CREDIT: ALASDAIR GRUBB
CREDIT: RON THOMAS
CREDIT: LYNNE GREENSTREET
CREDIT: SAM RYLEY
SPEND A NIGHT IN NATURE’S HOME BE WOWED BY THE HIGH TIDE PHENOMENON
The biggest family event is the hugely popular Big Wild Sleepout,
offering families the exclusive opportunity to camp overnight at
Burton Mere in August? With an evening of exciting activities to
discover the nocturnal residents. From bats, badgers, moths and
owls, what’s not to love about a unique night under the stars at a
bustling nature reserve? The oceans’ tides are an intriguing phenomenon, one of the most
visible and reliable of Mother Nature’s routines. The Dee Estuary
has one of the highest tidal ranges in the country, which can make
for some exciting birdwatching especially in autumn and winter.
GET UP CLOSE AND PERSONAL WITH BADGERS
RSPB reserves are home to all manner of wildlife, and the Dee
Estuary is no exception. Burton Mere Wetlands hosts half a dozen
badger setts, and the RSPB have worked hard to make it possible
for you see these iconic and enigmatic mammals. Book onto one
of the Badgerwatch guided walks in summer, or even better treat
to yourself to an exclusive evening in the badger hide for a more
extreme close-up experience.
TEST OUT YOUR CAMERA SKILLS
Love getting out with your camera? Burton Mere is the place for
you, a veritable photographer’s dream, from the beautiful lily-
laden Mere that gives the reserve its name and several scenic trails,
to the spectacular sunsets over the Welsh hills. It is one of the most
picturesque spots in the region – and we haven’t even started on
the wildlife yet! There’s a range of gorgeous wildlife just waiting to
be snapped, from the posing damselflies, to the elusive kingfishers
with their electric blue stripe, and let’s not forget the friendly robin
red breast. New for 2019 are photography workshops providing
top tips on wildlife photography. With stunning pictures around
every corner, you will not be disappointed.
STEP BACK IN TIME
Burton and its surrounds have been through massive changes over
the past 300 years making it steeped with history. At Burton Point,
a mile walk from the visitor centre at Burton Mere Wetlands,
archaeologists have discovered the remains of an Iron Age hillfort,
the only one of its kind on the Wirral. Here, an artist’s impression
of the site circa 200BC helps you wind back the clock to envisage
life back then, with the exposed headland offering unrivalled
views of the estuary’s vast saltmarsh that makes up the wider Dee
Estuary reserve.
The quaint village of Parkgate was formerly a thriving port and
seaside resort, before the shore silted up and the vast saltmarsh
formed, leaving the water a distant sight on any normal day. Yet a
handful of times a year, the tide can still flood the saltmarsh and
reach Parkgate’s historic sea wall.
In doing so, it causes a showcase of the 100,000 wetland birds
making their winter home here, flushes small mammals from
the saltmarsh grasses, and attracts the many birds of prey that
the Dee’s marshes are renowned for. Early 2019 happens to have
a number of favourable tides when the RSPB are running events
at Parkgate to help you spot what’s going on amidst the frenzied
activity around the marsh.
TAKE A WALK ON THE WILDER SIDE
Encompassing the area of over 7300 football pitches, the Dee
Estuary reserve is the fifth largest the RSPB manages, and the
charity’s largest coastal wetland reserve. Whilst the Welsh shore
is heavily industrialised in places, there is still plenty of places to
surround yourself in nature, such as on a stroll at Point of Ayr,
looking out across the epic expanse of the estuary.
The English side is a largely undeveloped wilderness stretching
four miles from Burton to Parkgate. This entire length can be
explored along a public right of way that borders the saltmarsh
and takes in a tidal reedbed, with an abundance of wildlife to be
spotted along the way, not least the numerous birds of prey and
huge flocks of geese in winter. It’s hard to find a more perfect place
to enjoy the peace and tranquillity of nature, whilst taking in some
of the most pristine views of Cheshire’s wonderful coastline.
For further information on events and wildlife at RSPB Dee
Estuary, visit rspb.org.uk/burtonmerewetlands.
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