iKnow Lake District
- Barrow in Furness
- Grange Over Sands
- Seascale to Millom
- Solway Firth
- Ulverston
- Whitehaven
- Maryport & Workington
Walney Island Nature Reserves near Barrow in Furness
With the stunning drama of the Lake District National Park nearby, it's perhaps easy to overlook the nearby beauty of long and narrow Wanly Island, connected to Barrow-in-Furness by a small bridge and tucked between the Duddon & Morecambe Bay Estuaries. Wanly Island is 10 miles long, and only 5000 ft wide. Both the Northern and Southern tips of Wanly are nature reserves, and the island itself was formed by the glacial deposits of retreating glaciers. Now a perfect haven for wildlife, the sand dunes, shingle, open pools, salt marshes and mudflats are typical of the Morecambe Bay environment and here at Wanly they're home to Europe's largest colony of Herring and Lesser Black-backed Gulls and Eider breeding.
Watch out for Common and Little Terns, Shelduck, Oystercatcher and Ringed Plover. This long stretch of coastline, with estuarine mudflats, supports many wintering birds, with it's salt marsh, sand dune and shingle features. Find out more about Larus Fuscus, the Lesser Black-backed gulls. Wanly Island has the largest population of this breed in the UK, one third of the UK's population!
Walney Island Nature Reserve near Barrow in Furness
North Walney is a renowned habitat for the Natterjack Toad, which is found in only 40 places in Britain. This makes it the rarest amphibian in the UK. There are also 400 species of moths and butterflies that inhabit the reserves. Watch out for a stunning array of flowers in North Walney, including the Walney geranium, wild pansies, burnet rose, and ladies' bedstraw.
South Walney, at the western edge of the estuary consists of sand, shingle ridges and bars of various age and vegetation. The fauna of the Bay is diverse. The whole Bay area is of international importance for its wintering wildfowl. South Walney then is mostly salt marsh and dunes, and has a bird observatory on site. Location grid reference is MAP REFERENCE OS 1:50.000 Sheet no 96 SD225 620 - Walney Island, Barrow-in-Furness, and other facilities include hides, trails, toilets with disabled access, as well as self catering accommodation near the Bird Observatory. Permits are required, but you can purchase these on the site.
Key features on South Walney include the already mentioned large gull colony, particularly the Lesser and Greater Black-backed gulls. This area is also particularly famous for its large numbers of Eider Ducks who come here to breed. Way marked paths make the reserve particularly accessible. Points to note are that access is open to members and non-members, but there will be a small charge made for day permits. No dogs are allowed on the reserve.
Check out nearby Foulney Island also for spotting brent geese, red-breasted merganser, great crested grebe and common scoter are likely. Directions, By road, from Barrow follow signs for Walney Island. Cross Jubilee Bridge onto the Island and turn left at traffic lights, follow this road for about I km then turn left down Carr Lane. Pass Biggar Village and follow the road to the South End Caravan Site. Take the unmetalled road for a further kilometre until the reserve is reached. Tel: 01229 471066 for details.
Coastal Walking Around Walney Island
This area is perfect sublime Coastal Walking and Leisure. Walkway paths include The Cistercian Way, The Cumbria Coastal Walk, Red Man's Way and Channelside Haven. The Cistercian Way is 33 miles long in total, and runs from Grange-over-sands to Roa Island, taking a routes through the Furness sands, as well as the Cartmel peninsulas.
The Cistercian Way makes relatively easy walking, and connects to many other walkways including the Cumbria Way and Cumbria Coastal Way. Red Man's Way is a new coastal footpath which runs along Walney Channel, and you can gain access to Red Man through it's commonly known gateway, Channelside Haven, which is essentially a small park. Here at Channelside you'll find a few treats including flowering pathways, scented gardens and all with spectacular views across to Walney Channel.
