Scottish Wildlife Trust, Montrose Basin Visitor Centre And Wildlife Reserve

Incredible spot and well worth the entry fee (which helps fund these places and protect wildlife). Amazing bird hide/visitor centre combo replete with spotting scopes and binoculars. The secret gem is that the staff are an extensive font of bird knowledge and are lightning fast at spotting birds and setting up scopes for people to view them easily. Their enthusiasm was infectious. To top it off we saw our first kingfisher!

Entry is £5.50 per adult, varying prices for children and concessions. The centre is open from 10.30m to 5pm from March to October. Winter hours are a bit different, closing at 4pm and only open Friday - Monday. There are tea, coffee and biscuits available (with vegan milk options) which you can take to a window and have while you use the telescopes at the viewing areas. The toilets are lovely and clean. There is lots to see here and lots of information to read. The girl on the desk was really nice too and told us about the swallows which have begun nesting on their fire escape! We had a lovely time photographing the local birds here and saw a buzzard, beautiful collared doves, robins, tree sparrows, chaffinches, gorgeous greenfinches, yellowhammers as well as redshank, eider ducks and oystercatchers from the hide onsite. We did get a bit lost trying to find our way to the other various bird hides on the basin map when we left and ended up at places where we felt we couldn't leave the car. We'll try again another day. We should have asked at the visitor centre for extra directions, not being from here we didn't know the area well enough.

Superb viewing from the visitor centre over the Montrose basin. Many birds to see, excellent telescopes set up for visitors and helpful staff to advise on their use. A lot of interesting material on display, its all well worth the entry fee. Easy access from main road and good parking, heavy rain when we were there so couldn't do the nature walks. We'll be back soon.

An excellent experience. The visitor centre has interesting displays about the wildlife and a viewing area at the back with telescopes and binoculars, and views across the whole basin. The staff were friendly, enthusiastic and knowledgeable. We saw seals and many different birds species. There's a hide a short walk from the centre. There's no cafe as such but hot and cold drinks, ice creams and snacks available from the counter. If you're going to be there all day, take your own lunch. Well worth the £5 or so entrance fee (children free) - it goes to a very important cause.

An unassumingly small road-sign signals the way to the Trust. There is free parking available and lots of information outside in the car-park about hikes that can be done in the area (N.B. Most of these do not start from the Trust car park). Inside there are toilets (free to use) and a coffee & gift-shop (free to browse). There is a further section (fee) with a selection of binoculars and scopes, comfortable seating and ample information boards and reference texts. Well worth the entrance fee! We were here for ages using the scopes, drinking coffee and feasting on sightings of heaps of interesting bird species. The staff were friendly, helpful, highly knowledgable and happy to share. We loved it here.