Wildlife Walks are becoming one of the more popular types of walks we offer and are a great way of finding out more about our fascinating wildlife whilst enjoying a great walk, which can range in difficulty from very easy to quite tough, and in duration from 2 hours upwards.
Britain has some really interesting wildlife and the quieter valleys of the Lake District are really special. Most of our wildlife walks take place in the Martindale area, a peaceful valley, spectacular yet with a remote feel. On many of our walks you'll also have the opportunity to discover something of the history of the landscape. |  |  | The speciality of Martindale has to be the great herds of Red Deer which roam the fells. Truly wild, these deer are descended from those hunted here by royalty 800 years ago, and by Kaiser Willhelm in the early 1900s. The hunting lodge used then is still there to this day. The area is also home to some of England's last remaining strongholds of the iconic Red Squirrel - surely one of our most beautiful mammals. | The Lakeland Fells were once home to forests which grew to an altitude of nearly 2000 feet. Sheep farming since Viking times has reduced the forest, but we can still find some of the trees, flowers and herbs from those times on steep banks and crags where the sheep cannot graze. Wetland areas on the fells host a wide range of marsh plants including the insectivorous Butterwort and Sundew. |  |  | The high crags of the fells are home to the Peregrine Falcon, master of the air and majestic symbol of the mountains. Though it's population was almost eradicated due to pesticide poisoning in the 1960s, the Peregrine has made a remarkable recovery and can now be commonly seen - if you know where to look.
The most majestic of the birds of prey - the Golden Eagle still clings to a precarious existance in the high fells, with a solitary pair usually nesting in a remote valley. In recent years, Ospreys have once again become breeding residents. | We can't promise to see every rare bird and flower every time we go out, but on our wildlife walks, you'll enjoy good company, a fine walk and the opportunity to see as much as it is possible to see on any given day. Led by former National Park Ranger, John White, you can get a truly unique perspective on the wildlife and landscape of the Lake District. |  |
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Last Updated ( Monday, 11 December 2006 )
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