Grasmere and beyond?

[Neilos]

Hi staying in Grasmere this w/e and was wondering if there any good places for doing some wildlife photography/watching interested in mammels such as fox, red squirrel, deer etc or birds - grouse, dipper etc anything basically.

Any feeding stations for the red squirrel may be useful if they exist.

Doesn't have to be rare and I only need a one or couple of subjects to work with.

many thanks
Neil

[Den]

Deer Above Allen Crags and around the viewpoint above White Moss Car Park. Be up early or late! Goosander after bread in Grasmere at the bridge near the Church all through winter time (photos from daffodil garden behing Gingerbread shop). Red Squirrel below Nab Scar from 'coffin route' footpath and in woods above Wood Close.Badger there also. Try the walk from Ambleside to Alcock Tarn (Raven up there as well). Dipper on river Rothay near Rydal. Also near waterfall above Rydal Hall (stunning Tea Shop and home made cakes). Unfortunately the only red squirrel feeding stations I know of near Grasmere are in private gardens. Good luck.

[christineredgate]

Neil,try Grizedale forest ,visitors centre etc.Red Squirrels can be seen in this location.Have a look online for this area.

[ikw101]

Neil,try Grizedale forest ,visitors centre etc.Red Squirrels can be seen in this location.Have a look online for this area.

Are you sure Christine? I tried looking for Reds up at Grizedale last Oct. Not one but we did see a Grey Squirrel near Bogle Crag car park. Great news if they're still there. In my experience the most reliable place in Cumbria seems to be another BF member's back garden or the Osprey viewpoint up at Bassenthwaite.

Neil - If you're around Grizedale there's a resident group of Crossbills at the top of Bogle Crag. Normally they're easy to see flying back and forth over the clearfelled area. Watching them cutting off cones and flying up and down the tree with the cones still in their bills - before landing on their favourite perch and stripping the seed out is amazing. (also a good quality but fairly steep wheelchair friendly path leading up there).

[christineredgate]

Whinlatter forest was mentioned on the news today,as being a good site for Red Squirrels.

[Neilos]

thanks everyone, I will check the locations on the map and take it from there.

[Jon Sharp]

Are you sure Christine? I tried looking for Reds up at Grizedale last Oct. Not one but we did see a Grey Squirrel near Bogle Crag car park. Great news if they're still there. In my experience the most reliable place in Cumbria seems to be another BF member's back garden or the Osprey viewpoint up at Bassenthwaite.


Probably the best place to see them is a cemetry in Cockermouth - there is a feeding station and one or two are so tame they will come to you (just make sure you've got a pocket full of hazelnut or monkey nuts!)
On most days there are at least 6-7 running around.

[christineredgate]

Whinlatter forest has been mentioned several times on our local radio station.I do remember seeing red squirrels in this area a couple of years back.It is a conservation area for these little guys.

[Martin Thomas]

You may want to plough through this thread (http://www.birdforum.net/showthread.php?t=24227) for Cumbrian red squirrel sites although the new walk and web cam is now open at the Whinlatter Visitor Centre (same as for ospreys during the summer).