Forest bathing at Binscarth Wood

Binscarth Wood rises from Finstown and was planted in the 1860s and 1870s. It is mainly beech and sycamore, with wych elm, ash, hawthorn, alder, spruce and larch, and a monkey puzzle and copper beech among them. A gale in 1952 blew down about 2,000 trees, and the wood was replanted. It is privately owned, with a walking route through it, and it holds a good share of the island's woodland birds, including migrants passing through.

The walk starts at a kissing gate off the A965 in Finstown; take care with fast traffic at the start. A firm, stony path runs through the wood, though it gets muddy near the burn. The short circuit is about 1.5 km, or you can carry on to the Loch of Wasdale and beyond for a longer walk out and back. Animals may be grazing in the first field, so keep dogs under control. There are no facilities in the wood; Finstown is the nearest village.