Watchtree Nature Reserve

Watchtree Nature Reserve A place to enjoy wildlife, walking, cycling, orienteering, learning and being outdoors.
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Watchtree is a haven for wildlife, maintained and developed by a team of dedicated volunteers. Our aims are:

To maintain, monitor and develop the habitats which have been created to provide a haven for wildlife, especially species that are in decline locally or nationally. To provide managed access to the Nature Reserve for groups and individuals....

To develop the use of the Nature Reserve for education and research. To Promote and encourage access for the elderly, disabled and disadvantaged.

Back To The 60's, 70's & 80's Watchtree Fundraiser Get ready to time travel!​We are turning back the clock and bringing ...
08/06/2026

Back To The 60's, 70's & 80's Watchtree Fundraiser

Get ready to time travel!

​We are turning back the clock and bringing you the ultimate throwback experience. Whether you’re a child of the groovy 60s, a disco diva from the 70s, or a neon-loving rockstar from the 80s, this night is built for you.

​Event Details

🪩​Event: Watchtree 60s, 70s & 80s Night

🪩​Date: Saturday, June 13th, 2026

🪩​Time: 7:00 PM – 11:00 PM

🪩​Location: Morton Manor

​What’s on the Setlist?

​We have a fantastic lineup to keep you on the dance floor all night long:

🪩​Live music by Steve Viney

🪩​DJ set by DJ Cheezmachine

​We will be playing the absolute greatest tracks across all three incredible decades.

​Drinks & Vibes

🪩​Fully Licensed Bar: We will be serving up drinks throughout the evening.

🪩​Age Restriction: This event is for those aged 16 and older.

​Ticket Information

🪩​Tickets are just £9 per person.

​How to Book:

​Purchase in person at the Watchtree cafe till

​Book online at www.watchtree.co.uk/events

​Grab your friends, channel your favorite decade, and let’s make it a night to remember. See you there!

​

Watchtree Nature Reserve

08/06/2026

Rain or shine, Monday is for walking (and celebrating!)

Every Monday, our wonderful Ramblers Watchtree Walking for Health group comes together for a gentle stroll around the David Allen Health and Wellbeing Trail.

This thriving community is always bursting with good cheer, and true to form, a bit of weather never puts them off! The walk is short, fully accessible, and perfectly tailored to cater to all kinds of abilities everyone is welcome here. ❤️

Of course, no walk is complete without the grand finale: a social catch-up in the café!

Today, the café was buzzing with extra joy because we had a whole room full of birthdays to celebrate. 🎂

A massive Happy Birthday to all our celebrating walkers today!

Thank you for bringing so much brightness to our Mondays.

For more information about the group go to:
www.watchtree.co.uk/free-weekly-events-at-watchtree/

Our tree and wildflower nurseries are absolutely blooming right now, and we owe a massive thank you to our incredible te...
07/06/2026

Our tree and wildflower nurseries are absolutely blooming right now, and we owe a massive thank you to our incredible team of volunteers for making it happen. But we aren’t stopping there.

We are officially launching the next phase of our sustainable food system: the Watchtree Vegetable Garden!

We have been busy building brand new raised beds and a fully accessible potting shed in the elemental garden. The goal? To grow fresh, hyper local produce directly for the Watchtree café.

Want to help us grow food for the community, learn new skills, and spend time in nature? Whether you are a seasoned gardener or a complete beginner, we would love to have you on board.

📧 Get involved: Drop us a line at [email protected] to join the team!

The countdown is officially ON—just 7 days to go!​We are getting closer and closer to the ultimate Back To The 60's, 70'...
06/06/2026

The countdown is officially ON—just 7 days to go!

​We are getting closer and closer to the ultimate Back To The 60's, 70's & 80's Watchtree Fundraiser on Saturday, June 13th!

If you haven't sorted your tickets yet, now is the time!

​We’ve made grabbing yours as easy as possible with two ways to buy:

​At the cafe Counter at Watchtree Nature Reserve:
Pick them up directly at the Watchtree cafe till next time you pop in for a coffee and cake.

​Online:
Secure your spot instantly from the comfort of home by visiting www.watchtree.co.uk/events.

​Dust off the retro gear, find your dancing shoes, and get ready for a massive night of throwback anthems!

​The Countdown Details:
Date: Saturday, June 13th, 2026
Time: 7:00 PM – 11:00 PM
📍 Location: Morton Manor
🎤 Music: Live music by Steve Viney + DJ set by DJ Cheezmachine (As heard on CRFM)

🎟️ Price: £9 per person (Age 16+)

​Tickets are selling fast. Grab yours online or at the till today!

​

Recently spent the day visiting Lodge Castle, a site bought just one year ago by the brilliant community interest compan...
06/06/2026

Recently spent the day visiting Lodge Castle, a site bought just one year ago by the brilliant community interest company Buy Land Plant Trees, and the lessons in nature recovery here are incredible.

While common thinking might suggest clearing out thick rush before planting, their high-density cluster planting method (using zero plastic guards!) proved otherwise. Instead of swamping the saplings, the Soft Rush acted as a natural nursery, offering vital protection. Just one year in, these trees are already overtopping the rush and thriving far better than those planted in open meadows.

