Alex Hillier
This spectacular wetland reserve is home to thousands of wildfowl in winter, including barnacle geese and whooper swans.
The beautiful 1,400 acre Wildfowl and Wetlands Trust reserve is situated on the north Solway Coast. The entire Svalbard breeding population of barnacle geese winter on the Solway and can be seen best from the hides, towers and observatories at Caerlaverock which is considered one of the best wildlife watching sites in the UK. Daily swan feeds at 11am and 2pm from October to March bring whooper swans and ducks in very close and the warden gives a running commentary whilst feeding the birds. In summer, walk through wildflower meadows full of butterflies, bees and dragonflies, do some pond dipping, watch ospreys hunting over the Solway Firth and take part in special events such as wildlife safaris. Friendly knowledgeable staff and volunteers are on hand to guide and engage visitors and provide a year round programme of special events for adults and families.
The visitor centre has a gift shop and gallery with regular exhibitions by local artists and a large screen where CCTV footage of wildlife is shown live from the reserve. Hot drinks and snacks are available and the gift shop stocks a selection of books on natural history and sustainable living, a variety of bird feeders and bird food and nature-related gifts. An excellent selection of optics are available including Viking and Swarovski binoculars and telescopes.
The Caerlaverock Farmhouse provides self-catering accommodation at the heart of the nature reserve year round. Spend long summer evenings watching badgers feeding from the comfortable viewing lounge and in winter see the amazing dawn flight of thousands of geese flocking in to the reserve.
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