Haweswater

Address: RSPB Haweswater, Naddle Farm, Bampton, Penrith, Cumbria CA10 2RP

Grid ref: NY469108

Surrounding Haweswater Reservoir in the English Lake District, Haweswater reserve is a dramatic landscape of high fells, rushing rivers, heath, meadow, bog and woodland and home to a host of upland wildlife. Until recently, it was the home of England’s last golden eagle.

Plan your visit

Open at all times.

Free entrance to RSPB members: Yes

Adults: Free, but donations are very welcome.

Children: Free, but donations are very welcome.

Facilities

No visitor centre
Car park off-site
Toilets off-site
Accessible toilets off-site
No Refreshments
Nature trails
Shop off-site

Accessibility

How to get here

By train

The closest station is Penrith (14 miles/22.5 km from reserve).

By bus

Occasional service to the Haweswater car park. Please phone Traveline for latest information on: 0870 608 2608.

By road

Aim for the small village of Bampton, 10 miles south of Penrith and five miles north-west of Shap. From Bampton, head south towards Haweswater reservoir. Drive down the unclassified road alongside the Haweswater reservoir, the road ends at a car park. From here you will need to walk.

Sat nav POI file: If you have a satellite navigation system that can accept POI files, please see our POI page for a download link and instructions.

Get directions from Google Maps

RSPB reserves on Google Earth

20 degrees, Cloudy

Contact Haweswater

RSPB Haweswater, Naddle Farm, Bampton, Penrith, Cumbria CA10 2RP
haweswater@rspb.org.uk
01931 713376
Find us on facebook

What will you see?

Our star species

Pied flycatcher

Look out for the delightful black and white males displaying from mid April to late June.

Dipper

Look for dippers feeding around the edges of the lake and feeder streams.

Peregrine

Peregrines nest on the rocky crags here. Spend time scanning the sky and you may see these powerful falcons passing overhead.

Redstart

More than 50 pairs of redstarts nest in the birch, ash and oak woodland here. They can be seen between late April and August.

Wheatears, ring ouzels, redstarts and pied flycatchers return from their wintering grounds to breed. Dippers can be seen darting by the water's edge. Ravens, peregrines and buzzards hunt over the grassland.

Wheatears preparing for their migration, dippers at the water's edge, ravens, peregrines and buzzards hunting, goosanders on the reservoir. Red deer and red squirrels may also be seen.

Rutting season means good views of red deer. Dippers, ravens, peregrines, buzzards, goosanders and red squirrels can also be seen.

Dippers, ravens, peregrines, buzzards and goosanders. In winter, tens of thousands of gulls roost on the reservoir overnight. Come just before dusk to watch them flying in.

About Haweswater

Habitat

Haweswater is a dramatic landscape of high fells, rushing rivers, heath, meadow, bog and woodland and home to a host of upland wildlife. Habitats here include moorland, mountains, wetland, woodland and heathland.

Conservation

We're working in partnership with our landlord United Utilities to explore different ways of managing our two hill farms at Haweswater to provide a range of benefits while continuing to run a viable farming business. These include improved water quality, wildlife, carbon stewardship and recreation opportunities.

In Swindale Valley, we have put the curves back into a stretch of Swindale Beck, which had been artificially straightened for farming purposes at least 160 years ago. This project has slowed the flow of the river, which has helped to improve water quality and reduce downstream flood risk, as well as attract spawning salmon.

The habitats on the commons are in poor shape following years of heavy sheep grazing. Consequently, we've reduced livestock numbers in order to improve some of these habitats. There are signs of recovery in places, but other areas will require a different approach. For example, we’ve fenced off an area below Harter Fell on Mardale Common to prevent sheep and deer grazing. This is to give rare mountain plants the chance to recolonise the area.

See our video about our work at Swindale Valley.

Partners

Swindale Beck Restoration project supported by United Utilities, Environment Agency, Natural England and Cumbria Waste Management Environment Trust.

Site information

Our land at Haweswater is made of two hill farms – Naddle and Swindale – and their associated commons.

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Haweswater