Wild Haweswater

Wild Haweswater Account managed by Annabel Haweswater is wild and wonderful, best explored with sturdy boots, a backpack and a map!

The only official page of the landscape restoration partnership between the RSPB who manage the site, and our landlord United Utilities, in the beautiful, rugged, eastern Lake District National Park. . The site stretches across 30 sq km of rushing streams, ancient woodland, valley mires, wildflower meadows and dramatic mountains. FACILITIES
Please note that Wild Haweswater does not have a

visitor centre, public hides, toilets or cafe - so bring a picnic and a raincoat, and enjoy exploring our beautiful valleys and fells. There are a variety of wildlife photography hides and experiences which can be booked online at www.wildhaweswater.co.uk


RESPONSIBLE TOURISM
At Wild Haweswater, we're demonstrating that nature restoration and farming can thrive together. Much of our work is hidden within the landscape, where we're restoring natural processes to benefit wildlife, water and people; for example by restoring peat bogs, rewiggling Swindale Beck, and replanting lost trees. Within these restored habitats wildlife is returning, such as nesting birds on rougher ground, red squirrels in the trees, scarce alpine flowers on the crags and peregrines in the skies. Alongside these beautiful, restored habitats we manage livestock including sheep, cattle and occasionally fell ponies, which move through the landscape regularly to allow plant life to return. Please do consider these special habitats, species and our livestock when visiting Haweswater. Stay on trails as much as possible, keep dogs on leads during the nesting season and when livestock are near, and remember to close gates. Discover how to explore our wild spaces responsibly at https://bit.ly/3BlELQz


STAY LOCAL
There are many excellent accommodation providers in the local area. You can explore some of them at www.lakedistrict.gov.uk/visiting/where-to-stay


PAGE RULES OF CONDUCT
Welcome to the only official RSPB Haweswater page. The purpose of this page is for everyone to enjoy wildlife sightings, photos, news, events and updates from your favourite nature reserve. We hugely encourage you to share sightings, photos, pose questions and have discussions about the site. We all have a love of Haweswater, so please assume positive intent in each other. Whether you are new to visiting, have been coming for years, or have never actually been but hope to one day, then all are welcome in this group. This official page is managed by some of our staff and volunteers. Please note, it will be checked on weekdays during work hours of 9am-5pm but is not staffed throughout that whole period. If you have specific feedback or a complaint to make please contact us by phone on 01931 713376 during office opening hours (Monday-Friday, 9am-5pm) or email [email protected]. You can find lots of information on our website www.wildhaweswater.co.uk as well. We encourage polite, friendly discussion, but personal insults, abusive or threatening language will not be tolerated, so please be respectful of each other and of our staff and volunteers. Any comments that include swearing or are deemed offensive will be removed and if individuals continue to post these types of comment to the page, then we may block them. Photography is allowed and encouraged on the reserve. Whether you have specific kit or just your camera phone, the wildlife and landscape of the reserve provides beautiful photography opportunities throughout the seasons. Please follow these considerations:

- Stick to the designated areas for visitors and adhere to any signage.

- When it comes to nature photography, please always remember the welfare of the subject is more important than the photograph, so follow the Nature Photographers' Code of Practice https://bit.ly/NaturePhotoCode.

- Why not consider booking one of our wildlife photography hides for those extra special photos of badgers, red squirrels and woodland birds. Check out our website for details www.wildhaweswater.co.uk

Cover image credit: Wild Fell, Penguin UK

It starts tomorrow folks!
06/06/2026

It starts tomorrow folks!

ONE WEEK TO GO: Penrith's Great Big Green Week!!!! πŸ’šβ™»οΈπŸŒ³

Check out the full programme of events and update your calendars with everything you're keen to attend! Event's are running from the 4th to 14th of June with everything being 𝐟𝐫𝐞𝐞 or 𝐛𝐲 𝐝𝐨𝐧𝐚𝐭𝐒𝐨𝐧.
For more info visit: https://www.penrithact.org.uk/events/great-big-green-week-2026/

Or stay up to date on our facebook event page: https://fb.me/e/65MsSZTwa

The Climate Coalition

Coordinated by PACT

Supported by: Zero Carbon Cumbria and Westmorland and Furness Council

This  , we're celebrating all that glows in the Wild Haweswater environment. Biofluorescence is a unique phenomenon wher...
05/06/2026

This , we're celebrating all that glows in the Wild Haweswater environment.

