Scenic Vista

West Bay sits at the intersection between the built and natural environments. The wide promenade, built in the 1880s to replace a narrow rocky beach path, makes West Bay easily accessible to walkers, wheelchair users and cyclists.

This bench was repaired by local creatives during COP27 (October 2022). The bench and surrounding work (prints and gutter repair) aims to provide a space for people to meet, chat, sit, and think about the positive actions they could take to protect biodiversity and improve the health and wellbeing of the local community here in Dunoon.

Mature trees and hedging, which line the Argyll Street edge of the station are alive with birdlife. The trees are planted on a regularly mown lawn. The trees give the main road, Argyll Street, a lush appearance. The Argyll Road side of the station has a large section of open lawn, which doesn't appear to be used for anything and is regularly mown. 

Nestled behind the colourful Tigh na Cladach eco-house development on the outskirts of Dunoon, Bullwood nature trail is a wooded hillside that was once the extensive garden grounds of a mansion house called Alderwood. There are many mature trees and many woodland plants, including hawthorn, primroses, foxgloves, ferns, mosses and fungi. A wildlife pond is a habitat for frogs and more. The site it currently quite overgrown in places with some large patches of invasive plants including Himalayan balsam.

Otters have been spotted feeding in the rocky shallows at East Bay in Dunoon. Members of Cowal Wildlife Group have also recorded photos of waterbirds such as curlews, goldeneye and oystercatchers, and fish including butterfish in the rockpool habitats. 

A community-owned and run site that includes spaces to sit and enjoy nature and the view. Blairmore Gardens also has facilities to allow people to enjoy and identify nature including some interpretation boards, bug hotels and an insect viewer. There are raised beds where people can bring food to grow and share. At the top of the field, there is a large, mature oak tree that is home to lots of wildlife and various types of gall such as oak apples, silky button galls and spangle galls.