Renfrewshire Council

Gleniffer Braes Country Park

About the park, where the cattle are grazing and advice on walking with dogs.

The wildlife of Gleniffer Braes Country Park is typical of woodland and moorland.

Birds regularly seen include skylark, meadow pipit, kestrel and sparrowhawk. The tit families feed in the treetops along with goldcrests and chaffinches. 

Tree creepers can occasionally be seen in Glen Park where the mature trees provide a constantly changing pattern of colour as the seasons change. Colourful wild flowers include heath-spotted orchid, wild pansy and tormentil on the grasslands, and red campion and herb robert in the woodlands. 

As dusk falls, shy roe deer step from the shadows to gaze, and tawny owls hunt for small mammals such as bank voles and woodmice.

Thank you to NatureScot for supporting seasonal posts at Gleniffer Braes Country Park during 2022 to engage with the public, promote responsible outdoor access and encourage people to care for the park.

Cattle advisory note - where the cattle are grazing

Cattle are used in the park to control the vegetation, preserve biodiversity and retain the wide open spaces which visitors enjoy.

You can see the areas of the park which are grazed and what to do if you have a dog with you in the  Cattle advisory note and map [1MB] .

Cattle are moved to different areas throughout the year, so please check where the cattle currently are by looking at this webpage before you visit.

Cattle are currently grazing on the following areas:

  • the East side of Sergeantlaw Road
  • Brownside Braes
  • beside Glenburn Reservoir.

The areas without cattle are:

  • the West side of Sergeantlaw Road
  • McDonald's Walks (west of Gleniffer Road)
  • Foxbar area (north of Gleniffer Road)
  • Glen Park.

Take care - cattle can be unpredictable

Before entering a grazed area check to see what alternatives routes there are.

If you cannot avoid walking there please keep as far as possible from the cattle and watch them carefully. Cattle can be unpredictable and may be aggressive when young calves are present.

If you have a dog with you:

  • never let your dog chase or attack farm animals - keep your dog under close control or on a short lead
  • do not take your dog into fields where there are calves
  • if cows react aggressively and move towards you, keep calm, let the dog go off the lead and take the shortest, safest route out of the field.