Out and About

Clyde Muirshiel News Update

Spinal Injuries Scotland Accessible Sport Day: The Outdoor Activity Team welcomed the patients, staff and their families for a day of trying out all the Accessible Sport at the lochside. With come and try sessions for wheelyboat rides, sailing, kayaking and lots of handbiking as well as the fantastic barbeque provided by their sponsor Digby Brown.

Muirshiel Cafe Now Open Weekends: Enjoy a cuppa, snack or an ice cream in the Visitor Centre every weekend from 11am to 4.30pm. Please note payment is cash only.

Castle Semple Conservation Volunteers Update: The volunteer group have been working on the new fishing platform at Castle Semple, pulling the invasive Himalayan Balsam from the lochshore and clearing tree tubes at Muirshiel. Would you like to join them on a Thursday?

RSPB Lochwinnoch

It’s August already and we are now at the end of the summer season. The Reserve has an abundance of brightly coloured, sweet smelling, wildflowers lining the trails, providing food for our pollinators. The trails are filled with bird song and lots of newly-fledged birds. This year we have had the usual Blue Tits, Robins and Chaffinch young, but we have also had Mute Swans, Lapwings, Snipe, Little Ringed Plovers, and Common Sandpipers. I personally love the Reserve even more at this time of the year - it is so lush and green, with beautiful wildflowers lining the trails.

Rangers Enhance Grounds at Care Home: Our Rangers have been working at Stanely Park, Paisley enhancing their garden facilities, rejuvenating areas for wildlife and the residents, adding planters as well as insect and bird boxes.

Family Ranger Service Events: Rockpooling at the Pencil in Largs on Wed 9th August and Make a Boat at Muirshiel on Sat 12th August. See facebook for details and how to book. We will also have pop up Locherwood events.

Youth Volunteers: Do you know a young person doing their Duke of Edinburgh Award? The Ranger Service runs a weekly volunteer group on Sunday mornings, 10am-12 noon. This month they’ve been working on spring cleaning with litter picks and painting at Muirshiel.

Lochwinnoch Community Walk: Looking for some gentle exercise and good company? Meet on Mondays (except public holidays) at new location Castle Semple at 10.30am. Walks are 1-1.5 hours long at a social pace and are led by the Park’s Ranger Service. See you there!

E cmrp.rangers@renfrewshire.gov.uk ti @Clydemuirshiel

F www.facebook.com/ClydeMuirshielRegionalPark

As ever there is so much to see and do at the Reserve. If you come for a wee visit you can stroll along the trails, enjoy spotting the amazing wildlife, or have a quiet coffee in our visitor centre. There is always plenty for the kids to do too. They can explore the fairy path, go wild in the natural play area, or bang out a tune in the acoustic play area! Or your little explorers could take part in this month’s self-led activity. We have upcoming events listed below:

• Beginners Photography Workshop – 13th August & 17th September (online booking required)

• Renfrewshire Open Doors Days - 2nd & 3rd September

• ‘Brilliant Bats’ kids self-led activity - all September

• Women Only Walk – 7th September (online booking required)

Don’t forget our Reserve shop, who stock a wide range of binoculars and scopes, fancy goods and all your bird feeding requirements.

T 01505 842663 E lochwinnoch@rspb.org.uk

F @RSPBLochwinnochNR t @RSPBLochwinnoch

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

Brighter Bridge of Weir - For the record...

So far, this summer’s been one for the record books. Temperatures in June were the highest in over 100 years and July, though cooler, brought a lot of rain. What will August do, we wonder?

These extremes haven’t done our plants any harm so far. The petunias didn’t like the rain so much, but a bit of dead-heading should see them all right. The rest of the flowers and recently planted shrubs are thriving, thoughthe heat being followed by wet, humid weather has been great for them. It’s been good for us, too, as we haven’t had to do as much watering as in previous years. All we can hope is that August doesn’t bring any nasty surprises.

Whatever the weather, Brighter Bridge of Weir’s small team will be looking after all of our planters, tubs, baskets and open spaces right through the rest of summer and autumn, too. Some help would be much appreciatedwe’re not asking for much, just a couple of hours now and again. You can find out more on our website www.brighterbridgeofweir.org or call Neil (07969 642487), or Dougie (07810 722806) or email info@brighterbridgeofweir.org.

Bridge Of Weir Horticultural Society

Gardeners are looking forward to the Garden Festival on . Members of the Gardening Club will display a range of flowers and vegetables, along with anything from their gardens likely to make fellow gardeners smile! We will discover just who has produced the Tallest Sunflowers and Largest Potatoes. The disasters will have their chance too on the “wonky table”. The venue will be Freeland Church Hall and a sales table will offer home-grown plants. We’ll be there between 12noon and 3pm, so please come along.

Weather conditions in July were forecast to be mixed and, after the earlier heatwave, welcome rain arrived early to top-up water butts and soak our gardens. There was then a burst of grateful growth from plants and vegetables plus, inevitably, a spurt in weeds. Now Renfrewshire Council charge us for collecting our garden waste, leave weeds beside your compost bin until they have dried out, then drop them in. Composting is even more inevitable so, for your green kitchen and garden waste, invest in a simple metal incinerator with the most holes, place it in a sunny spot and let the sun heat the metal and get the composting underway! There can be a mid-summer lull in our gardens. This can be offset by colourful planters, but bulbs such Alliums are an easy addition for lowmaintenance gardeners. Check out the photo above of Allium “Hair” and its “Ken Dodd” flower! “Sphaerocephalon” is a reliable Allium with tall, thistle-type flowers, but no prickles and a good alternative to Cirsium, which quickly spreads. Bees love “Sphaerocephalon”! Crocus Speciosus are Autumn crocuses and delightful at this time. Colchicum are vibrant additions to larger gardens. The flowers appear first, thus its other name - Naked Ladies – followed by large leaves. Contact Donald Hepburn on 01505 612898 or via Facebook.