Red Squirrels in the Lake District.

[welshcameraman]

I am hoping to visit the Lake District early in March. One of my ambitions for the trip is to get some good shots of Red Squirrels. I would be very grateful to anyone with local knowledge who can give me some advice on the best places to find some.

Martin

[The Woodman]

Where abouts are you going in the county?

[rogpow]

Try around the Osprey viewpoint area in Dodd Wood, Bassenthwaite Lake.
Last time I was there they were visiting the bird feeders and you could get quite close to them.

Rog

[actionfinch]

Originally Posted by rogpow

Try around the Osprey viewpoint area in Dodd Wood, Bassenthwaite Lake.
Last time I was there they were visiting the bird feeders and you could get quite close to them.

Rog

Me and the good lady went there a couple of years ago ,brilliant place ( the3 lakes is as a whole anyway).
In the B&B we stayed at , at breakfast we would watch them feed through the patio doors, was just brilliant.
i know i dont help locate them. but reading the above thread brought memories back, and hope to go there this year.

[welshcameraman]

Thanks Roger and Woodman. I have heard Dodds Wood could be a good place to head for, I am hoping to stay in Troutbeck, which a bit of a distance from there. Any help I can get to save me a long wait for nothing though would be appreciated.

Martin

[The Woodman]

Hi Martin

Troutbeck is a reasonable place to see RS but a better bet IMHO would be the NT's Stagshaw Gardens just south of Ambleside, NY 380029
See National Trust | Stagshaw Garden

Greys are controlled there and it's a nice walk through the gardens into Skelghyll woods beyond.

There are some friendly farmers in Troutbeck that should be able to give you up to the minute info on RS. Doug Freeman at the NT's Town End Farm in the village with the fantastic old barn on the road junction and Roger Westmorland up at the Howe Farm on the other side of the valley.

I have seen RS a mile north of Troutbeck around NY 415049 in the woods to the west of the road.

Another good bet would be to take the ferry across the lake to the west side at Ferry House, take the single track road north past Strawberry Gardens (end of tarmac and becomes rough track - drive with care or better still walk)
and keep your eyes skinned especially in the large conifers on the lake side of the track and the younger plantations on the left (west).

There was a feeding station to the west of the track but the NT made the ranger redundant and I'm not sure if it is still fed.

It's a great walk up the lakeside past Belle Grange, Red Nab to Wray Castle where more RS live.

Return southward via Latterbarrow SD367990 for a great view and across Claife and all the small tarns. You never know, you might get to see dragonfly species some cannot find - sorry PMG!

Generally speaking, the woodland around the north end of the lake is pretty good. Travelling north through Ambleside, Grasmere over Dunmail Raise to the south end woods of Thirlmere can be productive, especially around the Wythburn car park spruces at NY 324136.

Good luck, if you want any more info please get back to me.

[Dogghound]

Are the ones still at Coniston? I remember climbing the old man of coniston about 5 years ago and the plantations on the way up was full of reds. Great to see.

[The Woodman]

Those were the days, "full of reds". Yes, you may still see RS in that area but numbers have been depleted by parapox. There are a few areas where populations are surviving, the southern end of the Duddon Valley being one such place.

A number of initiatives have seen huge amounts of funding swallowed up in efforts to conserve RS in Cumbria but at the end of the day the march of the Greys and disease take their toll. I fear for the long term viability of the iconic stock here.

I've been watching a captive pair this morning flirting away but the owner is unsure if the mating will be viable due to the length of time they've been at it.

This is one of them taken last year for anyone who wants a RS fix!

[Dogghound]

Cheers Woodman, such a shame.

[Richard G.]

There's a good population in Whinfell Forest to the East, most predictable on the feeders within Center Parcs to be fair, but Greys are controlled in the Lowther Estate and you can access much of the forest without entering the holiday village.