towards the part where we could dip our legs in the water, and those lovely elderly siblings pointed us in the right direction, near Castle Semple Country Park. (I've already shared photos of our trip to Castle Semple Park on the blog.) But just before we went to find it, I asked my partner to wind down the car window a bit. We had cans of disinfectant inside, and with the hot weather, I was worried they might explode. We were still deciding whether to put them in the boot or leave them on the seats, and I asked my partner to check the boot. While we were talking, I didn't realize he was about to close it. I wanted to check the temperature, and bam! He closed it on my left index finger, and I screamed! Hahaha, the pain was so intense I couldn't even cry. My partner instantly felt terrible, so I had to cheer him up. He's been a bit down about it all day. Anyway, I insisted we finish our trip, but he wanted me to go to the hospital. But you know me, I waited for the bleeding to stop. My clotting time was about 4 minutes, which is normal, so I figured I'd be alright. We put some disinfectant on it, and my partner started looking for first aid. The first person he asked was a bus driver, but he didn't have anything. The second was a woman at the Castle Semple Sailing Club. Actually, he went around looking for first aid while I sat down. I even told him not to bother, but he was determined. When the woman saw us, she was so kind. She showed me where to wash my hands and gave me disinfectant cream, and my partner dressed the wound. It was a deep cut, but the pain is easing off now. Funnily enough, when I woke up on Friday last week, my elbow was even more sore than my finger!

You won't believe the craziest part of our adventure that day. When we finished our trip and were on our way back, my partner said I should get a tetanus jab. So, I called the NHS and was on hold for ages. Then, I went to Boots pharmacy, and they advised me to go to the hospital to see a doctor and gave me some painkillers. We finally got the go-ahead to go to Glasgow Royal Infirmary, and that was around 9:06 pm, but I'd been calling the NHS 111 since 7:37 pm. When I got there, I signed in and waited for what felt like forever before a nurse saw my wound. She used sterile water to clean it and then bandaged my whole left palm, not just my index finger. Then, she asked us to wait to see a doctor who would prescribe the tetanus injection – the whole reason I was there! I waited until around 1:15 am (middle of the night) before another senior nurse came to see me. Since I couldn't really feel the tip of my finger, I had to get an X-ray. After the X-ray, I waited again for a while, and then she came back with another person to give me the tetanus injection. They cleaned the wound again and redressed it. By this point, I was completely exhausted and trying not to get cranky because my partner had been with me the whole time and felt bad about what happened. He kept encouraging me to just wait it out, but I was so fed up. We finally got home around 2:56 am, almost 3 am! I quickly had a bath, grabbed something to eat, and went to bed. The funny thing is, I've been injured before back home as a kid, and it took maybe 30 minutes to get a prescription, the tetanus shot, and walk home. Same in Ukraine. But this was my first time visiting the minor injury ward here, and let me tell you, I won't be rushing back! The waiting time is ridiculous, and in the end, I didn't even see a doctor – the nurse did her job, and I'm fine. My partner tried to lighten the mood and said we were craving adventure, and now the adventure doesn't want to end! I couldn't help but laugh 🤣. Well, we got home safe and sound, thank God.

I know you can probably picture how exhausted I was by now, but let me quickly tell you a bit about Lochwinnoch Nature Reserve. It's a wetland reserve and a fantastic spot for a nature escape.

According to the RSPB, it's one of the few wetlands left in the west of Scotland. You can spot Whooper Swans, Wigeon, Goldeneye, and loads of other ducks. The conservation work at Lochwinnoch aims to restore the reserve's wetland system to how it would have been over 100 years ago. You can read more about Lochwinnoch village. We drove through it, and in my opinion, it's beautiful and peaceful. But judging by the £2.50 we paid for a can of Pepsi, the cost of living might be a bit on the higher side – you can do the math and tell me what you think.

Alright, so here's the lowdown on what you can expect to find when you get to Lochwinnoch:

Lochwinnoch: Your Ultimate Guide to a Wonderful Visit.

Address: Lochwinnoch RSPB Nature Reserve, Largs Road, Lochwinnoch PA12 4JF

First off, parking. It's all about contactless payment at the machine, so no need to rummage for change, but keep in mind you'll have to pay no matter when you rock up if you do not have the membership card. There are about 30 spaces, and just so you know, four of those are reserved for folks popping into the shop. If you've got a Blue Badge, there are three designated spots for you, and they're pretty close to the visitor centre – about 20 meters away. Now, the car park surface is gravel, and it can get a bit bumpy with potholes, so watch your step. If you're bringing your bike, there are racks right near the visitor centre entrance. Just a heads-up, there's no lighting in the car park and no proper spot to drop anyone off, but hey, at least there's no height restriction for your vehicle.

