Moss Wood Wildlife Watching Holidays in Lancashire
With over 30 nature reserves in the region, it is no surprise that so many people are booking wildlife watching holidays in Lancashire. The area, famed for its breath-taking backdrops, has been the site of many rare animal sightings in recent years, which has only added to the appeal of holidaying here.
Moss Wood Caravan Park is the perfect place to base yourselves to enjoy a wildlife watching holiday in Lancashire. On the park we’ve got an extensive woodland walk and nature trail, as well as comfortable accommodation, extensive facilities and all the creature comforts you could possibly need! Discover a hidden world of woodlands before heading out from the park and into the famous Forest of Bowland AONB.
Here, we let you know just few of the rare species that can be found in the region, and give you our recommendations for the best wildlife hotspots in Lancashire.
Top 5 places for wildlife watching in Lancashire
In addition to rare animals both small and large, there are 354 bird species in and around the region – making Lancashire one of the best places to go bird watching in the UK. Here, we give you our top 5 places for wildlife watching in Lancashire.
Forest of Bowland
We are extremely lucky to have the Forest of Bowland just a stone’s throw from our holiday park in Lancaster. The Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty (AONB) is home to miles and miles of stunning countryside. Here, you can enjoy wildlife spotting in Lancashire. Twitchers will have to opportunity to see peregrines, red grouse, snipe, stonechats and lapswings.
Avid walkers and cyclists will be truly in their element. Whether you’re looking to explore the quiet winding trails and clock up many miles, or you are looking for a short, circular route which is betted suited to younger children, you’ll undoubtedly find the perfect route here.
The Forest of Bowland is also a popular place to enjoy stargazing. Perfect for couples on their anniversary, or just because – or simply for singles who want to contemplate the sheer size of the universe in the tranquil setting of the Forest of Bowland. The area is so good for stargazing because of its dark skies and low light pollution. There are 5 designated sites where you can park up and enjoy stargazing in the Forest of Bowland.
There are also many family friendly activities in the Forest of Bowland. Aside from the many gentle walking routes, we particularly like the Wild Boar Park (pictured above). Here, families can meet their animals, enjoy park rides, discover wildlife walks and their brilliant food options. Children can also burn off more steam on the indoor and outdoor play areas!
The Nature Trail and Woodland Walk at Moss Wood
We are extremely lucky to have a nature trail and woodland walk on-site at Moss Wood. So, nature enthusiasts don’t even have to leave our award-winning park to explore extensive woodlands!
Dubbed ‘Moss Wood’s hidden gem’ by many, the woodland walk is not to be missed by guests. With a flurry of wild flowers carpeting the forest throughout the spring and so many birds, insects and animals to see, it is no surprise that many regard the trail as one of the best woodland walks in Lancashire. Make sure you keep your eyes peeled for the elusive red squirrel, too!
Thanks to the breadth of flora and fauna at Moss Wood, we have multiple habitats on site, which allows wildlife to thrive! The Moss Wood nature trail runs for around 1.5km. Pick up a free guide from reception and head along the route. You’ll come across various information boards which give you an insight into which rare species you might hope to find around the different habitats of the park.
Cobble Hey Farm and Gardens
Cobble Hey is situated less than 30-minutes away from Moss Wood. The farm and gardens make a great day out for all the family. Children will love meeting farm animals and grown-ups will enjoy the tranquillity of walking though the orchard, woodland and cottage garden. They also serve some excellent locally-produced food, so a lunch here is a must for visitors!
Distance from us: 26-minute drive
Visit the Cobble Hey Farm website
Brockholes Nature Reserve
This 250-acre nature reserve has everything: hundreds of rare species to find, a café, and a host of events. Brockholes is particularly good for those holidaying with young children, with regular ‘pram walk’ and ‘nature tots’ events taking place. Their impressive A-Z list of species gives you an insight into some of the brilliant mammals, reptiles, birds, and marine life you can find.
Brockholes was site of much excitement last year, when the extremely rare belted kingfisher was spotted for just the third time in history – which drew large crowds to the park. BBC News even covered the story from twitcher George Shannon, who spotted the bird.
Distance from us: 31-minute drive
Visit the Brockholes website
Beacon Fell Country Park
Situated in Preston, just half an hour or so from Moss Wood, Beacon Fell Country Park boasts 271 acres of woodland, moorland and farmland. There are some fantastic walking trails to discover here, as well as a range of rare wildlife species. Beacon Fell is a particularly good place to spot Roe Deer and rare insects such as dragonflies and damselflies.
Distance from us: 33-minute drive
View the Visit Lancashire website
Rare species that can be found in Lancashire
Deer
Many varieties of deer have been regularly sighted in the area in recent years. Roe deer are the most common you’ll come across, who often engage human onlookers in a staring content from a distance. Medium-sized roe deer are most commonly seen in winter. The one to look out for though, is the red deer. Spotting one is tricky and requires some luck – but if you manage it, it’ll certainly be an experience to remember.
Recently, sika and muntjac deer have grown in popularity in the UK. Originally from Japan and China, these deer were introduced to parks a few years ago, and are more commonly being spotted around Lancashire and the Lake District.
Dormice
These mice-like rodents have resided in North West England for centuries, but since 2000 their numbers have almost halved. In 2022, the National Trust released thirty-nine Hazel Dormice in the local woodlands, in an attempt to create a “northern stronghold”.
Although Dormice are spotted on occasion, you’ll have to conduct your search of the rodents in the dark. A suggested by the French translation of their name, “Dormir” (to sleep), Dormice are nocturnal creatures. They can be smaller than your thumb and often make nests on the forest floor, although as expert climbers they can sometimes end up making a home for themselves in abandoned birds nests.
Parakeet
The discerning green ring-necked parakeet is one of Lancashire’s most famous runaways. A handful of the exotic birds were kept as pets elsewhere in the UK, before escaping and migrating to Lancashire.
The ring-necked parakeet is the UK’s only naturalised parrot. Just like its domestic British cousin, the Parakeet can copy human speech – mimicking sounds and words. Their green exterior makes them easily recognisable – though spotting one of the birds is far from guaranteed. They’re normally found in holes in trees, although they have also been known to fly with noisy flocks of hundreds of birds.
Other species
From water to land to sky, there are thousands of rare species to discover in Lancashire.
Wildlife watching holidays in Lancashire
Moss Wood is the perfect place to enjoy a wildlife watching holiday in Lancashire. After a long day exploring the stunning local area, you’ll love coming back to the award-winning Moss Wood to recharge and relax, before heading back out to discover more natural beauty spots in North West England.
Moss Wood is situated in an ideal location, just a few minutes from Lancaster and Garstang – with quick and easy access to the one of Lancashire’s crown jewels – the Forest of Bowland AONB.
Why not bring your four-legged friend along? We understand it can be difficult for owners to plan holidays around their canines, which is why we are proud to be a dog-friendly holiday park in Lancashire. Your dog will love to many walks in the area!
If you love the area as much as we do, them why not make a permanent base for yourselves in Lancashire? There are many benefits of buying a holiday home at Moss Wood!
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