Stan Wilson Sculpture Trail
Stan Wilson had a great affinity with Broughtonknowe and the efforts to secure its future. His 3 sculptures in fitting locations showcase his talents, honed after gaining a degree at Edinburgh Art College aged 50.
- SCULPTURE 1: An organic ‘Frond’ in Portland stone. A celebration of the diversity of wildlife in the woodland habitats.
- SCULPTURE 2: ‘One Nation’ comprises two figures combined from white Portland stone and black Kilkenny marble looking out onto the Broughton Heights. They symbolise unity.
- SCULPTURE 3. ‘Helmet Head’. Assembled from cut pieces of iron the ‘head’ looks over to Tinto Hill. Our iron age ancestors look back. The raised ground to your left is an iron age burial ‘barrow’.
To follow the sculpture trail, which has several options,
download the details here.
Burnside Trail
To be found in the bottom corner of Broughtonknowe (see map above), the Burnside Trail combines a new path with efforts to upgrade along the length of Broughton Burn with a natural burnside ‘riparian’ habitat of native trees.
100 alder trees were planted in 2025, which have now been supplemented with a further 50 saplings of rowan and wild cherry.
A good start or finish to longer woodland walks.
Nest Box Trail
Runs from the car park to the ponds on a rough path below the main track (approximately 1.5km/1 mile with return to the car park). See if you can spot 15 numbered nest boxes. There are three different sizes of entrance holes to accommodate different species, hoping to attract blue tit (smallest hole), great tit (larger 30mm hole) and robin, wren and wagtails (open fronted).
Bird Spotting Trail
A bird spotting trail runs the length of the main (red) track from the car park to the sheds (also approximately 1.5km/1 mile with return to the car park). The aim is to try and locate 15 mini bird posters of the most frequently spotted Broughtonknowe woodland birds. Feeders by the picnic bench at the end of the trail give an opportunity to test your bird knowledge.
Explorer Trail
Christopher's explorer trail through the trees - green on the map and marked with green arrows and dots on the trees to show the way.
You will cross the 'Bridge of Alan' (first constructed with fallen branches by Alan Carson).
New Paths and Trails
New paths are marked yellow on the map and include the native tree regeneration trail, highlighting how the sustained thinning of commercial planting has enabled the return of rowan, holly, elder and other native species. A zigzag path through the deciduous trees links the paths above the quarry with the car park. Ross' trails explore the grasslands between the ponds and the road and Ross has constructed a number of board walks and mini bridges over tricky terrain throughout the woodlands. There are also a number of new benches along the various routes to enable walkers to take in the magnificent views of the Southern Uplands.