Solway Coast National Landscape

04/06/2026

It is National Volunteer Week 🎉

We would like to say a huge thankyou to our team of dedicated volunteers, who throughout the year help to manage various sites within our national landscape. Just today the team have been clearing pathways at Crosscanonby Carr, and what a great job they have done! 👏

Our regular volunteer group meets every two weeks, carrying out tasks that conserve and enhance the landscape while also improving access, allowing everyone to enjoy the special qualities of the Solway Coast.

There are plenty of ways to get involved as a Solway Coast National Landscape volunteer, we also offer monthly beach cleans and other one-off events. The best way to stay informed is by signing up to the Volunteer Newsletter on our website https://www.solwaycoast-nl.org.uk/get-involved/volunteering/ .

04/06/2026

A wonderful place to explore, Maryport is a gateway town to the Solway Coast National Landscape. Take a look at this video to gain inspiration for your next visit. 🌅✨

Maryport sits at the most south westerly point of our national landscape. From here you can easily access the outer Solway Firth. Heading along the coast and exploring the wide open sandy beaches of Allonby Bay or the undulating dune systems of Mawbray Banks Nature Reserve are two activities that are certainly worth adding to your itinerary for the next time you visit the area! ✅

Watch now for local recommendations on what there is to see and do ...

03/06/2026

🔊We have been on the radio!🔊

Did you hear our National Landscape Officer Sophie chatting to Fiona Sadler live on BBC Radio Cumbria over the weekend?

👉You can catch up with the Sunday morning show by following the link below and heading to the 24:00 minute time stamp.

Hear all about the sites we manage with the help of our volunteers, and how they have burst into life over the last couple of weeks! 🦋🌱

Sophie also chats about our other volunteer opportunities and how you too can get involved!

https://www.bbc.co.uk/sounds/play/m002wtdm

Join Fiona for mid-morning updates, great music and conversation.

02/06/2026

Happy World Peatlands Day!🌱💚

We would like to shine a spotlight on the beautiful peatlands, bogs and mosses we are so lucky to have within our National Landscape.

Today we celebrate the vital services peatlands provide for us.

Healthy peatlands:

✨Store huge amounts of carbon
✨Support rare and unusual plants, birds, and insects
✨Help to reduce flood risks
✨Boost our health and wellbeing

Why not see for yourself? Take a moment to relax and immerse yourself in the peaceful setting of a peatland. Whether you walk, meditate or simply sit back and appreciate the nature surrounding you, there are so many ways you can enjoy this environment.

Here are a couple of our favourite wetland paradises for you to explore:

• Glasson Moss Nature Reserve
• Drumburgh Moss Nature Reserve
• RSPB Campfield Marsh Reserve

You can find out more information about these sites on our website https://www.solwaycoast-nl.org.uk/places-to-explore/

Many peatlands suffered badly from peat extraction for the horticultural industry but here on the Solway Coast we have seen successful restoration projects take place. For example, Glasson Moss, which is now recovering well and offers the opportunity to experience one of the best examples of a healthy, wet, growing bog on the Solway Coast. 💧🌱🦋🦎

01/06/2026

Last Monday was a glorious sunny Bank Holiday on the Solway Coast - thanks to our dedicated volunteers who came out to help us with a beach clean and litter survey at Mawbray Banks. Our team of collected and recorded almost 400 pieces of litter from flower pots to gloves and pen caps to pallets! As always a huge thank you to our fabulous volunteers - swipe through for more information about what we found and where it came from

19/05/2026

Amphibian and Reptile Conservation (ARC) Trust training day 🐸🔎

Last week we hosted an Amphibian and Reptile Conservation (ARC) Trust training day in the Solway Coast National Landscape. The day provided those interested in monitoring and surveying natterjack toad breeding sites with the appropriate training and the opportunity to become accredited agents under ARC’s Natural England license.

The course was attended by local people, partner organisations and individuals from further afield, all sharing a keen interest in conservation and a desire to learn more about the magnificent amphibians who call the Solway Coast National Landscape their home.

ARC Trust staff provided extremely interesting presentations, covering amphibian identification, current legislation, habitat management for natterjack toads and surveying techniques. With a mixture of classroom and field-based learning sessions, attendees gained a complete understanding of surveying and monitoring natterjack toad breeding sites.

Later in the evening, the group had chance to head out for a night time field session. This was a treat for all who came along, hearing the male toads call and even seeing some of last year’s young toads make an appearance around the breeding ponds.

We would like to say a huge thank you to the ARC Trust for providing this training session, and to all those who attended.

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09/05/2026

We are at the Cumbria Nature Festival this weekend, come and see us in the main marquee. 👋🏻🎪

We have lots of useful resources to help you explore nature on the Solway Coast! 🌊🐚🌱

07/05/2026

Yesterday, in partnership with the West Cumbria Ringing Group, we held our first bird ringing demonstration event of the summer and what a great morning it was!🐦

We would like to say a huge thank you to the West Cumbria Ringing Group and all those who came along, everyone thoroughly enjoyed the demonstrations and discussions.👏🏽

What a privilege it was to see these wonderful little birds up close and learn more about the scientific data collected from ringing! Linnets, common whitethroats, willow warblers were just a few of the species we saw.

We have two more bird ringing events this summer (11th July & 13th August), further details and booking links are available on our website https://www.solwaycoast-nl.org.uk/events/

Keep an eye out on the events page of our website and our social media pages, we have plenty more opportunities and events coming up soon!

06/05/2026

Have you noticed our new visitor materials while out and about in the Solway Coast National Landscape? 🔎🧐

How great do they look on display at Holme Cultram Abbey!
Would your business or organisation also like to display these leaflets? ✨

This year we have updated and expanded our range of visitor materials. The range includes a number of walking and cycling leaflets, a Solway Heritage booklet, an Explore the Solway booklet and a Dog Friendly Solway guide.

With summer just around the corner, we have started to distribute these around the area. Local tourism attractions, hospitality businesses and community spaces are the perfect place for visitors and locals alike to pick up these handy guides.

Packed with fascinating information, these materials are free and there to help everyone explore and enjoy the Solway Coast National Landscape.

If you would like a selection of printed copies for your business or organisation please contact [email protected].