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RSPB Pulborough Brooks
RSPB Geltsdale
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Seven top walks to see spring’s unmissable nature spectacles
Experience the best of the season, from birdsong to bluebell woodlands, on RSPB nature reserves.
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The weather’s warming up, the light’s lingering longer in the evenings and the birds are singing at the top of their voices. If you’re anything like us, then the first signs of spring will be tempting you outdoors.
We’re sharing seven of our top walks on RSPB nature reserves where you can catch the best seasonal spectacles. With both peaceful woodland wanders and invigorating hillside hikes, we’re sure you’ll find a stroll to suit you. But don’t forget to pack both your sunglasses and your waterproofs – this is the UK’s weather after all!
England
RSPB Pulborough Brooks
We might be biased, but we think that Pulborough Brooks offers one of the best springtime walks in Sussex. This nature reserve is a mosaic of heathland, woodland, wetland and wildflower meadows. In May, bluebells burst into bloom on the woodland floor.
t’s the perfect place to listen to the dawn chorus, as the songs of Reed, Sedge and Cetti’s Warblers, along with Lesser Whitethroats, Willow Warblers and Blackcaps, fill this patchwork of habitats. Keep an ear out for singing Nightingales; they’re the stars of the show and are now a rare sound in the UK’s countryside.
Head down Adder Alley to catch snakes basking in the early spring sun, gently warming themselves after a long hibernation. And if the surrounding wildlife erupts into a ruckus, make sure to look out overhead for soaring White-tailed Eagles, which are now a regular sight on the reserve.
Round your spring walk off with a trip to the Pulborough Brooks café. You can grab hot drinks, sandwiches and sweet treats to enjoy indoors or out on the terrace.
RSPB Geltsdale
May is National Walking Month, and one great way to celebrate is by following the circular Stagsike trail at RSPB Geltsdale in the North Pennines. Starting at the nature reserve car park, you’ll head on a three-mile upland hike, passing a viewpoint looking out over Tindale Tarn and our small visitor centre, which offers tea and coffee making facilities and toilets.
Geltsdale is made up of two working hill farms. Here, we’re working to restore precious habitats in the Pennines landscape. The summit of Cold Fell, the reserve’s highest peak, is above England’s natural treeline in an area of rare montane heath. Surrounding it is an array of vital habitats. Hen Harriers cruise over the precious carbon-storing peatlands, the songs of Willow Warblers and Cuckoos fill the ancient woodland pasture, and Curlews raise their chicks in wet meadows.
Please note – the reserve is a working farm and you may encounter cattle and calves on your walk.
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Scotland
RSPB Loch Lomond
Nestled on the edge of the Trossachs, RSPB Loch Lomond is surrounded by picture perfect scenery. Take a stroll along the Viewpoint trail and you’ll be treated to sweeping vistas across Ben Lomond and Conic Hill.
Follow the Airey Woodland Trail and watch Red Squirrels leaping from branch to branch, while surrounded by a carpet of bluebells. Then, head over the boardwalk, across the fen and down to the loch shore, while listening out for reeling Grasshopper Warblers and the fluid song of the Tree Pipits as you go.
You can enjoy a mindful moment in nature sitting on wooden benches at Net Bay, listening to birdsong and looking over the water. There’s no café here, so make sure to pack a picnic for when you’ve worked up an appetite.
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RSPB Loch Lomond
RSPB Glenborrodale
Glenborrodale is the RSPB’s most westerly reserve. Its location, and its climate, mean this nature reserve is home to a rare fragment of the UK’s remaining temperate rainforest.
This nature reserve trail offers a rugged hike up through the array of habitats. The song of Spotted Flycatchers, Redstarts and Wood Warblers fill the oak canopy in the spring months. The wet conditions here mean that rare mosses, liverwort, lichens and ferns can grow on the bark and crevices of the trees. Stealthy Pine Martens and Scottish Wildcats slink through the woodland.
As you head above the treeline, Golden Eagles soar over the upland habitats. At the top of your ascent, look out for views across Loch Sunart and the coast. Otters and seals can be seen along the shoreline.
Please note – there are no facilities here, other than a car park with six spaces. The trail is steep and uneven throughout.
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RSPB Glenborrodale
Wales
RSPB Ynys-hir
Ynys-hir is the perfect stop off on the Wales Coastal Way, with the path running right through the centre of the nature reserve – although this spectacular wildlife haven is a wonderful day out in its own right.
Take a wander along our three trails and immerse yourself in the variety of habitats that make up Ynys-hir. The ancient Celtic oak woodland is filled with the songs of Pied Flycatchers, Redstarts and Wood Warblers, while bluebells and primroses carpet the woodland floor.
Looking out over the estuary, you might catch a glimpse of nesting Lapwings, Redshanks and Oystercatchers on the saltmarsh trail. Over on the wetland trail, enjoy the sounds of Skylarks, Cetti’s Warblers and Grasshopper Warblers.
Once you’ve listened out for the dawn chorus, you can round off your visit with a tasty treat from our selection of hot drinks and ice cream.
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RSPB Ynys-hir
RSPB South Stack
Witness a seabird spectacular this spring at RSPB South Stack. Breeding Puffins, Guillemots, Razorbills, Kittiwakes and Fulmars line the rocky cliff ledges as they raise their chicks. Watch them dart and dive into the Irish Sea as they fish for food. Up on the coastal heathland, rare Choughs use their curved, red bills to forage for invertebrates.
Stroll along the trails and you’ll see the iconic South Stack lighthouse and a heathland of heather, gorse and wildflowers including the South Stack Fleawort – a plant that’s found nowhere else in the world. If you’re looking for a longer walk, then the Anglesey Coastal Path passes through this landscape. You can also take a hike up to the top of Holyhead Mountain.
The area has a rich history, so along with wonderful wildlife, visitors can enjoy the remains of Iron Age Hut Circles and a Roman Watchtower.
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RSPB South Stack
Northern Ireland
Belfast’s Window on Wildlife
See the signs of spring straight from the city centre. Belfast’s Window on Wildlife is only three and a half miles from the heart of Belfast and is located on the Harbour Estate.
Listen out for the Lapwing’s ‘peewit’ call and the distinctive ‘kek kek’ of the Black-headed Gulls ringing out across the reserve during the spring months. Belfast Lough is also home to many breeding spring and summer visitors, including Common and Arctic Terns. The two hides offer views of the many birds raising their chicks across the reserve.
You can enjoy a hot drink in the visitor centre as you look out at a view of the entire reserve from the main observation room. The family area has games and colouring to keep your youngsters entertained while other members of your party can enjoy close-up views of wildlife through the free-to-use scopes.
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RSPB Blefast Window on Wildlife