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Waterfall at RSPB Geltsdale nature reserveMale black grouse jousting on lek siteGreen hairstreak butterfly
Cattle grazing RSPB Geltsdale nature reserveCommon blue butterflyClose up of heather flowers
Heather moor at GeltsdaleRedwing gobbling hawthorn berriesSkein of pink-footed geese and the moon
Hadrian's Wall, CumbriaDrake smewIce on grasses

Wildlife awards

Geltsdale is one of the best places for wildlife in the UK.

Top things to do in Spring

  1. Get out at dawn to see and hear the spectacular 'lekking' display of the black grouse
  2. Walk along one of the reserve trails and lie in the heather listening to skylarks singing, cuckoos calling and watch green hairstreak butterflies in the bilberry
  3. Picnic in the garden of the visitor centre at Stagsike Cottages and watch lapwings displaying, hear curlews calling

Top things to do in Summer

  1. Walk to the visitor centre at Stagsike Cottages and watch the barn owls on camera in their nestbox
  2. Look for wildflowers in the meadows alongside the footpaths on the reserve
  3. Walk the nature trails looking for butterflies such as ringlet, small heath and common blue

Top things to do in Autumn

  1. The best time of year to see migration in action: you might see skeins of geese, huge flocks of redwings and fieldfares and maybe find a ring ouzel
  2. Look for black grouse feeding on hawthorn berries and rowan berries
  3. Walk up the trail to the Bruthwaite viewpoint to see the autumn colours on the moorland and the spectacular views over north Cumbria

Top things to do in Winter

  1. Visit the viewing screen overlooking Tindale Tarn to watch the array of wildfowl; there's always a good chance to see a smew
  2. Watch black grouse feeding on the hill behind the visitor centre - this is the best time of year to see them here
  3. Explore one of the higher trails to view the Solway Firth and the snow-covered hills along Hadrian’s Wall

Latest blog posts

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Your photos

  • Wheatear
  • Black Swan
  • Reed Bunting
  • Pheasant.
  • Singing Great Tit
  • Pochard
  • Goldeneye(f) on Tindale Tarn
  • Wren at Tindale Tarn

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Downloads

WildSquare Bingo

WildSquare Bingo

2.8Mb, PDF

Date: 21 June 2010

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Extend your stay

Other places to visit

Feeding flock of barnacle geese, RSPB Loch Gruinart reserve, Islay

Campfield Marsh

A wetland paradise rich in wildlife with panoramic views of the Solway Plain

RSPB Inversnaid nature reserve

Inversnaid

Spectacular woodland and moorland on the banks of Loch Lomond

Brown hare running

Marshside

Bracing sea breezes and big skies filled with majestic flocks of waterfowl

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