The process-led habitat management didn't stop there. Newly dug ponds are already teeming with life tadpoles wriggling in the shallows, while dragonflies and damselflies are busy mating and laying eggs.

Proof that if you provide the habitat, nature will happily do the rest.

We had the absolute best time on our recent Newt Night! Huge thanks to expert and licensed surveyor Graham, who guided u...
05/06/2026

We had the absolute best time on our recent Newt Night! Huge thanks to expert and licensed surveyor Graham, who guided us into the dark to discover the hidden world of the UK’s native newt species.

We were incredibly lucky to spot a "full house"—all three species that call the UK home! Graham showed us exactly how to tell them apart:

Smooth Newt: The UK’s most common newt. The males sport a wavy crest all the way down their backs and tails during the breeding season, and they have heavily spotted throats.

Palmate Newt: Very similar to the smooth newt, but with a clever giveaway—the males have distinctly webbed back feet (like a duck) and a tiny, thread-like filament right at the tip of their tail.

Great Crested Newt: The absolute heavyweight of the pond! Growing up to 16cm, these giants have rough, warty skin, a dramatic jagged crest like a mini dinosaur, and a bright orange belly with unique black spots as individual as a human fingerprint.

It was a brilliant late night for our younger nature explorers. They were so captivated by these nocturnal creatures that nobody wanted the evening to end!

Thank you to everyone who stayed up past bedtime to join the fun. What was your favourite find of the night? Let us know in the comments!

Head to our events link in our BIO to see our upcoming nature events.

03/06/2026

Last month marked our third Harvest Mice release, and it turned out to be an incredibly special day.

Working alongside the wonderful Cumbria Harvest Mice Project, we are actively bringing a lost species back into the natural world.

What started as a planned release quickly turned into an impromptu public event! It was magical to see the absolute thrill on the faces of young and old alike as they got a glimpse of these tiny, remarkable creatures.

​We successfully released 55 captive bred mice into their ideal, beautifully messy scrubby habitat. That brings our total to over 150 mice released so far, with the exact same amount still to come!

​A huge thank you to everyone who joined us and shared in the magic. Together, we are helping nature recover, one tiny paw at a time.

​

This Volunteers' Week, we want to give a massive shout out to the incredible team of volunteers who are the absolute hea...
03/06/2026

This Volunteers' Week, we want to give a massive shout out to the incredible team of volunteers who are the absolute heartbeat of Watchtree Nature Reserve.

Our amazing volunteer community brings together people of all ages, from enthusiastic seven year olds just getting started to inspiring individuals well into their nineties. No matter the generation, that shared passion for the reserve is what connects us all.

Our events volunteers forms the backbone of events at Watchtree, working tirelessly behind the scenes to make sure everything runs smoothly. Working just as hard outdoors, our fantastic habitats and estates team works year round maintaining the reserve and its diverse habitats so that local wildlife can thrive.

Alongside them, our dedicated café volunteers greet visitors with a warm smile, creating delicious home made food for you, and the Watchtree Wheelers team keeps everyone moving and makes cycling accessible for all . and our incredible team of education volunteers who inspire the next generation, sharing the wonders of nature with school groups and young visitors.

Whether you are leading guided walks, helping out at the visitor centre, maintaining habitats or monitoring our species, supporting events, educating our visitors, or helping people enjoy nature on wheels, we quite literally could not run the reserve without you.

To every single person who gives up their time to support us across all our different teams: thank you for your passion, your dedication, and your endless energy. You make Watchtree a truly special place for both nature and our community.

Happy Volunteers' Week!

The countdown is officially ON—just 11 days to go!​We are getting closer and closer to the ultimate Back To The 60's, 70...
02/06/2026

The countdown is officially ON—just 11 days to go!

​We are getting closer and closer to the ultimate Back To The 60's, 70's & 80's Watchtree Fundraiser on Saturday, June 13th!

If you haven't sorted your tickets yet, now is the time!

​We’ve made grabbing yours as easy as possible with two ways to buy:

​At the Counter:
Pick them up directly at the Watchtree cafe till next time you pop in for a coffee and cake.

​Online:
Secure your spot instantly from the comfort of home by visiting www.watchtree.co.uk/events.

​Dust off the retro gear, find your dancing shoes, and get ready for a massive night of throwback anthems!

​The Countdown Details:
Date: Saturday, June 13th, 2026
Time: 7:00 PM – 11:00 PM
📍 Location: Morton Manor
🎤 Music: Live music by Steve Viney + DJ set by DJ Cheezmachine (As heard on CRFM)

🎟️ Price: £9 per person (Age 16+)

​Tickets are selling fast. Grab yours online or at the till today!

​

1st Tuesday of every month, we are now open a little longer.Come for an evening stroll, then treat yourself in the Cafe....
01/06/2026

1st Tuesday of every month, we are now open a little longer.
Come for an evening stroll, then treat yourself in the Cafe.

The visitor centre and carparks close at 8:30pm

Address

Watchtree Nature Reserve, Nr Wiggonby
Carlisle
CA56NL

Opening Hours

Monday 9am - 4:45pm
Tuesday 9am - 4:45pm
Wednesday 9am - 4:45pm
Thursday 9am - 4:45pm
Friday 9am - 4:45pm
Saturday 9am - 4:45pm
Sunday 9am - 4:45pm

Telephone

+441228712539

Website

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