Good birding walks near Penrith?

[mini-colster]

Hi,

I'm going up to the Lake District at the end of May, staying near Penrith. We want a good walking holiday, but I also want to go to places with good birding opportunities. Has anyone got recommendations of where we can go to get both of those things?
Any help appreciated. Mark

P.S We're going to Haweswater for the eagle at some point, any other places near there worth going to?

[Gill Osborne]

You could do Bassenthwaite Lake too for the Ospreys. The RSPB has volunteers there with scopes to show you exactly where the birds are. Bit of a steep walk up the hill to the viewpoint but it's worth it!

Not too sure on other sites *brains in a bit of a fog at the mo* as I tend to head down towards Leighton Moss.
In the past I've had Garden Warblers,Common Redstart, Pied Flycatchers, Red Squirrels etc around the shores of Ullswater.

http://www.applebytowncouncil.fsnet.co.uk/bird_watching.htm

http://www.cumbriabirdclub.org.uk/test.htm


Hope these help - Cumbria is a great place. Hoping to pop over for a day or three in mid-June ourselves as we have friends who live in Glenridding.

[christineredgate]

If you want to see the Tern colony then head south to the RSPB reserve at Hodbarrow,Haverigg..Also Eider ducks,and lots of migrant waders.Many pairs of Grt Crested Grebes,nesting within the reserve.Large numbers of Swallows and House Martins to be seen in the local river,collecting mud for their nests.

[HelenB]

Take a look at the Cumbria section in the County by County Index - I have done 4 write ups in there:

http://www.birdforum.net/forumdisplay.php?f=175

My favourites are the Keswick Railway walk and Smardale.

Have a great time.

[wolfbirder]

Haweswater for Englands last Golden Eagle. Presuming he is still there. Suggest you go in the morning when the light is better (probably late morning ideal as they dont often move much early morning). The site is usually mannedby RSPB from about 10-10.30am, and they set up telescopes for folk to use etc. They also usually find the bird if its around on its favourate perches.
Park at the end of the reservoir (as far as the road goes), walk clock wise around the end of the res & follow the obviou spath over the low brow of th ehill past som epines on your right. Across a field or two & you come to a small shed 200 yards past a stone one. Its a thirty minute walk from car park. Well worth it if the eagle is showing (50/50 chance). A nice walk in its own right.

[mini-colster]

Ok cool! Cheers for the help so far. Certainly got a few choices now.