Wildlife spotting near Windermere

Our park is home to all sorts of animals, birds and wildlife. However, Lake Windermere itself is also one of the best places to spot wildlife in the Lake District. The lake is home to 18 islands. By far the largest is the privately owned Belle Isle lying opposite Bowness and around a kilometre in length. There is a rich biodiversity of wildlife in the National Park and we ask you to enjoy your stay but respect the Countryside Code.

Grizedale Forest is the perfect place to soak up the sights and sounds of the Lakes. Embark on one of the walking or cycling trails and keep your eye out for roe deer, foxes and grouse, or take a pew in one of the picnic areas and listen out for woodpeckers. White-faced darter dragonflies have also been spotted around the tarns in the forest.

This iconic hill on the eastern shore of Windermere is a walker’s paradise. The circular route offers spectacular views of the surrounding landscape, and the surrounding woodland is home to all sorts of animals, birds, and insects.

Foulshaw Moss is part of the Cumbria Wildlife Trust and has become famous as a place where ospreys breed in the summer. The nature reserve is a lowland raised mire - an incredibly rare habitat in the UK - and is also home to an abundance of dragonflies and damselflies.