Nature-loving guests will be right at home in Broadoak’s holiday cottages where a world of nature is waiting just outside of your window.
Cumbria’s steep fells, wide fields, thick forests and boggy wetlands are home to all manner of flora and fauna. Protected through the conservation efforts of multiple groups including the National Trust and the Cumbria Wildlife Trust, much of it is shared with the visiting public (and their dogs). We’ve collated some of our favourite spots…
Honeypot and Nannygoat Cottages are ideal for bird lovers. Herons nest on the pond, and a woodpecker makes its home in the trees. On clear days, you can simply open your windows and tune in to the sound of birdsong.
Lake Windermere is where a large variety of birds make their homes. Did you know that the lake is home to more birds than any other lake here in Cumbria? Over a thousand ducks, geese and swans make Windermere their home.
It’s one of the only places in Britain to spot rare wintering birds such as the Red-breasted Merganser and the Tufted Duck.
The Cumbria Wildlife Trust operates 44 nature reserves, 38 of which are open to the public and they are some of the best places for spotting animals, birds, and plantlife. Additional reserves operated by the National Trust and RSPCA make the Lake District a paradise for nature lovers of all kinds.
Cumbria is one of the few remaining areas in Britain where the elusive Red Squirrel can be spotted. The National Trust’s Allan Bank in Grasmere boasts a sizeable population and they can also be found in the forest around Aira Force Waterfall, Ullswater.
Thanks to conservation efforts, once-seldom seen Otters have become an increasingly common sight in the Lake District’s rivers. Several families of Otters have been spotted nesting on the banks of the River Kent in Kendal and at the Wreay Woods nature reserve in the north of the county.
The boggy reserve at Fowlshaw Moss, a short drive away from both Underbarrow and Windermere, is home to a huge variety of flora and fauna. Lizards and snakes can be found in the summer months, feeding on the local insect population.
Burrowing animals such as Stoats, Voles, Badgers and Pine Martens can be found throughout Cumbria’s woodland. If you’re walking in the woods you might spot their tracks and holes.
Bird life in the Lake District is as interesting as it is diverse. Many smaller birds, such the Greater Spotted Woodpecker and the Redstart can be spotted in wooded areas. Dorothy Parker’s Spring Woods near Staveley are a great place to see migratory birds, which visit the Lake District in the summer. If you’re here in May, you’ll find the woods are a must-visit as they’re carpeted with bluebells.
Rare wetland-loving birds such as the Marsh Harrier and the Bittern can be found at the Leighton Moss reserve.
An impressive variety of rare birds can be found in special conservation areas throughout the Lake District. The woodland around Bassenthwaite Lake is home to a family of rare Ospreys, which can also be observed through telescopes and binoculars at Dodd Wood’s Osprey viewing platforms.
Cumbria’s West Coast is excellent for watching seabirds. The cliffs of St Bees are nesting sites for Kittiwakes, Auks (a member of the puffin family), and Fulmars.
Right on the doorstep of Nannygoat and Honeypot Cottages, the creation of a new wetland area in the Lyth Valley has breathed new wildlife into Park End Moss. The site open to visitors and the installation of a brand new bird hide, built with timber from the estate by the local National Trust Ranger team, means it is ideal for a bit of twitching.
Much like the landscape, the Lake District’s flora changes with the seasons. In spring, expect to see bluebells in the woods and daffodils along the banks of rivers and streams – made famous by poet William Wordsworth, they also make a moving sight growing in village churchyards and roadside verges.
In summer, wildflowers bloom and attract thousands of insets, including butterflies, dragonflies and bees. Rare plants and insects also thrive in Cumbria’s wet environment. The damp forests are home to plant species like Enchanter’s Nightshades.
A variety of ferns can be found at Grubbins Wood reserve and, from spring to autumn, butterflies can be seen flitting between the flowers.
Latterbarrow Reserve’s large number of wildflowers, such as fragrant orchids and fields of yellow cowslips make it a haven for insect life. The arrival of the brimstone butterfly marks the start of spring.