Portencross
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Portencross is a hamlet near the village of West KilbrideFarland in North Ayrshire, Scotland. Situated about 2 miles west of Seamill and about 2 miles south of Hunterston B Nuclear Power Station, it is most famous for the 13th century Portencross Castle.
It has two harbours and a pier. The "Old Harbour" is actually a small tidal inlet next to the castle, and is part of the castle property. The larger harbour, "North Harbour", owned by the Portencross Harbour Trust, lies about 100 metres north of the castle and was the main access point for fishing activity.
The Portencross Pier was built in the era of Clyde steamer cruising but was never used as much as other locations such as Largs, Fairlie or Wemyss Bay.
Natural History[edit]
In 2014 the North Ayrshire Ranger Service carried out a survey of the plants growing on the rocky shore, whinstone dyke, saltmarsh and 'machair-like' seaside vegetation. Species recorded included sea arrowgrass; sea sandwort; scurvy-grass; common orache; sea club-rush; sea milkwort; salt mud-rush; lesser sea spurrey; cliff sand spurrey; sea aster; red bartsia; silverweed; bird's foot trefoil; sea pink/thrift; eyebright; yellow rattle; sea plantain; meadow cranesbill; purple loosetrife; pineapple weed; curled dock; scentless mayweed ; corn sowthistle; marsh thistle; lady's bedstraw; mugwort; celery-leaved crowfoot; ragged robin; yellow flag iris; parsley water-dropwort; greater woodrush; amphibious bistort; crow garlic; Japanese rose; alder; sea buckthorn; wood sage; hemlock water-dropwort ; sticky groundsel; bloody cranesbill; bracken/brake; yellow splash lichen; crab's eye lichen; sea ivory.
See also[edit]
