WWT Caerlaverock – Wild Swans and Geese on the Solway
A few hours.
The route
Every winter the Solway's saltmarsh fills with wild swans and geese, and WWT Caerlaverock is the place to watch them in comfort.
Whooper swans gather on the pond in front of a heated observatory, and thousands of barnacle geese graze the fields beyond the hides and towers. The paths are level and the hides step-free, so it suits children and wheelchair users as well as birdwatchers.
Before you go
Book accommodation nearby
If you are staying over: here are ours nearest where the day starts and ends.
None of ours is close by: the nearest is The Scullery in Yarrow, 42 miles away. Sleeps 2; next free Fri 13 Nov to Sun 15 Nov.
The day
Caerlaverock
A winter morning in the hides and towers, with swans on the pond in front of you and geese out on the fields. Bring binoculars, a flask and a warm layer.
About three hours
WWT Caerlaverock
An attraction
WWT Caerlaverock lies on the Solway shore south-east of Dumfries, with a car park by the centre. It opens Tuesday to Saturday from 10am to 4.30pm, with last entry at 3.30pm, and it's shut on Sundays and Mondays. Entry is £5 for adults and £3.50 for children aged 3 to 17 at the time of writing, paid by card only. From October to March up to 200 whooper swans at a time come to the pond in front of the heated Sir Peter Scott Observatory, about 150 metres from the centre. They're fed grain there every day: ask at the desk what time. Thousands of barnacle geese from Svalbard spend the winter here too. They roost out on the merse, the saltmarsh, at dusk, after the centre shuts in midwinter, so the morning is the time for them, from the Glengoyne Hide or the Avenue Tower over their grazing fields. At high tide, waders and ducks are pushed in towards the Saltcot Merse Observatory, about half a mile out. Keep to the trails and hides. The paths are level, with step-free hides, but wet and muddy in winter. There's no café or shop at the moment, so bring a flask and a picnic; the toilets are open. Assistance dogs are welcome; for any other dog, ring 01387 770200 before going.
If it rains
The observatories and hides are under cover, but the trails between them are open and muddy in winter. In heavy rain, sit it out in the heated Sir Peter Scott Observatory, close to the centre.
Where to stay
Photographs by Lorna Lomas and Alan Bradshaw via Google