Biofluorescence is a unique phenomenon where certain organisms emit light in different colours than the ones they absorb, so when you shine UV on them, they light up like a 90s rave!

We've got some fantastic events to explore this natural wonder, coming up this September, led by our partner Reveal Nature: https://events.rspb.org.uk/events/152533

Our partner and landlord United Utilities will be holding a public information event this coming Sunday and Monday (7 an...
04/06/2026

Our partner and landlord United Utilities will be holding a public information event this coming Sunday and Monday (7 and 8 June) at nearby Bampton Memorial Hall. They'll be sharing plans for restoring Blea Water (the deepest tarn in the Lake District above Haweswater) and tree works around the reservoir.

Drop-in between 11am-5pm either day to find out more!

Huge thanks go to partners Conor from United Utilities and Keith from Lake District National Park for helping our RSPB E...
03/06/2026

Huge thanks go to partners Conor from United Utilities and Keith from Lake District National Park for helping our RSPB Estate Worker Will and RSPB Assistant Warden Richard to replace a gateway at Mardale Head. This is to make access easier for later in the summer, when our next set of helicopter drops will help us get tree protection cage materials (wooden posts and wire mesh), onto the fells ready for planting season this winter.



πŸ“Έ Image of Conor, Will and Keith, taken by Richard.

Happy  A day to celebrate all that healthy, wet bogs have to offer: πŸ’§ A natural filter for drinking waterπŸ’¨ A huge store ...
02/06/2026

Happy

A day to celebrate all that healthy, wet bogs have to offer:
πŸ’§ A natural filter for drinking water
πŸ’¨ A huge store of carbon, helping tackle climate change
β˜€οΈ Reduce drought, flood and fire risk
🐸 Home to a range of mosses, plants, insects and birds

πŸ“Έ Our RSPB Warden Spike was delighted to discover these bog pools forming in Swindale recently.

This coming week (1-7 June) is National  . Huge thanks to Cumbria Life Magazine for featuring the variety of roles our b...
31/05/2026

This coming week (1-7 June) is National .

Huge thanks to Cumbria Life Magazine for featuring the variety of roles our brilliant, hardy RSPB volunteers carry out here at Wild Haweswater.

Grab your copy of the June magazine in stores now.

πŸ“Έ Image of the first page of our article (and the article itself) by our RSPB People and Partnerships Manager Annabel

Not long to go now until Penrith  ! Check out the full programme from Penrith Action for Community Transition (PACT) πŸ‘‡
30/05/2026

Not long to go now until Penrith ! Check out the full programme from Penrith Action for Community Transition (PACT) πŸ‘‡

FULL PROGRAMME IS HERE!!

The full programme for Great Big Green Week is officially here! Throughout the week, Penrith will host a packed schedule of community-wide events celebrating sustainability, nature, and our incredible local environment.

Each event is run by Penrith’s amazing local groups, charities, and businesses, demonstrating the incredible power of our community coming together. You do not need to be an environmental expert to take part, taking action takes many shapes and forms, and absolutely everyone is welcome to come along and join in!

πŸ’š Show your support with a Green Heart! Cannot make it to an event? You can still be a massive part of the celebration! We are asking the whole community to show their support for our local environment by crafting a 'Green Heart' and displaying it in their windows for the week.

For full details on individual events, organisers and more info on what GBGW is - visit the link below:

https://www.penrithact.org.uk/events/great-big-green-week-2026/

Or stay up to date on the Facebook Event Page:

https://www.facebook.com/events/949802227437505

The Climate Coalition Zero Carbon Cumbria Westmorland and Furness Council

Mothing to see here πŸ˜‰ Moths might not have the PR of butterflies but they are just as important as pollinators, as a foo...
28/05/2026

Mothing to see here πŸ˜‰

Moths might not have the PR of butterflies but they are just as important as pollinators, as a food source for birds, mammals, reptiles and more, and are an indicator of the health of the environment.

These two absolute stunners are arguably just as well dressed as their fluttery cousins. They were found by the Connect for Nature Science Team - Mo and Callum, as part of their surveys on Mardale Common here at Wild Haweswater:

πŸ’šπŸ€ Green silver-lines moth by Conservation Scientist Mo
🩷 πŸ’™ Emperor moth also by Mo (just look at those antennae!)

BBC Springwatch

Address

Mardale Head Car Park, Haweswater Reservoir, Nr Burnbanks, Bampton
Penrith

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