Welcome
Mill Dam is one of Orkney’s important remaining wetlands. The hide offers panoramic views across the reserve and from here you can enjoy watching an array of waders and wildfowl at all times of year. In spring, close your eyes and drink in the symphony of sounds as the ducks and waders display across the wetland. In winter, the reserve welcomes large flocks of wintering ducks such as wigeons, teals and mallards, with smaller numbers of shovelers, pintails, whooper swans and gadwalls, and you can often hear these noisy visitors before entering the hide. The winter months are also the best time to spot a hen harrier, peregrine, merlin or sparrowhawk.
Level access
There is level access from the main entrance to:
Mill Dam HideThere is level access from the car park to:
Mill Dam Picnic BenchGetting here
For further information on accessible travel in Scotland, go to Transport Scotland.Travel by public transport
Shapinsay is reached by a roll on-roll off ferry from Kirkwall, which can take passengers and vehicles - please visit www.orkneyferries.co.uk for up to date travel information. Once on Shapinsay there is no public transport. The reserve can be reached on foot by travelling through Balfour Village and taking the left hand turn at Burnside to reach the hide, following the brown tourist signs. This route is all along surfaced public roads.
Travel by taxi
There is no public transport available on Shapinsay.
Parking
The Mill Dam Hide has parking, including a designated accessible space, which is 50m from the hide. The path to the hide is a firm level tarmac surface and there is a picnic bench halfway between the car park and the hide, accessed over a grassy area. There are no handrails on the path down to the hide.
Arrival
Path to main entrance
Main entrance
Please note that there is no Visitor Centre on the reserve. The only facilities are a birdwatching hide and there are no staff based at the reserve. There are no accessible toilet facilities on Shapinsay.
Getting around inside
Getting around outside
Mill Dam Picnic Bench
The picnic bench is situated on a hard surface, but a grassy area must be crossed to reach it. The bench is 30m from the car park along a tarmas path.
Mill Dam Hide
The hide is 50m from the car parking area and is reached by a tarmac-surfaced path which slopes slightly down towards the hide. The door to the hide is 92 cm wide. The lowest windows inside the hide are 1 m from the floor. There are large benches which can be moved around to accommodate visitor's needs. However, these may be difficult to move by some visitors.