Need the loo? There's one accessible toilet about 10 meters from the visitor centre entrance. And if you've got a little one, the baby changing facilities are in that same accessible toilet.

If you're planning on pushing a pushchair around, the nature trails are generally okay. There are three partly signposted trails – two are about 400m each, and the other is 1.5km. They're all flat with no big hills. The main 1.5km trail is meant to be accessible for everyone. Just a word of warning though, all the trails can get a bit waterlogged if there's been a lot of rain.

For anyone using a wheelchair, the car park is that gravel surface with potential potholes, so be aware of that. When it comes to the nature trails, the same applies – the three trails are flat with no steep bits, and the main 1.5km one is all-access. But again, they can get flooded after heavy rain. There are also four picnic benches, and two of them have space for a single wheelchair.

If you need a regular toilet, you'll find them inside the visitor centre.

The visitor centre itself is open every day from 9:30 am to 5 pm, and the car park and trails are open all the time. There are three entrances on the ground floor, with both steps and ramps available. The doors open outwards manually. They've got a low counter for membership info, and they even have a wheelchair you can borrow if you need it. The inside is all on one level with plenty of space to move around, good lighting, and clear information. Some of the stuff in there might be a bit tricky to reach, but the staff are happy to help. They also have a hearing loop.

Fancy a cuppa or a snack? They've got a range of refreshments in their shop, and they try to stock Fairtrade or locally sourced goodies. You can grab hot drinks (proper bean-to-cup coffee!), and all sorts of sweet and savory snacks and sandwiches.

The shop itself sells things like binoculars and telescopes, books, bird food, and gifts.

Just a heads up, the picnic area is temporarily closed from May 13th, and they're hoping to have it back open by May 31st. There are usually four tables outside the visitor centre, and two of them have space for a wheelchair. You're welcome to bring your own food and drinks to enjoy there when it's open again.

You can also hire binoculars from £3.

They sometimes have guided walks, so it might be worth checking if there are any on when you visit.

As for the viewpoint, most of it is level access, but the Tower Observation Area is upstairs in the visitor centre. There's no lift, so you'll have to climb 23 steps to get up there. They also have two hides with seating and two viewing screens, one with seating. Just a note that the Aird Meadow Hide is currently closed for maintenance.

Remember those nature trails? The three of them are partly signposted, flat, and without any big inclines. The main one (1.5km) is all-access. You get onto it through a gate, and part of it is a boardwalk with passing places. There are no other gates, steps, or stiles on the trails, but they can get flooded after heavy rain.

They've got a wild playground, which sounds fun! Oh wait, it says "Not available on site," so maybe that's something for the future.

Looks like barbecues are also "Not available on site," so no grilling your sausages there.

If you're bringing your dog, they're allowed on all the footpaths as long as you follow the Scottish Outdoor Access Code. Well-behaved dogs are welcome inside the visitor centre, but not in the shop area. They just ask that you keep your furry friend at your heel or on a lead to protect the wildlife.

And of course, assistance dogs are welcome in all parts of the reserve.

So there you have it – the full scoop on what's available when you visit Lochwinnoch Nature Reserve!

Did you clock our mucky shoes? Aye, the paths were a bit dusty, and you know what that means – pollen galore! Seriously, the pollen count was off the charts, must have been the time of year we went. We noticed loads of plants around there absolutely covered in pollen. Plus, there's a train line pretty close to one side of the path, so every time the wind picked up or a train whizzed by, you could just see the pollen swirling in the air. Even some bits of the water had a layer of it, but hey, nature's got its own way of doing things, doesn't it? Still totally worth it for the views, though.

Overall, it was a great experience for us, and yes, I'm typing this myself since it's my left index finger that's a bit sore, so it only really affected my bath time. Nothing too major. I'm grateful to God for a day well spent, and despite the stress, I had fun. How are you spending your weekend? What do you think about Lochwinnoch and those NHS waiting times?

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These photos were taken on Thursday, May 15, 2025, from 2:16 PM to 7:11 PM.