Night-Time Wildlife Adventure with Cumbria Wildlife Trust

About

Experience the thrill of an after-dark adventure and discover how nocturnal creatures make the world their own once the sun goes down.

As day turns to dusk, you’ll walk through the serene woodlands of Brown Robin nature reserve with our knowledgeable Reserve Officer, taking in the sights and sounds of the season. In spring, it’s swathed with bluebells and wild garlic, while autumn brings a peppering of colourful waxcap fungi. Look to the horizon for views of Morecambe Bay glittering in the distance.
Your destination for the evening is an under-canvas hide, carefully positioned on the edge of the woods to overlook a badger sett – the den where they slumber during the day. Take a seat, get comfortable, then settle in for some wildlife-spotting.

We’ll have night-vision equipment for you to use so that you can get a really good look at the badgers foraging, playing and exploring. We’ll also use bat detectors to capture the sounds of bat calls – normally too high-pitched for humans to hear – allowing us to ID the different species swooping overhead. Keep your eyes peeled for deer and foxes roaming through the undergrowth.

Making our way back through the woods under the cover of darkness, spying more nocturnal wildlife as we go, we’ll head to the Woodland Workshop. Gather around the open fire for a bowl of something warming and delicious – think steaming soup, plus marshmallows toasted over the fire until gooey and perhaps a mug of hot chocolate.

This experience is led by Peter Jones, one of our Reserve Officers, and our Woodland Warden, Tony Saunders.

It's best for people who are physically mobile, able to walk through potentially tricky terrain on the reserve and sit quietly in the badger hide. Families are welcome, though children should be old enough to focus for a longer period of time and understand the need to be quiet in order to see the wildlife emerge.

Expect to spend around 3.5 hours with us, which may vary slightly depending on which wildlife we see and when!

'We had a great time, thank you! Our first time seeing badgers in the wild. We thought the set up was really great at the hide, and we especially liked the lovely wood workshop where we had the soup and hot choc. Well organised and we thoroughly enjoyed ourselves!'

'Was excellent. Pete & Tony very knowledgeable and interacted well with all. Our first experience of seeing live badgers so thank you!'

PLEASE NOTE: If there aren't enough tickets left on your chosen date, get in touch as we may be able to help. You can contact us by clicking on the booking link below, then selecting "Send Enquiry" on the right side of the page.

National Park Experiences is a curated collection that brings the stories of our National Parks to life. Each experience offers an authentic insight into the landscape and special qualities of a National Park.