Summer Fun at Castle Espie Wetland Centre

 Including woodland mini beats hunts, pond dipping, listening for wildlife, tabletop treasure talks, meet the baby owls or why not take some bat detectors and join us for ‘Bat Night’ event.

Pond Dipping Saturday 21st and Sunday 22nd July
Try pond dipping for aquatic life such as Leeches, Freshwater Hoglouse, Pond snails, or Greater Water boatman – with help on hand to explain what you’ve caught. Takes place between 11am – 1pm and 2pm – 4pm.

Table Top Treasures, Saturday 28th and Sunday 29th July
Visit our table top of treasures where you’ll find real artefacts such as fossils from 320 million years ago, flints and food from 7,000 years ago, and the equipment scientists use to study bird life today. Takes place between 11am – 1pm and 2pm – 4pm.

The Owl Man, 28th July
Come along and meet a menagerie of birds of prey from various parts of the world, 5 different species of owl will be on show, including Rowan the magnificent European Eagle Owl and some new bay owls which have just joined the collection. PLUS 2 Hedgehogs one of which is an albino. Learn about their habitats and why conservation is so important to their future. 28 July & 12, 27 August, 12 noon – 4.30pm. Free with admission

Woodland Mini-beast hunt, Saturday 4th and Sunday 5th August
With a guide on hand hunt the dark crevices and woodpiles of our woodland for millipedes, centipedes, woodlouse, and other creepy crawlies. Takes place between 11am – 1pm and 2pm – 4pm.

Bat Evening 17 Aug
A unique chance to visit the reserve when all of the visitors have gone and the sun is setting. Get ready to go bat hunting with an expert. Listen and watch out for these tiny creatures with your bat detector and learn more about them and their habitiat. Adults £10, Children £7.50. 7pm – 10pm.

Why not visit our summer exhibition ‘Painted in Pastel’ by the Pastel Society of Ireland in Castle Espie Gallery running until the 28th July. Followed by summer homemade delights and coffee/tea in our Loughshore cafe. All events are included in the cost of admission. For more information about WWT Castle Espie, please visit wwt.org.uk/castleespie or call 028 91 874146. Follow us on Facebook & Twitter @WWTcastleespie.

To make your money go even further, why not become a WWT member? Not only will you get your entrance fee refunded, but you get free entry to all nine centres for a full year, so you can bring the children back to any WWT centre as many times as you like. As well as free entry to WWT centres, you will also be supporting the vital conservation work carried out by WWT all around the world, plus members receive an exclusive quarterly magazine, Waterlife, which keeps you up to date on what’s going on at all nine centres and WWT’s conservation work.