We aren’t the best outdoorsy family, but we do try and to get out and about as much as we can. Don’t get me wrong we spend loads of time outdoors, but we aren’t really hillwalkers or mountain climbers and we hadn’t done pond dipping until recently. So, when we went to visit The RSPB Reserve at Lochwinnoch, we decided it was something we had to do. We’ve never been or thought about going to an RSPB reserve, to be honest, I thought it was just about birds and bird watching. Not something any of us are in too, but I was wrong so wrong. It is brilliant and we had a great day.
When we arrived there was a great little reception area which is filled with the information about the wildlife around the reserve, colouring stations, a place to make crafts, a shop and a place to buy a few sandwiches and refreshments. The staff at the reserve are lovely, helpful and go out their way to help and make your day a memorable one. We started on a trail that is set out with stations around the reserve. These change on a regular basis, so do check out which events they have on at the time.
The kids got on their backpacks which you get when you book the trial. They contain everything you need for your fun filled adventure. String, binoculars, clipboard, pencil and more. Off we went and did some leaf spotting. It’s very serious and competitive business.
We went in search of fairies.
Aria loved this part and searched high and low for fairies. We did spot quite a few fairy doors which were so cute. It’s a really nice and well thought out touch.
Walking sticks are an essential part of the hike around the RSPB Lochwinnoch reserve. The scenery is stunning in the reserve so you won’t be disappointed by the views.
We couldn’t wait to go pond dipping and we were given a great wee sheet to match up to any of the little creatures we found.
The nets are at the pond dipping site on the trail. They are sturdy and easy for the kids to use. We thankfully didn’t fall in, but a little lady did on our way back. Thankfully, she was ok, just a bit shaken. It’s not deep, so no harm was done. The kids loved pond dipping so much, I felt a bit guilty we hadn’t done it before now.
There are trays next to the nets where you can tip out your contents and see what you’ve collected. It was fun seeing the little pond creatures move about.
Tyler collected his favourite creatures in the little tub in his backpack, don’t worry we went and put them back in. Told you the backpack had everything in it.
There were lots of different things to see on the trail and you don’t have to go on the trail, just have a wander around the reserve. We found a tyre swing which was fab. It was a bit muddy as it was rainy that day, but it didn’t spoil our fun.
Isn’t nature just beautiful? I’ve never seen so many fungi in the one place.
My oldest is obsessed with hedgehogs, we’ve not seen any in real life yet, but we had fun looking around the hedgehog hotel.
We checked off any butterflies, bees and other bugs we saw on our charts.
We had a closer look at the bugs in our magnified pots and jumped on the stepping stones.
Just look at the adorable little creature we met on the path on the way round the trail. Isn’t he the cutest? We loved seeing him and the kids all had a wee gentle hold before we put him back into the pond area.
Along the trail, there is a magnificent lookout point for birds. It is filled with feeders and you are behind a wooden wall with holes cut out at different sizes just enough to peek through without frightening the birds.
Perfect for using those binoculars that are in the bag. The kids had a lot of fun using the board to spot the type of birds we were seeing.
The holes are perfect for taking pictures of these beautiful wildlife creatures and if you are lucky you might see an otter too. If you like taking photographs of wildlife, this is a great place to go.
It really is a bird paradise and the feeders are filled up regularly, so they always come back for more.
There are so many different places to explore and we even made a little bee house with the string in our bag to hang on the trees. It’s all about learning and preserving the nature around us. The kids were amazed at so many creatures living in our area.
In the woods, you’ve got to try your hand at den building, it’s essential. This den was already built, but we added a few sticks we had.
At the top of the trail, you look over the stunning loch and the views are spectacular. You can see how well maintained these grounds are and the wildlife just thrives here.
We spent a while just enjoying the views and the peace that there is out there. It is so quiet and you really do feel at one with nature.
T
he kids had the most fun trying to spot the animals out of the reserve. We made some feeders for our own back garden when we returned to the welcoming area to hand in our sheets and hand back our bags. It was so much fun and we learned a lot about the creatures we can spot in our own home town. It is fantastic the work that is put into educating not just the kids, but the adults about preserving and helping natures in and around our homes. It definitely opened our eyes to have more days out at RSPB Reserve in Lochwinnoch. There are lots of family friendly events run all year round from den building, bird watching and much more. I know I am wanting to do the bat walk, I just love bats. Do check out their website for offers and details of events on at the RSPB Reserve in Lochwinnoch.
Disclosure: We were given free entry into the RSPB Lochwinnoch reserve for the purpose of this review, but we’ve been back since as we loved it so much.