Cumbria Wildlife Trust Volunteer Day

Help Cumbria Wildlife Trust maintain the network of paths around this amazing reserve - between Coniston and Morecambe Bay. The reserve is a lowland of heath, grassland and fen areas which are home to a range of specialist species. It's dotted with ponds containing the rare medicinal leech.

The day will involve clearing the network of paths which cross the Common, helping visitors to explore the area and directing footfall to less sensitive areas, so benefitting wildlife too.  All tools will be provided, just bring along a pair of work gloves if you have them.

Lowick Common Nature Reserve is made of a number of special habitats. The eastern half of the reserve is characterised by the ponds and meres that follow its length, and the craggier, rocky nature of the ground. The western half of the nature reserve is different, with a more rolling, undulating ground crested with several ridges that run down the slopes here. The ponds are one of the few places in Cumbria to have medicinal leech.  They're also habitat for great crested newts and 15 species of dragonfly and damselfly, including beautiful demoiselle, emperor and black darter. The rest of the nature reserve is a mixture of lowland heath, lowland acid grassland and some lowland fen areas. These habitats are home to a range of specialist species including butterflies like Small Pearl Bordered Fritillary, and reptiles like slow worms and adders. The scattering of trees and shrubs across the main area of reserve see bird species like redpoll, spotted flycatcher and yellowhammer during the summer months.

The view from the top of the beacon towards the south of the nature reserve is spectacular. From the top you can look north to the dramatic hills and passes of the Lake District.  To the south you have the whole of Morecambe Bay before you, with the distant Pennines and Forest of Bowland on the horizon. On a clear day you can see over 15 miles north and at least 30 miles to the south.

IMPORTANT! - Participation Statement

You MUST complete a Participation Statement, in addition to booking your event space before attending an OutdoorLads event. You only need to complete this Participation Statement once, not for each event you attend. 

Photos with permission from Cumbria Wildlife Trust